Apple has unveiled a new iPad mini, and it’s the most significant change to the little tablet in years. It gains a larger 8.5-inch OLED screen, water and dust resistance, a much faster chip and Apple’s new Siri AI. It starts from $699 (£699), with pre-orders opening tomorrow, Wednesday 28 October, ahead of release on Friday 6 November in both the US and UK.
A bigger, brighter OLED screen
The headline change is the display. The new iPad mini moves to OLED – a screen technology where each pixel makes its own light, so blacks look truly black rather than a murky grey. It’s also bigger at 8.5 inches, yet the iPad itself is no larger than before, because Apple has trimmed the borders around the screen by 24 per cent.
It’s considerably brighter, too. Peak brightness reaches 1200 nits (a measure of how bright a screen can go), which is more than twice the previous model. At the other end of the scale, it can dim right down to 1 nit, which should make reading in bed at night far easier on the eyes.
If you often use your iPad outdoors or under harsh lighting, there’s a new nano-texture option. This is a specially etched glass finish, previously only on the iPad Pro, that cuts down on glare and reflections.
Thinner, lighter and now water resistant
The new iPad mini is just 5.4mm thin and lighter than the model it replaces, which makes it easier to hold in one hand for long reading sessions. It comes in two finishes: midnight and starlight.
It’s also rated IP67 for water and dust resistance. In plain terms, it’s built to cope with rain, splashes and dusty conditions, so reading by the pool is no longer quite such a nerve-racking pastime.
Siri AI and a much faster chip
The iPad mini runs iPadOS 27 with the next generation of Apple Intelligence and Siri AI. Apple says Siri can now draw on your personal information to help you find things, answer questions on almost any topic and understand what’s on your screen – so you could ask about something you’re looking at without having to describe it.
Powering all this is the new A20 Pro chip. Apple says it’s up to 60 per cent faster for everyday tasks like editing photos and switching between apps, up to 2.7 times faster for graphics such as games, and up to 4.5 times faster at AI tasks. The 512GB version gets an extra boost for heavy AI work, though most people won’t need it.
Better video calls and sound
The front camera has moved to the long edge, which is where it belongs when the iPad is propped up sideways for a video call. It’s a 12MP camera with Center Stage, a feature that automatically keeps you in the middle of the frame as you move around. Apple has also added what it calls an Acoustic Display for improved sound when watching videos or gaming, along with faster Wi-Fi and mobile connections and support for fast charging.
What it means for you
If you’ve got an older iPad mini and love its size, this is a big step up, particularly the brighter screen and water resistance. Not sure which model you have? Go to Settings > General > About and look at the Model Name.
If you already own an Apple Pencil Pro or Apple Pencil (USB-C), good news: both work with the new iPad mini, so there’s no need to buy another. And if you’re trading in, Apple will give you credit towards the new one – you can check what your current iPad is worth on Apple’s trade-in page.
Those happy with a recent iPad mini can safely sit this one out. But for anyone who’s been holding off, this looks like the version worth waiting for.
Price and release date
The new iPad mini starts from $699 (£699) for the Wi-Fi model, or from $849 (£849) if you want mobile data. It comes with 128GB, 256GB or 512GB of storage. The new TechWoven Smart Folio cover costs $79 (£79). Pre-orders open on Wednesday 28 October at apple.com and in the Apple Store app, with the iPad mini arriving and in stores from Friday 6 November in both the US and UK.