iPad mini gets OLED and A20 Pro, with a CAD $949 starting price

The little iPad has developed rather expensive taste. Apple announced a redesigned iPad mini on October 26, bringing an 8.5-inch OLED display and A20 Pro chip to its smallest tablet. Canadian preorders open October 28, with deliveries and store availability beginning November 6. The starting price is CAD $949 for Wi-Fi or CAD $1,149 for cellular, according to Apple’s Canadian announcement.

That makes the interesting question less “is it cute?” and more “is small the feature you are paying for?” A tablet that stays comfortable in a hand or slips into a modest bag has a different job from a sprawling desk companion. Mini fans, your preference has been acknowledged. Your wallet may request a private meeting.

The OLED upgrade comes with a few useful footnotes

Apple’s technical specifications list 600 nits of full-screen brightness, with the 1,200-nit peak reserved for HDR content. Nano-texture glass is optional on the 256GB and 512GB versions; the 128GB model cannot have it. Those details matter more than simply spotting a large brightness number and mentally taking the tablet to the beach.

There is another shopping-list wrinkle: the 128GB and 256GB models have a five-core CPU and one 16-core Neural Engine. The 512GB version gets a six-core CPU and Dual 16-core Neural Engine. All have a seven-core GPU. Buying storage therefore also changes the processor configuration, rather than merely making room for more photos of your lunch. Check the exact model before comparing performance claims.

For sketching, both Apple Pencil Pro and the USB-C Pencil are supported. Apple includes a 20W power adapter, but its advertised charging result of roughly 50 percent in 30 minutes requires a 35W-or-higher adapter. A tidy little accessory footnote, naturally. Factor that into the purchase if fast top-ups are part of the appeal.

Small enough to carry, still worth comparing

Apple also introduces an Acoustic Display, using woofers coupled through the screen and concealed tweeters. The front-facing 12MP Center Stage camera moves to the landscape edge. Those are promising changes for films and video calls, although sound quality and everyday comfort still need independent testing. We have not used this iPad mini.

The tablet is rated IP67, which Apple qualifies as laboratory testing at up to one metre for 30 minutes. Resistance can diminish with wear, and liquid damage is not covered by the standard warranty. Please let the poolside paperback retain its heroic responsibilities.

Small-tablet shoppers can also look at our coverage of the OPPO Pad Mini’s matte OLED option. If this sounds lovely but your actual day involves lots of side-by-side work, the larger Galaxy Tab S12 family belongs on that comparison list too. Choose the canvas your day needs before the tiny-tablet charm gets its hands on the checkout button.