Apple's new iPad mini gets OLED screen, IP67 rating, but starts at $699

A thinner, sealed body with a bigger screen

Apple's smallest tablet has been refreshed for its eighth generation, and reviewers say the changes reach nearly every part of the device. The new iPad mini measures 5.4mm thick according to 9to5Mac, down from 6.3mm on the previous model, and weighs 255 grams, down from 293 grams. Its bezels are 24 percent thinner, which lets the screen grow from 8.3 to 8.5 inches while the overall footprint barely changes. 9to5Mac says the new model is about 2.2mm narrower overall than its predecessor.

Previous iPad mini293

New iPad mini255

Previous iPad mini

293 g

New iPad mini

255 g

Data from the article text

Apple has also sealed the enclosure, so no speakers are visible and the sound system was redesigned. The model is the first iPad rated IP67 for water and dust resistance. MacRumors notes that the rating reflects tests simulating submersion at a depth of about one metre for as long as 30 minutes. The reviewer expects the device to cope with splashes from a pool or bathtub, as well as rain. Apple's update names small business owners, doctors, field service workers and gamers among its users.

OLED screen with a nano-texture option

The display is the biggest change in the update. The panel now uses OLED instead of the LCD found in earlier models, and 9to5Mac describes it as Apple's first non-Pro iPad with an OLED screen. Peak SDR brightness rises to 600 nits from the previous 500 nits, and HDR content reaches 1,200 nits, according to 9to5Mac.

Previous iPad mini500

New iPad mini600

Previous iPad mini

500 nits

New iPad mini

600 nits

Data from the article text

Wired and MacRumors both note that the screen lacks the 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate of the iPad Pro, and MacRumors says that gap will be noticed while scrolling. A nano-texture option, etched into the glass rather than applied as a coating, is offered for the first time on an iPad mini. Wired puts its extra cost at $100, while Evening Standard says it is available only with the 256GB and 512GB storage tiers.

Chip, connectivity and features

The A20 Pro chip replaces the A17 Pro used in the previous mini, and Engadget says it was released alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo. The mini is also the second iPad to support fast charging, after the iPad Pro, according to Engadget. TechRadar reports battery life close to Apple's claimed 10 hours in its testing. The same review says the N1 chip adds Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread support, while Cellular models add Apple's C2 modem. Face ID is still absent, which Wired lists among the features the mini does not have, and colors are limited to midnight and starlight.

Price and who it is for

The higher price is the central question in the reviews. The entry model, with Wi-Fi, 128GB of storage and the standard OLED display, starts at $699. MacRumors says this is $100 more than the A17 Pro model it replaces. Engadget says the price is $200 more than the mini's launch price two years ago, but only $100 above what Apple charged after its summer price increases. The Verge calls $699 the highest starting price ever for a Mini. Reviewed configurations are priced differently: The Verge puts its test unit, with cellular, 512GB storage and nano-texture, at $1,249, while TechRadar lists a 512GB Wi-Fi and Cellular model with nano-texture at $1,099. The sources do not reconcile those two figures.

Availability and positioning

MacRumors reports the model launches on Friday, 6 November, after its videographer tested a unit ahead of release. Storage runs from 128GB to 512GB, with Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi plus Cellular versions available. The Independent describes the mini as sitting awkwardly between the larger iPhone and the full-sized iPad in Apple's line-up. Reviewers agree on the hardware gains, and their verdicts diverge mainly on whether the higher price is justified.