Apple has done a great job of taking what was already a compelling product and making it even more enticing in its second generation version. If you skipped the original iPad, the iPad 2 is a great place to get in on the tablet action.

Better performance and graphics; thinner; more comfortable to hold; video mirroring

Poor camera quality; tapered edges make ports and buttons difficult to use

How much are apps worth to you? How about $120? If you want those iPad-exclusive apps and price is no object, then no other small-screen tablet will do. Beautifully made, slim, and light, the iPad mini ($329/16GB, $429/32GB, $529/64GB direct) packs precisely the power of an iPad 2 into a tablet...

Beautifully designed.Very good cameras; Largest library of tablet apps

Expensive; Wide; Slippery

The second iPad Mini is our favorite tablet of 2013, and the current tablet to beat. We wish it cost less than $400.

Adds a high-res Retina screen; Thin; light; and comfortable to hold; Powerful 64-bit processor; New Wi-Fi antennas are fast; iOS 7 runs smooth; Battery life is still 10 hours

Camera quality has not improved; A hair thicker and heavier than iPad Mini; $400 price tag is steep for a compact tablet; No fingerprint sensor; Some users complain about iOS 7's new look

If there's one tablet that's tailor made for built-in 4G, it's the iPad mini. This tablet is lighter and thinner than most 7-inch budget slates, yet packs a larger 7.9-inch screen for enjoying all of your apps, not to mention a full web experience, on the go.

The iPad 2 builds on the success of the original iPad. It's slightly thinner and smaller, while also including two cameras - one on the front for video calls and the other one on the back that can take 720p HD videos at 300 fps.

Verizon 4G LTE network is incredibly fast; 32GB microSD card included; Integrated kickstand works in portrait and landscape

Battery life is among the worst weve ever seen; No 4G LTE power toggle option; Kickstand in landscape orientation blocks microUSB port

When we first clutched last year's Apple iPad Mini , we were instantly sold. The compact and featherlight body was a dream compared with the 4th-generation iPad 's bulky, heavy build, making it friendly on our puny biceps.

Beautifully crisp and responsive screen; Impressive performance; Still comfortably slim and light

While Apple got almost everything right with the Retina iPad mini, there is a catch: The cost for every model has increased by $70 from last year's prices. The starting price for the iPad mini with Retina display is now $400.

Apple's Retina display standard once again lives up to the hype; The 64-bit A7 chip's performance impresses; just as it did on the iPad Air & iPhone 5s; Same great lightweight; ultraportable design as last year

Though lower-priced competition continues to improve; Apple has increased the iPad mini price by $70; Limited supply could make the Retina iPad mini hard to get for the holidays; Some may want to wait for Touch ID in a future model

Verdict: If you already own the original iPad there's little reason to splurge on the latest. While the cameras bring new functionality, the results as far as the rear camera is concerned, are basic.

More horsepower under the hood; slightly lighter; looks and feels great; battery life is still brilliant

Rear-facing camera offers basic results

Thanks to the discourse that was exposed during Samsung and Apple's legal spat in California, e-mail records revealed that Eddy Cue (senior vice president of Internet Software and Services at Apple) was pushing for a 7" iPad in 2011.

The Apple iPad 2 is about to hit European shelves, fresh form a diet and exercise regime that's helped it shed weight and build muscle. Faster, thinner and lighter is an accurate account of what's been going on in the year that divides the two editions of Apple's tablet.

9.7" capacitive IPS touchscreen display with a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels; oleophobic coating, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n connectivity, Optional 3G connectivity (data only, Optional GPS with A-GPS support, Apple A5 SoC - 1 GHz dual-core ARM Cortex A9 processor, PowerVR SGX543MP2 graphics, 512MB RAM,...

iTunes required for uploading content; No Flash support in the web browser; Poor still cameras – though; really; this thing isn't meant for taking candids; No standard USB port; No kickstand – it cannot stand on a table without the help of a dock stand or a Smart cover; Non replaceable battery; No...