Apple’s New OLED Ipad Mini: Where to Buy and Find Deals

WHO:

TechRadar - Apple is offering its new iPad mini.

BGR - The article identifies the iQOO Pad Pro and iQOO Pad Ultra as Android tablet alternatives; it says both are exclusive to China.

WHAT:

The Verge - The 8th-generation iPad mini has thinner bezels and a peak brightness of up to 1,200 nits; its display has a 60Hz refresh rate.

The Verge - The iPad mini is equipped with an A20 Pro chip. The 128GB and 256GB models have five CPU cores, while the 512GB model has six.

The Verge - Apple calls the tablet’s audio system “Acoustic Display”; woofers paired through the display are designed to produce punchier bass and more volume.

The Verge - The iPad mini comes in starlight and midnight.

The Verge - The optional nano-texture matte finish reduces display glare, and the front-facing camera has moved to the long edge. The device uses Touch ID rather than Face ID.

TechRadar - The new iPad mini is available to preorder, with the article covering retailers, deals, trade-in discounts, and freebies.

Mashable - Apple’s new iPad mini has an 8.5-inch OLED display and costs $699.

BGR - The article says the OLED iPad mini offers a brighter, punchier display and “a few under-the-screen upgrades.”

BGR - BGR says it may receive a commission on purchases made through links.

BGR - The article discusses four Android tablets as alternatives to the OLED iPad mini and says OLED remains rare among tablets in the wider 8-inch class.

BGR - The article says manufacturers generally position 8-inch tablets as budget products, and that few are as powerful or luxuriously featured as larger tablets.

WHERE:

BGR - The article says it will cover Android tablet alternatives obtainable in the U.S.; it notes the iQOO Pad Pro and iQOO Pad Ultra are exclusive to China.

WHY:

BGR - The article says buyers may find it difficult to justify spending $699 on the iPad mini despite its display and under-the-screen upgrades.

HOW:

TechRadar - The iPad mini can be preordered through retailers, with potential deals, trade-in discounts, and freebies.

Mashable - Preorders were scheduled to begin at 10:10 a.m. PT on October 28; omitted because that date is not after the current date.

(UPDATED October 28, 2026 22:02 UTC)

Apple’s eighth-generation iPad mini is available for preorder at $699, with an 8.5-inch OLED display, an A20 Pro chip, thinner bezels and peak brightness of up to 1,200 nits. It also has a 60Hz refresh rate, Touch ID, a front camera on the long edge and an optional glare-reducing matte finish; Apple says its display-paired speakers deliver punchier bass and more volume. Android alternatives include the iQOO Pad Pro and iQOO Pad Ultra, though both are exclusive to China, and retailers may offer deals, trade-in discounts and freebies.

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(UPDATED October 28, 2026 19:05 UTC)

Apple’s new iPad mini is available to preorder for $699, with an 8.5-inch OLED display and possible retailer deals, trade-in discounts, and freebies. The brighter, punchier screen and under-display upgrades may not make the price easy to justify for every buyer. Android alternatives include several 8-inch tablets, though OLED is rare in that size class, and the iQOO Pad Pro and Pad Ultra are available only in China.