New iPad mini has big limitation on all but one model

Apple’s new iPad mini delivers a meaningful hardware refresh, but most configurations ship with a downgraded A20 Pro chip that lacks one CPU core and the higher-end Dual 16-core Neural Engine found only in the 512GB model. For CIOs and IT leaders, this creates a real procurement and standardization issue: the majority of units will have different AI and performance capabilities, so organizations need to be careful about model selection, app readiness, and whether the price premium for the top-tier SKU is justified for business use cases.