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Apple iPad mini 5 Tablet Review

Great size. The 5th generation iPad mini combines a well-known design with modern hardware. In addition to a Retina display with True Tone technology it also supports the Apple Pencil. Find out what else you can expect from this latest iPad mini iteration and what parts Apple left unchanged in our review.
Apple iPad Mini 5 2019

When looking at our iPad mini 4 test unit not much seems to have changed at first glance. An impression we also had when reviewing the current Air, and there is a simple reason: over the past four years Apple has been recycling the well-known iPad design as well as the name over and over again. Accordingly, the unchanged case now contains brand-new hardware that might be most interesting to those users with older models.

Starting at $399 owners of previous iPad minis, such as the iPad Mini 3, can switch to a brand-new device with Wi-Fi without having to adapt and get used to a new form factor. You get to keep the design you love and are accustomed to, but now equipped with the Apple A12 Bionic SoC that also powers the iPhones XRXS, and XS Max. A total of 64 GB of internal storage should be plenty for apps and files, and $150 more will catapult you to a total of 256 GB. Another optional upgrade is the LTE modem that will set you back yet another $120. In other words; the most expensive iPad mini 5 will cost you $679 plus tax.

If you are considering an iPad mini you are most likely not interested in possible competitors. However, should you be so inclined there are several worthy and more than just adequate alternatives outside Apple’s ecosystem. For the sake of this review, we have chosen the iPad mini’s own predecessor, the iPad mini 4, as well as the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4, the Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4, and the Xiaomi Mi Pad 4.

Apple iPad Mini 5 (iPad Mini Series)
Processor
Apple A12 Bionic 6 x - 2.5 GHz
Graphics adapter
Memory
3 GB 
Display
7.90 inch 4:3, 2048 x 1536 pixel 324 PPI, capacitive, IPS, DCI-P3 color space, True Tone display, grease-repellent coating, completely laminated, 1.8 % reflection coefficient, glossy: yes, 60 Hz
Storage
64 GB eMMC Flash, 64 GB 
, 55 GB free
Connections
Audio Connections: 3.5 mm audio combo jack (headphones & microphone), 1 Fingerprint Reader, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: 3-axle gyroscope, accelerometer, barometer, lightning port, e-compass
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 6.1 x 203.2 x 134.8 ( = 0.24 x 8 x 5.31 in)
Battery
19.1 Wh, 5124 mAh Lithium-Polymer, Battery runtime (according to manufacturer): 10 h
Operating System
Apple iOS 12
Camera
Primary Camera: 8 MPix HDR, auto focus, f/2.4, FHD video
Secondary Camera: 7 MPix HDR, fix focus, F/2.2, FHD video
Additional features
Speakers: 2 speakers, Keyboard: on-screen, Keyboard Light: yes, USB power supply, USB to Lightning cable, stickers, quick start guide, safety information, 12 Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
300 g ( = 10.58 oz / 0.66 pounds), Power Supply: 97 g ( = 3.42 oz / 0.21 pounds)
Price
449 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The iPad mini can be had in three different colors: silver, space gray, and gold. Build quality is excellent, and the device left us with a very satisfied feeling when held in one's hand. Our review unit was the Wi-Fi-only SKU, whose rear cover is made of edge-to-edge aluminum that covers the entire device up to the edges of the display. The cut-outs for the buttons, the camera, the speakers, and the microphone are perfect and the buttons themselves sit firm in their respective openings. The Touch ID sensor is located underneath the display and sits atop a firm mechanical button with soft and gentle feedback.

Visually, there are almost no differences between the fifth generation and its predecessors, and weight and dimensions have remained almost identical as well. The latter are hard to compare with the iPad’s competitors due to its unique 4:3 display, which makes it wider than the Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 and the Huawei MediaPad M5. In return, the Huawei is longer and manages to incorporate an 8.4-inch display inside a case with a very similar footprint. The iPad mini remains the thinnest and lightest device in our test group.

