Apple unveiled the new iPad mini on October 26, 2026, with an 8.5-inch OLED display, an A20 Pro chip and an IP67 water resistance rating. It starts at $699, and Apple’s newsroom announcement puts pre-orders on October 28 and deliveries from November 6.
Apple calls the iPad mini 2026 the biggest update the line has ever had, and it costs more than the model it replaces. Apple’s announcement says nothing about a 120Hz refresh rate, and that one missing detail decides whether the extra money feels fair to anyone who scrolls, reads or draws all day.
TL;DR: The iPad mini 2026 costs $699 for Wi-Fi and $849 with cellular, arrives November 6, and adds OLED, IP67 water resistance and the A20 Pro chip. Apple’s release does not mention 120Hz, so treat it as unconfirmed. It is a large hardware jump at a starting price $200 above the 2024 model’s launch price, so wait for hands-on reviews if smooth scrolling matters.
iPad mini 2026 price, colors and release date
The iPad mini 2026 starts at $699 for the Wi-Fi model and $849 with cellular, and Apple opens pre-orders on Wednesday, October 28. Apple’s 2024 announcement priced the previous model at $499, so the new starting price is $200 higher.
| Detail | iPad mini 2026 |
|---|---|
| Wi-Fi starting price | $699 |
| Wi-Fi and cellular starting price | $849 |
| Education starting price | $649 |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB |
| Colors | Midnight, starlight |
| Pre-orders open | October 28, 2026 |
| Deliveries begin | November 6, 2026 |
| Smart Folio | $79 |
| Apple Pencil Pro | $129 |
| Apple Pencil (USB-C) | $79 |
The display is the first place to look for whether that extra money is justified.
OLED display and the spec Apple left out
The OLED panel measures 8.5 inches and peaks at up to 1200 nits, more than double the previous generation. A 1-nit minimum suits reading in bed, and nano-texture glass, which cuts glare outdoors, is an option on the 256GB and 512GB models.
Apple lists no refresh rate or ProMotion support in its release or on its iPad mini page, so treat 120Hz as unconfirmed until reviews or Apple’s full specs settle it.
If you have ever dragged a page up on an iPad Pro and then picked up a mini, you know that gap. That omission matters more than the spec sheet suggests, though it is not the only change you will feel.
IP67 water resistance and the Acoustic Display
Apple rates the iPad mini 2026 at IP67, tested in lab conditions at a depth of up to 1 meter (about 3.3 feet) for up to 30 minutes. Apple’s own examples are working outside on a rainy day and reading by the pool, but its footnote says the protection is not permanent and liquid damage is not covered under warranty.
To get there, Apple moved the speakers. Woofers are paired through the display and tweeters sit between the glass and the aluminum, in a sealed enclosure that helps meet the rating. The body is 5.4 mm thin, about 0.21 inch.
A20 Pro and Siri AI on the iPad mini
Apple says A20 Pro, built on a 2-nanometer process, delivers up to 4.5x faster AI performance, up to 2.7x faster graphics and up to 60 percent faster multithreaded CPU performance than the previous generation. Those figures come from Apple’s own September 2026 testing, not independent benchmarks, and only the 512GB model gets the Dual 16-core Neural Engine.
Siri AI arrives in beta with iPadOS 27.2, in English, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish, and Apple says it is not currently available in the EU on iPadOS. Our Siri AI device list covers the iPhone side. Cellular models also add Apple’s C2 modem, which Apple says is up to 50 percent faster than before.
Pre-order on October 28 or wait for reviews
If you read in bed, work outdoors or want a tablet that survives a splash, the OLED panel and IP67 rating are real changes. If smooth scrolling and drawing matter most, wait for hands-on reviews after November 6, because the refresh rate is the one question Apple has not answered.
Apple promises all-day battery life but gives no hour figure on its iPad mini page, and says fast charging reaches 50 percent in around 30 minutes with a compatible adapter. If you are weighing it against Apple’s $1,999 foldable, our iPhone Duo buying guide lays out what that price buys.
