Apple has quietly launched the new iPad mini, upgrading the compact tablet with an 8.5 inch OLED display and the 2 nm A20 Pro processor. The updated chassis adds IP67 water resistance and shaves thickness down to 5.4 millimeters, though the panel remains locked to a 60 Hz refresh rate. Pricing starts at $699 for the 128GB configuration in black or gold, with retail availability opening shortly.
The chassis measures 5.4 millimeters thick and weighs 255 grams, making it both thinner and lighter than previous generations. Apple also added IP67 dust and water resistance for the first time on the mini line. Thinner borders expand the OLED panel to 8.5 inches with peak brightness reaching 1200 nits. Buyers can pay extra for an optional nanotexture glass coating to cut down reflections. Apple kept the 120 Hz ProMotion technology exclusive to the iPad Pro line, leaving this panel at standard refresh speeds. The tablet supports the Apple Pencil Pro and the Apple Pencil with USB Type C.
Apple placed the 2 nm A20 Pro chip inside the device, matching the silicon found in the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo. The CPU delivers up to 60% faster multi core speeds, graphics performance jumps 2.7x, and artificial intelligence processing runs up to 4.5x faster than the prior model. Internal storage tiers include 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB options, with no 1TB version available.
The front 12 MP camera sits on the landscape edge to improve video calls through Center Stage. On the back, a 12 MP camera captures 4K video at 60 frames per second. Audio plays through an Acoustic Display speaker system that pushes sound directly through the screen glass. Wireless connectivity includes Wi Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread, while cellular configurations gain a custom C2 modem. The battery reaches 50% in 30 minutes of fast charging.
The iPad mini comes in black and gold finishes. The baseline Wi Fi model with 128GB of storage costs $699. Upgrading to the cellular version with the same storage capacity raises the price to $849.
