The new iPad Mini with Retina display is now up for pre-order from T-Mobile, available for $0 down under the operator's UNcarrier plans.

Apple announced the iPad Mini with Retina display alongside the new iPad Air last month, and a few days ago it started selling the smaller tablet through its stores.

Interested buyers who want the Wi-Fi + 4G LTE version of the slate, however, might find it more convenient to purchase the iPad Mini with Retina display from a carrier, as they will need cellular service.

T-Mobile has now started taking pre-orders for the tablet, offering the 16GB iPad Mini with Retina display for $0 down, followed by 24 equal monthly payments of $22.08. These monthly installments amount to a total of $529.92, which falls in line with Apple's own pricing for this configuration.

The carrier is also offering the higher-capacity versions of the iPad Mini with Retina display, but those models require an upfront cost. The 32GB tablet is available for $99.99 upfront, the 64GB model requires $199.99 down, while the 128GB version goes up to $299.99 upfront. The 24 subsequent monthly payments are the same across all options, i.e. $22.08 per month.

Customers will be able to cancel their T-Mobile wireless service at any given time, but the remaining balance on the device will automatically become due. T-Mobile lists the device as "available for shipment soon," but gives no specific date. Initial supply is expected to be very limited.

In terms of specifications, the second-generation iPad Mini comes with a 7.9-inch Retina display, sporting a resolution of 2048 x 1536 and a pixel density of 326 pixels per inch. Under the hood, the tablet packs Apple's latest 64-bit A7 processor and M7 motion coprocessor, just like the iPad Air and iPhone 5S.

Other specs include a 5-megapixel iSight rear camera, a FaceTime HD front-facing shooter for video chat, and available storage configurations of 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB. The iPad Mini with Retina display comes in Wi-Fi-only and Wi-Fi + Cellular versions, but T-Mobile offers only the Cellular models on its UNcarrier plans.