Apple iPad Mini 5 2019
Apple iPad Mini 5 2019
Apple iPad Mini 5 2019
Apple iPad Mini 5 2019
Apple iPad Mini 5 2019
Apple iPad Mini 5 2019
Apple iPad Mini 5 2019
Apple iPad Mini 5 2019
Apple iPad Mini 5 2019
Apple iPad Mini 5 2019
Apple iPad Mini 5 2019

Size Comparison

249 mm / 9.8 inch 164 mm / 6.46 inch 7 mm / 0.2756 inch 482 g1.063 lbs212.6 mm / 8.37 inch 124.8 mm / 4.91 inch 7.3 mm / 0.2874 inch 316 g0.697 lbs203.2 mm / 8 inch 134.8 mm / 5.31 inch 6.1 mm / 0.2402 inch 300 g0.661 lbs203.2 mm / 8 inch 134.8 mm / 5.31 inch 6.1 mm / 0.2402 inch 304 g0.67 lbs200.2 mm / 7.88 inch 120.3 mm / 4.74 inch 7.9 mm / 0.311 inch 342.5 g0.755 lbs210 mm / 8.27 inch 148 mm / 5.83 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 2.9 g0.00639 lbs

Connectivity

Apple equipped its 5th generation iPad mini with its own A12 Bionic SoC, the A12 Bionic GPU, and 64 GB of eMMC flash storage. According to Geekbench it also comes with 3 GB of RAM.

As before, wired data transfers rely on Apple’s Lightning port with support for USB, HDMI, or card readers via the appropriate dongles. In addition, the iPad mini 5 also supports the 1st generation Apple Pencil but lacks a smart connector to attach a keyboard cover.

Left: no connectivity
Left: no connectivity
Bottom: Speaker, Lightning port, Speaker
Bottom: Speaker, Lightning port, Speaker
Right: volume rocker
Right: volume rocker
Top: 3.5-mm headphone jack, power button
Top: 3.5-mm headphone jack, power button

Software

At the time of writing, the tablet shipped with iOS 12.2, which is going to get updated regularly in the coming years. Thanks to the fast hardware the OS felt very smooth, and we failed to notice any dropped frames or other slowdowns during our test period. Streaming HD videos via Netflix or other services is supported.

Software Apple iPad Mini 5 2019 iOS 12.2
Software Apple iPad Mini 5 2019 iOS 12.2
Software Apple iPad Mini 5 2019 iOS 12.2
Software Apple iPad Mini 5 2019 iOS 12.2

Communication and GPS

Our Wi-Fi-only review unit supported Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac as well as Bluetooth 5.0, and was able to communicate in both bands, 2.4 and 5 GHz. For $120 extra you can get a model with 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE cellular eSIM support.

When connected to our Linksys EA8500 reference router the iPad mini 5 only managed average transfer speeds of 236 Mbps and 194 Mbps receiving and transmitting data, respectively. These landed the device on last and second to last place in our test group.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
Adreno 540, SD 835, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
580 MBit/s +199%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
Adreno 512, SD 660, 64 GB eMMC Flash
450 MBit/s +132%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
Mali-G71 MP8, Kirin 960, 32 GB eMMC Flash
205 MBit/s +6%
Apple iPad Mini 5
A12 Bionic GPU, A12 Bionic, 64 GB eMMC Flash
194 (119min - 263max) MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
Adreno 512, SD 660, 64 GB eMMC Flash
446 MBit/s +89%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
Adreno 540, SD 835, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
290 MBit/s +23%
Apple iPad Mini 5
A12 Bionic GPU, A12 Bionic, 64 GB eMMC Flash
236 MBit/s
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
Mali-G71 MP8, Kirin 960, 32 GB eMMC Flash
203 MBit/s -14%
0153045607590105120135150165180195210225240255Tooltip
Apple iPad Mini 5; iperf3 receive AX12: Ø236 (215-247)
Apple iPad Mini 5; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø194.1 (119-263)

The Wi-Fi-only SKU has access to an e-compass as well as iBeacon micro location services, both of which are simply not enough to be used for day-to-day navigation. Our obligatory bike tour showed that the iPad mini 5 was incapable of keeping up with the professional Garmin Edge 520 satnav. The LTE-enabled SKU supports A-GPS and GLONASS location services as well.

Positioning - Apple iPad mini
Positioning - Apple iPad mini
Positioning - Apple iPad mini
Positioning - Apple iPad mini
Positioning - Apple iPad mini
Positioning - Apple iPad mini
Positioning - Apple iPad mini
Positioning - Apple iPad mini
Positioning - Apple iPad mini
Positioning - Apple iPad mini
Positioning - Apple iPad mini
Positioning - Apple iPad mini

Cameras

Front-facing camera sample photo
Front-facing camera sample photo

The main camera is equipped with an 8 MP sensor and an f/2.4 aperture. At the front, we find a so-called FaceTime camera named after Apple’s own video chat software. Obviously, it can also be used for selfies but turned out to be of mediocre quality. Fine structures and details were slightly blurry, and we noticed a very distinctive graininess when zoomed in. In return, camera quality did not worsen any further with decreasing light. Considering that the iPad mini 4came with a 1.2 MP camera the new 7 MP front-facing camera is a major update.

