Apple announced the new iPad mini on October 26, and it’s the biggest change the small tablet has had in years: an 8.5-inch OLED screen, the 2nm A20 Pro chip and IP67 water resistance. Now a Geekbench listing has given us the first real look at how fast it is. Short answer: very.
iPad mini (2026) Geekbench scores
The listing is for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model (iPad19,2), as reported by GSMArena. It shows:
- Single-core: 3,879
- Multi-core: 9,870
Here is how that compares with other Apple devices:
| Device | Single-core | Multi-core |
|---|---|---|
| iPad mini (2026), A20 Pro | 3,879 | 9,870 |
| Previous iPad mini | 2,638 | 7,103 |
| iPhone 18 Pro Max, A20 Pro | 4,024 | 11,424 |
| iPad Air 13 (M4) | 3,206 | 12,686 |
| iPad Pro 13 (M5) | 3,580 | 15,126 |
That puts the new mini about 47% ahead in single-core and 39% ahead in multi-core compared with the model it replaces. Interestingly, it even beats the M5 iPad Pro in single-core tasks, though the Pro still wins easily when all cores are working.
Why is it slower than the iPhone 18 Pro Max?
The listing shows five CPU cores, not six. GSMArena believes the 128GB and 256GB models use a binned A20 Pro with one efficiency core switched off. Apple itself only says “up to a 6-core CPU”, which supports that idea. The same listing shows 12GB of RAM, but Apple hasn’t confirmed this.
iPad mini (2026) specifications
- Display: 8.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED, up to 1,200 nits peak, 1-nit minimum, 2,000,000:1 contrast, optional nano-texture
- Chip: A20 Pro (2nm), up to 6-core CPU, 7-core GPU with Neural Accelerators, dual 16-core Neural Engine
- Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
- Cameras: 12MP rear with 4K60 video; 12MP Center Stage front camera, now on the landscape edge
- Audio: new “Acoustic Display” speaker system with woofers driven through the screen
- Build: 5.4mm thin, IP67 water and dust resistance
- Connectivity: Apple N1 chip (Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, Thread); C2 modem on cellular models
- Pencil: Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C)
- Colours: Midnight and Starlight
- Software: iPadOS 27
Apple says the bezels are 24% thinner while the overall size stays the same, so you get more screen without a bigger tablet.
Price and availability
In the US, the iPad mini (2026) starts at $699 for Wi-Fi and $849 for Wi-Fi + Cellular. Pre-orders opened on October 28 in 36 countries, and it reaches stores on November 6. Apple hasn’t shared Indian pricing in its announcement; we’ll update this article once it’s official.
Our take
The old mini felt a step behind for a long time. The OLED screen and A20 Pro fix the two biggest complaints in one go, and IP67 is a nice bonus for a tablet people carry everywhere. The higher starting price is the only real downside.
Also read
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FAQs
Which chip does the iPad mini 2026 use?
It uses Apple’s A20 Pro, built on a 2nm process.
Does the iPad mini 2026 have an OLED display?
Yes, an 8.5-inch OLED panel with up to 1,200 nits peak brightness.
When does the iPad mini 2026 go on sale?
It reaches customers and stores from November 6, 2026.
Sources: Apple Newsroom, GSMArena.