Apple announced a new iPad mini on October 26, 2026, and it went on sale on November 6, 2026. The small tablet now has an 8.5-inch OLED display, the A20 Pro chip, an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, and a thinner and lighter body. The United States starting price is $699 for the Wi-Fi model with 128GB of storage, which is $100 more than the $599 price Apple was charging for the previous model. This guide explains what changed, what stayed the same, and the one detail that matters most before you choose a storage size. TechNewsNest has not tested this tablet hands on; facts come from Apple and the named sources in the Sources section.
iPad mini OLED A20 Pro at a glance: what changed
Apple announced the new iPad mini on October 26, 2026, with pre-orders from October 28 and availability from November 6, 2026, according to Apple Newsroom. The main changes are an 8.5-inch OLED display, the A20 Pro chip, IP67 dust and water resistance, a 5.4mm body, a landscape front camera, and a $699 starting price for Wi-Fi.
The headline change is the screen. The previous iPad mini used an 8.3-inch LCD panel. The new model uses an 8.5-inch OLED display in about the same outline, because Apple made the bezels 24 percent thinner. Apple says the panel reaches up to 1,200 nits for HDR, with 600 nits for full screen standard content and a 2,000,000 to 1 contrast ratio, and it can drop to 1 nit in a dark room.
Apple says the A20 Pro delivers up to 60 percent faster multithreaded CPU performance, up to 2.7 times faster graphics, and up to 4.5 times faster AI performance than the previous generation. Those figures are Apple vendor reported claims from its own September 2026 testing, not independent test results. The 128GB and 256GB models do not get the full chip, as the next sections explain.
OLED display and nano-texture glass
The new iPad mini has an 8.5-inch OLED Super Retina XDR display with 2,316 by 1,512 resolution and 326 pixels per inch, according to Apple and GSMArena. The panel reaches 600 nits for standard content and up to 1,200 nits for HDR, and nano-texture glass is offered on the 256GB and 512GB models only.
OLED changes how the screen looks in daily use. Each pixel lights on its own, so black areas can turn off and stay black. That gives the new mini deeper blacks and stronger contrast than the LCD panel in the previous model. The 1,200 nit figure applies to HDR highlights only. For normal web pages, books, and most apps, the maximum rises from 500 nits to 600 nits, a 20 percent increase.
The refresh rate is the main limit. Apple does not publish a refresh rate figure on its product page or in its newsroom announcement. GSMArena reports the panel runs at 60Hz, and Engadget and The Verge also report a 60Hz cap. That means scrolling will not look as smooth as on an iPad Pro with ProMotion at 120Hz.
A20 Pro chip and the storage split
The A20 Pro chip is built on a 2 nanometer process and has a 7-core GPU with Neural Accelerators in each GPU core, according to Apple. The 128GB and 256GB models get a 5-core CPU and one 16-core Neural Engine, while only the 512GB model gets a 6-core CPU and a Dual 16-core Neural Engine.
This split is the most important detail in the whole launch. Apple describes the chip with the words up to a 6-core CPU, and it lists the Dual 16-core Neural Engine as a feature of the 512GB configuration. The 128GB and 256GB models have two performance cores and three efficiency cores, plus a single 16-core Neural Engine. The 512GB model has two performance cores and four efficiency cores, plus two full 16-core Neural Engines.
Apple says the chip gives up to 60 percent faster multithreaded CPU performance than the previous generation, up to 2.7 times faster graphics, and up to 4.5 times faster AI performance. Those claims are based on Apple testing in September 2026. Because multithreaded tests load every core, the 5-core models will land below the 60 percent ceiling that Apple quotes for the 6-core model. Apple also says the chip has more than twice the unified memory bandwidth of the previous generation.
Design, weight and IP67 water resistance
The new iPad mini is 5.4mm thick and weighs 255 grams for the Wi-Fi model, against 6.3mm and 293 grams for the previous Wi-Fi model, according to Apple. It is the first iPad with an IP67 rating, tested to 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes under IEC 60529, and it comes in midnight and starlight.
The body is 14 percent thinner and 13 percent lighter than the previous model, according to Apple. The screen grows from 8.3 inches to 8.5 inches in about the same outline, because the bezels are 24 percent thinner. The aluminum body comes in two colors only, midnight and starlight.
