Apple iPad mini 7.9" 5th Generation Gold 2019

The iPad mini 5 renewed is a $189 ticket into Apple's ecosystem with a chip that still punches above its weight. The A12 Bionic's GPU ranks in the 91st percentile, battery life is top-tier, and the 7.9-inch size is perfect for one-handed use. Condition is a gamble, some units arrive with cosmetic damage, but the 4.4-star average across 2,583 reviews suggests most buyers get a good one. If you want a small, cheap iPad for reading, streaming, or a kid's first tablet, this is the one to beat.

The A12 Bionic is the star here. It's an 8-core chip with a Neural Engine, and it was Apple's flagship mobile processor back in 2018. In our database, the CPU lands in the 64th percentile, which sounds middle-of-the-pack until you remember this is a five-year-old tablet competing against brand new Android devices. For everyday stuff like web browsing, email, streaming, and note-taking, it's more than enough. Apps open quickly, multitasking with 4GB of RAM is fine for two apps side by side, and the GPU's 91st percentile ranking means games like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile run at playable frame rates, though you'll want to dial settings down from max.

The display is a 7.9-inch LCD at 2048x1536, which works out to a crisp 326 pixels per inch. It's a 60Hz panel with 500 nits of brightness, and the screen percentile sits at 68th. That's solid but not spectacular. True Tone adjusts the color temperature to match your room lighting, which is nice for reading, and the wide color support makes photos and videos look accurate. But it's not a ProMotion display, so scrolling feels less smooth than on newer iPads, and the bezels are chunky by 2024 standards. The stereo speakers are a pleasant surprise, loud and clear enough for watching shows without headphones. Battery life is rated at up to 10 hours, and our data puts it in the 87th percentile, which means real-world usage should get you through a full day of light use. Just don't expect the battery to arrive fully charged, several buyers mentioned that.

The iPad mini 5's biggest competition isn't other iPads, it's the current crop of budget Android tablets. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 and Xiaomi Pad 7 both offer larger, higher-refresh-rate displays and newer processors for similar money. The Xiaomi Pad 7 in particular has a 120Hz screen that makes the mini's 60Hz panel feel sluggish. But neither of those tablets has the iPad's app ecosystem, and neither supports the Apple Pencil. If you're already in Apple's world, the mini 5 is the cheapest way to get a Pencil-compatible tablet.

The Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus and UMIDIGI Active T1 are different beasts entirely. The Yoga Tab Plus is a media machine with a big battery and a built-in kickstand, better for watching movies but worse for one-handed reading. The UMIDIGI Active T1 is a rugged tablet aimed at outdoor use, which is a completely different use case. The Vekfulpc T60 Pro is a budget Android option that undercuts the mini on price but can't match the A12's GPU performance. If you want a small tablet specifically, the mini 5 is basically the only game in town. Apple hasn't made a small iPad since the mini 6, and that one costs significantly more even renewed.

Here's where things get interesting. The price spread across US listings runs from $189 to $225, a $36 gap that's worth paying attention to. The cheapest listing is the Wi-Fi only model, and if you don't need cellular, that's the one to grab. The Wi-Fi + Cellular version costs more, but unless you're planning to use a data plan, it's not worth the premium. In Canada, you're looking at CAD 299, which is a bit steep for a renewed 2019 tablet. And in Mexico, prices range from MXN 4,243 to MXN 5,067, an MXN 824 spread that means you should shop around before clicking buy.

Compared to a new iPad, which starts around $329 for the 10th generation, the mini 5 at $189 is a legitimate bargain if you get a good unit. You're giving up the larger screen, USB-C, and a faster chip, but you're saving over $100. The real question is whether the renewed gamble is worth it. Based on the sentiment data, most buyers say yes. The 4.4-star average across 2,583 reviews suggests the majority of units arrive in good shape. But the negative reviews about packaging and cosmetic damage are specific enough that we'd recommend buying from a seller with a solid return policy. If you get a scratched-up unit, send it back and try again.

The iPad mini 5 is one of those devices that refuses to die, and honestly, we get why. It's the last of the small iPads with a home button and Touch ID, and it still runs a surprising amount of modern apps without breaking a sweat. This particular listing is a renewed model, which means you're getting a 2019 tablet that's been cleaned up and resold, often at a fraction of what it cost new. For a lot of people, that's the whole appeal. You get the iPad experience, the Apple Pencil support, and that perfect one-hand size without paying current iPad prices.

Who is this for? Parents buying a first tablet for a kid, students who want a digital notebook that fits in a small bag, and anyone who reads ebooks or watches videos in bed. The 7.9-inch screen is small by today's standards, but that's the point. It's light at 299 grams, easy to hold for long stretches, and the A12 Bionic chip inside is still snappy enough for everyday tasks. Our database puts its GPU performance in the 91st percentile, which is wild for a tablet this old. That chip was a beast when it launched, and it still holds up for casual gaming and drawing.

But there's a catch, and it's the same catch with every renewed Apple product. You're rolling the dice on condition. The customer rating sits at 4.4 out of 5 across 2,583 reviews, which sounds great until you read the one-star complaints. Some buyers get a tablet that looks brand new. Others get dings, dents, and a charging brick that belongs in a landfill. The user sentiment score lands at 72 out of 100, which is solidly average for this category. Most people are happy, but quality control is inconsistent. We'll dig into what that means for you in a minute.

If you need a tablet for serious productivity, skip this. The 7.9-inch screen is too small for comfortable multitasking, the 64GB storage fills up fast, and the business score of 47.5 out of 100 in our database reflects that. You'd be better off with a larger iPad or a laptop. The connectivity is also a weak point at the 38th percentile, Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0 are fine for basic use, but if you need fast file transfers or low-latency wireless accessories, this isn't the tablet for you.

Gamers who want high refresh rates should also look elsewhere. The 60Hz display and aging A12 chip mean you'll be dialing settings down on demanding titles, and the small screen doesn't do modern games justice. If you want a gaming tablet, the Xiaomi Pad 7 with its 120Hz display is a better fit. And if you're buying for a professional artist, the small screen and first-gen Pencil charging will frustrate you. Save up for a used iPad Air or Pro with a larger canvas and ProMotion.

For parents buying a first tablet for a kid, the iPad mini 5 renewed is a no-brainer at $189. It's small enough for little hands, tough enough to survive a drop in a decent case, and the A12 chip means it won't feel obsolete in a year. The 64GB storage is the main limitation, but for games, YouTube, and school apps, it's enough. Just budget for a proper case and maybe a better charging brick, the included one is often junk.

For artists and note-takers, the mini 5 is a solid budget option thanks to Apple Pencil support, but the small screen and 60Hz refresh rate make it less comfortable for long drawing sessions than a larger iPad. If you're serious about digital art, save up for a used iPad Air or Pro. For everyone else, the mini 5 is a great secondary device, a couch tablet, a reading companion, a travel buddy. It's not the fastest or the flashiest, but it's the most comfortable iPad to actually hold, and that counts for a lot.