Apple unveils a redesigned iPad mini with a larger OLED display and a powerful A20 Pro chip. The tablet is thinner, lighter and delivers improved performance for AI tasks.
The Cupertino-based manufacturer has presented the latest generation of its compact tablet. The new iPad mini brings hardware improvements both inside and out. With a thinner and lighter design, Apple aims to appeal to a variety of user groups.
At 5.4 mm, the device is very thin and has an IP67 rating for protection against water and dust. That makes the iPad mini the first water-resistant model in its range. The tablet is available in black and white.
OLED display
The most striking component is the new 8.5-inch Super Retina XDR display. Although the screen is larger, the dimensions of the tablet remain almost the same, as the bezels have been reduced by 24 percent. Thanks to the switch to OLED technology, the device offers a higher contrast ratio and lower energy consumption for black levels.
Peak brightness reaches 1,200 nits, which is more than twice as high as on the previous generation. For users who work outdoors a lot, an optional nano-texture display variant is also available to reduce reflections.
More powerful for AI tasks
Under the hood, Apple introduces the A20 Pro chip, which it also uses for its iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. This chip is built on a 2-nanometre process and contains a 7-core GPU with dedicated accelerators for artificial intelligence. As a result, Apple claims AI performance up to 4.5 times faster than on the previous model. The chip should also be more efficient, for longer battery life.
Apple puts 12 GB of RAM in the iPad Mini. The new hardware also enables faster wireless connections via the N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. The cellular models get the C2 modem, which promises data speeds up to 50 percent faster.
The tablet runs iPadOS 27, which supports Apple Intelligence and an improved Siri experience that better matches the user’s personal context. Unless you live in the EU, because Apple refuses to make Siri AI available to European users in protest against the DMA. The latest we know is that ‘constructive talks’ are under way between Apple and the European Commission. For Apple Intelligence, Apple eventually gave in.
The new iPad mini hits the shelves on 6 November. At 759 euros incl. VAT, the recommended retail price is considerably higher than we are used to for the iPad mini. The 2024 version cost 549 euros at launch. The introduction of USB-C was the big innovation three years ago.