Device hub · Tablets · Desk research
iPad mini (5th generation)
mini (5th generation) is the March 2019 $399 leftover 7.9-inch Retina slate: A12, Lightning, Home-button Touch ID, Pencil 1st gen.
Product images
Placeholder — OEM press not licensediPad mini (5th generation)
Credit: GadgetShowdown labeled placeholder (not an Apple asset). View official product image
Studio still only. Manufacturer press JPEGs are not hosted here. See the official product page for the real product photo.
Placeholder — OEM press not licensediPad mini (5th generation)
Credit: GadgetShowdown labeled placeholder (not an Apple asset). View official product image
Studio still only. Manufacturer press JPEGs are not hosted here. See the official product page for the real product photo.
In short
mini (5th generation) is the March 2019 $399 leftover 7.9-inch Retina slate: A12, Lightning, Home-button Touch ID, Pencil 1st gen. Buy leftover if you still want the last Lightning / headphone-jack mini. Skip it if you want USB-C — that is mini 6, then mini (A17 Pro).
Who it is for
- Leftover / refurb shoppers who still want a Home-button 7.9-inch mini with Lightning, a 3.5 mm jack, and first-generation Pencil.
- People comparing mini 5 vs mini 6 vs A17 Pro on connector (Lightning vs USB-C), radio (Wi-Fi 5 / LTE vs later Wi-Fi 6 / 5G), and Pencil generation.
Who should skip it
- Anyone who wants the current mini. That is iPad mini (A17 Pro) at /tablets/ipad-mini-a17-pro/.
- Buyers who want USB-C, landscape stereo as the default wording, or 5G. That starts at mini (6th generation).
- People who want Pencil (2nd generation), hover, or a Smart Connector. Support 111904 buttons list has no Smart Connector.
Key differentiators
- Last Lightning iPad mini on Support 111904: Lightning connector, 3.5 mm headphone jack, Home button / Touch ID.
- A12 Bionic + Neural Engine. Support does not print a CPU/GPU core split or a RAM figure — do not invent 3GB from a teardown.
- 326 ppi Retina — Newsroom called it the highest pixel density of any iPad at launch. Pencil (1st generation) only.
- Wi-Fi 802.11ac / Bluetooth 5.0. Cellular is Gigabit-class LTE, not 5G.
Caveats
- This is two mini generations behind A17 Pro. Street and refurb prices change.
- 500 nits and 10-hour battery lines are Apple claims from Support 111904 testing footnotes (February 2019).
- In-box adapter wattage is not printed — Support says “USB Power Adapter.” Do not invent 12W or 20W.
- Apple product photography is not hosted here.
Tablet-category specs
Same rows on every tablet page (iPad Pro / Air / mini, Galaxy Tab S, Pixel Tablet).
| Attribute | Value | Source / note |
|---|---|---|
| Display size | 7.9-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit Multi-Touch | Apple Support 111904 |
| Display type | Retina; LED-backlit Multi-Touch | Apple Support 111904 |
| Display resolution | 2048 × 1536 at 326 ppi | Apple Support 111904 |
| Peak brightness (OEM) | 500 nits | Apple Support 111904 |
| Refresh rate | Not published | Apple Support 111904 |
| Display features | Wide color (P3); True Tone; oleophobic coating; fully laminated; antireflective coating; 1.8% reflectivity | Apple Support 111904 |
| Sold size(s) | One size: iPad mini (5th generation), 7.9-inch. The 8.3-inch all-screen mini starts with mini 6. | Apple Newsroom, 2019-03-18 |
| Dimensions | 203.2 × 134.8 × 6.1 mm | Apple Support 111904 |
| Weight | Wi-Fi 300.5 g; Wi-Fi + Cellular 308.2 g | Apple Support 111904 |
| Finishes | Space Gray; Silver; Gold | Apple Support 111904 |
| Chassis / enclosure | Not published | Apple Support 111904 |
| Chip / processor | Not published | Apple Support 111904 |
| Memory (RAM) | Not published | Apple Support 111904 |
| On-device storage | 64GB or 256GB (no microSD) | Apple Support 111904 |
| Operating system | Support 111904 still names iPadOS 14 on the OS row we pulled. Quote the live signed iPadOS on apple.com/ipados — do not freeze 2019 launch software as the only possible image. | Apple Support 111904 |
