Anything is better than a 16 GBs iPad model.
The amount of available, practical, usable storage is based not only on how much iOS/iPadOS takes up but on the actual size that 1.0 GB is equivalent to, which for Apple 1.0 GB=1.074 GBs
Also, iOS/iPadOS devices need to maintain a minimum constant of between 2-4 GBs to ensure nominal, expected performance and function of iOS/iPadOS.
Also, my installation of iPadOS 13, currently, takes up 5.2 GBs of my storage
Your iPad Mini 2 under iOS 12, maybe slightly smaller
So,
A 16 GBs storage iPad starts out with 14.8 GBs. Minus 5.2 GBs for iOS/iPadOS leaves 9.6 GBs. Minus 3 GBs for iOS iPadOS system reserve to allow for acceptable, nominal, operation of iOS/iPadOS, equals 6.6 GBs of usable data storage space.
So, your 16 GBs iPad has ONLY between 6-8 GBs of actual, usable storage space and that is it!
As an example, the base model, 2019, 10.2 inch screen, 7th gen iPad with 32 GBs of storage,
A 32 GBs storage iPad starts out with 29.8 GBs. Minus 5.2 GBs for iOS leaves. 24.6. Minus 3 GBs for iOS iPadOS system reserve equals 21.6 GBs of usable data storage space.
So, that is between 21-23 GBs which nearly 3 times the internal storage space of a 16 GB iPad model.
The new iPad Mini 5 base model starts at 64 GBs. of internal data storage space and has all the most latest specs and is 1st gen Apple Pencil compatible.
A 64 GBs storage iPad starts out with 59.6 GBs. Minus 5.2 GBs for iOS leaves 54.4. Minus 3 GBs for iOS iPadOS system reserve equals 51.4 GBs of usable data storage space.
This is over 8 times the storage of your 16 GBs iPad Mini 2!
https://www.apple.com/ipad-mini/
iPad - Compare Models - Apple
Best of Luck to You!
