OLED iPad Mini Hands-On: A Lighter, Thinner Tablet With a Better Screen, but 60Hz and Price Remain Trade-Offs
Apple's new iPad mini entered the review cycle ahead of its November 6 launch, with MacRumors, 9to5Mac, Engadget, Tom's Guide and TechRadar publishing hands-on reports or full reviews on November 3. The new model adds an 8.5-inch OLED display and an A20 Pro chip, while reducing the tablet's thickness to 5.4mm and lowering its weight. Reviewers broadly welcomed the display, portability and performance improvements, but also noted that the screen remains limited to 60Hz, Touch ID is still used instead of Face ID, and the starting price has risen to $699.
Apple's specifications list an 8.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with a resolution of 2316 by 1512 pixels and peak HDR brightness of up to 1,200 nits. A nano-texture glass option is also available. Compared with the previous model's LCD panel, OLED provides deeper blacks, stronger contrast and a more impressive HDR presentation. The Verge's earlier hands-on coverage also highlighted the OLED panel and optional matte surface as the most noticeable changes.
After using the tablet for about a week, MacRumors said the new display improves reading, video and image-editing experiences. 9to5Mac noted that this is the first non-Pro iPad to use OLED. There is, however, one significant limitation: the panel is still a 60Hz display and does not support ProMotion. Users accustomed to 120Hz devices may notice less fluid scrolling and animation than on an iPad Pro.
The new iPad mini is 5.4mm thick and weighs about 255 grams in its Wi-Fi configuration. MacRumors compared that with the previous model's 6.3mm thickness and 293-gram weight, describing the new version as easier to hold. The front camera has moved to the landscape edge to make video calls more natural when the tablet is used horizontally. Apple has kept Touch ID in the top button rather than adding Face ID.
Other additions include IP67 water and dust resistance, an Acoustic Display speaker system, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. Cellular models support 5G. The tablet works with Apple Pencil Pro and the USB-C Apple Pencil, making it suitable for note-taking, drawing and reading. Engadget praised the improved speakers and lighter design, while warning that the higher price makes the device a less casual purchase.
The iPad mini uses Apple's A20 Pro chip, with Neural Accelerators and a 16-core Neural Engine. Apple says the chip improves performance for AI-related tasks and graphics. Tom's Guide and TechRadar both found everyday applications, games and multitasking responsive, with battery life suitable for extended use.
Buyers should note that the processor configuration is not identical across all storage tiers. Tom's Guide's specifications list a five-core CPU in the 128GB and 256GB models and a six-core CPU in the 512GB version. The nano-texture display option is also limited to the 256GB and 512GB configurations. Buyers should check the exact model rather than assuming that every device carrying the A20 Pro name has the same configuration.
The new iPad mini starts at $699, about $200 more than the previous generation's original launch price. Cellular connectivity and higher storage tiers cost more, and the nano-texture option adds another premium. Engadget rated the tablet 8.5 out of 10, praising its OLED display and performance while listing price, the 60Hz screen and the lack of Face ID among its drawbacks. Tom's Guide also described it as a major upgrade but said the price and feature compromises deserve consideration.
The new iPad mini launches on November 6, and Apple has opened preorders. Owners of an iPad mini 6 or older model have more reasons to consider upgrading because of the screen, thinner body and faster processor. For owners of the previous generation, the decision depends on how much they value OLED, water resistance and additional performance.