We were expecting some big news from Apple this week – but ahead of anticipated announcement of the first-ever touchscreen Macbook Pro at its "Pro & Tell" event on October 28, we have first been treated to a new version of the popular iPad Mini.
The 8th-generation iPad Mini makes some big changes with its first ever OLED screen, that also slightly bigger than its predessor. The new iPad Mini diagonal width up to 8.5in from the 8.3in display of the 2024 model – using a Super Retina XDR screen instead of the previous generation's Liquid Retina LED.
The screen upgrades promise a brighter, crisper display with the brightness now topping out at 1,200 nits, a big jump from the previous Mini's 500 nits. The refresh rate stays at 60Hz, however, so doesn't get the 120Hz max frequency of the recent iPad Pro M5.
A surprise bonus new feature is that the new model is IP67 water and dust resistant – making it an even better option for those wanting a table that is suited to travel.
Desite the slight boost in screen size, the 2026 iPad Mini is thinner and lighter than its predecessor, measuring 5.33mm thick and weighing in at 254g, compared to 6.35mm and 295g, respectively.
Under the casing, Apple has upgraded the new iPad Mini's chipset to the A20 Pro. We are told that the new chip delivers 4.5x faster AI performance than the previous-gen iPad Mini with its A17 Pro chip, along with 2.7x faster graphics performance and up to 60 percent faster multithreaded performance for everyday tasks like editing photos and working across apps. It also offers support for the P3 wide color gamut for more vivid and accurate imagery.
The OLED iPad Mini starts at $699 / £699 / AU$1,099 for Wi-Fi, or from $849 / £849 / AU$1,349 if you also want a cellular network connection. Pre-orders open on October 28, with shipping starting on November 6.
Check out our guide to the best iPads for photographers
