Technology and Scienceupdated 54m ago2 min read
2026 iPad Mini Adds 8.5-Inch OLED Screen, Smaller Bezels, IP67 Water Resistance
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8.5-inch OLED display delivers crisper visuals and better contrast. A20 Pro chip provides current-generation performance for the iPad mini.
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OLED Mini, Bigger Screen
Apple’s 2026 iPad mini adds an 8.5-inch OLED screen, replacing the prior 8.3-inch IPS display, and Ars Technica says the change is the most immediately noticeable upgrade. Apple reduced the iPad mini’s bezels by 24 percent to fit the larger display into a slightly smaller tablet, measuring 7.69 × 5.22 × 0.21 inches and 0.56 pounds for the 2026 model versus 7.69 × 5.3 × 0.25 inches and 0.65 pounds for the 2024 mini.
The Guardian frames the new iPad mini as an upgrade that includes “a new OLED screen” and “water resistance,” while also setting the eighth-generation iPad mini price at £699 (€749/$699/A$1,099). The Guardian adds that the mini is the first iPad to have IP67 water resistance, which it says means trips to the beach or pool are less fraught with danger, while the Verge says the OLED upgrade is “the most important and most controversial upgrade.”
Refresh Rate and Performance
The Guardian says the iPad mini lacks “ProMotion” and that this is “particularly jarring” when moving from a modern iPhone with its 120Hz screen back to the iPad’s relatively slow 60Hz display. 9to5Mac describes the same limitation as the new iPad mini’s screen not supporting ProMotion, stating it is “still locked to 60Hz,” and it calls the decision “incredibly frustrating.”
Ars Technica says the 2026 iPad mini’s chip is current and that the speakers are better, while it also notes the tablet’s appeal remains constrained by its price relative to the larger iPad Air. The Verge says the mini’s refresh rate is capped at 60Hz rather than the 120Hz you’ll get on most other recent Apple devices, and it adds that “No 120Hz display” is part of its “The Bad” list.
Price, Durability, and Who It’s For
The Guardian says the iPad mini A20 Pro costs from £699 (€749/$699/A$1,099) and adds that it is £200 or equivalent more than the original price of its predecessor, while also stating it costs £270 more than the base model iPad (A16). Engadget says the iPad mini now starts at $699 with 128GB of storage and describes the update as major, while also saying “these improvements come at a cost.”
PCMag says the 2026 iPad mini is the first iPad ever to earn an IP67 rating and describes that rating as providing protection against dust and dirt and against quick submersion in water for up to 30 minutes. The Verge ties the upgrade to a specific buyer, writing that “Even the very cheapest version” starts at $699 and concluding, “If you don’t already know the iPad Mini is your one true love, there’s probably a better iPad out there for you.”