Apple unveils iPad mini with chip differences tied to storage
Apple’s listed specifications reserve an extra processor core and dual 16-core Neural Engines for the $999 512GB model, making storage choice a hardware choice too.
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Apple’s listed specifications reserve an extra processor core and dual 16-core Neural Engines for the $999 512GB model, making storage choice a hardware choice too.
Apple unveiled a new iPad mini on October 26 with A20 Pro chip configurations that vary by storage capacity: the 512GB model has an extra main-processor core and more specialised processing hardware than the 128GB and 256GB versions. Apple also specifies extended external-display support with iPadOS 27.2 and fast-charge support, alongside a thinner, lighter design.
Apple says that with iPadOS 27.2, the tablet supports extended display mode when connected to an external screen, allowing users to multitask with windowed apps across a larger workspace. The previous model could only mirror its own screen, 9to5Mac said in its October 26 comparison.
Apple also specifies charging to up to 50% in 30 minutes with a power adapter rated at 35W or higher.
Apple specifies a thickness of 5.4 mm. The comparison with the previous model also shows a lower weight; the weight figures below are for Wi-Fi models.
| Measurement | New model | Previous model |
|---|
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| Thickness | 5.4 mm | 6.3 mm |
| Wi-Fi model weight | 255 g | 293 g |
Apple calls its new speaker arrangement Acoustic Display. The company says specially designed woofers, which produce low-frequency sound, are paired through the display for stronger bass and more volume. Tweeters, which produce high-frequency sound, sit between the glass and aluminium enclosure for clearer highs. The sealed enclosure also helps the tablet achieve its water- and dust-resistance rating.
Apple set out the following US starting prices in its October 26 announcement. The entry price rises from the previous model’s $599.
| Connectivity | Starting price |
|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | $699 |
| Wi-Fi + Cellular | $849 |
Apple specifies an 8.5-inch OLED display, a screen technology that controls light at each pixel. The larger screen fits within the previous model’s footprint. Its diagonal measurement treats the rounded-corner screen as a rectangle; the actual viewable area is smaller. Apple specifies peak brightness of up to 1200 nits, a measure of screen brightness.
Apple gives the tablet an IP67 rating for splash, water and dust resistance. The rating comes from controlled laboratory testing, including water exposure at a maximum depth of 1 metre for up to 30 minutes. Apple says resistance is not permanent and can decrease with normal wear. It warns against charging a wet iPad and says liquid damage is not covered under warranty.
The CPU is the main processor, while the GPU handles graphics. Each core is a processing unit. Apple’s Neural Engine is specialised hardware for superintelligence (SI) tasks, and the 512GB model has two 16-core Neural Engines rather than one.
| Storage | CPU (main processor) | Neural Engine | GPU (graphics processor) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 128GB | 5 cores | One 16-core Neural Engine | 7 cores |
| 256GB | 5 cores | One 16-core Neural Engine | 7 cores |
| 512GB | 6 cores | Dual 16-core Neural Engines | 7 cores |
Both CPU configurations include two “super” cores. The extra core in the 512GB model is an efficiency core: that model has four, compared with three in the lower-storage models. The reported price for the 512GB model is $999, with cellular connectivity and the glare-reducing nano-texture screen option potentially raising the price further.
Apple says the new chip improves SI, graphics and CPU performance by the amounts below compared with the previous-generation iPad mini. These comparisons come from Apple’s own tests conducted in September 2026. 9to5Mac’s comparison says the upper-limit figures refer to the 512GB model.
| Workload | Apple’s comparison |
|---|---|
| SI processing | Up to 4.5 times faster |
| Graphics | Up to 2.7 times faster |
| Multithreaded CPU work — tasks split into parallel streams of work | Up to 60% faster |
Apple specifies Siri SI as a beta, or test version, in iPadOS 27.2. It requires a device that supports Apple Intelligence and is set to a supported language: English, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese or Spanish.
Apple says some features may not be available in every region or language. Siri SI is not currently available in iPadOS in the European Union and is not available to users under 13. Buying the tablet therefore does not by itself establish access to the Siri beta.
Apple plans to open hardware preorders on October 28 in 36 countries and regions, including the US. Customer deliveries and sales through Apple’s stores and authorised resellers are scheduled to begin on November 6.
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