The main camera produced decent results with well-defined colors and objects in bright daylight. We noticed the same graininess when zoomed in but it was invisible when zoomed out. In addition, photos turned out to be slightly too dark, which was also true for macro shots with their popping colors, well-defined objects, and a less noticeable graininess. The latter returned in full swing in our low light photo. Overall, the iPad was capable of capturing the motive in its entirety without sacrificing peripheral object details and colors. Not much has changed in this regard compared to the iPad mini 4. Image quality remained more or less identical, and the camera app does not offer any new features worth noting.

Video quality was comparable to photo quality, and videos turned out very well in bright light. Fast movements and low light had a lasting and noticeable impact on video quality.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3
ColorChecker Passport
ColorChecker Passport

We use the ColorChecker Passport under normalized conditions to determine color accuracy. Overall, bright colors were captured too bright while brown and dark blues turned out to be too dark.

Our test chart was captured in great detail, albeit with slightly pale colors and a minor blur towards the edges.

Apple iPad Mini 5 - test chart
Apple iPad Mini 5 - test chart (details)

Accessories and Warranty

Included in the box are a modular USB charger and a matching USB to Lightning cable. Additional accessories, such as a smart cover or the 1st generation Apple Pencil, are available in the Apple Store.

The warranty is limited to 12 months.

Apple Pencil
Apple Pencil
Smart Cover
Smart Cover

Input Devices and Handling

The iPad mini’s virtual keyboard worked well for text input even if your fingers were on the bigger side. The touchscreen was reliable and fast. Despite its alleged grease-repellent coating the display was covered with fingerprints and smudges very quickly. The display was also not as smooth and offered more resistance than expected, which rendered drag & drop operations somewhat arduous. The mini is equipped with a Touch ID sensor integrated into the mechanical button that can be used for unlocking the device as well as authorizing payments. The fingerprint reader worked very reliably and offered a soft yet distinct feedback. The gyroscope was very quick to react and adjusted screen contents almost instantaneously.

Since the optional Apple Pencil was not included with our review unit we were unable to test it. According to other reviews it works just as well with the iPad mini 5 as it does with other Apple tablets.

Display

Subpixel array
Subpixel array

The 7.9-inch IPS panel runs at a native resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels and offers a brightness of 515 nits at the center of the display and a maximum of up to 533 nits. In the APL50 test it even managed to achieve a maximum of 546 nits. Accordingly, the iPad mini was the brightest tablet in our test group, albeit with a slightly substandard brightness distribution of just 87%.

We were able to detect PWM flickering at brightness levels of less than 25% at a high frequency of 5,556 Hz. It should be noted that this frequency is high enough to remain inconspicuous and not cause any issues even for sensitive users.

481
cd/m²
467
cd/m²
469
cd/m²
511
cd/m²
515
cd/m²
502
cd/m²
533
cd/m²
511
cd/m²
462
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 533 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 494.6 cd/m² Minimum: 7.5 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 87 %
Center on Battery: 515 cd/m²
Contrast: 858:1 (Black: 0.6 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 0.88 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 1.4 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
99.7% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.183
Apple iPad Mini 5
IPS, 2048x1536, 7.90
Apple iPad Mini 4
IPS, 2048x1536, 7.90
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
Super AMOLED, 2560x1600, 10.50
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
IPS, 2560x1600, 8.40
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
IPS LCD, 1920x1200, 8.00
Screen
-40%
-69%
-176%
-138%
Brightness middle
515
411
-20%
474
-8%
405
-21%
454
-12%
Brightness
495
421
-15%
477
-4%
392
-21%
411
-17%
Brightness Distribution
87
91
5%
91
5%
92
6%
83
-5%
Black Level *
0.6
0.58
3%
0.67
-12%
0.73
-22%
Contrast
858
709
-17%
604
-30%
622
-28%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
0.88
2.15
-144%
2.5
-184%
5.78
-557%
5.2
-491%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
2.15
5.8
-170%
9.82
-357%
8.36
-289%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.4
2.72
-94%
2.1
-50%
7.2
-414%
4.7
-236%
Gamma
2.183 101%
2.29 96%
2.08 106%
2.278 97%
2.271 97%
CCT
6944 94%
7012 93%
6281 103%
8405 77%
7361 88%

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 5556 Hz ≤ 25 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 5556 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 25 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 5556 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

According to our measurement data Apple’s tablet achieved a mediocre contrast ratio of just 858:1 at an elevated black level of 0.6 nits. Nevertheless, it remained one of the best devices within our test group and was only bested by the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4.

