New iPad mini (2026): OLED screen, A20 Pro and a $699 price. Should you buy it?

Apple announced a new iPad mini on 26 October 2026, and it really is the biggest change the little tablet has had: an 8.5-inch OLED screen, the A20 Pro chip, IP67 water resistance, Wi-Fi 7 and a thinner, lighter body. It starts at $699 (₹82,900), pre-orders open today, 28 October, and it arrives on Friday, 6 November.

The catch is the price. The iPad mini launched at $499 in 2024, went up to $599 in June 2026, and the new model starts at $699.

We haven’t used the new iPad mini yet. This guide is based on Apple’s announcement and spec sheet, and the speed-ups quoted are Apple’s own claims.

iPad mini (2026) at a glance

	iPad mini (A20 Pro)
Price	From $699 Wi-Fi, $849 Wi-Fi + Cellular ($649 education) · from ₹82,900
Screen	8.5-inch OLED, 600 nits (1,200 nits peak HDR); nano-texture optional
Chip	A20 Pro: 5-core CPU (6-core on 512GB), 7-core GPU
Storage	128GB, 256GB, 512GB
Body	5.4 mm thin, 255 g (Wi-Fi); IP67 water and dust resistant
Cameras	12MP Center Stage front (landscape edge), 12MP back with 4K video
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6; C2 5G modem on cellular models
Battery	Up to 10 hours; fast charge to 50% in about 30 minutes (35W+ charger)
Unlock	Touch ID in the top button
Pencil	Apple Pencil Pro or Apple Pencil (USB-C)
Colours	Midnight, starlight

What’s new

• An OLED screen, and a bigger one. It grows from 8.3 to 8.5 inches in the same footprint, thanks to 24% thinner bezels. OLED brings much deeper blacks, up to 1,200 nits for HDR (more than double the old model’s peak) and a 1-nit minimum, which is lovely for reading in bed.
• A20 Pro. Apple claims up to 60% faster multi-core performance, 2.7x faster graphics and 4.5x faster AI than the previous A17 Pro model. Note that the headline CPU figure is for the 512GB model, which gets a 6-core CPU and a doubled-up Neural Engine; the 128GB and 256GB models have a 5-core CPU.
• Water and dust resistance (IP67) for the first time on an iPad mini: it can survive a dunk of up to 1 metre for 30 minutes.
• Thinner and lighter: 5.4 mm and 255 g, down from 6.3 mm and 293 g.
• A landscape front camera. The 12MP Center Stage camera moves to the long edge, so you’re centred on video calls when the mini is turned sideways.
• Speakers built into the screen. Apple’s new “Acoustic Display” drives sound through the glass for punchier bass, and there are no speaker holes.
• Faster connections: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and, on cellular models, Apple’s C2 modem with up to 50% faster data and eSIM support.
• Fast charging, reaching 50% in about 30 minutes, though only with a 35W or bigger charger. The box has a 20W one.

The catches

• The price. $699 is $200 more than the 2024 model cost at launch, and only $50 less than an iPad Air, which has a bigger screen.
• No 120Hz. Apple’s spec sheet doesn’t mention ProMotion, so the new OLED screen appears to stay at 60Hz. Scrolling won’t feel as smooth as on an iPad Pro or a recent iPhone Pro.
• 128GB to start. Fine for reading, notes and streaming; tight if you download lots of games or video.
• The cheaper models get the lesser chip. If you want the 6-core CPU and full AI performance, you have to buy the 512GB model.
• Nano-texture costs extra, about $100 according to MacRumors, and only on the 256GB and 512GB models.

Who should buy it?

Buy it if you want the best small tablet there is: for reading, note-taking with an Apple Pencil, gaming, travel, or one-handed use at work. Pilots, doctors and field workers who use the mini as a tool will appreciate the brighter screen and water resistance in particular.

Skip it if you mostly watch videos on the sofa or work on documents. For $50 more, the iPad Air gives you a bigger screen, and the standard iPad (from $449) does the basics for $250 less.

Upgrading from an older iPad mini? From the 2021 model or earlier, it’s a big leap in every way. From the 2024 A17 Pro model, the OLED screen and water resistance are the real reasons to switch; the extra speed alone isn’t.

Accessories

• Smart Folio ($79): a new two-panel cover in navy blue or taupe, with more viewing angles.
• Apple Pencil Pro ($129) works with squeeze, barrel roll and Find My. Apple Pencil (USB-C) ($79) is the cheaper option for notes and sketches.

Buying in India

The new iPad mini starts at ₹82,900 on Apple India’s store. Pre-orders open on 28 October and deliveries begin on 6 November. Apple India is offering no-cost EMI and instant cashback with selected bank cards; check the current terms before you order.

The bottom line

This is the iPad mini that fans have been asking for: an OLED screen, water resistance, a fast chip and a lighter body, all in a tablet you can still hold in one hand. If you want a small tablet, it’s an easy recommendation; get 256GB if you can. But it’s no longer a bargain. At $699, make sure it’s the size you want, because the iPad Air costs only a little more.