Anyone budgeting for a batch of small tablets will need a bigger number this year. Apple’s new iPad mini starts at $699, and the model it replaces launched in 2024 at $499 with the same 128GB of base storage. The Wi-Fi + Cellular version is $849.
Apple put the tablet out Monday morning in a press release rather than holding it for the “Pro and Tell” event on Wednesday. Pre-orders open that day in 36 countries and regions, and the first units arrive Nov. 6. An OLED mini had been expected for weeks.
What the higher price buys
The biggest change is the screen, which grows to 8.5 inches from 8.3 inside the same footprint, thanks to bezels Apple says are 24% thinner, and switches to OLED with a peak of 1,200 nits, more than double the old model. Brightness can also drop to 1 nit. The Verge said the panel still tops out at 60Hz, with no ProMotion.
It is also the first water-resistant iPad, CNET said. Apple rates it IP67, tested to a depth of 1 meter for up to 30 minutes. The fine print still says liquid damage is not covered under warranty.
Inside is the A20 Pro, built on a 2-nanometer process. Apple claims it runs AI tasks up to 4.5 times faster than the last mini and pitches it for running local LLMs. Only the 512GB model gets a six-core CPU and Apple’s dual 16-core Neural Engine; The Verge reports the 128GB and 256GB versions have five CPU cores. Apple’s N1 chip adds Wi-Fi 7, and cellular units get the C2 modem, rated up to 50% faster than the previous mini.
Apple is selling it to people who work on their feet
Dave Pakula, Apple’s vice president of Hardware Engineering, said the mini is beloved by a wide range of users, “from creators and small business owners to doctors, field service workers, and gamers.” The release names pilots checking electronic flight bags in a dim cockpit and technicians working outdoors with the optional nano-texture glass. The 12MP front camera now sits on the long edge for video calls.
The AI features come with caveats. Siri AI is in beta in iPadOS 27.2 and is not currently offered in the EU on iPadOS. Server-side Apple Intelligence tools carry daily usage limits, and Apple’s support page says expanded access “will be available for a fee in the future.” Apple has not published that price.