Apple announced the iPad mini with an 8.5-inch OLED display, the A20 Pro chip and IP67 water resistance on October 26. Pre-orders open October 28 and it ships November 6. Only the 512GB model gets the sixth CPU core and the doubled Neural Engine.
Apple announced a new iPad mini on Monday, October 26, by press release. It has an 8.5-inch OLED display, the A20 Pro chip and an IP67 rating, which makes it the first water-resistant iPad, according to MacRumors. It starts at $699 for 128GB with Wi-Fi. Pre-orders open Wednesday, October 28, at 10:10 a.m. PT, and it reaches stores on Friday, November 6. It is the first product of Apple’s launch week. The October 28 event is still expected to bring the touchscreen MacBook Pro.
What it costs
US prices from Apple’s online store on October 26, 2026:
| Storage | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi + Cellular |
|---|---|---|
| 128GB | $699 | $849 |
| 256GB | $799 | $949 |
| 512GB | $999 | $1,149 |
Nano-texture glass adds $100 and is offered only on the 256GB and 512GB models. Education pricing starts at $649. The new TechWoven Smart Folio is $79, and the Apple Pencil Pro is $129.
The base price is up $100. MacRumors reports the previous iPad mini sold for $499 until Apple raised it to $599 earlier this year, citing memory and chip costs. Base storage stays at 128GB, so the extra $100 pays for the new screen and chip alone. The cellular model goes from $749 to $849.
What changed
Confirmed in Apple’s press release:
- Display. 8.5 inches, up from 8.3, in the same footprint with 24% thinner bezels. OLED, 1,200 nits peak and 600 nits full-screen.
- Chip. A20 Pro on a 2-nanometer process. Apple claims up to 60% faster multithreaded CPU work and up to 4.5x faster AI tasks than the last mini.
- Body. 5.4 mm thin, IP67 (1 meter for 30 minutes).
- Front camera. The 12MP Center Stage camera moves to the long edge, so you are centered when the iPad sits sideways on a call. MacRumors notes every current iPad now has it there.
- Wireless. Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 through Apple’s N1 chip. Cellular models use Apple’s C2 modem, which Apple says is up to 50% faster.
- Software. Ships with iPadOS 27. Siri AI arrives in beta with iPadOS 27.2.
Two details are not in the headline. According to MacRumors, the 128GB and 256GB models get a 5-core CPU and one 16-core Neural Engine. Only the 512GB model gets the sixth core and the second Neural Engine. MacRumors also reports that fast charging, 50% in about 30 minutes, needs a 35W adapter. The box has a 20W one, and Apple sells the 35W adapter for $59. Apple’s specs don’t mention ProMotion, so MacRumors expects the screen to stay at 60Hz, where the iPad Pro goes to 120Hz.
What it means
Buy the 128GB model if the mini is your travel screen for reading, notes, email and video calls. Moving the camera to the long edge fixes the worst part of taking a call on the old mini, and IP67 covers a spilled coffee. If you already own a USB-C charger of 35W or more, $699 gets you fast charging too.
Skip the 512GB model unless you need the storage. The jump from 128GB to 512GB is $300, and the extra CPU core and Neural Engine matter for on-device AI and heavy creative apps. Slack, Zoom and a browser won’t use them. If you want the matte screen, the cheapest way in is the 256GB model with nano-texture at $899.
If you present from an iPad, read the iPadOS 27 AirPlay issue before you use one in front of a client. If the mini will mostly sit on a desk as a call camera, compare it with the options in Enzo’s iPhone webcam vs. real webcam guide first. A $699 tablet is an expensive webcam.
Primary source: Apple Newsroom, “Apple gives iPad mini its biggest update ever,” October 26, 2026. Storage prices from Apple’s store on October 26, 2026. Previous prices, CPU split, charging and ProMotion details as reported by MacRumors on October 26, 2026.