IP67 is a first for the iPad line. Apple says the tablet is splash, water, and dust resistant, and the rating was tested in controlled laboratory conditions. That does not mean the tablet is waterproof. Apple says liquid damage is not covered under warranty, and the rating applies to fresh water in lab tests, not to a pool, the sea, or a shower.
Acoustic Display speakers and cameras
Apple moved the speakers under the display in a system it calls Acoustic Display, so the tablet has no speaker cutouts. The front camera is now a 12MP Center Stage camera on the landscape edge, and the rear camera is a 12MP wide camera that records 4K video at up to 60 frames per second.
The speaker change is unusual. Apple says woofers work through the display, while custom tweeters sit between the glass and the aluminum body. That design is part of how Apple reached the IP67 rating, because it removes the speaker holes that water could enter. Engadget, in its review, rated the tablet 8.5 out of 10 and praised the display and the overall hardware, while noting the 60Hz screen as a limit.
The front camera move is simple and useful. On the previous mini, the front camera sat on the short edge, so video calls looked off center when the tablet was held sideways. The new 12MP Center Stage camera sits on the long edge, which is the natural position for a FaceTime call with the tablet in landscape. The rear camera is a 12MP wide camera that records 4K video at up to 60 frames per second. It also has an Adaptive True Tone flash, according to Apple.
Connectivity, battery and charging
The new iPad mini uses Apple N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread, and cellular models use Apple C2 modem with 5G, according to Apple and GSMArena. The battery is 18.9Wh with up to 10 hours of use, and Apple says it reaches 50 percent charge in 30 minutes with a 35W or higher power adapter.
The wireless chips are new for the mini. The N1 chip handles Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread in one part. The cellular model uses the C2 modem and eSIM only, with no physical SIM tray listed. Apple says cellular data can be up to 50 percent faster than on the previous mini. That is an Apple vendor reported claim, not an independent network test, and real speeds depend on the carrier and the signal.
Battery life is listed as up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi-Fi or watching video, the same figure Apple gave for the previous model. The battery capacity is 18.9Wh, slightly smaller than the 19.3Wh battery in the previous model, according to GSMArena. Apple says the tablet reaches 50 percent charge in 30 minutes with a 35W or higher adapter, and the USB-C port transfers data at USB 3 speeds of up to 10Gb per second.
iPadOS 27, Apple Intelligence and Pencil support
The new iPad mini ships with iPadOS 27 and the next generation of Apple Intelligence, with Siri AI rolling out in beta with iPadOS 27, according to Apple. It supports Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil with USB-C, and it works with the new Smart Folio.
iPadOS 27 is the software that carries the new AI features. Apple says Siri AI can draw on personal context to help find what the user needs, answer questions, and understand what is on the screen. Siri AI is rolling out in beta with iPadOS 27, according to Apple Newsroom, so buyers should not expect the full Siri AI experience on day one.
Pencil support is unchanged in type but better in use. Apple Pencil Pro works with hover, squeeze, and barrel roll, and Apple Pencil with USB-C works as the lower priced option. The mini remains a good size for notes, sketches, and marking up documents. For a look at a larger Apple tablet with the same chip family, see the TechNewsNest guide to the iPad Pro M5: https://technewsnest.com/ipad-pro-m5-what-changed/
Price, storage and release date
The new iPad mini starts at $699 for the 128GB Wi-Fi model and $849 for the 128GB Wi-Fi and Cellular model, according to Apple. The 256GB Wi-Fi model costs $799, and the 512GB Wi-Fi model costs $999, with pre-orders from October 28, 2026 and availability from November 6, 2026.
The full United States price list, from GSMArena and Apple, is $699 for 128GB Wi-Fi, $849 for 128GB Cellular, $799 for 256GB Wi-Fi, $949 for 256GB Cellular, $999 for 512GB Wi-Fi, and $1,149 for 512GB Cellular. Education pricing starts at $649 for the Wi-Fi model, according to Apple.
The price is the main point of debate in early reviews. The Verge, in a review by David Pierce dated November 3, 2026, called the tablet the best iPad mini yet, but said $699 feels at least $100 too high, and noted that $50 more reaches an iPad Air. Engadget rated the tablet 8.5 out of 10, praised the OLED display, and also noted the price rise.
