Apple Reveals New iPad Mini With OLED and A20 Pro Chip
Apple has officially announced a completely redesigned iPad Mini featuring an 8.5-inch OLED display, an advanced A20 Pro chip, and a thinner, lighter body.
Radwan AbdulhadiEditor and technology writer
Design and Display Updates
Apple [revealed the new device](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/10/apple-gives-ipad-mini-its-biggest-update-ever/) just days ahead of its scheduled Wednesday gathering. The fresh slate introduces a larger 8.5-inch OLED display packed into a thinner and lighter form factor compared to its predecessor. Measuring a mere 5.4 millimeters in thickness, the chassis also benefits from bezels that are 24 percent slimmer, allowing the compact dimensions to remain intact while expanding the visible screen area.
The Super Retina XDR screen utilizes OLED technology for pixel-level lighting control, providing deeper blacks, enhanced contrast, and P3 wide color gamut support. According to the tech giant, the screen achieves a peak brightness of up to 1,200 nits and maintains full screen brightness of 600 nits for SDR and HDR content. Additionally, a 1-nit minimum brightness and a glare-reducing nano-texture glass option—typically reserved for higher-end configurations like the iPad Pro—are tailored for challenging lighting environments.
Processing Power and AI Capabilities
Beneath the glass, the tablet is driven by the robust A20 Pro chip. Depending on the chosen storage tier, the processor configuration varies slightly. Models with 128GB or 256GB of storage feature a five-core CPU split into two super cores and three efficiency cores, while the 512GB configuration steps up to a six-core CPU featuring two super cores and four efficiency cores. Across all variants, a 16-core Neural Engine and a seven-core GPU with Neural Accelerators are included.
Apple notes that these hardware improvements deliver up to 4.5 times faster artificial intelligence performance compared to the previous generation. The processing setup also enables next-generation [Apple’s new Siri AI features](https://www.theverge.com/tech/943695/apple-wwdc-2026-macos-27-macbook-mac-announcement-features), giving the digital assistant deeper personal context to answer complex questions, understand on-screen content, and adjust conversational pace and expressiveness.
Audio, Camera, and Connectivity Improvements
Audio performance sees a notable overhaul through the inclusion of an Acoustic Display. The system integrates specially designed woofers paired directly through the display to produce punchier bass and higher overall volume, complemented by custom tweeters situated between the glass and the aluminum enclosure for sharper high frequencies.
For photography and communication, the device incorporates a 12-megapixel front-facing camera relocated to the long edge, optimizing the layout for landscape video calls. Durability and networking are reinforced via an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance, alongside Apple's proprietary C2 cellular modem and N1 networking chip to secure faster wireless performance.
Pricing, Configurations, and Availability
The revamped tablet arrives following previous iterations introduced [in 2024](https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/22/24275956/apple-ipad-mini-2024-review) and earlier [in 2021](https://www.theverge.com/22696652/ipad-mini-2021-6th-gen-review). Shoppers can choose between midnight and starlight color options, alongside storage capacities spanning 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB.
Pricing for the base Wi-Fi model begins at $699, while the Wi-Fi and cellular configuration starts at $849. Preorders are scheduled to open on Wednesday, October 28, with official store availability and deliveries commencing on November 6.
Sources
- TechCrunchApple unveils new iPad mini with OLED display and faster A20 Pro chip
- The VergeApple updates the iPad Mini with a larger OLED display
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