Apple started offering certified refurbished models of the iPad mini (A17 Pro), which was introduced back in October 2024, so it was almost two years before we could see those smaller tablets make their way to Apple’s Certified Refurbished store at a potentially lower price. However, that addition to the Refurbished Store may come at a bad time, and here’s why.
When Apple updated the iPad mini with the A17 Pro chip, it started at $499 with 128GB of storage. However, if you may have already known this, Apple had to increase the prices across all of its Mac and iPad models, so with the recent price hikes, this particular iPad mini now starts at $599, which now becomes more of a terrible value with that amount of storage. 128GB may not be acceptable anymore in 2026. On top of that, it features an LED-backlit LCD display with a 60Hz refresh rate, and that display technology is starting to show its age compared to today’s iPhones and iPad Pros, which have OLED displays.
Refurbished models from Apple will see around 15% discounts when compared to buying them new, but even then, a refurbished iPad mini from Apple starts at $509, which is $10 more than what the iPad mini started at before the recent pricing adjustments. So you may be in a no-win situation here.
Plus, there are now rumors indicating that Apple may refresh the iPad mini with an OLED display as soon as this October, so I’d suggest you hold off just a bit longer if you’re looking to get a smaller iPad.
As mentioned before, refurbished iPad minis from Apple start at $509, and stock on specific configurations may fluctuate. Refurbished products from Apple have been thoroughly tested with a new shell/battery, repackaged in a white box, and are eligible for the 14-day return policy, 1-year limited warranty, and optional AppleCare+ for extended warranty.
