Apple's new iPad Mini is the first iPad rated to resist dust and water splashes, which matters for families, kitchens and poolside reading, but it costs $699.
Apple's new iPad Mini is the first iPad ever with an IP67 rating, which means it is built to resist dust and water splashes. ZDNet calls it arguably the biggest upgrade in years, ahead of the new OLED screen. For anyone with kids, a busy kitchen or a pool chair, it could save a tablet.
IP67 is a rating for dust and water resistance. On the iPad Mini, it means the body forms a seal that protects the inner parts from those elements. The reviewer notes it will not swim with you, but it handles wet conditions better than any other iPad. The reviewer's 5-year-old spilled juice on an older sibling's iPad 10 on launch day.
The Mini is also thinner and lighter. It is 5.4mm thick and 255g, down from 6.3mm and 293g. It has an 8.5-inch OLED screen with glare reduction and an A20 Pro chip. It supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, and the front camera moved to the landscape edge for better video calls.
The iPad Mini starts at $699. That is $200 more than the $499 starting price of the 2024 model. Preorders open October 28, and orders ship on November 6.
The material does not say how long the seal lasts or whether Apple's coverage includes spill damage. Splash resistant is not the same as waterproof, so a dunk in the pool is still a risk.
The new iPad Mini better survives spills and splashes, but it is not swim ready and starts at $699, $200 more than before.
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