5 iPad Mini 8 Upgrades That Could Make Apple’s Bigger iPads a Lot Harder to Justify for People Who Prefer a Smaller Screen

Apple is expected to unveil the iPad mini 8 on October 28, bringing a long-awaited OLED display, a faster processor, and several design changes to its smallest tablet.

The new model could be among the products showcased at Apple’s upcoming “Pro and Tell” event in Los Angeles, where invited media will also get hands-on time with the first touchscreen OLED MacBook Pros, an M6 MacBook Pro, and an updated iMac.

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OLED Display and a Refreshed Design

The biggest change coming to the iPad mini 8 is its switch from LCD to OLED, bringing deeper blacks and improved contrast to Apple’s compact tablet for the first time.

Apple has reportedly tested both 60Hz and 120Hz ProMotion panels, although it’s still unclear whether the final model will offer the smoother refresh rate.

The display could also grow slightly larger thanks to slimmer bezels, while the front-facing camera is expected to move to the landscape edge.

That would make video calls more convenient when using the tablet horizontally, bringing it in line with Apple’s other recent iPads.

Another notable change involves the speakers. Apple is reportedly redesigning the audio system to eliminate the traditional speaker holes and route sound through an earpiece-style grille along the top bezel instead.

That redesign could also help bring IP-rated water resistance to the iPad mini for the first time, although the exact rating hasn’t been confirmed.

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A20 Pro Chip, More RAM, and Faster Connectivity

Inside, the iPad mini 8 is expected to use the same A20 Pro chip found in the iPhone 18 Pro, built on TSMC’s 2nm manufacturing process.

Compared with the A17 Pro in the current iPad mini, the new processor is reportedly capable of delivering roughly 50% faster CPU performance and 2.5 times the GPU performance.

Apple is also expected to increase memory from 8GB to 12GB of RAM, giving the tablet more room to handle demanding apps and Apple Intelligence features.

That extra memory could enable advanced Siri customization, including adjusting the assistant’s conversational pace and expressiveness.

Connectivity is getting attention as well. Apple’s N1 networking chip is expected to bring Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, while cellular models could feature the company’s C1X or C2 modem.

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The Biggest Question Is the Price

All these improvements could make the iPad mini 8 a substantial upgrade, but they also raise questions about how much Apple plans to charge.

The current iPad mini already starts at $599, following a $100 price increase in June that Apple attributed to higher memory and storage costs.

With OLED panels generally more expensive to manufacture than LCD screens, and RAM increasing to 12GB, another price hike appears possible.

Apple hasn’t confirmed pricing, so it’s unclear how much more buyers might have to pay. With the October 28 announcement approaching, that could be one of the biggest factors determining whether the new iPad mini is worth upgrading to.