Apple unveils a thinner iPad mini with an 8.5-inch OLED screen and A20 Pro chip

[Emma56]

Apple has given the iPad mini what it calls the biggest update in the line's history. 9to5Mac reports that the new model has an 8.5 inch OLED display, up from 8.3 inches, thanks to bezels that are 24 percent thinner. Peak brightness reaches 1200 nits

The body is much slimmer and lighter too. It is now 5.4mm thick instead of 6.3mm and weighs 255g instead of 297g. It is also rated IP67 for water and dust resistance, which is a first for the mini, and comes in midnight and starlight

Inside is the A20 Pro chip, though the configurations differ. The 128GB and 256GB models get a five core CPU and a single 16 core Neural Engine, while the 512GB model gets a six core CPU and a dual Neural Engine. Every model has a seven core GPU with ray tracing, and a new Acoustic Display places woofers behind the screen

There is a 12MP front camera on the landscape edge, a 12MP rear camera that films 4K at 60 frames per second, Apple's N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, and the C2 modem on cellular models. Both the USB-C Apple Pencil and the Apple Pencil Pro are supported. Prices start at $699 for 128GB, with nano-texture glass costing $100 more on the larger models. Pre-orders open on Wednesday 28 October and deliveries begin on 6 November

This looks like a proper redesign rather than a spec bump, and OLED on a small tablet will appeal to a lot of people. The missing detail is the refresh rate. Apple does not mention ProMotion, so 9to5Mac thinks it is still a 60Hz panel, which would feel like an odd omission at this price

Would you buy the new iPad mini? And does a 60Hz screen matter to you on a tablet like this?

Apple unveils all-new iPad mini: OLED, thinner design, more - 9to5Mac9to5mac.com