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iPad mini (A17 Pro) — A17 Pro · 8.3″ · Apple Intelligence
Apple

iPad mini (A17 Pro)

A17 Pro · 8.3″ · Apple Intelligence

90
/ 100
From $499
VS
iPad Pro 13" (M5) wins by 5
iPad Pro 13" (M5) — M5 · 13″ Tandem OLED · Wi-Fi 7
Apple

iPad Pro 13" (M5)

M5 · 13″ Tandem OLED · Wi-Fi 7

95
/ 100
From $1,299
Specdex verdict

iPad Pro 13" (M5) takes it — here’s why.

In our weighted Specdex score, iPad mini (A17 Pro) lands at 90 and iPad Pro 13" (M5) at 95. That puts iPad Pro 13" (M5) ahead by 5 points — a decisive margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.

Pick iPad mini (A17 Pro) if…

  • ✓A17 Pro chip — Apple Intelligence eligible
  • ✓Compact 8.3″ — actually portable
  • ✓Pencil Pro support

Pick iPad Pro 13" (M5) if…

  • ✓13″ Ultra Retina XDR Tandem OLED at 2752×2064
  • ✓9- or 10-core M5 with 10-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine
  • ✓Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth 6 + Thunderbolt / USB 4
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Winner by scenario

Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate test

Display

iPad Pro 13" (M5)

Compared on the display sub-score

iPad Pro 13" (M5) leads on display (98 vs 86).

Battery

Tie

Compared on the battery sub-score

Effectively tied — neither pulls a 2-point weighted lead.

Software

iPad mini (A17 Pro)

Compared on the software sub-score

iPad mini (A17 Pro) leads on software (90 vs 82).

Value for money

iPad mini (A17 Pro)

Specdex score per dollar at MSRP

iPad mini (A17 Pro) more score per dollar ($499 vs $1,299).

iPad mini (A17 Pro) 90
vs
95 iPad Pro 13" (M5)

Score breakdown

iPad mini (A17 Pro)
90
cpu 92
gpu 88
display 86
battery 88
software 90
performance 0
portability 0
iPad Pro 13" (M5)
95
cpu 0
gpu 0
display 98
battery 88
software 82
performance 97
portability 92

Specs side-by-side

iPad mini (A17 Pro) versus iPad Pro 13" (M5) — full spec comparison
Spec iPad mini (A17 Pro) iPad Pro 13" (M5)
Display
8.3″ Liquid Retina, 60Hz
▲ 13″ Ultra Retina XDR Tandem OLED, 2752×2064 at 264 ppi, ProMotion 10–120 Hz
Chipset
A17 Pro
—
RAM
8 GB
▲ 12 GB (256/512 GB) or 16 GB (1/2 TB)
Storage
128 / 256 / 512 GB
▲ 256 / 512 GB / 1 / 2 TB
Battery
19.3 Wh
—
Weight
▲ 293 g (Wi-Fi)
579 g (Wi-Fi)
Chip
—
Apple M5 chip (9- or 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine)
Connectivity
—
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, optional 5G
Ports
—
Thunderbolt / USB 4 (40 Gb/s)
Pencil
—
Apple Pencil Pro + Apple Pencil (USB-C)
OS
—
iPadOS 19

iPad mini (A17 Pro)

Pros
  • +A17 Pro chip — Apple Intelligence eligible
  • +Compact 8.3″ — actually portable
  • +Pencil Pro support
Cons
  • −No 120Hz ProMotion
  • −Single rear camera
  • −Charging speed modest

iPad Pro 13" (M5)

Pros
  • +13″ Ultra Retina XDR Tandem OLED at 2752×2064
  • +9- or 10-core M5 with 10-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine
  • +Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth 6 + Thunderbolt / USB 4
Cons
  • −Lower-tier (256/512 GB) configs cap RAM at 12 GB
  • −$1,299 base climbs fast with Magic Keyboard + Pencil Pro
  • −iPadOS multitasking still trails macOS for power workflows

FAQ: iPad mini (A17 Pro) vs iPad Pro 13" (M5)

Which is better, iPad mini (A17 Pro) or iPad Pro 13" (M5)? +

iPad Pro 13" (M5) scores 95 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 5. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.

Is iPad mini (A17 Pro) worth the price? +

At $499, iPad mini (A17 Pro) delivers a Specdex score of 90 — strongest in cpu.

Is iPad Pro 13" (M5) worth the price? +

At $1,299, iPad Pro 13" (M5) delivers a Specdex score of 95 — strongest in display.

Does iPad mini (A17 Pro) or iPad Pro 13" (M5) last longer? +

Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.

Which is better for display, iPad mini (A17 Pro) or iPad Pro 13" (M5)? +

iPad Pro 13" (M5) — leads on display (98 vs 86). Compared on the display sub-score.

Which is better for software, iPad mini (A17 Pro) or iPad Pro 13" (M5)? +

iPad mini (A17 Pro) — leads on software (90 vs 82). Compared on the software sub-score.