Color accuracy was fairly balanced according to CalMAN, albeit the screen was noticeably cool by default. Once we enabled True Tone it became much more pleasant to look at. The tablet supports the P3 color space.

CalMAN - color space (sRGB)
CalMAN - color space (sRGB)
CalMAN - color space (AdobeRGB)
CalMAN - color space (AdobeRGB)
CalMAN - color space (DCI P3)
CalMAN - color space (DCI P3)
CalMAN - color accuracy
CalMAN - color accuracy
CalMAN - grayscale
CalMAN - grayscale
CalMAN - saturation
CalMAN - saturation

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
20 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 7 ms rise
↘ 13 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 37 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
30 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 5 ms rise
↘ 25 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 33 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

The iPad mini 5 was made to be used outdoors. Thanks to its antireflective coating the screen contents remained readable even on bright days without getting too distracted by reflections. That said we still recommend a shady spot since it can get distractingly reflective in direct sunlight.

Outdoors
Outdoors
Outdoors
Outdoors

Viewing angles were superb, and screen contents remained readable even at acute angles without any contortions or distorted colors.

Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance

The iPad mini 5 was very smooth thanks to the A12 Bionic and 3 GB of RAM. iOS 12 did not show any frame drops or other lags during everyday use. Apps loaded quickly and file access was very fast. The iPad mini 4’s chipset, the Apple A8, was first introduced in 2014 while the current A12 Bionic is just nine months old.

The benchmark results were as superb as expected of this SoC. The iPad mini 5 outperformed every single one of its competitors. Compared to the iPad mini 4, the new iPad mini was several hundred percent faster.

Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Apple iPad Mini 5
4788 Points
Average Apple A12 Bionic (4750 - 4824, n=5)
4779 Points 0%
Average of class Tablet (745 - 5713, n=14, last 2 years)
2670 Points -44%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
1896 Points -60%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
1893 Points -60%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
1642 Points -66%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Apple iPad Mini 5
11480 Points
Average Apple A12 Bionic (11244 - 11598, n=5)
11418 Points -1%
Average of class Tablet (1418 - 15310, n=14, last 2 years)
7691 Points -33%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
6509 Points -43%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
6477 Points -44%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
5860 Points -49%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score
Average Apple A12 Bionic (77128 - 77626, n=5)
77462 Points 0%
Apple iPad Mini 5
77361 Points
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
39260 Points -49%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
26702 Points -65%
Apple iPad Mini 4
18737 Points -76%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score
Average Apple A12 Bionic (159735 - 162695, n=5)
160619 Points 0%
Apple iPad Mini 5
160066 Points
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
56368 Points -65%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
29422 Points -82%
Apple iPad Mini 4
25254 Points -84%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics
Average Apple A12 Bionic (27400 - 27717, n=5)
27548 Points 0%
Apple iPad Mini 5
27547 Points
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
20173 Points -27%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
19037 Points -31%
Apple iPad Mini 4
9844 Points -64%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0
Apple iPad Mini 5
6765 Points
Average Apple A12 Bionic (5205 - 6997, n=5)
6265 Points -7%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
3490 Points -48%
Average of class Tablet (507 - 8472, n=19, last 2 years)
2878 Points -57%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
2513 Points -63%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
2071 Points -69%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics
Apple iPad Mini 5
9966 Points
Average Apple A12 Bionic (7055 - 10647, n=5)
9099 Points -9%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
3682 Points -63%
Average of class Tablet (454 - 10759, n=19, last 2 years)
3021 Points -70%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
2501 Points -75%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
1936 Points -81%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics
Apple iPad Mini 5
3184 Points
Average Apple A12 Bionic (2713 - 3184, n=5)
3015 Points -5%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
2952 Points -7%
Average of class Tablet (863 - 4858, n=19, last 2 years)
2901 Points -9%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
2780 Points -13%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
2555 Points -20%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited
Apple iPad Mini 5
8230 Points
Average Apple A12 Bionic (6667 - 8763, n=5)
7814 Points -5%
Average of class Tablet (539 - 17675, n=28, last 2 years)
5681 Points -31%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
3753 Points -54%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
2415 Points -71%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
2148 Points -74%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Graphics
Apple iPad Mini 5
14040 Points
Average Apple A12 Bionic (10374 - 15399, n=5)
13770 Points -2%
Average of class Tablet (485 - 35165, n=28, last 2 years)
8154 Points -42%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
3682 Points -74%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
2461 Points -82%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
2033 Points -86%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Physics
Average of class Tablet (463 - 6449, n=28, last 2 years)
3683 Points +10%
Apple iPad Mini 5
3361 Points
Average Apple A12 Bionic (2880 - 3493, n=5)
3129 Points -7%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
2952 Points -12%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
2758 Points -18%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
2268 Points -33%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1)
Apple iPad Mini 5
4388 Points
Average Apple A12 Bionic (3514 - 4949, n=6)
4083 Points -7%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
3490 Points -20%
Average of class Tablet (361 - 14235, n=49, last 2 years)
2029 Points -54%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
1919 Points -56%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
1364 Points -69%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics
Apple iPad Mini 5
4940 Points
Average Apple A12 Bionic (3712 - 5760, n=6)
4500 Points -9%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
3682 Points -25%
Average of class Tablet (290 - 24605, n=49, last 2 years)
2147 Points -57%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
1778 Points -64%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
1195 Points -76%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics
Apple iPad Mini 5
3152 Points
Average Apple A12 Bionic (2960 - 3312, n=6)
3127 Points -1%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
2952 Points -6%
Average of class Tablet (858 - 5751, n=49, last 2 years)
2781 Points -12%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
2700 Points -14%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
2653 Points -16%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited
Apple iPad Mini 5
4861 Points
Average Apple A12 Bionic (4121 - 5367, n=6)
4707 Points -3%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
3753 Points -23%
Average of class Tablet (267 - 14235, n=57, last 2 years)
3157 Points -35%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
2023 Points -58%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
1442 Points -70%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics
Apple iPad Mini 5
5703 Points
Average Apple A12 Bionic (4828 - 6484, n=6)
5565 Points -2%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
4086 Points -28%
Average of class Tablet (240 - 24605, n=57, last 2 years)
3746 Points -34%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
1910 Points -67%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
1267 Points -78%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics
Average of class Tablet (441 - 5751, n=57, last 2 years)
3209 Points 0%
Apple iPad Mini 5
3204 Points
Average Apple A12 Bionic (2723 - 3347, n=6)
3064 Points -4%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
2919 Points -9%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
2797 Points -13%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
2552 Points -20%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen
Average Apple A12 Bionic (59.5 - 60, n=6)
59.9 fps +1%
Apple iPad Mini 5
59.5 fps
Average of class Tablet (14 - 120, n=56, last 2 years)
58.3 fps -2%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
58 fps -3%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
51 fps -14%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
47 fps -21%
Apple iPad Mini 4
37 fps -38%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen
Apple iPad Mini 5
274.1 fps
Average Apple A12 Bionic (226 - 274, n=6)
247 fps -10%
Average of class Tablet (15 - 873, n=56, last 2 years)
144.9 fps -47%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
78 fps -72%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
69 fps -75%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
51 fps -81%
Apple iPad Mini 4
47.8 fps -83%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL
Average Apple A12 Bionic (58 - 60, n=6)
59.1 fps 0%
Apple iPad Mini 5
58.9 fps
Average of class Tablet (8.1 - 120, n=56, last 2 years)
45.2 fps -23%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
36 fps -39%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
24 fps -59%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
21 fps -64%
Apple iPad Mini 4
15.3 fps -74%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen
Average Apple A12 Bionic (107 - 139, n=6)
124.7 fps 0%
Apple iPad Mini 5
124.1 fps
Average of class Tablet (7.3 - 494, n=56, last 2 years)
87.8 fps -29%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
60 fps -52%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
39 fps -69%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
23 fps -81%
Apple iPad Mini 4
21.5 fps -83%
AnTuTu v7 - Total Score
Apple iPad Mini 5
369423 Points
Average Apple A12 Bionic (302955 - 370545, n=4)
347775 Points -6%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
201881 Points -45%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
181614 Points -51%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
142189 Points -62%
BaseMark OS II
Overall
Average Apple A12 Bionic (4895 - 6097, n=5)
5396 Points +6%
Apple iPad Mini 5
5097 Points
Average of class Tablet (444 - 8886, n=50, last 2 years)
3556 Points -30%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
3302 Points -35%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
2982 Points -41%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
2322 Points -54%
Apple iPad Mini 4
1681 Points -67%
System
Average Apple A12 Bionic (11675 - 12591, n=5)
12077 Points +1%
Apple iPad Mini 5
11973 Points
Average of class Tablet (1103 - 14097, n=50, last 2 years)
6376 Points -47%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
5537 Points -54%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
5282 Points -56%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
3940 Points -67%
Apple iPad Mini 4
3132 Points -74%
Memory
Average of class Tablet (916 - 8890, n=50, last 2 years)
4217 Points +103%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
3985 Points +92%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
2900 Points +40%
Average Apple A12 Bionic (1815 - 4169, n=5)
2684 Points +29%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
2347 Points +13%
Apple iPad Mini 5
2078 Points
Apple iPad Mini 4
902 Points -57%
Graphics
Average Apple A12 Bionic (15614 - 15969, n=5)
15755 Points +1%
Apple iPad Mini 5
15659 Points
Average of class Tablet (580 - 31738, n=50, last 2 years)
6471 Points -59%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
6080 Points -61%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
4143 Points -74%
Apple iPad Mini 4
2668 Points -83%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
2257 Points -86%
Web
Apple iPad Mini 5
1732 Points
Average Apple A12 Bionic (1711 - 1734, n=5)
1726 Points 0%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
1218 Points -30%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
1215 Points -30%
Average of class Tablet (10 - 1907, n=50, last 2 years)
1196 Points -31%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
1078 Points -38%
Apple iPad Mini 4
1059 Points -39%
Basemark ES 3.1 / Metal - offscreen Overall Score
Apple iPad Mini 5
2761 Points
Average Apple A12 Bionic (2407 - 2873, n=6)
2637 Points -4%
Average of class Tablet (309 - 9739, n=13, last 2 years)
2564 Points -7%
Apple iPad Mini 4
426 Points -85%

