Apple makes a slew of tablets that come in a wide range of sizes. The biggest tablets Apple makes is the 12.9in and 11in iPad Pro. The smallest is the 7.9in iPad mini. And those are the tablets we’re going to be taking a look at in this comparison.
I know, it sounds insane that the iPad Pro and iPad mini could even be comparable. But you know what? They actually have more similarities than the regular 7th generation iPad does right now.
So, just how do the new iPad Pro (2020) and the current iPad mini (5th generation) stack up? Let’s take a look.
MORE: The Top 5 Features Of The 2020 iPad Pro (#3 is INSANE!)
iPad Pro (2020) vs iPad mini (5th generation) Quick Comparison
Design
- iPad Pro (2020) – The iPad Pro (2020) features a glass and aluminum body. It also features Face ID and support for the Apple Pencil 2. Additionally, it supports the new trackpad Magic Keyboard case (which is an additional purchase).
- iPad mini (5th generation) – The iPad mini (5th generation) features a glass and aluminum body. It also features Touch ID and support for the original Apple Pencil. It does now offer a Smart Connectors, however, so no smart keyboards.
Winner? iPad Pro (2020) – The iPad Pro features an all-screen design with modern touches like support for the new trackpad keyboard, the Apple Pencil 2, and Face ID.
Displays
- iPad Pro (2020) – The iPad Pro (2020) comes in two models: an 11in model with a 2388 × 1668 pixel display at 264 pixels per inch, or a 12.9in model with a 2732 x 2048 pixel display at 264 pixels per inch.
- iPad mini (5th generation) – The iPad mini (5th generation) sports a 7.9in 2048 × 1536 pixel display at 326 pixels per inch.
Winner? iPad Pro (2020) – The iPad Pro gives you the option of two display sizes, each of which are much larger than the iPad mini (‘natch). Those displays are also edge-to-edge thanks to Face ID. It also sports a True Tone display with a wide color gamut.
CPU/Processor
- iPad Pro (2020) – the iPad Pro (2020) features the A12Z chipset. The A12Z has an 8-core graphics processor, which enables advanced augmented reality features.
- iPad mini (5th generation) – the iPad mini (5th generation) features the A12 chipset.
Winner? iPad Pro (2020) – The A12Z is faster and more powerful than the A12 – but only by about 20% to 30% in real-world use. It also offers improved graphics support for advanced augmented reality.
Camera
- iPad Pro (2020) – the 2020 iPad Pro features a front 7MP 1080p HD camera and a rear dual-lens 12MP Wide and 10MP Ultra Wide system, which can shoot in 4K HD, and sports a Quad-LED True Tone flash. The rear camera module also sports a LiDAR sensor, which enables new augmented reality features.
- iPad mini (5th generation) – The iPad mini (5th generation) features a front 7MP 720p HD camera and a rear single-lens 8MP Wide camera. It can shoot 1080p HD video.
Winner? iPad Pro (2020) – It’s got a dual-lens camera setup and also sports a new LiDAR sensor for augmented reality tasks. That’s not even to mention that the iPad Pro shoots 4K video while the iPad mini only shoots 1080p video.
Storage Options
- iPad Pro (2020) – 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB
- iPad mini (5th generation) – 64GB or 256GB
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Battery Life
- iPad Pro (2020) – The iPad Pro (2020) will get you about 10 hours of battery life with mixed usage.
- iPad mini (5th generation) – The iPad mini (5th generation) will get you about 10 hours of battery life with mixed usage.
Winner? Draw – The battery life is identical.
Price
- iPad Pro (2020) 12in – 128GB $999, 256GB $1099, 512GB $1299, 1TB $1499 (add $150 on for the cellular model).
- iPad Pro (2020) 11in – 128GB $799, 256GB $899, 512GB $1099, 1TB $1299 (add $150 on for the cellular model).
- iPad mini (5th generation) – 64GB $329, 256GB $429 (add $130 on for the cellular model).
Verdict?
Realistically, the iPad Pro and the iPad mini are targeting people in two different markets. The iPad Pro is the most advanced tablet Apple has ever made and features advanced kit like the LiDAR sensor, dual-lens camera, trackpad keyboard (optional), and support for the Apple Pencil 2.
The iPad mini, on the other hand, is mainly a content consumption device built for games, videos, and web browsing. However, the two tablets do have more in common than the current iPad does. Both the iPad mini and iPad Pro use variants of the A12 chipset, while the current iPad is stuck on the A10 chipset.
Overall, however, which one you choose to get will be a simple choice. If you want Apple’s tiniest tablet for content consumption – the iPad mini is perfect for you. Looking for more of a laptop replacement? Get the iPad Pro.
MORE: Best Tablet 2019 Guide: The 5 Best Options (iOS & Android)
iPad Pro (2020) vs iPad mini (5th generation): Specs
Here are the specs for the iPad Pro (2020):
- Display: 11in 2388 × 1668 pixel at 264 pixels per inch or 12.9in 2732×2048 pixel at 264 pixels per inch; True Tone display; Wide color display
- Colors: Silver or Space Grey
- Storage: 128, 256, 512GB or 1TB
- Processors: A12Z Bionic with Neural Engine
- Cameras: front 7MP 1080p HD camera and a rear dual-lens 12MP Wide and 10MP Ultra Wide, 4k HD camera with Quad-LED True Tone flash
- Size: 280.6 mm x 214.9 mm x 5.9 mm (12.9in) or 247.6 mm x 178.5 mm x 5.9 mm (11in)
- Weight: 641 grams (12.9in) or 471 grams (11in)
- Speakers: 4
- Other: Face ID, LiDAR Sensor, USB-C, Apple Pencil version 2 support, Smart Connector
And here are the specs for the iPad mini (5th generation):
- Display: 7.9in 2048 × 1536 pixel at 326 pixels per inch
- Colors: Silver, Gold, or Space Grey
- Storage: 64GB or 256GB
- Processors: A12 Bionic chip with Neural Engine
- Cameras: front 7MP 720p HD camera and a rear 8MP Wide, 1080p HD camera
- Size: 203.2 mm x 134.8 mm x 6.1 mm
- Weight: 300 grams
- Speakers: 2
- Other: Touch ID, Lightning connector, Apple Pencil version 1 support
