What are all the differences between the iPad mini 4 and iPad mini 5?

Please note that the iPad mini 4 and iPad mini 5th Gen models all have been discontinued. However, this Q&A has been updated with the latest on iOS support and more and is quite useful for anyone buying or selling one of these devices on the used market.

Although they are the exact same dimensions, there are major differences between the iPad mini 4 models introduced in 2015 -- the iPad mini 4 (Wi-Fi Only) and iPad mini 4 (Wi-Fi/Cellular) -- and the iPad mini 5 models that replaced them in 2019 -- the iPad mini 5 (Wi-Fi Only), iPad mini 5 (Wi-Fi+Cellular US/CA/AU/NZ), iPad mini 5 (Wi-Fi+Cellular Global), and iPad mini 5 (Wi-Fi+Cellular China).

Photo Credit: Apple, Inc (iPad mini 4)

Because few, if any, of the differences are obvious, detailed comparison of the iPad mini 4 (above) and its replacement, the iPad mini 5 (below) are particularly worthwhile.

Photo Credit: Apple, Inc (iPad mini 5)

External Differences

Because the iPad mini 4 and iPad mini 5 are the same size and offered in the same colors -- the choice of a white front and silver-colored back, a white front and gold-colored back, or a black front and a "Space Gray" back -- they look practically identical. All models from both lines have a "Touch ID" fingerprint sensor built into the "Home" button for authentication, have a Lightning port, and support Apple Pay in apps.

Both lines have a "fully laminated" 7.9" IPS LED-backlit 2048x1536 (326 ppi) "Retina" display with an "antireflective" coating, but the iPad mini 5 display is higher quality with "wide color" (DCI-P3) support and Apple's "True Tone" technology that automatically makes adjustments based on ambient lighting.

The iPad mini 4 and iPad mini 5 both have dual cameras, and the rear camera on each has an 8 megapixel sensor and supports 1080p video, but the front camera on the iPad mini 5 is much better quality. Specifically, the iPad mini 4 has a 720p 1.2 megapixel camera on the front whereas the the iPad mini 5 has a 1080p 7 megapixel camera.

The iPad mini 5 adds support for the original Apple Pencil (A1603, MK0C2AM/A), too.

Internal Differences

Internally, the iPad mini 4 and iPad mini 5 have little in common, as you might expect because the iPad mini 5 was released four years later. They do both support 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz 802.11ac Wi-Fi (HT80 with MIMO), but the iPad mini 5 supports simultaneous dual band.

The iPad mini 4 models have a dual core, 1.5 GHz Apple A8 processor and M8 motion coprocessor, 2 GB of RAM, and Bluetooth 4.2. They were offered in 16 GB, 32 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB capacities at different times.

The iPad mini 5 models, on the other hand, have a much faster six core, 2.49 GHz Apple A12 "Bionic" processor and M12 coprocessor, 3 GB of RAM and Bluetooth 5.0. They are sold with 64 GB or 256 GB of storage.

Identification Differences

It is nearly impossible to visually distinguish between the iPad mini 4 and iPad mini 5 and not possible to visually differentiate between the three different cellular-capable iPad mini 5 models at all, so visual identification is not a good option.

Instead, one of the best methods for external identification is via Model Number. Model numbers are provided in tiny type toward the bottom of the back of each iPad mini:

iPad	Model Number
iPad mini 4 (Wi-Fi Only)	A1538
iPad mini 4 (Wi-Fi/Cellular)	A1550
iPad mini 5 (Wi-Fi Only)	A2133
iPad mini 5 (Wi-Fi+Cellular US/CA/AU/NZ*)	A2126
iPad mini 5 (Wi-Fi+Cellular Global)	A2124
iPad mini 5 (Wi-Fi+Cellular China)	A2125

*This model is believed to have been sold only in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, although it is compatible with carriers worldwide.

The iPad mini 4 and iPad mini 5 models can be differentiated by other identifiers as well, such as the Order Number, which can be located by selecting the Settings app and pressing General > About and scrolling down to what is specified as "Model" within the iOS. For example, the iPad mini 5 (Wi-Fi+Cellular US/CA/AU/NZ) in silver with 256 GB of storage is MUXN2LL/A.

