For those who are dying to use Apple Pay for online purchases and don't want to bother with passwords, the iPad mini 3 is a solid pick, but the iPad Air 2's faster A8X chip, richer anti-reflective display and better 8-MP camera make that the best tablet in Apple's lineup.

Apple's smaller tablet is about the size of a book and gains a Touch ID fingerprint sensor, gold colour and extra storage option – but that's it

compact; good screen; fingerprint sensor; good battery life; solid build

barely any change from last year; expensive; no expandable storage; square screen

What can I say about the iPad mini 3 that hasn't already been said? No, seriously, what can I say? Apple's latest mini is essentially the same product as the first iPad Mini With Retina display with exactly four upgrades, only three of which are significant.

With the Apple iPad Mini 3 , Apple once again splits the specs between the larger iPad and its smaller sibling. How does the Mini 3 compare to the rest of the small tablet offerings on the market? Let's see how the reviews look!

Touch ID support; Great battery life; Peppy performance; Apple SIM

Little difference from iPad Mini 2; No NFC; Price

The iPad mini 3 is a great tablet in almost every way, and if that verdict sounds familiar, it's because that was our conclusion about the iPad mini 2. Apart from the Touch ID fingerprint reader and the option of a gold-coloured back, there's no difference between the two models.

This is the iPad mini we've all been waiting for. When the first generation iPad mini debuted in 2012, it was a terrific product. Apple's first stab at a smaller tablet looked more far more elegant than the competition, managed to squeeze a larger 7.9-inch display in a traditionally 7-inch tablet...

Gorgeous 2048 x 1536 pixel display; 10-plus hour battery life will more than serve your cross-country plane flight, or close to a week of casual daily use; A7 processor (with M7 co-processor) offers more power than you may ever need on a 7-inch tablet; Tons of Retina-optimized apps to choose from

Pricey---similar sized and specced tablets go for closer to $200; Stereo speakers both located on one end of the device; Would be nice if it had better networking capabilities