iPad Mini Teardown Reveals Samsung Display Driver, A5 Chip, Stereo Speakers - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

iPad Mini Teardown Reveals Samsung Display Driver, A5 Chip, Stereo Speakers

iFixit is currently working on a teardown of the iPad mini, revealing the internal components of the device for the first time.

One interesting development is the discovery of a Samsung display driver chip. It is unclear, however, whether this means that Samsung is also responsible for the display itself, as the codes found on the back of the display do not provide immediate evidence of its manufacturer. Display production had been reported to be split between AU Optronics and LG, with Samsung being left out on the iPad mini.

ipad mini a5
iPad mini's A5 chip

The teardown has also reached the logic board, revealing the A5 chip powering the device. The A5 chip found in iFixit's model carries date codes indicating that the package was put together in the 31st week of 2012, which would correspond to the end of July or the beginning of August.

ipad mini speakers teardown
iPad mini's stereo speakers

iFixit has also confirmed that the iPad mini contains stereo speakers, although the relatively small spacing between the two speakers means that the benefit of stereo sound will be marginal under most scenarios.

iFixit's teardown is still underway, and we will update this post with any additional observations of interest that may surface.

Related Roundup: iPad mini
Buyer's Guide: iPad Mini (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

ipad mini 7 feature red and blue

OLED iPad Mini: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Tuesday July 14, 2026 5:45 am PDT by
According to the latest rumors, Apple is close to launching its next-generation iPad mini. So what should we expect from the successor to the iPad mini 7 that Apple released over 20 months ago. Read on to find out. Processor and Performance Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iPad mini (codename J510/J511) that features the A19 Pro chip, according to information found in...
iPhone 5c Yellow

Apple Pulls Ability to Restore iPhone 5c, iPad Mini, and More [Updated]

Thursday July 9, 2026 5:31 am PDT by
Apple has stopped signing several older versions of iOS for a group of legacy iPhone and iPad models, cutting off the paths to reinstall or downgrade the affected software. Apple will no longer validate over-the-air (OTA) or direct IPSW installs of the builds in question. Once a version is unsigned, there is no longer a way to restore or install it through Finder or iTunes. The change is...
OLED iPad Mini Feature 2

Upcoming OLED iPad Mini Allegedly Uses 60Hz 8.4-Inch Display Panel

Tuesday July 14, 2026 5:36 am PDT by
Apple is allegedly using a 60Hz 8.4-inch display panel in the upcoming OLED iPad mini, which is expected to be released later this year. The information comes courtesy of a hit-and-miss tipster running the account "yeux1122" on the Korean Naver blog. The leaker claims to have been told by a source in Apple's supply chain that the unreleased iPad mini is equipped with a low-temperature...

Top Rated Comments

AQUADock Avatar
179 months ago
So it's a small iPad 2. Unless you want a smaller tablet, an iPad 2 refurb is a better choice IMHO.
How many times are people going to say this? It's not specifically a better choice because it's bigger.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
convergent Avatar
179 months ago
So it's a small iPad 2. Unless you want a smaller tablet, an iPad 2 refurb is a better choice IMHO.

Your statement makes zero sense. Do you not understand that the iPad "Mini" is intended for people that want a smaller tablet?????? This seems to be a foreign concept to many people in this forum. How is an iPad 2 refurb a better choice for someone that is shopping for an iPad Mini? Will the iPad 2 fold up somehow?
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macse30 Avatar
179 months ago
I'm gonna reattach one ear to the other side of my head for better stereo reception.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AQUADock Avatar
179 months ago
Wonder how much ram it has? Most likely 512Mb.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
179 months ago
So it's a small iPad 2. Unless you want a smaller tablet, an iPad 2 refurb is a better choice IMHO.

The entire point of this device is that it's a smaller tablet. If you don't want a smaller tablet, of course a bigger tablet is a better choice.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
daneoni Avatar
179 months ago
So it's a small iPad 2. Unless you want a smaller tablet, an iPad 2 refurb is a better choice IMHO.
I actually think they should kill off the iPad 2. Its still more expensive than the mini brand new and only marginally cheaper than the retina, and it lacks Siri. It sticks out like a sore thumb. Seems like a solution looking for a problem to me.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors