Apple today unveiled a redesigned iPad mini that features a larger 8.5-inch OLED display, the A20 Pro chip, a new Acoustic Display audio system that removes speaker holes, IP67 water and dust resistance, an N1 Wi‑Fi 7 chip, and other upgrades Apple called the iPad mini’s “biggest update ever.”
iPad mini design and display
The new iPad mini adopts an 8.5-inch OLED panel, up from the previous 8.3-inch screen, delivering higher contrast and more vivid colors. Apple says the display can reach up to 600 nits for standard content (up from 500 nits) and up to 1,200 nits for HDR content only. The technical specifications do not list ProMotion, so the display remains at 60Hz. As with the iPad Pro, buyers can opt for a nano-texture display on 256GB or 512GB models for a $100 upgrade.
The redesign makes the device about 15% thinner and lighter: the new Wi‑Fi model measures 5.4mm thick and weighs 0.56 pounds, compared with the previous Wi‑Fi model at 6.3mm and 0.65 pounds. The top-edge Touch ID button, a USB-C port, and other core hardware features are retained.
Performance and A20 Pro
The iPad mini is powered by the A20 Pro chip, built on TSMC’s 2nm process with Neural Accelerators in each GPU core. Chip configurations vary by storage: 128GB and 256GB models have a 5-core CPU, 7-core GPU and a single 16-core Neural Engine; the 512GB model gets a 6-core CPU, 7-core GPU and a dual 16-core Neural Engine. Apple states the A20 Pro delivers up to 60% faster CPU performance, up to 2.7× faster graphics performance, and up to 4.5× faster AI performance compared to the A17 Pro in the previous iPad mini.
With iPadOS 27.2, the new iPad mini supports an extended display mode when connected to an external display.
Audio, cameras and connectivity
The iPad mini introduces an Acoustic Display system that produces sound from behind the display, eliminating traditional speaker holes. Apple said: “Specially designed woofers are paired through the display to produce punchier bass and more volume. In addition, custom tweeters are now hidden between the glass and aluminum enclosure for clearer highs.” This Acoustic Display also helps the device achieve IP67-rated water and dust resistance for the first time on the iPad mini.
Camera hardware includes a 12-megapixel rear Wide camera, two microphones, and a rear True Tone flash that Apple describes as “adaptive,” which it says improves photos and document scanning. The front-facing 12-megapixel Center Stage camera is positioned for landscape video calls rather than portrait orientation.
Wireless upgrades include Apple’s N1 chip with Wi‑Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 support, which Apple says enables “better performance when connected to 5GHz Wi‑Fi networks” and “improves the overall performance and reliability of features like AirDrop and AirPlay.” 5G/LTE-enabled models use Apple’s C2 chip, which Apple says provides up to 50% faster cellular data speeds and improved power efficiency versus the previous model.
Battery, charging, pricing and availability
Apple says the updated iPad mini retains the same advertised battery life as before and now supports fast charging: it can reach 50% battery in 30 minutes with a 35W-or-higher power adapter. In the U.S., Apple includes a 20W USB-C Power Adapter and a USB-C cable in the box.
Pre-orders begin Wednesday, October 28 at 10:10 a.m. Pacific Time, with deliveries and in-store availability starting Friday, November 6. U.S. pricing starts at $699. There are two color choices: Midnight and Starlight.
Apple previously launched the iPad mini at a $499 starting price in 2024, raised the starting price to $599 in June, and the new model now starts at $699, marking two price increases this year.
