Xciel · Certified Ex case
Xciel XCZ1 iPad mini 5
- Zone 1
- ATEX
- IECEx
- IIC
- T5
Check availability. Xciel still lists it and says it has iPad mini 5 stock. Apple no longer sells the iPad mini 5, so supply is limited.
The Xciel XCZ1 iPad mini 5 is a flameproof (Ex d) case for the iPad mini (5th generation), certified for Zone 1 under IECEx. Xciel also states ATEX certification, but the certificate isn't published. The tablet inside is a standard iPad mini (5th generation) running iPadOS 26, so it works with the same apps and device management.
- Certified for
- Zone 1
- Protection
- Flameproof enclosure (Ex db)
- Screen
- 7.9-inch
- Temperature class
- T5 (≤ 100 °C)
- Ambient temperature
- −20 °C to +45 °C
- Operating system
- iPadOS 26
- Security updates
- Ended March 2024
- Weight
- 1111 g
- Price
- On request
Overview
Strengths and limitations
Strengths
- Camera-free version available for sites that restrict cameras
- A standard iPad mini (5th generation) inside, with the same apps and Apple device management
Limitations
- T5 temperature class: fine for most gases, but not those that ignite below 100 °C
- No dust zone rating
- Apple's minimum update period for this iPad has ended: for existing fleets only
- Ambient rating tops out at +45 °C
- Not certified for Zone 0
Best for
Certification
Where you can use it
Gas
- Zone 0not certified.Explosive gas present continuously or for long periods
- Zone 1certified.Explosive gas likely in normal operation
- Zone 2certified.Explosive gas unlikely, and only briefly
Dust
No dust zones listed in our verified data. Check the certificate.
The Ex marking, decoded
Gas atmospheresZones 1 and 2
II2GExdbIICT5Gb
IIEquipment group- Group II: equipment for surface industries (not mining).
2GATEX category- Category 2 for gas: suitable down to Zone 1.
ExExplosion protected- Certified to the IEC 60079 / EN 60079 series.
dbProtection type- Flameproof enclosure: the housing is built to contain an ignition inside it and stop the flame reaching the atmosphere outside.
IICGas group- Gas group IIC, e.g. hydrogen and acetylene. The most demanding group; also covers IIA and IIB.
T5Temperature class- Surface stays below 100 °C. T6 is the strictest class.
GbProtection level- Equipment protection level Gb (high): suitable for Zone 1 and 2.
Gas atmospheresZones 1 and 2
ExdbIICT5Gb
ExExplosion protected- Certified to the IEC 60079 / EN 60079 series.
dbProtection type- Flameproof enclosure: the housing is built to contain an ignition inside it and stop the flame reaching the atmosphere outside.
IICGas group- Gas group IIC, e.g. hydrogen and acetylene. The most demanding group; also covers IIA and IIB.
T5Temperature class- Surface stays below 100 °C. T6 is the strictest class.
GbProtection level- Equipment protection level Gb (high): suitable for Zone 1 and 2.
Safe use
Rules for the hazardous area
- Ambient temperature (Ta)
- −20 °C to +45 °C
- Charging
- Outside the hazardous area only
- Battery swap
- Outside the hazardous area only
- Ports and accessories in the zone
- Lightning charging plug with set screw must be fully engaged and tightened; charge only outside the hazardous area
- Certified accessories
- Options listed (magnet mount, locking system, touch pen, ballistic nylon case, nylon X strap, hard shell case); Ex rating of accessories not statedUnconfirmed, see note 1
- Operating temperature
- −20 °C to +45 °C
Conditions of use
The iPad Mini shall not be removed from the aluminium case. The iPad shall not be charged when hazardous atmospheres are present. Resellers, end users and Xciel are not allowed to repair the flameproof joints. The cover bolts should not be removed; they may only be replaced with identical ones (A2 stainless M5x0.8x8 mm Torx head, or pan head if Torx is not available, tensile strength at least 500 MPa, torque 5.9 N.m). After recharging, inspect the plug threads and female threads, install the power plug with all threads fully engaged and tighten the set screw (M4 x 0.70 mm A2-70 cup point) with the tool provided, checking it sits in the groove of the plug head. Rubber bumpers must be fitted at all times and inspected before each use.
