Pricing and availability
Apple has begun sales of the new iPad mini equipped with the A20 Pro chip, which the source identifies as an eighth-generation model. According to IT之家, the list price starts at 5,499 yuan for the 128 GB Wi-Fi-only version; with the national subsidy applied, the price falls to about 4,999 yuan, and with the education discount it comes to about 4,599 yuan. The source reports different prices for the other configurations, including the cellular variant.
The full price list cited by the source includes 6,799 yuan for the 128 GB Wi-Fi + cellular model; 6,299 and 7,599 yuan for the 256 GB versions, Wi-Fi and cellular respectively; and 7,999 and 9,299 yuan for the 512 GB models in the same two variants. These are prices for the Chinese market, where sales began on November 6; the source does not indicate availability or prices for other markets.
Design and display
Compared with the previous generation, the tablet's body is 14% thinner and 13% lighter. The screen is an OLED panel called Super Retina XDR, with a claimed peak brightness of 1,200 nits, P3 coverage and a claimed contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1. The source notes that the display does not support ProMotion, the adaptive refresh rate technology, and that the 256 and 512 GB versions can be ordered with nano-texture glass.
The available colors are two, Midnight and Firefly. The tablet retains support for Apple Pencil Pro and for Apple Pencil with a USB-C connector, including the hover function, i.e. detection of the pen before it touches the screen. The source also reports dust and water protection under the IP67 standard, withstanding immersion for up to 30 minutes at a depth of one meter.
Chip differentiated by capacity
The most significant point concerns the processor: not all versions carry the same A20 Pro configuration. According to IT之家, the 128 and 256 GB models have a 5-core CPU (two high-performance and three efficiency cores), a 7-core GPU and a 16-core NPU; the 512 GB version moves to a 6-core CPU (two plus four) and a dual 16-core NPU, while keeping the 7-core GPU. The source attributes to the chip packaging inspired by the M series and neural accelerators integrated into each graphics core, designed for artificial intelligence functions.
In terms of performance, the source cites increases of up to 1.6x for the CPU and up to 2.7x for the GPU compared with the seventh-generation iPad mini. These are claimed values, not independent measurements reported in the material. The tablet adopts the Apple N1 networking chip, with high-speed Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 6 and Thread support; cellular versions use the Apple C2 modem with eSIM. It remains to be verified, because the source does not state it, whether and when the product will be sold in other countries and at what prices.
