Design and Build

The iPad Mini 5 (2019) sports an aluminum unibody with rounded edges, whose dimensions are 208.3 x 137.9 x 6.1 mm (8.2 x 5.4 x in) and it weighs 314g (Wi-Fi) / 319g (cellular), making it quite a portable device. Its colors include space gray (black front), silver (white front), and gold (white front), and the device ... of 3.5 mm and a tactile ID. The device is also fully compatible with the Apple Pencil 1, something that still cannot be said of all the units of the manufacturer. It is quite disappointing that the LCD screen is not IP certified, which means it is neither dustproof nor waterproof. The device accepts the outmoded Lightning port, and it also has a heavyweight! Bezels in today's perspective look very 2010s compared to the Mini 6.

• Aluminum chassis, rounded edges
• Home button with Touch ID
• Lightning port, 3.5mm headphone jack
• Supports 1st-gen Apple Pencil
• No water/dust resistance

Display

iPad Mini 5 features a 7.9-inch Retina IPS LCD screen with a resolution of 2048 by 1536 pixels (324 PPI), the touch of reality with proffered white balance, and wide color. The display offers 450 nits of brightness, which is good enough for indoor use but falls short of outdoor visibility. The refresh rate of 60Hz and the lack of ProMotion are... and writing exclusives via this feature. Nonetheless, the space that remains between the glass touch screen and the display inevitably degrades the overall clarity of the lower-end product.

• 7.9-inch Retina IPS LCD
• 2048 x 1536 resolution, 324 PPI
• 450 nits brightness
• True Tone, P3 wide color
• 60Hz refresh rate
• Scratch-resistant glass, oleophobic coating

Performance and Software

The iPad Mini 5 is powered by the Apple A12 Bionic chip (7nm, 6-core CPU, 4-core GPU, 8-core Neural Engine) with 3GB RAM and storage of 64GB ($399) or 256GB ($549), which can't be further expanded. With iPadOS 12 (upgradeable only to iPadOS 17, without the support of iPadOS 18), the model can only boast the year 2024 as the final update date. It's awesome for basic things and light gaming, but it has difficulties with multitasking. People state that it's still good enough for casual gaming purposes, but it is less performing than the A15-powered Mini 6.

• Apple A12 Bionic chip, 6-core CPU, 4-core GPU
• 3GB RAM
• Storage: 64GB, 256GB
• iPadOS 12 (up to iPadOS 17)
• Limited future updates

The A12 Bionic is capable for its age, but 3GB RAM and no iPadOS 18 support make it less future-proof. It’s a budget-friendly option for basic tasks but not for power users.

Camera System

It is possible to enjoy the iPad Mini 5 with the help of an 8MP camera (f/2.4, 5x digital zoom) that has no flash and a front-facing camera of 7MP (f/2.2). The 1080p video is available at 30fps for both cameras. The picture quality of the rear camera is okay for scanning documents, but the low-light performance is not good. The front camera is an acceptable tool for FaceTime, but it does not come with Center Stage. It is a step backward from the 4K cameras of the Mini 6. Instead, the Mini 6 looks quite competent in the field.

• Rear: 8MP (f/2.4, 5x digital zoom)
• Front: 7MP (f/2.2)
• Video: 1080p 30fps
• Features: HDR, Burst mode

Battery and Charging

The iPad Mini 5 is compatible with Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Bluetooth 5.0, and additionally available 4G LTE on cellular models at prices starting from $529. The device is equipped with nano-SIM and eSIM slots, along with the cellular service of GPS (A-GPS, GLONASS). No 5G or Wi-Fi 6 support means that it can hardly be considered modern. Its connectivity capabilities are strong enough for its time, but they lag behind the Mini 6's Wi-Fi 6 and 5G features.

• 5124mAh battery
• ~10 hours video playback, 8–10 hours real-world
• 10W wired charging (50% in ~60 min)
• No wireless charging
• 10W Lightning charger included

Connectivity

Just costing you $399 for the Wi-Fi 64GB edition and $549 for the Wi-Fi 256GB, the iPad Mini 5 went on sale on March 18, 2019, on Apple and at other distributors. Buying Cellular models will cost you $130 more. The Mini 5 is no longer officially available, but on the market, you can find used or reconditioned ones at $250–$350 per unit. If you are into a better version, then the Mini 6 ($499) is the choice for you.

• Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
• Bluetooth 5.0
• 4G LTE (cellular models)
• Nano-SIM, eSIM
• GPS: A-GPS, GLONASS (cellular)
• No 5G or Wi-Fi 6

Pricing and Availability

Launched at $399 (64GB Wi-Fi) and $549 (256GB Wi-Fi), the iPad Mini 5 began sales on March 18, 2019, via Apple and retailers. Cellular models add $130. Now discontinued, it’s available refurbished or second-hand for $250–$350. The Mini 6 ($499) offers a modern design and better performance, but the Mini 5 is a budget-friendly compact option.