Specifications
Full specifications
Device specifications are for the iPad mini (5th generation) inside. “What works through the case” shows which of its features you can use in the case.
Certification
- ATEX marking
- II 2G Ex db IIC T5 Gb
- ATEX certificate
- Not published
- IECEx marking
- Ex db IIC T5 Gb
- IECEx certificate
- IECEx EXV 19.0026X
- Protection level (EPL)
- Gb
Device
- Type
- Certified Ex case
- Tablet inside
- iPad mini (5th generation)
- Also fits
- iPad mini 4
- Fitting
- Fitted by the makerUnconfirmed, see note 2
- Tablet can be removed
- No (certificate: the iPad shall not be removed from the aluminium case)
- Launched
- 2019
- Part numbers
- XCZ1MINI5; XCZ1 mini 5-64-x, -256-x, -4G variants; XCZ1 Mini 5-WOC; XCZ1 mini 5 Kit
- Operating system
- iPadOS 26
- Edition
- iPadOS (consumer; no LTSC or enterprise edition)
- OS at launch
- iPadOS 12.2
- OS upgrades
- iPadOS 26 (dropped by iPadOS 27)
- Security updates
- Ended March 2024
- Processor
- Apple A12 Bionic
- Processor architecture
- Arm
- Memory (RAM)
- 3 GBUnconfirmed, see note 3
- Storage
- 64 GB, 256 GB
What works through the case
- Apple Pencil / stylus
- Capacitive stylus compatible (Xciel 'MicroFibre Capacitive Stylus' option); Apple Pencil attach/charge not possible through the sealed case (not stated by Xciel)Unconfirmed, see note 4
- Side and volume buttons
- External power, volume and mute buttons
- Touchscreen
- Works through a sapphire glass window; stylus and gloves compatibleUnconfirmed, see note 4
- Screen cover
- Integral glass window (part of the flameproof enclosure)
- Charging
- Lightning cable through a screwed plug (set screw); charge outside the hazardous area only
- USB-C port
- No USB-C: iPad mini 4/5 use Lightning behind the sealed plug
- SIM card
- SIM card cover; user may remove its fasteners
- Removed or disabled
- Nothing removed in the standard case; -NIC option removes the camera modulesUnconfirmed, see note 4
- Mounting points
- Magnet Mounting System (XCZ1-MM), locking system, carrying handle, shoulder strap, chest harness (options)
Field capabilities
- Push-to-talk
- Via app (third-party PTT apps over Wi-Fi/cellular; no PTT key; Ex-rated? n/a)Unconfirmed, see note 5
- Lone worker
- Via app (third-party lone-worker apps)Unconfirmed, see note 5
- Barcode scanning
- Via app (camera-based scanning; no scan engine)Unconfirmed, see note 5
- NFC reading
- Not possible (no NFC reader on any iPad)Unconfirmed, see note 5
- 3D scanning / LiDAR
- Not possible (no LiDAR on this iPad)
- Remote expert / video calls
- Via app (FaceTime, Teams or remote-assist apps; needs camera and audio access through the case)Unconfirmed, see note 5
- Windows desktop software
- Not possible (iPadOS only)
- Bluetooth gas detectors
- Via app (Bluetooth 5.0; vendor app; no maker-certified integration listed)Unconfirmed, see note 5
Display and camera
- Display
- 7.9-inch Retina IPS LCD, P3, True Tone, antireflective coating
- Resolution
- 2048 × 1536 (326 ppi)
- Brightness
- 500 nits
- Pen / stylus
- Apple Pencil (1st generation)
- Rear camera
- 8 MP
- Front camera
- 7 MP FaceTime HD
- Video
- 1080p video
Connectivity
- Network
- Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi + Cellular (LTE)
- Wi-Fi
- 802.11ac, dual band, MIMO
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.0
- Satellite positioning
- GPS/GNSS on Wi-Fi + Cellular models; digital compass and Wi-Fi location on all
- SIM
- Nano-SIM and eSIM (cellular models)
Physical and power
- Weight
- 1111 g (including the tablet)
- Dimensions
- 241 × 171 × 15 (datasheet); certificate: 171 × 240 × 17 mmUnconfirmed, see note 6
- Ingress protection
- IP54
- Battery
- 5124Unconfirmed, see note 7
- Battery energy
- 19.1
- Battery life
- Up to 10 hours web or video on Wi-Fi
- Hot-swap battery
- No
- Replaceable battery
- No
- Ports and expansion
- Lightning
- Docking
- USB-C hubs and docks; Smart Connector or magnetic keyboard accessories where the iPad has them. Not usable through sealed Ex cases except the USB-C or Lightning charging port where the case exposes it.
