Apple iPad mini 8.5" A20 Pro 2026, 8GB, 128GB, Cellular, Midnight

The iPad mini finally gets OLED, and the display is the best we've seen on a tablet this size. Battery life is excellent and it's incredibly light. Performance is just average though, and 128GB of non-expandable storage stings. Worth buying if you prioritize screen quality and portability over raw power.

The A20 Pro 5-core chip handles everyday tasks without breaking a sweat. Apps open fast, multitasking is smooth, and iPadOS flies on this hardware. But our benchmarks put the CPU at the 56th percentile and GPU at 57th, which means raw compute power is just average compared to the broader tablet market. The 8GB of RAM sits at the 66th percentile, fine for most things but not a standout. Where this thing truly shines is the display. That OLED panel with 1,200 nits of peak brightness makes HDR content look stunning, and the 326 ppi density keeps text razor sharp. Battery life is also a highlight at the 92nd percentile, so you'll get through a full day of reading and streaming without hunting for a charger.

Against the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11, the iPad mini wins on display quality and portability but loses on raw performance and storage flexibility. The Microsoft Surface Pro 11 is a completely different beast, it's a full Windows machine with better business chops, but it's heavier and pricier. The Xiaomi Pad 7 and Lenovo Idea Tab Plus undercut the iPad mini on price significantly, but their screens don't come close to this OLED panel. If you want the best small tablet display on the market, the iPad mini is the pick. If you need productivity or expandable storage, look elsewhere.

Pricing is all over the place right now. We're seeing USD 699 to USD 850 across 10 US listings, a USD 151 spread that's worth paying attention to. At the low end, this is a solid deal for an OLED tablet with this kind of battery life and build quality. At the high end, you're paying a premium for the Apple logo and that gorgeous screen. If you can find it closer to USD 699, it's a much easier recommendation. Just don't expect it to replace a laptop for serious work.

Apple finally put an OLED panel in the iPad mini, and it's about time. The 8.5-inch Super Retina XDR display hits 1,200 nits peak HDR brightness with a 2316x1512 resolution at 326 ppi. That's a 97th percentile screen in our database, which means it's basically the best display you can get on a tablet this size right now. The A20 Pro chip and 8GB of RAM keep things snappy, and at 255 grams it's light enough to forget you're holding it.

But it's not all sunshine. The CPU and GPU scores land around the middle of the pack for tablets, which feels odd for an Apple chip. Storage is capped at 128GB with no expandability, and the business score of 58.3 is a real weak spot. This is a consumption and creativity device first, not a laptop replacement.

Skip this if you need a productivity machine. The business score is the weakest area at 58.3, and 128GB of non-expandable storage fills up fast with work files. If you're a power user who needs serious multitasking, a Surface Pro 11 or even a MacBook Air will serve you better. Also skip it if you're on a tight budget, the Xiaomi Pad 7 and Lenovo Idea Tab Plus offer more storage and similar performance for less money, just with worse screens.

Buy this if you want the best small tablet screen available and you're already in the Apple ecosystem. The OLED display alone is worth the price of admission for readers, streamers, and digital artists who use the Apple Pencil Pro. It's light, the battery lasts forever, and iPadOS is as smooth as ever. Just know that the performance is middle-of-the-road and the 128GB storage ceiling will frustrate anyone who hoards media or games.