iPad mini 5 vs iPad mini 4: What’s the Difference

BY Rajesh Pandey

Published 18 Mar 2019

iPad mini 5

Almost four years after the release of the iPad mini 4, Apple released its successor — the iPad mini 5. While the market for small tablets has relatively died down, the more powerful iPad mini 5 should find a few takers. Interested in knowing how the iPad mini 5 differs from the iPad mini 4? Read our comparison to find out.

Externally, the iPad mini 5 might look the same as the iPad mini 4 but it is a massive upgrade internally which puts its performance on par with the likes of the iPhone XS and 2018 iPad Pro. But that refresh comes in the form of a higher price tag as well. 

iPad mini 5 vs iPad mini 4: What’s the Difference

Design and Display

  • The iPad mini 5 and iPad mini 4 have the same dimensions — 203.2 x 134.8 x 6.1mm. The new iPad mini is heavier by a gram — 300.5gms vs 299gms — but that’s a difference most people are likely never going to notice.
  • Both mini iPads feature a 7.9-inch display.
    • However, the iPad mini 5 features a newer Retina Display panel with True Tone and Wide color display.
    • It is also laminated to the cover glass and features an anti-reflective coating which the iPad mini 4 lacks.

Chipset, Storage, and Apple Pencil Support

  • The iPad mini 5 packs a 3x more powerful CPU and a 9x more powerful GPU than the iPad mini 4.
    • While the iPad mini 4 packs a 20nm A8 chip, the iPad mini 5 features Apple’s latest 7nm A12 Bionic chip.
    • This is the same chip that’s found inside the iPhone XS and iPhone XR.
    • It has a dedicated Neural engine to speed up machine learning tasks.
  • The new iPad mini is available in 64GB and 256GB storage options.
    • The older iPad mini was available with up to 128GB storage space.
  • The iPad mini 5 has support for 1st gen Apple Pencil.
    • iPad mini 4 does not support Apple Pencil.

Connectivity

  • iPad mini 4 and iPad mini 5 both feature Lightning connector.
    • They also come with Touch ID.
  • The iPad mini 5 comes with significantly faster Wi-Fi ac and gigabit LTE support.
    • Both iPads lack support for Smart Keyboard.
  • The iPad mini 5 packs Bluetooth 5.0 while iPad mini 4 has Bluetooth 4.0.

Camera

  • The iPad mini 5 comes with an upgraded 8MP f/2.4 shooter at the rear.
  • It supports Live Photos and is capable of recording Full HD videos.
    • The iPad mini 4 also features an 8MP camera but it is an older sensor.
  • The iPad mini 5 features a 7MP camera at the front.
    • The iPad mini 4 packs a mere 1.2MP FaceTime camera.

Battery

  • There’s no word on battery capacity yet but the iPad mini 5 and iPad mini 4 both promise up to 10 hours of battery life.
    • The new iPad should offer slightly better battery life due to a more efficient chip and other components.

Pricing

  • This is an area where the iPad mini 4 and iPad mini 5 greatly differ.
    • The iPad mini 4 was available from $249.
    • The iPad mini 5 starts from $399.

The higher price tag of the iPad mini 5 is definitely going to turn off a lot of interested folks. For someone willing to spend $399 on the iPad mini 5, extending the budget and buying the $499 10.5-inch iPad Air will make more sense.