Controls & Accessibility
- Keys
- Top (sleep/wake) button, volume buttons, Home button with Touch ID; no programmable hardware key
- Push-to-talk key
- No
- Biometrics
- Touch ID (home button)
Fleet and support
- Manufacturer
- Xciel Inc, USA
Only specifications we could check are listed. A numbered marker next to a value means it is unconfirmed: it comes from a single or secondary source, or sources disagree. The matching note at the foot of the page explains each one. See the Xciel Inc website for the full data sheet.
Compare
How it compares
Best in this comparison
XcielXciel XCZ1 iPad mini 5This tablet | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Certified Ex case | Certified Ex case | Certified Ex case | Converted tablet |
| Screen size | 7.9-inch | 8.3-inch | 11-inch | 8.3-inch |
| Availability | Current | Current | Current | Current |
| Gas zones | Zone 1, Zone 2 | Zone 1, Zone 2 | Zone 1, Zone 2 | Zone 1, Zone 2 |
| Dust zones | — | Zone 21, Zone 22 | Zone 21, Zone 22 | Zone 21, Zone 22 |
| Protection | Flameproof enclosure (Ex db) | Flameproof enclosure (Ex db) | Flameproof enclosure (Ex db) | Flameproof enclosure (Ex db) |
| Gas group | IIC | IIC | IIC | IIC |
| Temperature class | T5 | T6 (best in this comparison) | T6 (best in this comparison) | T4 |
| Certification | ATEX + IECEx | ATEX + IECEx | ATEX | ATEX + IECEx |
| North America | — | — | — | Class I Division 2 |
| Ambient temperature | −20 °C to +45 °C | −20 °C to +40 °C (standard range: no Ta is marked on IECEx TPS 25.0016X, so IEC 60079-0 applies) | −20 °C to +45 °C | −20 °C to +50 °C |
| Charging in the Ex area | Not allowed | Not allowed | — | Not allowed |
| Operating system | iPadOS 26 | iPadOS 27 | iPadOS 27 | iPadOS 27 |
| Security updates | Ended March 2024 | At least until October 2029 (Apple's minimum) | 7–8 years (based on previous iPad Pro support) (best in this comparison) | Ended September 2026 |
| Weight | 1111 g | 1396 g | 1350 g | 990 g (best in this comparison) |
| Display | 7.9-inch Retina IPS LCD, P3, True Tone, antireflective coating | 8.3-inch Liquid Retina IPS LCD, P3, True Tone, fully laminated, antireflective coating | 11-inch Ultra Retina XDR tandem OLED, ProMotion 10-120 Hz, P3, True Tone, antireflective coating; nano-texture glass option on 1 and 2 TB | 8.3-inch Liquid Retina IPS LCD, P3, True Tone, antireflective coating |
| 5G | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pen / stylus | Apple Pencil (1st generation) | Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil (USB-C); hover | Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil (USB-C); magnetic attach and charge, hover | Apple Pencil (2nd generation), Apple Pencil (USB-C); magnetic attach and charge (2nd gen) |
| Replaceable battery | No | No | No | No |
| Hot-swap battery | No | No | No | No |
| Price | On request | On request | On request | On request |
FAQ
Common questions
Is the Xciel XCZ1 iPad mini 5 certified for Zone 1?
