General Overview of the Update

Apple has released an updated iPad mini. The model had been expected for several years. The 2024 version received a new chip and improved scrolling smoothness, but otherwise the device remained unchanged since 2021: an LCD display with a 60 Hz refresh rate and the same design.

The new model is thinner and lighter than its predecessor. Its foundation has been fully updated: the case, display, and processor have all been changed.

Display

• For the first time, the iPad mini features an 8.5-inch OLED display.
• The panel has a nano-texture anti-glare coating. It is applied only to the screen area and does not extend to the bezels. The screen surface feels soft to the touch and glides smoothly under the fingers, while the glossy bezels provide a better grip.
• The author believes the screen is suitable for reading articles and watching videos in various lighting conditions. In his assessment, the brightness is sufficient.

Weight and Dimensions

The device weighs almost the same as the iPhone 18 Pro Max, but has a significantly larger footprint.

Performance and Chip

• The iPad mini received the A20 Pro chip, which is also installed in the iPhone 18 Pro. The configuration of the versions differs; more on this in the pricing section.
• Battery life, according to the author, has remained virtually unchanged.
• In the author's opinion, there is a large performance reserve. He expects the device to remain functional without problems for five to eight years.

Thermal Performance

The author conducted extended tests to check whether a thin chassis impairs heat dissipation. The results showed:

• The iPad mini dissipates heat better than an iPhone with a chip of similar specifications.
• After 20 load cycles, the iPad mini demonstrates more stable performance and reduces its clock speed less than the iPhone 18 Pro.

Prices and Configurations

The author notes the following:

• The 128 GB and 256 GB versions get a cut-down version of the A20 Pro chip. The full version, which is also used in the Pro models of the iPhone, can only be purchased in the 512 GB configuration.
• The author believes that for a tablet of this class, the performance differences are barely noticeable. He considers this approach logical, since cut-down chips are used in cheaper models.
• The author criticizes Apple's pricing policy and points to the need to pay extra for memory capacity, which in his opinion should be standard in 2026.

Nano-texture and Pricing Logic

The nano-texture anti-glare coating is not available in the 128 GB version. To get it, you need to:

1. Pay an extra $100 for the 256 GB version.
2. Pay another $100 for a display with nano-texture.

The minimum cost of an iPad mini with nano-texture is $900. The author sees no technical connection between storage capacity and the type of display coating.

60 Hz Refresh Rate

Despite having an OLED display, the device runs at 60 Hz. The author notes:

• Apple reserves ProMotion technology with a 120 Hz refresh rate for the Pro models.
• Last year, Apple included 120 Hz in the base iPhone 17. The author believes the argument about "Pro features" does not explain the limitation, since the device has a Pro-level chip.
• The author suggests the main reason is preserving the price hierarchy of the lineup. If the iPad mini gets 120 Hz, buyers may choose the cheaper model instead of the iPad Air, which, in his view, is not in Apple's interest.
• For the author, the 60 Hz refresh rate is the device's main drawback. He notes that at a price of $700–$900, such a display does not meet expectations.

Динамики и защита от воды

• iPad mini получил рейтинг защиты IP67 от воды и пыли. Это первая модель iPad с такой защитой в линейке.
• Отверстия для динамиков отсутствуют. Динамики установлены под дисплеем. Apple называет эту технологию «акустическим дисплеем».
• На боковых гранях есть узкие прорези, через которые проходит звук. Автор проверял их, перекрывая пальцами. Звук при этом оставался слышимым, так как динамики направлены на пользователя.
• Недостаток: на большой громкости корпус вибрирует в руке, поскольку устройство резонирует как корпус акустической системы.
• Автор предполагает, что технология может быть тестом перед выходом iPhone нового поколения, который, по слухам, будет выпущен к 20-летнему юбилею линейки. Это предположение автора, подтверждённых данных нет.

Camera and Body

• The Center Stage front camera with an ultra-wide-angle lens has been moved to the long edge of the device, slightly off-center. The placement matches other iPad models.
• The rear camera remains single, with a 12 MP resolution. The camera module has been redesigned to fit the new thin body.

Colors

The device comes in two colors: Midnight and Starlight. The author notes that these colors match those of the iPhone Duo, but have different names.

Author's Assessment

The author highlights several positive aspects of the device:

• compact size and light weight, convenient for reading with one hand;
• performance sufficient for the tasks users typically handle on this kind of tablet;
• functionality comparable to the larger iPad Pro in windowed mode;
• pairing with a minimalist smartphone and the cellular version.

The author believes that at a price starting from $700, the limitations must be taken into account: 60 Hz, the pricing policy for storage, cut-down versions of the chip, and the lack of 120 Hz. He proposes that Apple release an iPad mini Pro model with an A20 Pro chip, a 120 Hz OLED display, and Face ID. He addresses this proposal to John Ternus.

Summary

The author believes that the OLED iPad mini combines an updated design with limitations typical of Apple: price tiers, cut-down chip variants, tying features to memory capacity, 60 Hz refresh rate, and hidden speakers. In his assessment, this is one of the most typical products the company has released in a long time.