Apple iPad mini Apple iPad Mini 4 16gb Space Gray (Renewed) Review
The iPad Mini 4 is a decade-old tablet with a crippling 16GB of storage. At $125, it's a nostalgia trip that's hard to recommend for anyone who needs a functional device in 2025.
The 30-Second Version
The 16GB storage is a trap, and the software is fossilized. This is a museum piece, not a practical tablet. Only buy it if your budget is $125 and your only requirement is 'has an Apple logo on the back.'
Overview
Let's be real upfront: this is a nostalgia trip, not a modern tablet. The iPad Mini 4 is a 2015 device, and it feels every bit its age. The one thing you need to know is that 16GB of storage is a joke in 2025. That's in the 3rd percentile of all tablets in our database. You'll be deleting apps and photos constantly just to keep it running. It runs iPadOS 9, which means most new apps won't even install. But for $125, it's a cheap way to get a decent screen for reading or watching videos, as long as your expectations are rock bottom.
Performance
The performance is exactly what you'd expect from a decade-old A8 chip. Our benchmarks put its CPU in the 42nd percentile and GPU in the 44th, which means it's slower than most tablets you can buy today. It's fine for scrolling through a web page or reading a book, but try to open more than two apps and you'll feel the lag. The surprising part is the screen—it still looks pretty sharp for its age, landing in the 63rd percentile. It's the one part of this device that doesn't feel ancient.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- The 7.9-inch Retina display is still surprisingly crisp and pleasant to look at. 89th
- It's incredibly lightweight and easy to hold with one hand. 67th
- For $125, it's one of the cheapest ways to get into the Apple ecosystem (even an old one). 65th
- The 'Renewed' process from Amazon means it should at least turn on and work, backed by a 90-day warranty.
Cons
- 16GB of storage is borderline unusable in 2025. You'll run out of space immediately. 4th
- It's stuck on iPadOS 9. Say goodbye to new apps, security updates, and modern features.
- The A8 chip is painfully slow by today's standards. Don't even think about gaming or multitasking.
- Battery life is a huge gamble on a device this old, even if it's been 'renewed'.
The Word on the Street
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| CPU | Apple |
Memory & Storage
| RAM | 16 GB |
| Storage | 16 GB |
Display
| Size | 7.9" |
| Resolution | 2048 |
Physical
| Weight | 0.5 kg / 1.1 lbs |
| OS | iPadOS 9 |
Value & Pricing
At $125, the value proposition is simple: it's cheap. That's it. You're not getting good value for a tablet; you're getting a very low price for a very old piece of hardware. If your budget is absolutely locked at $150 and you just need a screen for YouTube and Kindle, it's an option. But spending even $50 more opens up much better used Android tablets.
vs Competition
Don't even look at the iPad Pro or Galaxy Tab S10. They're in a different universe. A more relevant comparison is against other budget tablets. For the same $125-$150, you could find a used Amazon Fire HD 10 or a Lenovo Tab M10 with more storage, a newer OS, and better battery life. They won't have the Apple logo or the same build quality, but they'll actually function as modern devices. The iPad Mini 4 wins on screen quality and portability but loses badly on everything else.
| Spec | Apple iPad mini Apple iPad Mini 4 16gb Space Gray (Renewed) | Apple iPad Pro Apple - 13-inch iPad Pro M5 chip Wi-Fi 256GB with | Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Samsung - Galaxy Tab S10+ - 12.4" 256GB - Wi-Fi - | Microsoft Surface Pro Microsoft - Surface Pro - Copilot+ PC - 13” OLED | Lenovo Lenovo - Idea Tab Pro - 12.7" 3K Tablet - 8GB RAM | HP GPD Win MAX 2 2025 Handheld Gaming PC with AMD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Apple | Apple M5 | Mediatek MT6989 | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-84-100 | MediaTek Dimensity | AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 |
| RAM (GB) | 16 | 12 | 12 | 32 | 8 | 32 |
| Storage (GB) | 16 | 256 | 256 | 1000 | 256 | 2048 |
| Screen | 7.9" 2048x1536 | 13" 2752x2064 | 12.4" 2800x1752 | 13" 2880x1920 | 12.7" 2944x1840 | 10.1" 1920x1200 |
| OS | iPadOS 9 | iPadOS | Android 14 | Windows 11 Home | Android 14 | Windows 11 Home |
| Stylus | false | true | true | false | true | false |
| Cellular | false | false | false | false | false | false |
Common Questions
Q: Can I update it to the latest iPadOS?
No. It's permanently stuck on iPadOS 9. Most apps in the App Store today require a much newer version, so you're locked out of modern software.
Q: Is 16GB of storage enough?
Not even close. The OS takes up a chunk, leaving you with maybe 10GB. A few apps, some photos, and a movie or two will fill it instantly. You'll be managing storage daily.
Q: How's the battery life on a renewed model?
It's a complete gamble. Some units get new batteries, others don't. Even with a new battery, it's old tech and won't last as long as a modern tablet. Expect to keep it plugged in.
Who Should Skip This
If you're looking for a tablet to actually use daily in 2025, this isn't it. Go get a used iPad Mini 5 or a new Amazon Fire tablet instead. If you need more than 3 apps installed at once, skip it. If you want to use any app released in the last 5 years, skip it.
Verdict
We can't recommend this for almost anyone. The 16GB storage and ancient software are deal-breakers. It's only worth considering if you need the absolute smallest, lightest tablet possible for reading e-books and you refuse to spend over $150. For everyone else, save up a little more for a newer used iPad Mini (5th gen or later) or grab a modern budget Android tablet. This thing is a technological time capsule, and not in a good way.