Apple unveils all-new iPad mini: OLED, thinner design, more

Apple has officially unveiled a new iPad mini. The company calls it the “biggest update ever” for the iPad mini, adding an OLED display and a thinner, lighter design. The new iPad mini is powered by the A20 Pro chip.

Here’s everything you need to know.

New iPad mini: Everything you need to know

Apple says the new iPad mini is even thinner than before, measuring 5.4 mm thick. For comparison, the previous-generation measured 6.3 mm thick. It weighs 255 grams, down from the 297 grams of the previous model. The new design is also IP67 rated for water and dust resistance.

The new iPad mini also features an 8.5-inch OLED display, slightly larger than the previous 8.3-inch iPad mini display. Apple says this is due to 24% thinner bezels. The display reaches a peak brightness of 1200 nits.

The press release and tech specs page for the new iPad mini don’t mention 120Hz or ProMotion support, so it appears to have a 60Hz refresh rate display.

For performance, the new iPad mini is powered by the A20 Pro chip. However, there’s an interesting split between storage tiers. Here are the specs of the A20 Pro chip in the 128GB and 256GB models:

• 5-core CPU with 2 super cores and 3 efficiency cores
• 7-core GPU
• Neural Accelerators
• Hardware-accelerated ray tracing
• 16-core Neural Engine

And here are the specs of the A20 Pro chip in the 512GB iPad mini configuration:

• 6-core CPU with 2 super cores and 4 efficiency cores
• 7-core GPU
• Neural Accelerators
• Hardware-accelerated ray tracing
• Dual 16-core Neural Engine

Apple touts that the new iPad mini has an “Acoustic Display.” Here’s how the company explains this technology:

The new iPad mini features an innovative Acoustic Display for an even better audio experience when gaming, watching videos, or editing content. Specially designed woofers are paired through the display to produce punchier bass and more volume. In addition, custom tweeters are now hidden between the glass and aluminum enclosure for clearer highs. The Acoustic Display also features a sealed enclosure that helps iPad mini achieve its IP67 rating.

The iPad mini’s 12MP Center Stage front camera is now located along the landscape edge. There’s also a 12MP Wide back camera with support for Smart HDR 4 and 4K video at up to 60 frames per second.

More specs:

• Apple’s N1 networking chip with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread
• Cellular models feature Apple’s C2 cellular modem
• Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil Pro support

New iPad mini release date and price

The new iPad mini will be available for pre-order starting Wednesday, October 28, with the first orders arriving Friday, November 6. Pricing starts at $699 for 128GB of storage. It’s available in midnight and starlight colors.

The 256GB and 512GB models are available with a nano-texture glass option as an additional $100 upgrade.

My favorite Apple deals right now: 

• Pre-order the new Apple TV 4K and HomeView
• AirPods Pro 3 $199 (Reg. $249)
• M5 MacBook Air $1,149 (Reg. $1,299)
• M6 Mac mini: up to $150 off
• AirTag 2: from $22.25 each (Reg. $29)
• AirPods Max 2 $449 (Reg. $549)

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