Iphone 5s Vs Ipad Mini 2 Was The Speed Test A Lie

In 2013, Apple released two devices that shared nearly identical internal hardware: the iPhone 5s and the iPad Mini 2. Both featured the newly introduced A7 chip—the first 64-bit processor in any smartphone or tablet—and the M7 motion coprocessor. Given their shared architecture, tech reviewers ran side-by-side speed tests, often showing the iPad Mini 2 outperforming the iPhone 5s in app launches, web browsing, and multitasking. But were those results accurate? Or did early benchmarks paint a misleading picture of real-world performance?

This question has resurfaced over the years as users compare legacy devices, repair old tablets, or explore the nuances of mobile optimization. The claim that “the speed test was a lie” isn’t about deliberate deception—it’s about context, thermal management, software scaling, and how marketing narratives shape perception.

The Hardware: Nearly Identical, But Not Equal

At first glance, the iPhone 5s and iPad Mini 2 are twins under the hood. Both run on:

• A7 64-bit system-on-a-chip (SoC)
• M7 motion coprocessor
• 1GB of LPDDR3 RAM
• iOS 7 at launch

However, physical differences impact performance. The iPad Mini 2 has a larger chassis, allowing for better heat dissipation. It also features a higher-resolution display (2048×1536 vs. 1136×640), which demands more from the GPU during graphical tasks. These factors create divergent performance profiles despite similar silicon.

Tip: Raw chip specs don't tell the full story—thermal design, screen resolution, and battery capacity all influence sustained performance.

Benchmark Results: What the Tests Showed

Initial speed tests—popularized by outlets like Ars Technica, CNET, and iMore—consistently showed the iPad Mini 2 launching apps faster, rendering complex web pages with less lag, and maintaining frame rates in games longer than the iPhone 5s. In synthetic benchmarks like Geekbench, both devices scored nearly identically in single-core CPU performance, but the iPad often edged ahead in multi-core and graphics tests.

Why? Two reasons: clockspeed consistency and thermal headroom.

The A7 chip in the iPad Mini 2 could maintain peak clock speeds (~1.3GHz) longer due to superior passive cooling. The iPhone 5s, constrained by its compact aluminum body, throttled more quickly under sustained load. This didn’t affect short bursts—like opening Settings or Safari—but became noticeable during extended use.

“Thermal envelope is everything in mobile computing. Even with the same chip, device size can determine real-world responsiveness.” — Dr. Linus Sebastian, Tech Analyst & Founder of Linus Tech Tips

Real-World Usage: Does the Speed Gap Matter?

In daily use, most users wouldn’t notice a significant difference between the two devices. Both handled iOS 7 through iOS 10 smoothly. Apps launched quickly. Multitasking was fluid. For email, social media, and light gaming, the experience was virtually indistinguishable.

But power users saw discrepancies. Editing large photos in Photoshop Express, streaming HD video across multiple tabs, or playing OpenGL-based games like *Infinity Blade III* revealed subtle stutters on the iPhone 5s after prolonged sessions. The iPad Mini 2 maintained stability longer, not because it was fundamentally faster, but because it could sustain performance without overheating.

Mini Case Study: Long-Term User Experience

Consider Sarah, a freelance photographer who used both devices between 2014 and 2016. She carried the iPhone 5s daily for communication and quick edits, while using the iPad Mini 2 for client presentations and Lightroom touch-ups.

“I noticed the iPad felt snappier when I was flipping through high-res images,” she recalls. “The iPhone would sometimes pause for half a second, especially if I’d been using it heavily all day. At first, I thought it was software lag. But when I tested both side-by-side after a cold boot, they were almost equal. The iPad just didn’t slow down as fast.”

This aligns with engineering principles: transient performance versus sustained performance. The iPhone 5s wasn’t slower—it was thermally limited.

Was the Speed Test a Lie?

No—but it was incomplete.

The original speed tests weren’t falsified. They accurately measured what happened in controlled conditions. However, they often failed to clarify why the iPad Mini 2 appeared faster. Headlines like “iPad Mini 2 Destroys iPhone 5s in Speed Test!” created a false impression of architectural superiority, when in reality, both devices used the same brain in different bodies.

Additionally, some tests favored the iPad due to UI scaling. The larger screen meant fewer off-screen elements loaded simultaneously during scrolling, reducing memory pressure. Meanwhile, the iPhone’s smaller viewport required more frequent DOM reflows in browsers, slightly increasing processing overhead.

Factor	iPhone 5s	iPad Mini 2	Impact on Performance
Processor	A7 @ ~1.3GHz	A7 @ ~1.3GHz	Equal peak performance
RAM	1GB	1GB	Same multitasking limit
Display Resolution	1136×640	2048×1536	iPad demands more GPU power
Thermal Mass	Low (compact body)	Higher (larger chassis)	iPad sustains clockspeed longer
Battery Capacity	1560 mAh	6471 mAh	iPad can draw more power steadily

The narrative wasn’t a lie—it was oversimplified. Consumers walked away thinking the iPad had a better chip, when in fact, it was better equipped to use the same chip efficiently.

How Apple Optimized for Each Platform

Apple’s firmware team tailored iOS dynamically for each device. On the iPhone 5s, background processes were more aggressively managed to preserve battery and reduce heat. On the iPad Mini 2, the OS allowed longer CPU spikes and delayed throttling, knowing the device could handle it.

This kind of platform-specific tuning is standard practice today, but in 2013, it was less transparent to users. Without access to thermal logs or CPU frequency monitors, consumers relied on surface-level observations—like app launch speed—which could be influenced by cache states, background activity, or even ambient temperature.

Step-by-Step: Recreating a Fair Speed Test (2013 Era)

1. Power off both devices and let them rest for 30 minutes to ensure thermal neutrality.
2. Boot both simultaneously and avoid unlocking until fully loaded.
3. Clear app caches and disable background app refresh.
4. Launch the same app (e.g., Camera, Safari, or Notes) and time from tap to full interface readiness.
5. Repeat after 10 minutes of continuous use (e.g., video playback and web browsing).
6. Compare results: Initial launches may be close; sustained performance will favor the iPad.

This method reveals that the iPhone 5s starts strong but degrades faster—a nuance missing from many viral videos.

FAQ: Common Questions About the Comparison

Did the iPad Mini 2 have a faster processor than the iPhone 5s?

No. Both used the same A7 chip with identical architecture and clock speeds. Differences in performance stemmed from thermal design and power delivery, not raw hardware superiority.

Can the iPhone 5s run all the same apps as the iPad Mini 2?

Yes. Since they ran the same version of iOS and had the same API access, all apps were compatible. Some iPad apps offered enhanced layouts, but functionality was consistent.

Why do some YouTube videos still show the iPad winning every test?

Many older videos haven’t been updated with context. Additionally, retesting legacy devices today may yield skewed results due to battery degradation, outdated storage performance, or iOS version mismatches.

Checklist: Evaluating Legacy Device Performance Today

• ✅ Verify both devices are on the same iOS version
• ✅ Reset settings to factory defaults before testing
• ✅ Check battery health—degraded batteries throttle performance
• ✅ Avoid running tests in direct sunlight or hot environments
• ✅ Use repeated trials to average results, not one-off demos
• ✅ Consider real-world usage, not just benchmark scores

Conclusion: Truth Lies in Context

The speed test wasn’t a lie—but it wasn’t the whole truth either. The iPad Mini 2 did outperform the iPhone 5s in many scenarios, not because of a better chip, but because of better engineering around cooling, power, and display optimization. The iPhone 5s remained an exceptional phone, delivering responsive performance within its physical limits.

Understanding this distinction matters beyond nostalgia. As we evaluate modern devices—from the iPhone SE to the iPad Air—we must look past headlines and consider thermal design, software optimization, and usage patterns. Raw specs are just the beginning.

💬 Still using an iPhone 5s or iPad Mini 2? Share your experience. Did you notice a speed difference? Let us know in the comments—your insights help preserve the real history of mobile tech.