Legend

 
Apple iPad Mini 5 Apple A12 Bionic, Apple A12 Bionic GPU, 64 GB eMMC Flash
 
Apple iPad Mini 4 Apple A8, PowerVR GX6450, 64 GB SSD
 
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (8998), Qualcomm Adreno 540, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
 
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 HiSilicon Kirin 960, ARM Mali-G71 MP8, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, Qualcomm Adreno 512, 64 GB eMMC Flash

The browser benchmarks confirmed the A12’s superior performance, and the iPad mini once again outperformed the entire competition. Subjectively speaking, websites loaded very fast and media contents were displayed very quickly.

Octane V2 - Total Score
Average Apple A12 Bionic (41367 - 43280, n=6)
42312 Points +2%
Apple iPad Mini 5 (Safari 12.1)
41367 Points
Average of class Tablet (2672 - 74614, n=69, last 2 years)
23270 Points -44%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 (Samsung Browser 8.0)
12897 Points -69%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 (Chrome 66)
11338 Points -73%
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 (Chrome 68)
10300 Points -75%
Apple iPad Mini 4 (Safari iOS 9)
9962 Points -76%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 (Chrome 68)
3796 ms * -490%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 (Chrome 66)
3734 ms * -481%
Average of class Tablet (451 - 34733, n=58, last 2 years)
3237 ms * -403%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 (Samsung Browser 8.0)
2645 ms * -311%
Apple iPad Mini 4 (Safari iOS 9)
2557 ms * -298%
Apple iPad Mini 5 (Safari 12.1)
643 ms *
Average Apple A12 Bionic (603 - 653, n=6)
627 ms * +2%
WebXPRT 3 - Overall
Apple iPad Mini 5 (Safari 12.1)
160 Points
Average Apple A12 Bionic (155 - 166, n=6)
159.5 Points 0%
Average of class Tablet (34 - 342, n=41, last 2 years)
121.7 Points -24%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 (Samsung Browser 8.0)
77 Points -52%
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 (Chrome 66)
72 Points -55%
Speedometer 2.0 - Result
Average Apple A12 Bionic (123 - 139, n=4)
127.3 runs/min +3%
Apple iPad Mini 5 (Safari 12.1)
124 runs/min
Average of class Tablet (14.7 - 376, n=51, last 2 years)
78.5 runs/min -37%
Jetstream 2 - Total Score
Average Apple A12 Bionic (108.4 - 123.8, n=4)
112.9 Points +3%
Apple iPad Mini 5 (Safari 12.1)
109.9 Points
Average of class Tablet (19.9 - 236, n=58, last 2 years)
85.4 Points -22%

* ... smaller is better

Gaming

All things graphic are handled by the A12 Bionic GPU. It is capable of rendering all current games smoothly, although the mini’s 4:3 display turned out to be somewhat of a hindrance every now and then. For example, the field of view was limited in Arena of Valor when compared to widescreen displays. In return, PUBG actually benefited from the uncommon display ratio. Game controls were flawless despite the annoyingly high resistance the display subjected our fingers to. Expect your fingers to tire out when performing long swipe gestures regularly. The gyroscope worked flawlessly and games reacted very quickly to its signals.

