Apple's New iPad mini May Jump to $799 on OLED Upgrade

Q: Could Apple's rumored $799 compact tablet actually ship without a smooth 120Hz display despite its luxury price tag?

Yes. Based on the current reporting, Apple’s rumored $799 iPad mini could plausibly launch without a 120Hz ProMotion display. The strongest point is that the OLED upgrade and the high price increase do not automatically mean ProMotion. Multiple reports agree the new mini is likely to switch from LCD to OLED, gain thinner bezels, better speakers, and a much faster chip. But they also say it remains unclear whether Apple will use the same high-end tandem OLED technology as the iPad Pro. That matters because ProMotion on Apple devices is typically tied to more advanced display hardware. A separate rumor from the Korean Naver leaker yeux1122 specifically claims the new panel is LTPS OLED at 60Hz, not LTPO at 120Hz. That source has a mixed record, so it is not definitive. Still, no equally firm report has confirmed ProMotion for the iPad mini, and some coverage has repeated the possibility that the screen stays at 60Hz. If that happens, buyers would still get OLED benefits such as deeper blacks, stronger contrast, and better color, but not the smoother scrolling and animation associated with 120Hz. That would likely be controversial at a reported $799 starting price, especially if the device ends up costing more than the 11-inch iPad Air. So the answer is yes: a premium-priced OLED iPad mini without 120Hz is entirely possible based on the rumors so far, even if it would be a hard sell for some buyers.

3 articles · Updated · 9to5Mac · Oct 11

$799 is the price Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says Apple may set for the next iPad mini, about $200 above the current $599 starting model.
The expected increase comes with a first OLED display, a redesigned chassis with thinner bezels, upgraded speakers and a likely A20 Pro chip from the iPhone 18 Pro line.
That pricing would put the smaller tablet above Apple's current 11-inch iPad Air in the lineup, even if the new model also ships with more base storage than today's 128GB.
Apple is expected to unveil the device later this month alongside new OLED MacBook Pros, though reports still conflict on whether the mini will get 120Hz ProMotion.