Apple has unveiled a redesigned iPad mini with an OLED screen for the first time, a faster A20 Pro chip and IP67 water and dust resistance. Announced on Monday 26 October 2026, the new iPad mini OLED starts at £699 in the UK for the 128GB Wi-Fi model, according to T3 and Macworld, and at $699 in the US. Pre-orders opened on Wednesday 28 October, with the tablet due in shops from Friday 6 November. The higher starting price makes it a noticeably more premium product than the model it replaces.
What is new in the iPad mini OLED
The headline change is the display. The screen grows slightly, from 8.3 inches to 8.5 inches, and switches to an OLED panel that Apple calls Super Retina XDR. According to TechCrunch and MacRumors, it reaches 600 nits for standard content and up to 1,200 nits peak brightness for HDR, with a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio. Buyers of the 256GB and 512GB models can add a glare-reducing nano-texture finish, previously offered on the iPad Pro, for an extra $100 in the US.
MacRumors notes that Apple did not mention ProMotion, suggesting the screen stays at a standard 60Hz refresh rate rather than the smoother 120Hz found on pricier iPads.
A20 Pro chip and Apple Intelligence
Inside is the A20 Pro chip, built on a 2-nanometre process. Compared with the A17 Pro in the previous model, which launched in 2024, Apple claims up to 60% faster processor performance, up to 2.7 times faster graphics and up to 4.5 times faster AI performance. The tablet runs Apple Intelligence features.
Thinner, tougher and no speaker holes
- Design: the Wi-Fi model is 5.4mm thick, down from 6.3mm, and Apple says it is about 15% thinner and lighter overall. It comes in midnight and starlight.
- Water and dust resistance: an IP67 rating, a first for the iPad mini. Business Today notes that Apple’s rating is based on lab tests and that resistance can decrease with normal wear.
- Acoustic Display: sound now comes from behind the screen, with woofers working through the display and tweeters tucked between the glass and the aluminium case, so there are no speaker grilles.
- Cameras: a 12MP Center Stage front camera moved to the long edge for landscape video calls, plus a 12MP rear camera.
- Connectivity: Apple’s N1 chip brings Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, while cellular versions use the C2 modem, which Apple says delivers up to 50% faster mobile data.
- Charging and storage: fast charging to 50% in 30 minutes with a 35W or higher adapter, and 128GB, 256GB or 512GB of storage.
More Read
Dave Pakula, Apple’s vice president of hardware engineering, described the new model as “a huge leap forward” for people who want the full iPad experience in a device that fits in one hand.
iPad mini OLED price in the UK, US and India
- UK: from £699 (Wi-Fi) and £849 (Wi-Fi + Cellular), according to T3 and Macworld.
- US: from $699 (Wi-Fi) and $849 (Wi-Fi + Cellular), with education pricing from $649.
- India: from ₹82,900 (Wi-Fi) and ₹1,00,900 (Wi-Fi + Cellular), with education pricing from ₹76,900, according to Business Today.
The price jump is significant. MacRumors points out that the previous iPad mini started at $499 in the US when it launched in 2024, before rising to $599 in June this year, making the new $699 starting price the second increase in 2026. Pre-orders opened in 36 countries and regions on 28 October, according to MacTrast, with deliveries and in-store availability from 6 November.
Why it matters
The iPad mini is Apple’s smallest tablet, and Apple has billed this as its biggest update ever. An OLED screen, water and dust resistance and the latest chip bring it closer to Apple’s premium tablets in features. The trade-off is cost: in the US, the starting price is now $200 higher than when the previous model launched in 2024.
Apple announced the tablet by press release two days before its “Pro and Tell” media event in Los Angeles on 28 October, where new Macs had been widely expected.
Sources: TechCrunch, Apple unveils new iPad mini with OLED display and faster A20 Pro chip (26 October 2026); MacRumors, Apple announces new iPad mini with 8.5-inch OLED display, A20 Pro chip, and more (26 October 2026); T3, Apple’s new iPad mini OLED finally breaks cover (26 October 2026); Macworld, The iPad mini just got thinner, lighter, and surprisingly powerful (26 October 2026); Business Today, Apple unveils iPad mini with OLED display, A20 Pro chip and IP67 rating (26 October 2026); MacTrast, Apple unveils new iPad mini with its biggest update ever (26 October 2026); iPhone in Canada, Apple teases an exciting week ahead (26 October 2026).