To pinpoint one of these iPad models by a variety of different identifiers -- including Serial Number -- please refer to the Ultimate iLookup feature.

Connectivity & Battery Life Differences

Battery life is the same for the Wi-Fi only and Cellular capable models from both lines. Using Wi-Fi, the iPad mini 4 and iPad mini 5 models all provide ten hours of runtime whereas the cellular capable models provide nine hours of runtime on a cellular connection.

However, the iPad mini 5 models provide more advanced connectivity. All iPad mini 4 models support dual band 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 whereas the iPad mini 5 models support simultaneous dual band 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0.

The iPad mini 4 and iPad mini 5 models with cellular connectivity all support A-GPS, GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz) and UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz). However, the cellular-capable iPad mini 4 supports CDMA EV-DO whereas the applicable iPad mini 5 models do not support CDMA EV-DO but support additional, and faster LTE cellular bands.

Specific cellular data connectivity for these models includes:

iPad mini	Model Number	CDMA EV-DO	LTE Bands 4G
4 (Wi-Fi Only)	A1538	None	None
4 (Wi-Fi/Cellular)	A1550	Yes	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 38, 39, 40, 41
5 (Wi-Fi Only)	A2133	None	None
5 (Wi-Fi+Cell US/CA)	A2126	None	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66, 71
5 (Wi-Fi+Cell Global)	A2124	None	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66
5 (Wi-Fi+Cell China)	A2125	None	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 66

All cellular-capable iPad mini 4 and iPad mini 5 models shipped unlocked. In the United States, the applicable devices work with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon, but some carriers may still require activation or configuration before it will work properly -- or at all -- on their network.

In the US and UK, if purchased from Apple or an Apple Authorized Reseller -- like site sponsor Adorama -- the cellular capable iPad mini 4 and iPad mini 5 also shipped with an "Apple SIM" that is designed to support multiple carriers via a single Apple-issued Nano SIM card. The iPad mini 5 adds support for an eSIM in software, too.

iOS Support Differences

The iPad mini 4 models first shipped with iOS 9, but support iOS 10, iOS 11, and iOS 12, as well as iOS 13 (iPadOS), with the exception of the Adjust Portrait Lighting and "High-Key Mono" photography features as well as modest AR features (Motion Capture and People Occlusion).

The iPad mini 4 models also support the last version of iPadOS 14, but they do not support a number of advanced features (ARKit Depth API and Location Anchors, AR RealityKit Video Textures, Spatial Audio via AirPods Pro, and On-Device Dictation). They likewise run iPadOS 15, the last version of the iPadOS that they support. However, running iPadOS 15, they do not support a significant number of advanced features (Spatial Audio, Portrait Mode, 3D Landmarks, Interactive Globe, Live Text in Photos, Live Text Translation, and Visual Look Up as well as Universal Control).

The iPad mini 5 models, on the other hand, first shipped with iOS 12.2 and later shipped with iOS 13 (iPadOS). They fully support the final version of iPadOS 14, with the exception of the ARKit Depth AP and fully support iPadOS 15.

The iPad mini 5 models also support iPadOS 16, but do not support the advanced Stage Manager, Reference Mode, Accessibility Detection, and Virtual Memory Swap features as well as Apple Music Sing (Karaoke); and support iPadOS 17, but lack support for the React with Your Hands; Screen Distance; More Accurate Autocorrect in English, French, and Spanish; Inline Predictions (English); and External Camera for FaceTime features.

Finally, the iPad mini 5 supports the current version of the iPadOS -- iPadOS 18 -- but it lacks support for the Apple Intelligence (AI), Handwriting with Smart Script, and Eye Tracking features.

Pricing Differences

When first introduced, the iPad mini 4 and iPad mini 5 models each had the same starting price. Pricing within lines only is differentiated by capacity and connectivity rather than housing color.

