iPad mini A20 Pro vs A17 Pro: OLED, IP67, $699 — Should You Upgrade?

For two years, the iPad mini was the most affordable way into Apple's tablet lineup with a modern chip. The 2024 model, powered by the A17 Pro, started at $499. On October 26, 2026, Apple replaced it with what it calls the mini's "biggest update ever": an 8.5-inch OLED display, the new A20 Pro chip built on a 2nm process, IP67 water resistance and a thinner, lighter body. The catch is the price. The new iPad mini starts at $699 in the US and €759 in France, and its headline AI feature, Siri AI, is not available on iPad in the European Union.

Pre-orders open on Wednesday, October 28, at 10:10 a.m. PT. Before you click, here is a spec-by-spec comparison with the A17 Pro model, the price changes in four markets, what the new Thread radio does and doesn't mean for a connected home, and a straight answer on who should upgrade.

Key takeaways

• The new iPad mini (A20 Pro) has an 8.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display (2316×1512, 326 ppi, up to 1200 nits peak for HDR), up from an 8.3-inch LCD rated at 500 nits.
• It is 5.4 mm thin and weighs 255 g (Wi-Fi), versus 6.3 mm and 293 g for the A17 Pro model, and it is now rated IP67.
• Entry price rises from $499 to $699 in the US (+$200) and from €609 to €759 in France and Italy, and from €599 to €749 in Spain (+€150).
• The N1 chip adds Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread. Apple still lists only HomePod and Apple TV as Apple Home hubs, though.
• Siri AI arrives in beta with iPadOS 27.2, but Apple says it "is currently unavailable in the EU" on iPadOS.

A20 Pro vs A17 Pro: the spec-by-spec comparison

All figures below come from Apple's iPad mini (A20 Pro) tech specs and the archived iPad mini (A17 Pro) specifications. The footprint barely moves (195.3 × 132.6 mm versus 195.4 × 134.8 mm), but almost everything inside changes.

Spec	iPad mini (A17 Pro, 2024)	iPad mini (A20 Pro, 2026)
Display	8.3" Liquid Retina (LCD), 2266×1488	8.5" Super Retina XDR OLED, 2316×1512
Brightness	500 nits	600 nits full screen, 1200 nits peak (HDR), 1 nit minimum
Nano-texture glass	No	Optional on 256GB and 512GB
Chip	A17 Pro: 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU	A20 Pro (2nm): 5-core CPU (6-core on 512GB), 7-core GPU with ray tracing
Thickness / weight (Wi-Fi)	6.3 mm / 293 g	5.4 mm / 255 g
Water and dust	No IP rating	IP67 (1 m, up to 30 minutes)
Front camera	12MP, portrait edge	12MP Center Stage, landscape edge
Wireless	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3	N1: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, Thread
Cellular	5G	Apple C2 modem, 5G, eSIM only
USB-C	Up to 10Gb/s, one external display up to 4K	Up to 10Gb/s, one external display up to 4K60
Battery	19.3 Wh, up to 10 hours	18.9 Wh, up to 10 hours
Colors	Blue, purple, starlight, space gray	Midnight, starlight

Performance: Apple's claims, not benchmarks yet

In its press release, Apple claims up to 4.5x faster AI performance, up to 2.7x faster graphics and up to 60% faster multithreaded CPU performance than the A17 Pro model, plus more than twice the memory bandwidth. These are Apple's figures. Independent tests are not out yet.

One detail matters when you choose a storage tier. The 128GB and 256GB models get a 5-core CPU (two "super cores" and three efficiency cores) and a 16-core Neural Engine. The 512GB model gets a 6-core CPU and a dual 16-core Neural Engine. So the cheapest configurations actually have one fewer CPU core than the previous mini.

Display and sound

The move to OLED is the biggest everyday change. Contrast is rated at 2,000,000:1, the bezels are 24% thinner, and the panel grows from 8.3 to 8.5 inches without a larger body. Apple's spec sheet does not mention a higher refresh rate, so do not assume ProMotion. Audio now uses what Apple calls an Acoustic Display, with woofers that play through the screen. Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C) are both supported, with hover.

Prices: the mini gets $200 more expensive

This is the part that changes the iPad mini's role. Here are the entry prices (Wi-Fi, 128GB) and the Wi-Fi + Cellular prices, from Apple's 2024 launch announcement (US) and the 2026 stores.

Market	A17 Pro Wi-Fi (2024)	A20 Pro Wi-Fi (2026)	A17 Pro Cellular	A20 Pro Cellular
United States	$499	$699	$649	$849
France	€609	€759	€779	€929
Spain	€599	€749	€769	€919
Italy	€609	€759	€779	€929

Full US Wi-Fi pricing for the A20 Pro model is $699 (128GB), $799 (256GB) and $999 (512GB). Nano-texture adds $100: $899 for 256GB and $1,099 for 512GB. Cellular models run $849, $949 and $1,149, or $1,049 and $1,249 with nano-texture. Education pricing starts at $649. In the US, the box includes a 20W USB-C adapter.

