For what feels like the first time in years, Apple is in experimenting mode. From folding iPhones to touchscreen MacBooks, the company is suddenly dropping innovative products rather than incremental upgrades. But while the new iPad mini might not be the most exciting new release of 2026, for a select group of users, it might just be the best iPad yet.
The 8th generation iPad mini upgrades almost everything about the tiny tablet. The headline feature has to be the OLED display, which is brighter, crisper and more vibrant than any iPad mini display we've seen. Meanwhile, minor design changes have resulted in a thinner and lighter body – which is a much more meaningful change than it might sound.
I've always been a fan of the iPad mini. Sure, larger models like the Pro feature M-series chips and ProMotion displays, but sometimes there's no replacement for portability. As the famous saying goes, 'your best iPad is the one you have with you' – and being able to sling the iPad mini into a tote bag is invaluable. And the first thing I noticed when picking it up was the reduction in size. At 5.4mm thick and 255 grams, it's just ridiculously thin and light.
And the second thing I noticed was, yes, that OLED display. While it isn't quite as stunning as the new MacBook Pro's PROLED XDR display, those bright colours and inky blacks look stunning. For creatives, a bright, colour-accurate screen is a must, and now the smallest iPad delivers one in spades.
But there is a glaring omission. In this day and age, a 60hz refresh rate feels slow and stuttering on any device, let alone one that starts at £699. Apple's 120hz ProMotion display has made its way to most of its products by now, but it's surprising, given the scale of the rest of the updates (and the price increase) that the iPad mini hasn't been blessed with one. Reddit, as you might imagine, has not been kind.
But if you can put aside the lack of ProMotion, there's so much to love here. Performance-wise, that A20 Pro chip (which also resides in the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo) is incredibly speedy and efficient – I'm managing to eke out around ten hours on a single charge.
Another improvement is the sound quality. Apple has somehow managed to place the speakers underneath the display (or as Apple calls it, the 'acoustic display'), and the result is powerfully punchy audio for a tablet so small.
Overall, if you're somebody who already loves the iPad mini and has the cash to burn for an upgrade, the 8th generation model is a winner. Every improvement adds up to a meaningfully enhanced experience, particularly the OLED screen and the weight loss. Now, if Apple could just bring itself to give us a 120hz display, the 9th generation iPad mini might just be the perfect tiny tablet.
