In the United Kingdom, the entry model with the A20 Pro chip costs £699 – £200 more than at the 2024 launch. Pre-orders have been open since 28 October.
Key points
- Apple sells the new iPad mini with OLED display and A20 Pro chip in the UK from £699 (128 GB, Wi-Fi) – £100 more than the most recent price and £200 more than the previous generation cost at launch in October 2024.
- Pre-orders have been open since Wednesday, 28 October 2026; the device goes on sale in the UK on Friday, 6 November 2026.
- New features include an 8.5-inch OLED display, IP67 protection against water and dust and eSIM-only mobile data; the refresh rate stays at 60 hertz.
Apple will sell the eighth-generation iPad mini in the UK from Friday, 6 November 2026 – with an OLED display, the new A20 Pro chip and a starting price of £699. That is £100 more than Apple most recently charged for the previous model and £200 more than the previous generation cost at its launch in October 2024.
Apple lists the new prices in its UK online store: the entry model with 128 gigabytes of storage and Wi-Fi costs £699, the cellular version £849. With 256 gigabytes, buyers pay £799 (Wi-Fi) or £949 (Wi-Fi + Cellular); with 512 gigabytes, £999 or £1,149.
Prices, dates and storage options
According to Apple’s press release of 26 October 2026, the new iPad mini has been available to pre-order since Wednesday, 28 October 2026, via the Apple Online Store and the Apple Store app. The UK store lists availability from 6 November; in total, Apple is launching the device in 36 countries and regions.
The following table shows the UK prices listed by the Apple Store UK at the time of writing:
| Storage | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi + Cellular | Nano-texture glass (surcharge) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 128 GB | £699 | £849 | not available |
| 256 GB | £799 | £949 | +£100 |
| 512 GB | £999 | £1,149 | +£100 |
Source: Apple Store UK, as of 1 November 2026. All prices include VAT (value added tax). Nano-texture glass is only available with 256 GB and 512 GB.
The iPad mini comes in Midnight and Starlight. For the launch, Apple is also offering a revised Apple Pencil and a new Smart Folio, which the manufacturer says were designed to match the new casing.
OLED, A20 Pro and IP67: what is new
The display grows from 8.3 to 8.5 inches and switches from LCD to OLED technology – Apple calls it “Super Retina XDR”. According to the manufacturer, it reaches up to 1,200 nits peak brightness in HDR mode and covers the P3 colour space. As with the previous model, the refresh rate remains at 60 hertz; Apple still does not offer a ProMotion display with up to 120 hertz on the iPad mini.
The device is powered by the new A20 Pro chip, built on a 2-nanometre process, with a 7-core graphics unit. The 128 and 256 gigabyte models get a 5-core CPU, the 512 gigabyte model a 6-core CPU with an additional Neural Engine for AI calculations. For the first time, the iPad mini is rated IP67 against water and dust – tested, according to Apple, for up to 30 minutes at a depth of one metre, although liquid damage is still not covered by the warranty. The device also becomes lighter and slimmer: 255 grams (Wi-Fi) or 263 grams (Cellular) at 5.4 millimetres thick, compared with 293 grams and 6.3 millimetres for the previous model.
For wireless connections, Apple uses its own N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 for the first time; the cellular models also feature the C2 modem, which Apple says achieves significantly higher data rates than its predecessor. Mobile plans can only be set up via eSIM (embedded SIM); there is no longer a slot for physical SIM cards. The device is still unlocked with Touch ID and charged via USB-C with data rates of up to 10 gigabits per second.
Price comparison with the previous generation
The seventh-generation iPad mini with the A17 Pro chip launched in the UK in October 2024 at a Wi-Fi entry price of £499. When Apple raised UK prices on 25 June 2026, the iPad mini went up to £599, according to a price overview by Hoxton Macs. Starting at £699, the entry price therefore rises by £100 compared with the most recent price and by £200 compared with the original launch two years ago – an increase of around 40 percent.
How the price of the iPad mini has changed in the UK (entry model, Wi-Fi, 128 GB)
- October 2024: £499 (launch of the seventh generation, A17 Pro).
- June 2026: £599 (price rise during the product’s lifetime, according to Hoxton Macs).
- From 6 November 2026: £699 (launch of the eighth generation, A20 Pro).
Calculation: £699 minus £499 is an increase of £200, or around 40 percent since 2024; £699 minus £599 is an increase of £100, or around 17 percent since the last price adjustment.
Why the iPad mini now costs almost as much as the iPad Air
With its new starting price, the iPad mini moves much closer to Apple’s larger tablet: the 11-inch iPad Air with M4 chip and 128 gigabytes currently costs from £749 in the Apple Store UK – only £50 more than the new iPad mini.
For buyers, this means that anyone looking for a compact tablet that can be used with one hand will now pay almost the same price as for a larger device with potentially more computing power. Which of the two fits better depends on the preferred screen size and intended use – no general buying recommendation can be derived from this.
Apple Intelligence and Siri AI: what is available in the UK
Alongside the iPad mini, Apple is introducing a new, more AI-driven version of Siri, which the company calls “Siri AI” in its press release and is initially rolling out as a beta in iPadOS 27.2. For now, Apple says it is available in English, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish. Apple states that Siri AI is currently not available in the European Union. The UK is not part of the EU and English is a supported language; however, Apple’s press release does not mention the UK specifically, and notes that individual AI features may vary by language and region. Buyers should check availability on their device after setup.
Practical checklist before buying
- Work out your storage needs first: there is £100 between 128 and 256 gigabytes, and another £200 between 256 and 512 gigabytes.
- Mobile data via eSIM only: anyone used to swapping physical SIM cards will have to switch.
- Siri AI is not available in the EU – relevant for buyers who travel to or live in an EU country.
- It is worth comparing with the iPad Air: the price gap has shrunk to £50.
- Note the date: the device only goes on sale on 6 November 2026; if you need one urgently, the older model remains an alternative as long as retailers still have it.
Regardless of the AI feature, the new model brings tangible improvements to the display, water and dust protection and weight – available to all buyers from day one.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the new iPad mini cost in the UK?
The entry model with 128 gigabytes and Wi-Fi costs £699, or £849 with cellular. The 256 and 512 gigabyte versions cost £799 to £1,149 depending on connectivity, plus £100 for nano-texture glass.
When is the iPad mini available in the UK?
Pre-orders have been open since 28 October 2026. The device goes on sale in the UK on Friday, 6 November 2026.
How much more expensive is the new model than its predecessor?
Compared with the most recent price of £599, the entry price rises by £100. Compared with the original 2024 launch price of £499, the increase is £200, or around 40 percent.
Does Siri AI work with the new iPad mini in the UK?
Apple only explicitly rules out the European Union. English is supported, but Apple has not named the UK specifically, so availability should be checked on the device.
Are the OLED display and better protection worth the extra £100 over the previous model to you – or would you rather pay £50 more for the larger iPad Air? Share your view in the comments.
Sources and status
- Apple Newsroom: press release “Apple gives iPad mini its biggest update ever”, 26 October 2026
- Apple Store UK: iPad mini prices
- Apple Store UK: iPad Air prices
- Hoxton Macs: Apple UK price rises 2026
- EveryMac: original UK prices of all iPad mini models
Research and data as of: 1 November 2026.
Transparency notice: AI-assisted tools were used in the research, structuring and writing of this article. The sources used are listed in the article. Publication only takes place after manual editorial approval.
