The first media reviews for Apple’s new OLED iPad mini went live on Tuesday, November 3, three days before the tablet arrives in Canadian stores and on doorsteps on Friday, November 6.
Screen quality is the upgrade everyone expected to lead the conversation, and it mostly does. Reviewers praise the 8.5-inch OLED for deeper blacks, higher contrast and brighter HDR peaks than the old LCD mini, with several calling the optional nano-texture glass a strong choice for outdoor reading even though it costs extra and softens the purest blacks a little.
The most common complaint is the price, with the Wi-Fi model starting at US$699, which is US$100 more than the last mini was selling for after Apple’s summer hikes and US$200 above its original launch price, and Canadian shoppers will feel that jump even harder. Reviewers also flagged the 60Hz refresh rate with no ProMotion, Touch ID instead of Face ID, and the way storage tiers decide whether you get a five-core or six-core A20 Pro.
Reviewers found battery life similar to before, as The Verge’s David Pierce put everyday screen time around nine hours, while Apple still rates the tablet for up to 10 hours of video or web browsing. Engadget’s Nathan Ingraham said heavy gaming drained it faster, closer to five or six hours, with lighter use stretching toward Apple’s claim, and he scored the tablet 8.5 out of 10.
The verdicts land in a narrow lane: this is the best iPad mini yet, as long as you already wanted a mini and can live with the bill. Pierce called it “a terrific tiny tablet” and “the best iPad Mini yet,” then added that he “cannot in good conscience tell you to buy” the fully loaded US$1,249 review unit. Wired’s Luke Larsen gave it 7 out of 10 and asked who the device is really for at this price, while Six Colors’ Jason Snell wrote that the OLED, thinner 5.4mm body and IP67 rating make it a stronger everyday multitasker if you plan to use it for more than one job.
In Canada, the new iPad mini starts at $949 CAD for the 128GB Wi-Fi model, with 256GB at $1,099 and 512GB at $1,379. Nano-texture glass is a paid upgrade on the higher storage tiers, and Wi-Fi + Cellular configs run from $1,149 to $1,729. When American reviewers call it a $699 tablet, they mean the US starting price, so the Canadian sticker stings more. Apple opened pre-orders on Wednesday, October 28, and we’ve already compared the new OLED mini with the 2024 model if you’re weighing an upgrade.
Shoppers who want to wait can still find the previous iPad mini on clearance at Staples for $699, and Belkin has already shipped an Infinity Folio case for the new mini if you plan to carry one hard.
Here’s a roundup of OLED iPad mini reviews from around the web.
Are you ordering the OLED iPad mini this Friday, or sticking with the older model a little longer?
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