The new iPad Mini is a lot like the iPhone Duo, minus the hefty price tag

Published Oct 26, 2026, 10:51 AM EDT Viraj Gawde is a Tech Journalist with bylines at Travel+Leisure India & South Asia, Android Headlines, 91Mobiles, Croma Unboxed, etc. He has written thousands of news pieces, how-to guides, product comparisons, listicles, and op-eds on consumer tech. Currently, Viraj is obsessed with the fast-evolving world of artificial intelligence and how it is reshaping the way we work, create, and use tech. As a curious generalist, Viraj's work extends into a wide range of subjects, formats, and storytelling styles. When away from desk, he is a finance, sports, and travel geek with a constant curiosity for new experiences. As Apple gears up for its Pro and Tell event tomorrow, the brand has launched the iPad Mini. It’s the biggest overhaul the tablet has received, arriving two years after the previous model debuted in 2024. The timing is interesting—if you’ve been eyeing the new iPhone Duo that can be used as a slab phone and a tablet, the iPad Mini offers another way to get a larger display in a thinner profile without spending nearly as much. The new iPad Mini gets thinner, brighter, and more powerful Apple isn’t only nudging the spec sheet forward Apple is giving the iPad Mini’s display an OLED treatment. The new model swaps out the 8.3-inch LCD panel for an 8.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display. The slightly larger screen estate fits in the same footprint as the old Mini due to 24 percent thinner bezels. The latest-generation iPad Mini also gets 1,200 nits peak brightness, twice that of its predecessor. The OLED display and doubled peak brightness should deliver a noticeable difference in consuming content. The tablet is also offered in a nano-texture display option, borrowed from the iPad Pro to cut glare outdoors. The iPad Mini still stays portable and measures 5.4mm thick compared to the 2024 model, which is 6.3mm thick. Another notable upgrade is that Apple is making the tablet IP67 certified. So, it can finally survive your poolside reading session. The tablet retains the same 12MP cameras on the front and rear. However, the front sensor now moves to the landscape edge with support for Center Stage, so video calls feel natural when the Mini is propped up horizontally. Inside, the iPad Mini is equipped with the A20 Pro processor, which powers the iPhone 18 Pro models and the iPhone Duo. It delivers significant performance gains over the predecessor model. Apple says that the 512GB configuration has a dual 16-core Neural Engine, making it suitable for running local AI models. The iPad Mini ships with iPadOS 27 out of the box with Apple Intelligence and Siri AI. Connectivity-wise, the iPad Mini comes with Apple’s N1 chip that offers Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread support. Meanwhile, cellular models get Apple’s C2 modem. How much does the OLED iPad Mini cost? A cheaper alternative to iPhone Duo The iPad Mini is available in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage options. These are priced at $699, $799, and $999, respectively for Wi-Fi-only models. The cellular variants of the same storage configurations cost $849, $949, and $1,149 Color options include Midnight and Starlight. The tablet will be up for pre-orders from October 28, with shipments commencing November 6. The pricing is where things get interesting. The iPhone Duo and iPad Mini are entirely different products, with the former doubling up as your daily phone, with the latter having a slightly larger screen but still requiring a separate mobile. The iPhone Duo offers a unique form factor, but the iPad Mini’s price tag is roughly a third of Apple’s foldable—especially with the same chipset, an OLED screen, and software features. Put differently, two iPad Minis cost less than one iPhone Duo, and you’ll still have some money left. Or you could get one iPad Mini and the latest iPhone 18 Pro model. So, the newest iPad Mini makes a compelling case for itself if you want a portable tablet without the folding experience. iPad Mini (2026) CPU A20 Pro Brightness 1,200 nits Source: Apple