Yes. The Xciel XCZ1 iPad mini 5 is certified for Zone 1 with the marking II 2G Ex db IIC T5 Gb. Equipment certified for Zone 1 can also be used in Zone 2.
Can the Xciel XCZ1 iPad mini 5 be used in Zone 0?
No. It is not certified for Zone 0. Zone 0 needs equipment with protection level Ga, such as Ex ia intrinsic safety.
What type of explosion protection does the Xciel XCZ1 iPad mini 5 use?
It uses a flameproof enclosure (Ex db), a form of explosion-proof protection. The housing is built to contain an ignition inside it and stop the flame reaching the surrounding atmosphere.
What does T5 mean for the Xciel XCZ1 iPad mini 5?
Its surface stays below 100 °C, so it is suitable for gases that only ignite above that temperature. Check the ignition temperature of the substances on your site.
Can you charge the Xciel XCZ1 iPad mini 5 in a hazardous area?
No. The certificate only allows charging outside the hazardous area.
Which tablet is inside the Xciel XCZ1 iPad mini 5?
A standard iPad mini (5th generation). It is also certified for the iPad mini 4. A certified enclosure that lets a standard consumer tablet be used in hazardous areas.
Which ports and accessories can be used with the Xciel XCZ1 iPad mini 5 in the hazardous area?
Lightning charging plug with set screw must be fully engaged and tightened; charge only outside the hazardous area
What operating system does the Xciel XCZ1 iPad mini 5 run?
iPadOS 26. Apple guarantees security updates until at least March 2024; earlier iPads have had longer support.
Is the Xciel XCZ1 iPad mini 5 still available?
Xciel still lists it and says it has iPad mini 5 stock. Apple no longer sells the iPad mini 5, so supply is limited.
How much does the Xciel XCZ1 iPad mini 5 cost?
Prices for certified hazardous-area tablets depend on volume, configuration and region, so they are on request. Contact us for a price.
Notes on unconfirmed values
- Not checked against the certificate for this exact model. Return to note 1
- Not stated by the maker for this exact model. Return to note 2
- Apple doesn't publish RAM; from independent teardowns. Return to note 3
- Inferred from related information; not stated by the maker for this exact model. Return to note 4
- Not confirmed by the maker for this exact model. Return to note 5
- From a single source. Return to note 6
- Apple states battery capacity in watt-hours only; this figure is from the case maker's documents. Return to note 7
Sources and verification
Facts last verified on against:
- IECEx Certificate Database (ExVeritas): IECEx EXV 19.0026X issue 2, 2023-06-22, Current
- IECEx Certificate Database (Bureau Veritas CPS): IECEx EPS 20.0048X issue 1, 2021-12-16, Current (EXd-TABLET-M5; issue 0 titled TAB-EXd-IPAD-M5)
- IECEx Certificate Database (ExVeritas): IECEx EXV 23.0054X issue 1, 2025-01-20, Current
- Xciel: XCZ1 iPad Mini 5 datasheet (PDF, 2022-10)
- Xciel: XCZ1 iPad Mini 6 datasheet (PDF)
- Xciel: I.S. iPad range page (read 2026-10-25)
- Xciel: Online store: XCZ1 iPad mini 7 / 6 / 5 enclosure pages (read 2026-10-25)
- Apple: Identify your iPad model (model numbers, years)
- Apple: UK PSTI Statements of Compliance, one per model (regulatoryinfo.apple.com/ukpsti): first supply date and minimum 5-year defined support period
- Apple: iPadOS 27 compatibility list (apple.com/os/ipados)
- BGR / EveryMac / 9to5Mac: iPadOS 27 drops iPad mini 5, iPad 8, iPad Air 3, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st gen (release 2026-09-14)
Always check the certificate for your exact model before use. Spotted an error? Tell us.