It’s an update that comes at the right time. With prices rising (and no ceiling in sight), the $699 iPad mini finds itself in an attractive spot, offering an impressive combination of features and performance for the price.
iPad mini A20 Pro: Design
A big part of Apple’s design philosophy is to make its products as compact as possible, especially in its portable devices. Even the new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR display is thinner than the previous model.
That treatment is especially true if the product has “mini” in its name. Take, for example, the history of the Mac mini, particularly the recent redesign of the 2024 Mac mini. This time it’s the iPad mini’s turn, and it’s now the most compact iPad mini Apple has ever made. Here’s how the size of the new iPad mini compares to the old one.
| Dimension | iPad mini (A20 Pro) | iPad mini (A17 Pro) |
| Height | 7.69 inches (195.3 mm) | 7.69 inches (195.4 mm) |
| Broad | 5.22 inches (132.6 mm) | 5.30 inches (134.8 mm) |
| Depth | 0.21 inches (5.4 mm) | 0.25 inches (6.3 mm) |
| Weight (Wifi) | 255 grams (0.56 pounds) | 0.65 pounds (293 grams) |
| Weight (Wi-Fi + Cellular) | 263 grams (0.58 pounds) | 0.66 pounds (297 grams) |
The iPad mini (A20 Pro) is the same height as before, but is slightly narrower, thinner and lighter. It’s smaller on all sides, making it more comfortable to hold in one hand, and you may even forget it’s in your bag. The previous iPad mini was small enough to always have in my backpack, but it pushed the limit of pocketability. The new iPad mini’s slight size reduction fits better into cargo pants pockets and smaller handbags.
The new iPad mini is the first iPad to have an ingress protection (IP) rating. In this case, its IP67 rating means it has a dust protection rating of 6, the highest rating, while the water resistance rating is 7 (out of 9), meaning the iPad mini should survive submerged in about 3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes. In addition to individual consumer use outside, I’ve often seen staff use the iPad mini at outdoor events, so the IP67 construction is a great idea to protect your investment.
With an upgrade to OLED, the iPad mini offers a brighter display.
Romano Loyola/Casting
iPad mini A20 Pro: OLED screen
The main improved component of the iPad mini (A20 Pro) is the display, which now has OLED (Super Retina XDR) replacing the LED-backlit IPS (Liquid Retina) panel. It’s not the tandem OLED found on the iPad Pro, so its overall image quality doesn’t compare to that particular device.
