iPad mini 8: smaller 4,900mAh battery, 5.4mm body, OLED at 60Hz

Apple has published EU energy label documentation for the iPad mini 8, and the battery figure is smaller than before. The label lists a 4,900mAh cell, against the 5,034mAh capacity of the iPad mini 7. That works out at 134mAh less, or about 2.7%.

On its own the drop is modest. It matters because it lands alongside other changes to the compact tablet, including a thinner body and a new screen. The documents are the source of the capacity figure, not a teardown or a lab test.

The chassis has shrunk in two directions. Thickness falls from 6.3mm to 5.4mm, and weight drops from 293g to 255g. On paper that makes the tablet easier to carry around.

A slimmer shell leaves less space for a battery, and the smaller cell lines up with that change. Apple has not framed the capacity drop as a problem: the company still quotes the same endurance figure as the previous generation.

Apple says the iPad mini 8 manages up to 10 hours of video playback or web browsing. That matches the figure given for the previous model, despite the smaller battery.

Apple points to the efficiency of the A20 Pro chip and the OLED panel as part of the explanation. That claim has not been independently verified, and real-world battery testing is still needed to see whether the 10-hour figure holds up.

The screen is one of the bigger changes. The iPad mini 8 moves from an IPS LCD panel to OLED, which Apple says brings better brightness, sharper visuals and stronger contrast.

The refresh rate stays at 60Hz. Anyone hoping for a smoother 120Hz display will not find it here. The A20 Pro processor also brings a performance boost, which Apple positions as useful for demanding apps and everyday multitasking.

The iPad mini 8 is available to pre-order now. The capacity figure comes from regulatory paperwork, and the endurance figure comes from Apple.

What is still missing is a measured runtime from an independent test. Until someone runs the tablet down on video playback and browsing, the 10-hour claim rests on Apple's own numbers. If battery life is the reason you are looking at a small tablet, that is the number to wait for.