Apple iPad mini gets OLED, A20 Pro and water resistance in major redesign

Summary

• Apple has unveiled a new iPad mini with an 8.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display and a 5.4mm-thin design.
• A20 Pro brings much faster graphics, more powerful AI processing and new possibilities for creative apps.
• IP67 resistance, Wi-Fi 7, improved cameras and Apple Pencil Pro support are also included.
• Initial availability begins November 6, starting at $699 in the US, with Greek pricing unconfirmed.

Apple unveiled the new iPad mini on October 26, introducing an 8.5-inch OLED display, the A20 Pro processor, a thinner design and IP67 dust and water resistance for the first time.

This is a substantial overhaul of Apple’s smallest iPad, with major upgrades to the screen, graphics, AI processing and connectivity. For photographers, illustrators and other creators, the new Super Retina XDR panel, faster creative apps and Apple Pencil Pro support stand out.

The announcement comes as Apple prepares for its October 28 media event focused on upcoming Mac products. Unlike earlier speculation, the new iPad mini is now official.

Thinner, lighter and more durable

The new iPad mini measures just 5.4mm thick and keeps the range’s highly portable appeal. Available in midnight and starlight, it is designed to remain comfortable to use with one hand.

For the first time, IP67 certification adds dust protection and resistance to temporary immersion under controlled laboratory conditions, to a maximum depth of one metre for 30 minutes. Resistance can deteriorate with normal wear and the tablet is not intended for underwater use.

That extra protection is useful for creators working on location, during outdoor shoots, travel or production days.

An 8.5-inch OLED screen with up to 1,200 nits

The most immediately noticeable upgrade is the display. The new iPad mini replaces LCD with an 8.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED panel, retaining the previous model’s overall footprint thanks to bezels that are 24 percent thinner.

The display offers deeper blacks, P3 wide colour and a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio. Peak brightness reaches 1,200 nits, full-screen brightness for SDR and HDR reaches 600 nits, and minimum brightness can drop to one nit.

Apple is also offering a nano-texture option to reduce reflections in bright conditions. That could be particularly useful for checking images on location or editing while travelling.

A20 Pro: up to 2.7 times faster graphics

Inside is the A20 Pro, built on a 2-nanometre process. It features up to a six-core CPU and a seven-core GPU with Neural Accelerators in every graphics core.

In Apple’s own comparisons with the previous iPad mini, multithreaded CPU performance is up to 60 percent faster, graphics up to 2.7 times faster, and AI workloads up to 4.5 times faster. Unified memory bandwidth has more than doubled.

The chip also supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading, which matter for sophisticated 3D scenes.

The 512GB configuration includes a Dual 16-core Neural Engine, for a total of 32 cores dedicated to accelerated AI workloads. Apple claims twice the processing power of the previous Neural Engine.

The extra power targets apps such as Procreate Dreams, ZBrush and AI image tools. These performance figures are Apple benchmarks, rather than independent test results.

12MP cameras, 4K video and a new audio design

The 12MP Center Stage front camera has moved to the landscape edge, giving video calls a more natural framing. The rear camera is a 12MP wide-angle unit with Smart HDR 4, 4K video recording at up to 60 fps, and an Adaptive True Tone flash that also improves document scanning.

The new Acoustic Display pairs specially designed woofers with tweeters hidden between the glass and aluminium enclosure. Apple promises fuller bass and clearer highs, while the sealed design contributes to the IP67 rating.

Wi-Fi 7, iPadOS 27 and Siri AI

The new N1 wireless chip supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread. Wi-Fi + Cellular versions use Apple’s C2 modem, which the company says can deliver mobile-data speeds up to 50 percent faster than the previous generation. eSIM is supported.

iPadOS 27 adds more flexible multitasking, with freely resizable windows, window tiling and Exposé. Extended display mode for external monitors is planned for iPadOS 27.2.

The new Siri AI is in beta, offering personal-context awareness and the ability to understand on-screen information. Apple states that Siri AI is not currently available in the European Union through iPadOS, and the beta supports a limited range of languages that excludes Greek. Availability of other Apple Intelligence features also varies by region and language.

Image tools include upgraded Clean Up, Spatial Reframing and Extend, as well as a revamped Image Playground app capable of photorealistic imagery. Availability varies by region, language and software version.

Apple Pencil Pro and the new Smart Folio

The iPad mini supports both Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil Pro. Pencil Pro adds squeeze and barrel-roll gestures for more natural control in creative apps such as Procreate, along with Find My support.

The new TechWoven Smart Folio uses a two-panel design, attaches magnetically and offers more viewing angles. It comes in navy blue and taupe and is sold separately.

More information here.

Price and availability

Pre-orders open on Wednesday, October 28 in 36 countries and regions, with initial availability scheduled for Friday, November 6, 2026. Storage options are 128GB, 256GB and 512GB, with Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular versions.

In the United States, prices start at $699 for Wi-Fi and $849 for Wi-Fi + Cellular. The Smart Folio is $79. No official price for Greece or confirmation that Greece is included in the first launch wave has been verified.

What we think

The combination of OLED and a genuinely compact form factor is the biggest attraction here. When you are on location and want to check a set of photos or show selects to a client, higher contrast, a brighter image and reduced reflections are useful rather than just attractive specifications.

A20 Pro could also make the mini a better companion for illustration, animation and 3D work. We are not expecting it to replace a desktop editing setup. The appeal is having a lightweight device capable of opening demanding projects and making quick changes without carrying a larger tablet everywhere.

The more powerful Neural Engine being exclusive to the 512GB model is worth checking before buying if local AI processing matters to your workflow. And for creators in Greece, the EU restrictions on Siri AI are important: we would not base a purchase decision on a feature we cannot currently use.

IP67 is welcome for outdoor productions and travel, though normal care around water still applies. If local pricing is sensible, this new mini makes a convincing case as a secondary creative screen that is easy to carry every day.

Frequently asked questions

Does the new iPad mini support Apple Pencil Pro?

Yes. It works with both Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C), sold separately.

Is Siri AI available in Greece?

Not currently. Apple says Siri AI on iPadOS is unavailable in the EU, and the beta does not support Greek.

When will it be released and what does it cost?

Initial availability starts November 6, 2026. U.S. pricing starts at $699 for the Wi-Fi model. Official Greek pricing and availability have not been confirmed.