8.5-inch OLED display with more than double the brightness

2-nanometer A20 Pro chip adds water and dust resistance

At 5.4mm thick and 255g, thinner and lighter than before

Starting price in South Korea is 1.149 million won, up 400,000 won from predecessor

iPad mini [Apple]
iPad mini [Apple]

Apple has unveiled a new iPad mini featuring an OLED display and a next-generation semiconductor. The screen is larger and AI processing performance has improved by up to 4.5 times. The device also gains water and dust resistance for the first time — though its South Korean launch price has climbed 400,000 won ($302) over the previous model, pushing it well past the 1 million won mark.

Apple on Monday (local time) announced the eighth-generation iPad mini, equipped with an 8.5-inch OLED display and the next-generation mobile chip A20 Pro.

The new model retains the existing design while reducing the bezels around the screen, enlarging the display by 0.2 inches compared with its predecessor.

The introduction of an OLED display to the iPad mini line marks a significant leap in screen quality. Peak brightness reaches 1,200 nits — more than double that of the previous model — and the contrast ratio is 2,000,000:1. The improvements allow for sharper viewing in bright outdoor conditions and finer detail in dark scenes.

Portability has also improved. The device is 5.4mm thick, down 0.9mm from the previous generation, and weighs 255 grams, a reduction of 38 grams from the earlier 293 grams.

The centerpiece of the performance upgrade is Apple's latest mobile chip, the A20 Pro.

The new iPad mini is powered by the A20 Pro, manufactured on a 2-nanometer process. Compared with the A17 Pro chip — built on a 3-nanometer process — used in the previous model, AI processing performance is up to 4.5 times faster and graphics performance is 2.7 times better.

The A20 Pro is the same chip found in Apple's latest smartphone, the iPhone 18 Pro. The high-performance chip allows the compact tablet to handle demanding games and AI features more smoothly.

Wireless performance has also been upgraded. The device incorporates Apple's in-house wireless chip, the N1, while cellular models feature the company's proprietary C2 chip.

For the first time in the iPad mini line, the new model supports water and dust resistance, carrying an IP67 rating to better withstand everyday exposure to water and dust. Previous iPad mini models carried no such rating.

"The new iPad mini with its remarkably thin and light design, a stunning new OLED display, the outrageously powerful A20 Pro, and splash, water, and dust resistance will be a game changer for users who want the full iPad experience in the palm of their hand," said Dave Pakula, Apple's vice president of hardware.

The performance gains, however, come with a steep price increase.

The new iPad mini starts at $699 in the United States for the base model. The previous model launched two years ago at $499, rose to $599 in June, and has now climbed another $100 with this release.

In South Korea, the base model is priced at 1.149 million won ($868), up 400,000 won from the previous model's original launch price of 749,000 won. The cellular model is priced at $849 in the United States and 1.399 million won in South Korea.

The device will be available in two colors: Midnight and Starlight.

Apple will begin taking pre-orders in 36 countries, including the United States and South Korea, starting Wednesday (2:10 a.m. Thursday Korean Standard Time). General sales begin Nov. 6.


sjy@heraldcorp.com