It feels like we’ve been waiting forever for Apple to put an OLED display in the iPad mini, but that day has finally arrived. The new display has twice the peak brightness of the previous model, at 1,200 nits, and a contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1. The base storage remains the same at 128GB, but if you opt for 256GB or 512GB of storage, you can get a variant with a nano-textured glass display. This will cost you extra, of course.
The company managed to squeeze in a larger screen – an 8.5-inch screen instead of the previous model’s 8.3-inch screen – without increasing the size of the tablet. In fact, the new iPad mini is slightly narrower than the previous one, at 5.22 inches versus 5.3 inches. It’s also lighter, with the Wi-Fi model weighing 0.56 pounds (up from 0.65 pounds last time) and the 5G variant weighing 0.58 pounds (up from 0.66 pounds). The latter, by the way, now has Apple’s C2 modem, which is said to offer data speeds up to 50% faster than the previous iPad mini. There is also Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread connectivity thanks to the N1 chip.
The iPad mini OLED – the eighth generation of the device – runs on the A20 Pro, the same chipset as the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo. Apple says the SoC is capable of running large language models locally, in case you’re into that sort of thing. Otherwise, the tablet should be significantly faster than previous models. It of course also supports Apple Intelligence and Siri AI. The chipset also features a 7-core GPU, two more cores than the A17 Pro, which powered the last generation iPad mini.
On the camera front, there is a 12 MP Center Stage lens on the front of the tablet, which Apple has Finally shifted to the landscape edge on the iPad mini. However, there is still no Face ID. The 12MP camera on the back supports 4K 60fps video capture and Smart HDR 4.
The 8th generation iPad mini has a sealed case to protect it from the elements. The tablet has an IP67 rating, which means it should be dust-resistant and submerged in a meter of fresh water for up to 30 minutes, although I don’t recommend intentionally submerging your iPad mini.
As for battery life, Apple says it should be about the same as last time. The company says the new iPad mini should run for up to 10 hours when watching videos or surfing the web over Wi-Fi. That drops to nine hours if you’re browsing over a cellular connection. If you have a power adapter of at least 35W, you can recharge the battery to 50% capacity in 30 minutes, Apple says.
The most interesting thing to me about this iPad mini is that it has Apple’s first acoustic screen, which the company says helps it deliver “an even better audio experience.” He claims the tablet offers more volume and “more punchy bass” thanks to woofers “that are coupled through the display.” Apple added that “the custom tweeters are now hidden between the glass and aluminum housing for clearer highs.” I’m really curious about what this all looks like in practice.
Inevitably, the latest iPad mini comes with a price increase. It starts at $699, which is $150 more than the previous model after Apple raised the price in June. Pre-orders open on October 28 and the tablet will be available on November 6.
Gn tech
