iPad mini Gets Its Biggest Update Ever: OLED Display, A20 Pro & Price
Apple's new iPad mini finally gets an OLED display, a faster A20 Pro chip and water resistance. Here's what it costs in Australia.
Apple has given the iPad mini what it’s calling its biggest update ever, and for once that’s not just marketing. The new model brings an OLED display, a genuinely faster chip, and water and dust resistance to Apple’s smallest tablet for the first time.
If you’ve been holding onto an older iPad mini, here’s what’s actually changed, who it suits, and what it costs in Australia.
A proper display upgrade, finally
The new iPad mini moves to an 8.5 inch OLED Super Retina XDR display, up from the previous 8.3 inch LCD screen, while keeping roughly the same overall size thanks to notably thinner bezels. OLED technology means deeper blacks and richer contrast, and Apple says peak brightness is more than double the previous model.
For the first time, you can also add a nano-texture display option, which cuts down glare in bright environments. This is a paid upgrade available only on the 256GB and 512GB models, not the entry-level 128GB version.
One thing to know if you were hoping for a smoother, more responsive screen: there’s no ProMotion 120Hz refresh rate here. It’s still a 60Hz display, so the upgrade is about picture quality and brightness, not screen smoothness.
A20 Pro, but not quite the same chip across the range
The new iPad mini runs on Apple’s A20 Pro chip, and this is genuinely a big jump in performance and AI capability over the previous model. But it’s worth knowing that Apple doesn’t give every storage tier the exact same chip.
The 128GB and 256GB models get a 5-core CPU and a single 16-core Neural Engine. Only the 512GB model steps up to the fuller chip Apple highlights in its marketing, with a 6-core CPU and a Dual 16-core Neural Engine. If on-device AI performance or heavier creative work is the reason you’re upgrading, the 512GB model is the one that actually delivers Apple’s headline AI performance figures, not the smaller storage options.
Thinner, lighter, and now water resistant
At 5.4mm thick, this is the thinnest iPad mini Apple has made, and it’s noticeably lighter than the model it replaces. It comes in two colours: midnight and starlight.
For the first time on an iPad mini, it also carries an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, meaning it’s built to handle splashes, rain or a brief accidental dunk, though Apple doesn’t market it as fully waterproof and this protection can reduce with normal wear over time.
Better cameras, sound and connectivity
The front camera has moved to the landscape edge of the device, which makes a real difference for video calls, since you’re no longer looking slightly off to the side during FaceTime or Teams calls. The rear camera gets an upgraded flash for better photos and document scanning.
Apple has also introduced what it calls an Acoustic Display, building speakers into the screen itself for noticeably fuller sound without visible speaker grilles.
On the networking side, the new iPad mini picks up Apple’s own N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread support, and cellular models get Apple’s C2 modem for faster mobile data.
iPadOS 27, Apple Intelligence and Siri AI
The new iPad mini ships with iPadOS 27, which includes the next generation of Apple Intelligence and Siri AI. Siri AI is designed to understand more of your personal context, so it can find things across your messages, emails and photos, and take action across apps rather than just answering questions.
As with other recent Apple devices, this processing is designed to happen on-device or through Apple’s private cloud system, rather than sending your information off to be processed elsewhere.
Who this suits
If your current iPad mini is still doing the job for reading, browsing and casual use, this update is a genuine improvement but not an urgent one. Where it’s worth paying attention to is if you want a better screen for watching video or editing photos on the go, you need the water resistance for work in the field, or you specifically want the stronger on-device AI performance, in which case the 512GB model is the one to look at, not a smaller storage option.
Pricing and availability in Australia
Apple is taking pre-orders for the new iPad mini from 29 October, with availability from 6 November.
The 128GB model starts at RRP A$1,099 inc. GST for Wi-Fi only, or RRP A$1,349 inc. GST with cellular.1 The 256GB model is RRP A$1,299 inc. GST for Wi-Fi only, or RRP A$1,549 inc. GST with cellular.1 The 512GB model is RRP A$1,649 inc. GST for Wi-Fi only, or RRP A$1,899 inc. GST with cellular.1
The nano-texture display option adds A$100 inc. GST on top of the 256GB or 512GB price, and isn’t available on the 128GB model.1 The new Smart Folio is RRP A$129 inc. GST, Apple Pencil Pro is RRP A$219 inc. GST, and Apple Pencil USB-C is RRP A$139 inc. GST.1
If you’re trading in an older iPad, Apple’s trade-in program can put credit toward the new model, and AppleCare+ or AppleCare One remain available for ongoing cover.
Need a hand deciding?
If you’re trying to work out which storage and connectivity option actually makes sense for how you’ll use it, contact Your Mac Tech and we can help you choose the right configuration before you buy.
1. Prices shown are current as at October 2026.
