The new Apple iPad mini has a smaller battery but that's a good thing

Date:
Sun, 01 Nov 2026 14:30:00 +0000

Description:
While the 8th-gen iPad mini has a slightly smaller battery capacity, it's not something to worry about.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter The 8th-gen iPad mini has a 4,900 mAh capacity battery It's a slight reduction on what we saw with the previous model However, actual battery life hasn't been reduced Apple is always rather coy when it comes to the battery capacities in its devices, but European Union regulations mean it has to now publish this data publicly: and we just learned that the new 2026 iPad mini has a battery capacity of 4,900 mAh.

As Notebookcheck points out, that's lower than the 5,034 mAh battery capacity we saw with the 7th-generation iPad mini, which launched in 2024. It's about 97% of what it was previously, so it's not a huge reduction. That capacity drop needs to be balanced against everything else the new iPad mini brings with it, including an OLED screen for the first time, and a speedy A20 Pro processor (the same as you'll find in the latest iPhone 18 Pro ). Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

Preorders for the smallest Apple tablet are open now, with shipping expected on Friday, November 6. Prices start at $699 / 699 / AU$1,099 for the Wi-Fi only model with 128GB of storage on board, and Midnight (gray) and Starlight (cream) are your color options. Capacity downgrades can be good, actually
This is the first iPad mini with an OLED screen (Image credit: Apple) At
first glance it might seem disappointing that the new iPad mini has a smaller battery than the old one, but that's only part of the story. As with any modern-day gadget, the battery capacity is only one of the factors affecting battery life. You may like Apples new iPad mini packs big upgrades into an even smaller design and Im loving the results iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max battery life test results here's the verdict iPhone 18 Pro battery upgrades and a Pro Max spec tweak revealed

Apple says the actual battery life on the new tablet hasn't changed: 10 hours between charges for surfing the web on Wi-Fi or watching video, or 9 hours of surfing the web if you're connected to the internet via a cellular
connection.

So you're not losing any battery life at all and because the capacity is smaller, the new iPad mini is slightly thinner and a little lighter than its direct predecessor. The reduction in capacity is actually a benefit. Get
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Apple has long managed to squeeze out more battery life from smaller batteries, compared to Android manufacturers, on its phones and tablets, and the trend is continuing on the 8th-gen iPad mini. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Today's best tablet deals Apple iPad Pro 12.9 369.99 309.99 View See all prices voucher gift Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra 1,399 View See all prices Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro 449.99 View See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/tablets/ipad-mini/apple-reveals-that-the-new-ipad-mi ni-has-a-smaller-battery-but-heres-why-thats-actually-a-good-thing


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