Apple has officially unveiled the new generation of the iPad mini, which the company calls the most significant upgrade in the line's history. The new device features an OLED display, an advanced 2-nanometer A20 Pro processor with hardware AI support, and an IP67 water and dust resistant body. The device has become noticeably more portable: the body thickness has been reduced to 5.4 mm, and buyers are offered two new color options. Thanks to a 24% reduction in bezels, the screen diagonal has grown to 8.5 inches while maintaining the tablet's previous overall dimensions.
Super Retina XDR Display and New Form Factor
The foundation of the visual experience is Super Retina XDR technology, delivering deep blacks and peak brightness up to 1200 nits — twice that of the previous generation. The transition to an OLED matrix combined with narrower bezels allowed Apple to increase the usable screen area without increasing the device size, making it more convenient for reading, document work, and media consumption on the go.
Performance: 2nm A20 Pro
Powering the gadget is the advanced 2-nanometer A20 Pro processor. The seven-core graphics chip with neural accelerators in every core delivers 4.5 times faster AI-based task processing and nearly triple the 3D graphics performance compared to the previous generation. This computational headroom is designated by the company for local AI features and resource-intensive scenarios.
Apple Intelligence, Siri AI, and Privacy
The tablet runs on iPadOS 27, integrating the next generation of the Apple Intelligence platform and Siri AI. The system can analyze the context of user messages, documents, and photos directly on the device, while maximum privacy is ensured by Private Cloud Compute technology, which offloads sensitive processing to a secure, encrypted cloud.
Audio, Camera, and Wireless Connectivity
To enhance multimedia capabilities, the iPad mini features an innovative acoustic display with dedicated low-frequency speakers and hidden tweeters. The 12MP front camera is now positioned on the long bezel, making FaceTime video calls more natural in portrait orientation. It includes the latest N1 wireless chip with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 support, while cellular versions feature the C2 modem with eSIM support and improved energy efficiency. Performance and battery life are complemented by support for Apple Pencil Pro accessories and the updated Smart Folio case.
Pricing, Configurations, and Availability
Pre-orders for the new device will begin on Wednesday, October 28, in 36 countries worldwide, with the first shipments and retail availability scheduled for Friday, November 6. The starting price for the Wi-Fi model is $699, while the cellular version starts at $849. The device is offered in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage configurations.
