iPad mini Gets OLED Display and Could Start at $799

Apple's iPad mini line is reportedly preparing for its first fundamental display change since 2021. According to available information, the new model, expected to be unveiled this week, will also bring the first chip refresh since 2024.

Rumors point to notable upgrades in the display, performance and durability. The reported price increase, meanwhile, looks set to be one of the most talked-about aspects of the model.

OLED display on the way, 120Hz unconfirmed

The most widely repeated rumor is that the new iPad mini will use an OLED display. It will not be the Tandem OLED technology found in the iPad Pro. Even so, more vivid colors, better contrast and a brighter screen are among the expected gains.

One point that remains unclear is the refresh rate. It has not been settled whether the new iPad mini will ship with a 120Hz ProMotion display. There is a chance it will again be offered with a 60Hz screen, which is exactly what users are hoping to avoid.

A20 Pro chip and 12GB of memory

The current iPad mini runs on the A17 Pro chip, built on a 3nm process, with 8GB of memory. According to the rumors, the new model will offer the A20 Pro chip and 12GB of memory. That hardware is expected to let the device run Apple's most advanced on-device models locally and to improve Siri's voice and dictation features.

Beyond AI features, the A20 Pro is also expected to deliver a clear jump in raw performance over the A17 Pro. The rumors suggest an improvement of roughly 60 percent in multi-core CPU performance and roughly 166 percent in GPU performance.

Could be the first water-resistant iPad

Apple is said to be working to make the iPad mini water resistant. A new chassis design and redesigned speakers meant to help keep water out are reported as parts of that effort. If it pans out, the iPad mini could become the first water-resistant iPad.

On pricing, reports indicate that the iPad mini with the OLED display and A20 Pro chip could start at $799. That would be a significant increase over the current model's $599 starting price.

The storage and pricing question

It is not known whether the new iPad mini will still start with 128GB of storage at this price level. Raising base storage to 256GB could have softened the impact of a possible price hike, but for now that remains only a wish.