Apple has reportedly tested both 60Hz and 120Hz ProMotion displays for the OLED iPad mini 8. Which of the two made it into the final design is still unknown.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman shared the detail on the latest episode of his Power On podcast. He said he heard Apple tried both panel types, but he has not yet learned which one Apple picked.
Apple Tried Both Panels, but the Final Choice Has Not Leaked
Testing two options does not show which one Apple chose. Gurman only said the outcome has not reached him.
That leaves the earlier rumors in play. A Korean blogger said production volumes point to a 60Hz panel without ProMotion, repeating a claim first made in July. The same blogger added that some overseas sources mention 120Hz.
ProMotion is Apple’s name for the adaptive refresh rate on the iPad Pro, where the OLED display scales between 10Hz and 120Hz. Earlier reporting described the iPad mini 8 panel as LTPS, a type with a fixed refresh rate.
A 60Hz OLED Screen Would Leave the iPad Mini 8 Behind the iPhone 17
The current iPad mini 7 has an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display that tops out at 60Hz. Moving to OLED at the same rate would improve contrast and color, but scrolling would not get any smoother.
The base iPhone 17 already has a 120Hz ProMotion display, and so does the iPad Pro. A 120Hz panel would make the iPad mini 8 the first iPad mini with ProMotion.
Samsung Display began mass producing the OLED panels in June, and the panel is reported to measure 8.4 inches. Apple first brought OLED to the iPad Pro in May 2024, so the iPad mini would get the technology more than two years later.
The iPad Mini 8 Is Still Expected on October 27 or October 28
Apple is expected to announce the new iPad mini on October 27 or October 28, as part of the Mac and iPad launch that also includes the touchscreen MacBook Pro. Apart from the display, the iPad mini 8 is rumored to bring these changes:
- OLED display
- A20 Pro chip
- Front camera on the landscape edge
- Redesigned speaker system
- Water-resistant design
Gurman has said the entry-level iPad, iPad Air and iPad Pro updates all come in 2027. That leaves the iPad mini as the only new iPad Apple has planned for this year.
He also expects the OLED model to cost closer to $799, which is his own guess and not an announced price. The iPad mini 7 starts at $599 for the 128GB Wi-Fi model and reaches $899 for the 512GB version after Apple’s June price increase.
