Despite the late Steve Jobs' pronouncements that Apple would never release a 7-inch tablet, Apple unveiled the iPad mini , a shrunk-down version of the 9.7-inch iPad. The general consensus around the Web is that the iPad mini is an excellent compact tablet.

I have a full size iPad and an iPhone, always enjoyed them, but the iPad was a bit heavy for some occasions and the iPhone was too small for some web pages. iPad mini seems to be a perfect in-between.

So, is it worth the extra £100? We think so.

Great design; IOS 6 is easy to use; screen size is good; long battery life; good camera

Screen isn't as good as Apple's Retina display; Expensive compared to rival Android tablets

The iPad mini is a very difficult device to describe to someone. On paper, it's not all that impressive. There are some numbers that are lower than other devices' number, some specs that mostly look two years old, and a price that doesn't exactly make it the most budget friendly device in the Nexus...

Best for portability

Very large screen for its size; Very light for its size; Fast system speed; Good sound quality; Consumer testers loved the design and feel; Consumer testers loved the camera functionality

Resolution not as impressive as other tablets tested; Few connectivity options

Apple's new iPad mini is likely to become its most popular iPad, due to a light, thin design that delivers tablet optimized apps in a more portable package at a reduced price.

The iPad mini is not just the best looking iPad ever, but the best looking tablet we have ever seen. Period. The front is dominated by the 7.9-inch touch screen display, even more so than in the larger iPad simply because the bezel has been shrunk, and the single Home key beneath the display made...

The iPad mini isn't just an Apple tablet made to a budget. This isn't just a shrunken-down iPad. This is, in many ways, Apple's best tablet yet

Beautiful; thin and light design; Stellar battery life; Bright; clear display; Sturdy construction

Too wide for some; Pricier than many 7-inch alternatives

An outstanding compact tablet, beautifully designed and with great battery life. Apple has done a great job with the iPad mini, although it we do feel that the pricing is not as competitive as it could be.

The iPad Mini is one of the few new product lines that Apple has unveiled this year, yet it's really just an incredibly shrunken-down redesign of the iPad 2. It's a perfect size and weight, and works exactly as advertised: it's a truly portable iPad with excellent battery life and nearly no...

The iPad Mini's ultra-thin and light design is far more intimate than the larger iPad; Offers a full iPad experience; The screen's dimensions elegantly display larger-format magazines and apps

Costs too much comparatively; The A5 processor isn't as robust as the one in the fourth-gen iPad and iPhone 5; Typing on the smaller screen is not quite as comfy