Apple's eighth-generation iPad mini, powered by the A20 Pro chip, costs from £699 (€749/$699/A$1,099), £200 more than its predecessor as memory prices rise. Out-of-warranty screen and other damage repairs cost £519. Apple publishes an environmental impact report and offers trade-in and free recycling, including for non-Apple products. The A20 Pro chip, also used in the iPhone 18 Pro and Duo, makes the device very fast. Almost every part has been upgraded: screen, body, camera, speakers and processor.
It charges to about 50% in under 30 minutes with a 35W or greater USB-C adaptor, which is not included, and to 100% in about 100 minutes. The battery is rated for more than 1,000 full cycles at 80% capacity and can be replaced for £115.
It still feels and works much like recent iPad minis. Loyal owners prize a bigger display than a phone with the portability of a small tablet.
The video-call camera now sits on the landscape edge. New speakers use tweeters in slim gaps between glass and aluminium, with woofers through the screen, delivering direct, powerful sound that hands do not block.
Uses include building sites, store payment systems, check-in terminals, restaurant waiting staff, and university notes or scientific papers.
The compact tablet is about 1mm thinner, 38g lighter and slightly smaller than the last model, yet it fits a 0.2in larger 8.5in OLED screen. That screen is bright and vibrant with inky blacks. It is the first iPad with IP67 water resistance, easing use at the beach or pool.
Battery life is nine to 10 hours of active use for browsing, email, notes, movies or photos. Games cut that to six to eight hours.