Accessories add up too. The new Smart Folio in TechWoven fabric costs $79, Apple Pencil Pro is $129 and Apple Pencil (USB-C) is $79. A 256GB mini with a Pencil Pro and a folio comes to $1,007 before tax.

Europe: Siri AI is not part of the deal on iPad

Apple markets the new mini around iPadOS 27 and Apple Intelligence. Siri AI, the new conversational Siri, entered beta with the 27.2 updates on October 26 in English, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish. In its Siri AI announcement, though, Apple states that "Siri AI is currently unavailable in the EU in iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS" and that it is "working constructively with the EU." Italian isn't on the Siri AI language list yet either.

In practice, a buyer in Paris, Madrid or Milan pays €150 more than for the 2024 model and gets the OLED display, the A20 Pro, IP67 and the new radios, but not Siri AI on this device for now. The European versions of Apple's press release do not mention Siri AI at all. We covered the details of Siri AI in our iOS 27 and Siri AI guide.

Thread, Wi-Fi 7 and the connected home: what it changes

On a site about the connected home, the line in the specs that catches our eye is "Thread networking technology." Apple's N1 wireless chip gives the mini Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread. Here is what that does and does not mean, based on Apple's own documentation.

• Not a home hub. Apple's support page on setting up a home hub still lists only HomePod and Apple TV. You'll still need one of those for remote access and automations in the Home app.
• No border router claim. Apple doesn't say the iPad mini acts as a Thread border router, so don't plan your mesh around it. If you're still deciding between protocols, our Zigbee vs Matter over Thread lab test is a good starting point.
• A great control surface. At 255 g with an OLED screen that dims to 1 nit, the mini works well as a handheld or wall-mounted dashboard. The Home Assistant Companion app runs on iPadOS, and Wi-Fi 7 helps with camera streams on a modern router.
• IP67 for the kitchen. The new rating (1 m for up to 30 minutes) means a splash near the sink is no longer a worry for a recipe or dashboard tablet.

For a pure wall dashboard, $699 is a lot of money. An older iPad or a cheap Android tablet does the same job in the Home Assistant app. The mini makes sense if it's also your reading, note-taking or travel device.

Pre-order timeline

1. Monday, October 26, 2026: announcement; iPadOS 27.2 and the Siri AI beta are released.
2. Wednesday, October 28, 10:10 a.m. PT: pre-orders open on apple.com and in the Apple Store app in 36 countries and regions, including the US and France.
3. Friday, November 6: first deliveries and availability in Apple Stores and at Apple Authorized Resellers.

If you're also weighing other Apple launches this fall, keep in mind that the iPhone Duo is now shipping in late January, and our roundup of the OLED MacBook Pro rumors covers the next expected Mac.

Who is it for? Our take

Upgrade if

• You use an iPad mini 5th or 6th generation, or an older one. The jump to OLED, the A20 Pro and the new radios is large.
• You read or watch outside, or in the dark. A 1200-nit HDR peak and a 1-nit minimum are real gains.
• You use the mini in the field, in the kitchen or by the pool. IP67 is a first for the line.
• You draw with Apple Pencil Pro and want the better display, or nano-texture glass for less glare.

Wait or skip if

• You own the A17 Pro model. It already supports Apple Intelligence, and the gain is mostly the display, the design and IP67.
• You're in the EU and buying mainly for Siri AI. It's not available on iPadOS there for now.
• You mainly want a home-control screen. A cheaper tablet does that job just as well.
• Price was the reason you chose the mini. At $699, an iPad (A16) or a discounted A17 Pro mini is the better value.

Compatibility at a glance

• Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C): supported. Older Pencils: not listed.
• External display: one, up to 4K at 60 Hz; extended display mode with iPadOS 27.2.
• Cellular: eSIM only, no physical SIM slot.
• Fast charging: about 50% in 30 minutes with a 35W or higher adapter (the included US adapter is 20W).

FAQ

When can I pre-order the new iPad mini?

Pre-orders open on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at 10:10 a.m. PT on apple.com and in the Apple Store app. Deliveries and in-store availability start on Friday, November 6.

How much does the new iPad mini cost?

It starts at $699 in the US, €759 in France and Italy and €749 in Spain for the 128GB Wi-Fi model. That's $200 more than the A17 Pro model's US launch price and €150 more in those three European countries.

Does the iPad mini (A20 Pro) have ProMotion?

Apple's spec sheet does not list a higher refresh rate or ProMotion. It does list an OLED display with 600 nits full screen, 1200 nits HDR peak and a 1-nit minimum.

Can the new iPad mini work as a Thread border router or Home hub?

It has a Thread radio through the N1 chip, but Apple doesn't describe it as a border router, and its home hub documentation still lists only HomePod and Apple TV. Use it as a controller or a Home Assistant dashboard.

Is Siri AI available on the iPad mini in Europe?

No, not for now. Apple says Siri AI is currently unavailable in the EU on iOS, iPadOS and watchOS, and that it is working with the EU to find a path forward.