| Pencil / stylus | Supports Apple Pencil (1st generation). Not in the box. Pencil (2nd generation) / USB-C / hover are not on the Support 111904 display block we pulled. | Apple Support 111904 |
| Keyboard / cover (OEM) | Not published | Apple Support 111904 |
| Biometrics | Touch ID in the Home button | Apple Support 111904 |
| Speakers | Stereo speakers | Apple Support 111904 |
| Microphones | Dual microphones for calls, video recording, and audio recording | Apple Support 111904 |
| Cellular | Wi-Fi models: none. Wi-Fi + Cellular: Gigabit-class LTE; nano-SIM + eSIM; data only. Not 5G — do not copy mini 6 NR onto this leftover. | Apple Support 111904 |
| Wireless (Wi-Fi / Bluetooth) | Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac; simultaneous dual band (2.4GHz and 5GHz); HT80 with MIMO; Bluetooth 5.0. Not Wi-Fi 6. | Apple Support 111904 |
| Ports / expansion | Lightning connector; 3.5 mm headphone jack; nano-SIM tray on cellular SKUs | Apple Support 111904 |
| Rear camera | 8 MP, ƒ/2.4; 1080p HD video | Apple Support 111904 |
| Front camera | 7 MP FaceTime HD, ƒ/2.2; 1080p HD video at 30 fps. Center Stage is not on the Support 111904 camera block we pulled. | Apple Support 111904 |
| Battery (OEM) | 19.1Wh. Up to 10 hours Wi-Fi web, video, or music; cellular models up to 9 hours web on cellular | Apple Support 111904 |
| Charging (OEM) | Lightning to USB Cable and USB Power Adapter in the box. Adapter wattage is not printed on Support 111904. Charging via adapter or USB to computer. | Apple Support 111904 |
| Durability / ingress | Not published | Apple Support 111904 |
| Location / GNSS | All models: digital compass, Wi-Fi, iBeacon. Cellular models add GPS/GNSS | Apple Support 111904 |
| US MSRP (launch) | Wi-Fi $399; Wi-Fi + Cellular $529 (Newsroom 18 March 2019, 64GB start) | Apple Newsroom, 2019-03-18 |
| Price band | Previous compact Apple tablet ($399 US launch before Pencil) | Derived from Apple launch prices |
| Announced | 18 March 2019 | Apple Newsroom |
| Availability | Order from 18 March 2019; stores the following week (Newsroom). Current mini is A17 Pro. | Apple Newsroom, 2019-03-18 |
iPad mini (5th generation) extras
Unique to this line or SKU. Other tablets keep the first table aligned and swap this extras list.
| Attribute | Value | Source / note |
|---|---|---|
| Last Lightning iPad mini | Lightning + 3.5 mm + Home-button Touch ID. USB-C mini starts at mini (6th generation). | Apple Support 111904 |
| In the box | iPad mini; Lightning to USB Cable; USB Power Adapter (wattage not printed) | Apple Support 111904 |
| Later leftover sibling | mini (6th generation) is live at /tablets/ipad-mini-6th-generation/ — 8.3-inch Liquid Retina, A15, USB 3 5Gb/s, Pencil 2nd gen, 5G. | Apple Support 111886 |
Overview
iPad mini (5th generation) is the March 2019 mini — the last Home-button Lightning compact iPad. Current mini sell-in is A17 Pro. This hub stays so leftover shoppers have a tablets-v1 record instead of mixing A12 LTE with later USB-C 5G.
We have not used this iPad. Newsroom “highest pixel density of any iPad” stays an Apple claim from 2019.
Display, chip, ports
Retina IPS, 2048 × 1536, 326 ppi, 500 nits, P3, True Tone, laminated. Chip is A12 Bionic + Neural Engine. RAM is not published. Ports are Lightning + 3.5 mm. No Smart Connector on the Support buttons list.
Pencil and radios
Pencil 1st gen only. Wi-Fi 802.11ac / Bluetooth 5.0. Cellular is LTE, not 5G.
Battery
19.1Wh; up to 10 hours Wi-Fi; 9 hours cellular. In-box USB Power Adapter wattage is not printed.
Sources
- Apple Newsroom — All-new iPad Air and iPad mini deliver dramatic power and capability — accessed 2026-09-19
- Apple Support — iPad mini (5th generation) tech specs — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
Is this still the current mini?
No. Current mini on 19 September 2026 is iPad mini (A17 Pro). This slug is the leftover last Lightning mini.
Does mini 5 have USB-C or 5G?
No. Support 111904 lists Lightning and Gigabit-class LTE. USB-C and 5G start at mini (6th generation).
Official product page: iPad mini (5th generation). Tech specs: iPad mini (5th generation) specs.