Design and Build

The iPad Mini 1 (2012) has a 7.9-inch aluminum enclosure with circular edges, and the device is 7.87 x 5.3 x 0.28 inches (200 x 134.7 x 7.2 mm) and weighs 0.68 (308g Wi-Fi, 312g Cellular). The models available are Black/Slate and White/Silver, it has a Home button without Touch ID, and it doesn’t have an Apple Pencil or Smart Keyboard support. The Lightning port is utilized for charging and data transferring. Since it is not rated IP, it is not resistant to water and dust. The users admire that it is very light and of high quality, but at the same time, they have criticized it for being out of fashion with the oversized bezels.

• Aluminum chassis with rounded edges
• Home button (no Touch ID)
• Lightning port
• No Apple Pencil or Smart Keyboard support
• No water/dust resistance

iPad Mini 1 Display

The iPad Mini 1 is endowed with a 7.9-inch IPS LCD display of 1024x768 resolution and163 PPI) having a 60Hz screen refresh rate and 450 nits brightness. However, the display is devoid of features like Retina resolution, True Tone, P3 wide color, lamination so it looks less clear and has an air gap. The screen is almost unreadable in the sunlight. The users recognize that it is okay for simple activities but have doubts about clarity when comparing it with Retina models.

• 7.9-inch IPS LCD, 60Hz
• Resolution: 1024 x 768, 163 PPI
• Brightness: 450 nits
• Scratch-resistant glass, oleophobic coating

Performance and Software

Apple A5 chip (2-core CPU, PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU) is in the source of energy for the iPad Mini 1 having 512MB of RAM and for storage, the user can choose between 16GB ($329), 32GB, and 64GB. It 's running iOS 6 (which can be updated to iOS 9.3.5), a system with no AIP and poor multitasking. The system is still getting the most out-of-date software as regular updates ceased in 2016. A5 also performs very poorly as it is an old version struggling with even the simplest of things, not to mention modern apps. Its lightness is the principal feature that is highly praised; however, users are not satisfied with its low working speed and little RAM.

• Apple A5 chip, 2-core CPU
• 512MB RAM
• Storage: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB
• iOS 6 (up to iOS 9.3.5)
• No Apple Intelligence support

The A5 is obsolete, making the iPad Mini 1 suitable only for very basic tasks and legacy apps.

Camera System

The first-generation Mini possesses a 5MP camera (f/2.4) with an additional 1.2MP front camera (f/2.4). The rear camera allows to record 1080p video at a frame rate of 30fps, 720p (30fps) is possible with the front camera. Both cameras belong to a rather modest category as they are intended for everyday-life needs. They can handle casual photo shooting and video calls but when it comes to taking pictures in low light they are very bad. Furthermore, there are no features such as HDR or panorama. Furthermore, the user has straightforward comments about the quality of the unit, using the word functional to describe the average use case of the camera while also noting the outdated quality of the camera.

• Rear: 5MP (f/2.4)
• Front: 1.2MP (f/2.4)
• Video: 1080p 30fps (rear), 720p 30fps (front)
• No advanced features

Battery and Charging

The battery life in the 1st Mini is guaranteed and supported by a 4440mAh, making it capable of giving approximately 10 hours of video playback and 8–10 hours of phone. cell usage. The Lightning Fast Technology, the 10W built-in charging, provides the Mini 1 with charging up to 10W. It is not enabled for wireless charging. Not much to admit, Mini 1 seems quite good in comparison with newer models, so users can still try it because of its low energy consumption for normal activities. The period of use when charging and charging cycles are unreliable but light tasks will not be a problem to maintain a battery level similar to that of the models connected to later Minis. The only observation left by the users is that avoiding heavy use keeps the battery always reliable but more intense usage results in faster drain.

• Battery: 4440mAh
• Video playback: ~10h
• Real-world: 8–10h
• 10W wired charging (50% in ~90 min)
• 10W Lightning charger included

Connectivity

The iPad Mini 1 supports Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Bluetooth 4.0, and optional 4G LTE on cellular models ($459+). It includes nano-SIM and GPS (A-GPS on cellular). The Lightning port supports basic data transfer and charging. Connectivity is outdated, with Wi-Fi 4 and 4G LTE far behind modern standards. Users report stable but slow connections, especially in crowded networks.

• Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
• Bluetooth 4.0
• 4G LTE (cellular models)
• Nano-SIM
• GPS: A-GPS (cellular)
• Lightning port