Apple took pre-orders from October 28, 2026 in 36 countries and regions, including the United States, and the tablet reached stores and deliveries on November 6, 2026. Regional prices vary, with GSMArena listing 749 euros in Germany and 699 pounds in the United Kingdom for the 128GB Wi-Fi model.
iPad mini OLED vs iPad mini A17 Pro
The new iPad mini has an OLED display, the A20 Pro chip, IP67 resistance, and a thinner body, while the previous model has an LCD display, the A17 Pro chip, no IP rating, and a thicker body. The new model costs $699, against $599 for the previous model just before launch.
The comparison below uses Apple specifications and GSMArena. Display: new model 8.5-inch OLED, 2,316 by 1,512, 600 nits standard and 1,200 nits HDR peak. Previous model 8.3-inch LCD, 2,266 by 1,488, 500 nits. Chip: new model A20 Pro, 5-core CPU on 128GB and 256GB and 6-core on 512GB. Previous model A17 Pro, 6-core CPU. Body: new model 5.4mm thick and 255 grams for Wi-Fi. Previous model 6.3mm thick and 293 grams. Resistance: new model IP67. Previous model none listed. Battery: new model 18.9Wh, up to 10 hours. Previous model 19.3Wh, up to 10 hours. For the 2026 iPhone range that shares the same chip family, see the TechNewsNest guide to the iPhone 17 series: https://technewsnest.com/iphone-17-series-what-changed/
Frequently asked questions
The questions below cover the price, the chip split, the screen, water resistance, and Pencil support, using only facts from Apple and the named review sources. Each answer uses the confirmed specifications, and it notes where Apple has not published a figure.
When was the new iPad mini released?
Apple announced the new iPad mini on October 26, 2026, took pre-orders from October 28, 2026, and made it available on November 6, 2026, in 36 countries and regions including the United States, according to Apple Newsroom.
How much does the new iPad mini cost?
The Wi-Fi model starts at $699 for 128GB, $799 for 256GB, and $999 for 512GB in the United States. The Wi-Fi and Cellular model starts at $849 for 128GB, $949 for 256GB, and $1,149 for 512GB, according to GSMArena and Apple.
Does every iPad mini get the same A20 Pro chip?
No. The 128GB and 256GB models get a 5-core CPU and one 16-core Neural Engine. Only the 512GB model gets a 6-core CPU and a Dual 16-core Neural Engine, according to Apple technical specifications reported by GSMArena.
Does the new iPad mini have a 120Hz display?
No, as far as independent reporting shows. Apple does not publish a refresh rate figure. GSMArena, Engadget, and The Verge report the panel runs at 60Hz, with no ProMotion, so scrolling will not look as smooth as on an iPad Pro.
Is the new iPad mini waterproof?
No. It has an IP67 rating, tested to 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes in lab conditions under IEC 60529. Apple says liquid damage is not covered under warranty, and the rating does not cover pool or sea water.
Does the new iPad mini work with Apple Pencil?
Yes. It supports Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil with USB-C, according to Apple. Apple Pencil Pro supports hover, squeeze, and barrel roll, while the USB-C model is the lower priced option without those features.
What is nano-texture glass on the iPad mini?
Nano-texture glass is an optional finish that reduces glare in bright light. Apple offers it only on the 256GB and 512GB models, so the $699 model cannot have it. Engadget reports the 256GB model with nano-texture costs $899, $100 more than the standard 256GB model. It helps outdoors and near a window, but it is not needed for most indoor use.
Sources
- Apple Newsroom, Apple gives iPad mini its biggest update ever: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/10/apple-gives-ipad-mini-its-biggest-update-ever/
- GSMArena, The OLED iPad mini is here with A20 Pro chip and acoustic display speakers: https://m.gsmarena.com/the_oled_ipad_mini_is_here_with_a20_pro_chip_and_acoustic_display_speakers_-amp-75213.php
- Engadget, iPad mini (A20 Pro) review: Apple’s tiny tablet gets a big update: https://www.engadget.com/2304616/apple-ipad-mini-a20-pro-review/
- PhoneArena, The OLED iPad mini is here: A20 Pro, Acoustic Display and a price close to the iPad Air: https://www.phonearena.com/news/the-oled-ipad-mini-is-here-a20-pro-acoustic-display-and-a-price-close-to-the-ipad-air_id184320