Frame rates were recorded using the GameBench software.

Arena of Valor
Arena of Valor
PUBG Mobile
PUBG Mobile
Arena of Valor
051015202530354045505560Tooltip
Apple iPad Mini 5; min: Ø59.4 (59-60)
Apple iPad Mini 5; high HD: Ø59.4 (59-60)
PUBG Compare
0510152025303540455055Tooltip
Apple iPad Mini 5; Smooth: Ø29.4 (25-36)
Apple iPad Mini 5; Balanced: Ø29.2 (25-31)
Apple iPad Mini 5; HD: Ø29.6 (27-59)

Emissions

Temperature

When idle, the iPad mini 5’s surfaces never exceeded 26.2 °C (~79 °F). Under load, this rose to 38.3 °C (~101 °F). The tablet got noticeably warmer in some areas but never uncomfortably so. Most importantly, it never got too hot to be held.

GFXBench showed that throttling under sustained load was not a big issue with the iPad mini 5, and that it remained virtually resistant to high temperatures. While its performance remained consistent when running the ES 2.0 test performance decreased in the Manhatten 3.1 test but settled after a while and remained consistent afterwards throughout the rest of the test.

GFX-Bench - ES 2.0
GFX-Bench - ES 2.0
GFXBench - Manhatten 3.1
GFXBench - Manhatten 3.1
Max. Load
 36.5 °C
98 F
33.9 °C
93 F
33.5 °C
92 F
 
 37.1 °C
99 F
34.7 °C
94 F
34.5 °C
94 F
 
 37.8 °C
100 F
38.3 °C
101 F
35 °C
95 F
 
Maximum: 38.3 °C = 101 F
Average: 35.7 °C = 96 F
33.1 °C
92 F
34.1 °C
93 F
34.7 °C
94 F
34.5 °C
94 F
28.2 °C
83 F
35.1 °C
95 F
35.4 °C
96 F
37.4 °C
99 F
35.4 °C
96 F
Maximum: 37.4 °C = 99 F
Average: 34.2 °C = 94 F
Power Supply (max.)  36.4 °C = 98 F | Room Temperature 21.4 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 35.7 °C / 96 F, compared to the average of 30 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Tablet.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 38.3 °C / 101 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F, ranging from 20.7 to 53.2 °C for the class Tablet.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 37.4 °C / 99 F, compared to the average of 33.3 °C / 92 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.8 °C / 77 F, compared to the device average of 30 °C / 86 F.
Heatmap front
Heatmap front
Heatmap rear
Heatmap rear

Speakers

Speaker characteristics
Speaker characteristics

The two speakers offer a very clear sound at a surprisingly high maximum level of volume with a fairly balanced soundscape and even a hint of bass. However, sound quality suffered noticeably on maximum volume. We would thus recommend limiting yourself to quiet environments if possible.

External speakers and headphones can be connected via a 3.5-mm headphone jack. It held inserted plugs firmly in place and had no negative impact on sound quality.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2042.246.22542.139.73134.636.64037.340.75039.842.46332.734.68027.740.310027.849.412525.754.316023.356.4200235625021.457.331521.460.340020.163.750020.567.663021.872.580020.474.910002072.5125018.271.8160018.972.220001872.8250019.171.7315018.269.640001864.750001964.863001873.5800018.175.41000018.171.51250018.265.41600018.152.4SPL67.731.383.6N23.11.660.4median 20median 65.4median 72Delta3.19.611.632.630.931.539.736.135.830.240.633.842.728.432.326.628.324.427.221.934.420.44619.456.420.463.417.565.518.16817.369.41669.616.170.315.57115.273.615.175.81574.91576.114.976.115.172.315.170.715.367.215.266.215.264.615.263.315.259.227.785161.7median 15.3median 681.95.8hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseApple iPad Mini 5Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Apple iPad Mini 5 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 72% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(-) | nearly no mids - on average 72% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(-) | nearly no highs - on average 72% lower than median
(+) | highs are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (129.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 100% of all tested devices in this class were better, 0% similar, 0% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 23%, worst was 129%
Compared to all devices tested
» 99% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 0% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (85 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 19.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.6% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (2.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (15.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 26% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 67% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 23%, worst was 129%
Compared to all devices tested
» 20% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 75% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management

Power Consumption

According to our measurement data, the iPad mini 5 used at least 1.3 W when idle and no more than 12.5 W under load. In other words; it was neither here nor there and fit perfectly with the rest of the test group.

