Apple
iPad mini A17 Pro vs iPad Pro 11 M5
Device summary
Apple
iPad Pro 11 M5
Full specifications
| Basic information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Release year | 2024 | 2025 |
| Starting price | $499 | $999 |
| Display size | 8.3-inch | 11-inch |
| Dimensions | 134.8 mm × 195.4 mm × 6.3 mm | 177.5 mm × 249.7 mm × 5.3 mm |
| Weight | 293 g | 444 g |
| Front material | — | — |
| Back material | Aluminum | Aluminum |
| Display | ||
| Display technology | Liquid Retina IPS | Ultra Retina Tandem OLED |
| Resolution | 2266 × 1488 | 2420 × 1668 |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 500 nits | 1600 nits |
| Protection | Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating | Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating |
| Performance | ||
| Chipset | Apple A17 Pro | Apple M5 |
| CPU | 6-core CPU | 9-core CPU |
| GPU | 5-core GPU | 10-core GPU |
| RAM | 8 GB | 12 GB, 16 GB |
| Storage | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1024 GB, 2048 GB |
| Expandable storage | No | No |
| Cameras | ||
| Main camera | Wide · 12 MP · ƒ/1.8 | Wide · 12 MP · ƒ/1.8 |
| Front cameras | Landscape · 12 MP · ƒ/2.4 | Landscape · 12 MP · ƒ/2.4 |
| Video recording | 4K video recording at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps | 4K video recording at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps |
| Battery & charging | ||
| Video playback (Manufacturer claim) | 10 h | — |
| Battery type | Built-in rechargeable lithium-polymer | — |
| Connectivity | ||
| Cellular | Wi‑Fi, Wi‑Fi + Cellular (5G) | Wi‑Fi, Wi‑Fi + Cellular (5G) |
| Wi‑Fi | Wi‑Fi 6E (802.11ax) | Wi‑Fi 6E (802.11ax) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| USB | USB-C | Thunderbolt / USB 4 |
| NFC | No | No |
| eSIM | Yes | Yes |
| Build & durability | ||
| Frame | Aluminum | Aluminum |
| Ingress protection | None published | None published |
Basic information
Release year
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- 2024
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- 2025
Starting price
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- $499
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- $999
Display size
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- 8.3-inch
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- 11-inch
Dimensions
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- 134.8 mm × 195.4 mm × 6.3 mm
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- 177.5 mm × 249.7 mm × 5.3 mm
Weight
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- 293 g
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- 444 g
Front material
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- —
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- —
Back material
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- Aluminum
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- Aluminum
Display
Display technology
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- Liquid Retina IPS
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- Ultra Retina Tandem OLED
Resolution
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- 2266 × 1488
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- 2420 × 1668
Refresh rate
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- 60 Hz
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- 120 Hz
Peak brightness
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- 500 nits
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- 1600 nits
Protection
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
Performance
Chipset
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- Apple A17 Pro
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- Apple M5
CPU
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- 6-core CPU
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- 9-core CPU
GPU
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- 5-core GPU
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- 10-core GPU
RAM
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- 8 GB
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- 12 GB, 16 GB
Storage
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- 256 GB, 512 GB, 1024 GB, 2048 GB
Expandable storage
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- No
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- No
Cameras
Main camera
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- Wide · 12 MP · ƒ/1.8
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- Wide · 12 MP · ƒ/1.8
Front cameras
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- Landscape · 12 MP · ƒ/2.4
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- Landscape · 12 MP · ƒ/2.4
Video recording
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- 4K video recording at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- 4K video recording at 24, 25, 30, or 60 fps
Battery & charging
Video playback (Manufacturer claim)
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- 10 h
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- —
Battery type
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- Built-in rechargeable lithium-polymer
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- —
Connectivity
Cellular
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- Wi‑Fi, Wi‑Fi + Cellular (5G)
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- Wi‑Fi, Wi‑Fi + Cellular (5G)
Wi‑Fi
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- Wi‑Fi 6E (802.11ax)
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- Wi‑Fi 6E (802.11ax)
Bluetooth
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- Bluetooth 5.3
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- Bluetooth 5.3
USB
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- USB-C
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- Thunderbolt / USB 4
NFC
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- No
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- No
eSIM
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- Yes
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- Yes
Build & durability
Frame
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- Aluminum
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- Aluminum
Ingress protection
- iPad mini A17 Pro
- None published
- iPad Pro 11 M5
- None published
Key differences
The most meaningful measured gaps in size and weight — not an overall winner.
Height
iPad Pro 11 M5
54.3 mm taller
Width
iPad Pro 11 M5
42.7 mm wider
Weight
iPad mini A17 Pro
151 g lighter
Thickness
iPad Pro 11 M5
1 mm thinner
User Experience Summary
iPad mini A17 Pro
Strengths
- Unmatched compact iPad for reading and travel
- A17 Pro performance with Apple Pencil Pro support
- Light weight ideal for couch and bedside use
Compromises
- 60 Hz display and thick bezels feel dated
- Not viable as a laptop replacement for most buyers
- Small screen limits multitasking and creative scale
iPad Pro 11 M5
Strengths
- Class-leading tandem OLED display in a truly portable 11-inch body
- M5 performance, 12GB base RAM, and PCIe 5.0 storage headroom for pro creative apps
- Full Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard compatibility without rebuying accessories
Compromises
- Near-identical to M4 for most daily tasks, weakening in-generation upgrade value
- iPadOS still limits some professional workflows
- Accessory stack pushes total cost very high