max wattage for ipad 5th gen

All iPads and iPhones charge at standard USB 5volts. The current varies amongst the different models of devices, but the voltage output of the power bricks is always 5v. Since each device governs it’s own charging, as long as the current is the minimum for the device, anything higher is safe albeit not necessarily going to make a difference in charge time. You could use a 29watt Laptop power brick to charge it if you wanted. The device will never draw more current than it is designed to.

Michael Black wrote:

All iPads and iPhones charge at standard USB 5volts. The current varies amongst the different models of devices, but the voltage output of the power bricks is always 5v. Since each device governs it’s own charging, as long as the current is the minimum for the device, anything higher is safe albeit not necessarily going to make a difference in charge time. You could use a 29watt Laptop power brick to charge it if you wanted. The device will never draw more current than it is designed to.

A lot of people don't seem to understand how a current-limited voltage source works. Of course it doesn't matter what the maximum output of the power adapter is provided the device regulates the input current. If it's well designed it's practically just a pure voltage source. I've heard way too many incorrect claims that a power adapter rated for higher output will damage a device, which is utterly incorrect. That being said, keeping the charge current down might be mildly beneficial for battery life, but I don't particularly worry about it.

Certainly the quality of the power supply does matter. A poorly regulated power supply can damage an iPad if it allows the voltage to spike.

iPad Mini 5 does not support fast charging. According to the spec for your iPad it has a 19.5 w/hour Lithium iON Battery.

It came with either a 10 - or 12 watt charger. I suppose you could use an 18 watt charger and it would charge slightly faster, but it won't be dramatically faster.

Just as an aside, all my current iOS devices say that they can use up to 2100 mA when connected to a Mac. I'm not sure what the deal is but it's been my understanding that it's pretty much the limit for current through Lightning except for the use of Apple's USB-C to Lightning cable which does "Fast Charge". Apple doesn't specify exactly the max current for this "Fast Charge", although 3rd party tests suggest it is less than 50% faster during the period before all charging slows down.

I'm glad you answered. Perhaps I didn't understand the question?

You're welcome.