iPad mini ships with 5-watt power supply
The newest full-sized iPad ships with a 12-watt power supply that makes it possible to charge up the device much faster than with the 10-watt adapter used in previous models. So when the iPad mini was announced, there was a lot of speculation about whether or not the diminutive iPad would include that 12-watt adapter. A MacRumors reader was able to purchase an iPad mini at a Walmart store on Wednesday and confirmed that it is the same 5-watt adapter (picture at right) that is included with iPhone models.
As MacRumors notes, the 12-watt or 10-watt chargers could charge the iPad mini much more quickly than the 5-watt charger, provided that the iPad mini can draw more than five watts from the charger. Since the iPad mini's battery has three times the capacity of that in an iPhone 5, it would take about three times longer for the 5-watt adapter to charge the iPad mini.
If the iPad mini is designed to draw higher wattage, it would be possible to use one of the adapters designed for the full-sized iPads to provide a more speedy charge. With more iPad minis getting into the hands of consumers today, we hope to hear from TUAW readers exactly how the charging scenarios are working out.