Because the iPad mini 4 was sold for four years, its pricing and configurations changed significantly during this time, but the original pricing and capacities of each line follows:

iPad mini 4 (US Original Prices, 2015):	16 GB	64 GB	128 GB
Wi-Fi Only:	US$399	US$499	US$599
Wi-Fi, Cellular & A-GPS:	US$529	US$629	US$729
iPad mini 5 (US Original Prices, 2019):	--	64 GB	256 GB
Wi-Fi Only:	--	US$399	US$529
Wi-Fi, Cellular & A-GPS:	--	US$549	US$679

For original pricing details in dozens of other countries, please refer to the iPad specs page for the device of interest as well as EveryiPad.com's Global Original Prices section.

Comparison Chart

The major differences between the iPad mini 4 and the iPad mini 5 are summarized accordingly:

	iPad mini 4	iPad mini 5
Introduced:	Sep 2015	Mar 2019
Discontinued:	Mar 2019	Sep 2021
Display Size:	7.9" 2048x1536	7.9" 2048x1536
Color Gamut:	99% sRGB	DCI-P3
True Tone:	No	Yes
Processor:	1.5 GHz Apple A8	2.49 GHz Apple A12
RAM:	2 GB	3 GB
Original Storage:	16, 64, 128 GB	64 GB, 256 GB
Wi-Fi:	802.11a/b/g/n/ac	802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth:	4.2	5.0
LTE Bands:	20 Bands	28 Bands
CDMA Support:	Yes	None
eSIM:	No	Yes
Front Camera:	1.2 Megapixel (720p)	7 Megapixel (1080p)
Rear Camera:	8 Megapixel (1080p)	8 Megapixel (1080p)
Touch ID:	Yes	Yes
Original iOS:	iOS 9	iOS 12.2
Maximum iOS:	iPadOS 15	iPadOS 18
Apple Pencil:	Not Supported	1st Gen
Apple Pay:	Online Only	Online Only
Hey Siri:	No	Yes
Model Numbers:	A1538/A1550	A2133/A2126 A2124/A2125
Dimensions:	8.0 x 5.3 x 0.24 in.	8.0 x 5.3 x 0.24 in.
Weight:	0.65-0.67 lbs.	0.66-0.68 lbs.
Original Price (US):	US$399-US$729	US$399-US$679

So, should I buy an iPad mini 4 or an iPad mini 5?

Ignoring subsequent models, which are faster, sleeker, and more capable, and just comparing these these two options, the majority of users should buy a new iPad mini 5 rather than the much older iPad mini 4. The iPad mini 5 is (1) significantly faster and has more RAM, (2) has a better display, (3) has a much better front camera, (4) has the option of additional storage, (5) has more advanced connectivity, and (6) supports the first generation Apple Pencil (at additional cost). It also (6) still supports the current version of the iPadOS.

As noted at the time of introduction, EveryiPad.com advised that the iPad mini 5 also likely would support the current version of the iOS for longer going forward, effectively reducing its cost on an annual basis for someone who takes good care of their hardware and this definitely has been the case.

With that said, despite its age, the iPad mini 4 still is capable. The display, cameras, and connectivity remain are of solid quality, but because it does not support the current version of the iPadOS, software support will wane more and more going forward. Nevertheless, for someone who wants to save money on the used market, the iPad mini 4 remains worth consideration, too.

iPad mini Purchase & Sale Options

There are many places to purchase a new or used iPad mini. However, buying from a quality business with extensive Apple knowledge -- and after sales support -- will provide the best experience and save you money and time, too.

In the US, site sponsor Adorama sells new iPad mini models with free shipping. Other World Computing sells used and refurb iPad mini models at bargain prices with free shipping, as well. Finally, if you need to sell an iPad, A+ BBB-rated Cash for Your Mac and GoRoostr will buy your older iPad with an instant quote and prompt payment.

In the UK, site sponsor Hoxton Macs has a large number of used and refurbished iPad models with a one-year warranty and free next day delivery throughout the UK.

In Australia, site sponsor Mac City may have used iPad mini models in stock, as well. All Macs and devices are available with a free warranty and fast shipping across Australia.

Please also see EveryiPad.com's Ultimate iComparison feature to dynamically compare any iPad to any other iPod, iPhone, or iPad (new or old alike).