Redesigned iPad Mini Has Increased 4GB of RAM, iPad 9 Remains at 3GB

Apple this week introduced a redesigned sixth-generation iPad mini that looks much closer to the current iPad Air, with slimmer bezels, a Touch ID power button, a USB-C port, compatibility with the second-generation Apple Pencil, and more.

ipad mini purple
The new iPad mini is equipped with the same A15 Bionic chip as iPhone 13 models, and while Apple doesn’t advertise the amount of RAM in the device, MacRumors can confirm that the new iPad mini has 4GB of RAM, an increase from 3GB of in the previous iPad mini. We can also confirm the ninth-generation iPad has the same 3GB of RAM as the eighth-generation model. These amounts were revealed in strings contained within the Xcode 13 beta.

For comparison, the iPad Pro is available with up to 16GB of RAM depending on storage capacity, while the latest iPad Air has 4GB of RAM.

The same type of Xcode strings accurately revealed the amount of RAM in iPhone 12 models last year and in several previous iPhone generations. Teardowns and regulatory filings should provide further confirmation in the coming days.

The new iPad mini and iPad models are available to order now on Apple's website and launch on Friday, September 24.

Related Roundups: iPad, iPad mini
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro and Air Feature

Two iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air Colors Appear to Scratch More Easily

Friday September 19, 2025 10:02 am PDT by
As reported by Bloomberg today, some of the new iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air models on display at Apple Stores today are already scratched and scuffed. French blog Consomac also reported on this topic. The scratches appear to be most prominent on models with darker finishes, including the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max in Deep Blue, and the iPhone Air in Space Black. Images Credit: Consoma ...
iOS 26

iOS 26.0.1 Coming Soon, Likely With iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Fix

Thursday September 18, 2025 9:17 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions. The update will have a build number of 23A350, or similar, the account said. It is likely that iOS 26.0.1 will fix a camera-related bug on the new iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models. In his iPhone Air review, CNN Underscored's Henry T. ...
iPhone 17 Pro Colors

iPhone 17 Pro Max Teardown Reveals Qualcomm's Snapdragon X80 Modem for 5G

Friday September 19, 2025 7:39 am PDT by
While the iPhone Air is equipped with Apple's custom C1X modem for cellular connectivity, all of the iPhone 17 models are outfitted with Qualcomm modems still. A teardown video shared on Chinese platform Bilibili today (via Reddit) appears to confirm the iPhone 17 Pro Max is equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X80 modem in particular. The same modem is likely used in the iPhone 17 and iPhone ...
iphone 17 pro max techwoven

Here Are The Best Cases You Can Buy for Your New iPhone 17 and iPhone Air

Friday September 19, 2025 6:46 am PDT by
Apple's new iPhones launch today, and there are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to protecting your new device from drops and scratches. In this article, we're taking a look at some of the best options for iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Air cases, as well as a few charging accessories. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 26's Liquid Glass Design Draws Criticism From Users

Wednesday September 17, 2025 2:56 pm PDT by
It's been two days since iOS 26 was released, and Apple's new Liquid Glass design is even more divisive than expected. Any major design change can create controversy as people get used to the new look, but the MacRumors forums, Reddit, Apple Support Communities, and social media sites seem to feature more criticism than praise as people discuss the update. Complaints There are a long...
iphone 17 pro inside

iPhone 17 Teardowns Confirm SIM and eSIM-Only Battery Capacities

Friday September 19, 2025 8:39 am PDT by
YouTube channel REWA Technology today shared an iPhone 17 Pro teardown video, offering a closer look inside the model with a SIM card tray. We are still waiting for repair website iFixit to share a more comprehensive teardown of the latest iPhone models, but this video provides a good look in the meantime. The device features various internal design changes, including larger rear camera...

Top Rated Comments

tgwaste Avatar
53 months ago
ipad mini stole the show. bought it immediately.
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Channan Avatar
53 months ago

Apple never advertises the amount of RAM in iPads
Never?



Attachment Image
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mthomas184 Avatar
53 months ago

Wow, talk about stingy in 2021. My 10.5 iPad Pro can barely keep an app open with 4 GB of ram.
I call straight BS. My iPad Pro has 0 issues keeping ANY apps open.
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TSE Avatar
53 months ago
The mini was the real winner at this announcement.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
specious Avatar
53 months ago
This is the iPad to beat now. Pair it with a cheap external monitor, BT keyboard and Magic Trackpad and you have a mobile office workhorse. Ordered Purple, my first non-black or white electronic device potentially ever.

Would have preferred 8GB of RAM tho. But still, it'll do.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mi7chy Avatar
53 months ago

I call straight BS. My iPad Pro has 0 issues keeping ANY apps open.
There’s no such thing as keeping apps open since iPadOS 14 limits background time to at most 1 minute. Down from 2 minutes and 7 minutes with older versions. It restores a screenshot when restoring app with static content to foreground so it looks transparent but dynamic content will reload. To see for yourself, go to https://www.time.gov/ with browser, put in background, wait 5 secs, restore to foreground and watch it reload. Works properly on other OS’ MacOS, Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, Android, etc.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)