The included charger was capable of delivering up to 10.71 W. It was thus too weak to supply the iPad mini 5 continuously with enough energy in high load scenarios.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0 / 0.1 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 1.3 / 2.2 / 5.3 Watt
Load midlight 9.8 / 12.5 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Apple iPad Mini 5
5124 mAh
Apple iPad Mini 4
 mAh
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
7300 mAh
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
5100 mAh
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
6000 mAh
Power Consumption
15%
-2%
-10%
10%
Idle Minimum *
1.3
0.8
38%
1.76
-35%
2.1
-62%
1.2
8%
Idle Average *
2.2
3.6
-64%
4.22
-92%
3.74
-70%
2.2
-0%
Idle Maximum *
5.3
3.9
26%
4.25
20%
4.33
18%
4.1
23%
Load Average *
9.8
6.1
38%
4.52
54%
6.32
36%
8.2
16%
Load Maximum *
12.5
8
36%
7.35
41%
9.13
27%
12.2
2%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Apple claims a battery life of at least 10 hours, and the iPad mini 5 ran for 13:11 hours in our Wi-Fi test and thus three hours longer than promised by the manufacturer. It made great use of its 5,000 mAh battery and was only outperformed by the Xiaomi Mi Pad 4.

Using the included charger it took a bit over three hours to charge the iPad mini 5’s battery from near empty to full.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
28h 53min
WiFi Websurfing
13h 11min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
14h 51min
Load (maximum brightness)
2h 38min
Apple iPad Mini 5
5124 mAh
Apple iPad Mini 4
 mAh
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
7300 mAh
Huawei MediaPad M5 8.4
5100 mAh
Xiaomi Mi Pad 4
6000 mAh
Battery Runtime
-5%
-7%
4%
7%
Reader / Idle
1733
1488
-14%
1227
-29%
1154
-33%
1364
-21%
H.264
891
643
-28%
735
-18%
701
-21%
914
3%
WiFi v1.3
791
539
-32%
495
-37%
627
-21%
827
5%
Load
158
242
53%
245
55%
298
89%
221
40%

Pros

+ very fast system performance
+ support for Apple Pencil
+ 3.5-mm audio port
+ decent speakers
+ robust case

Cons

- high premium for LTE and higher storage tiers
- memory not expandable
- no GPS

Verdict

In review: Apple iPad Mini 5
In review: Apple iPad Mini 5

Apple decided to leave the 5th generation iPad mini’s design untouched, thereby targeting all those interested in refreshing their aging devices with brand-new hardware. And that is exactly what the iPad mini 5 has to offer. The Apple A12 Bionic offers exceptional performance, and the updated front-facing FaceTime camera is a very welcome upgrade that video calls will certainly benefit from. iOS 12.2 is up-to-date and is going to receive regular security updates unless Apple suddenly changes its update policy.

The iPad mini 5 offers brand-new hardware in a well-known enclosure. While it is possible to zing Apple for their inability to come up with a new design it is certainly not necessary.

Users looking to upgrade their existing Apple device can do so without hesitation. Those who are not yet entirely convinced should be aware of the iPad mini’s limitations. For one, the internal memory cannot be expanded due to lack of a microSD card slot, thus the only option remains cloud storage. Apple’s premium for LTE connectivity is fairly steep, and it tends to be much less than $120 on competing Android devices. The Wi-Fi-only version also lacks a GPS module, and transferring data between an iPad and a PC is more complicated than expected. However, the iPad mini 5 drives a hard sale with its impressive performance.

Apple iPad Mini 5 - 09/16/2019 v7
Mike Wobker

Chassis
83 / 98 → 85%
Keyboard
67 / 80 → 84%
Pointing Device
93%
Connectivity
32 / 70 → 45%
Weight
86 / 40-88 → 97%
Battery
90%
Display
90%
Games Performance
53 / 78 → 68%
Application Performance
75 / 92 → 82%
Temperature
92%
Noise
100%
Audio
87 / 91 → 96%
Camera
48 / 85 → 56%
Average
77%
88%
Tablet - Weighted Average

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Mike Wobker, 2019-04-25 (Update: 2019-04-27)