Each and every year, Apple refreshes their tablet line-up with new hardware and new features. The full sized iPad got faster, lighter, slimmer and even received a new name ( iPad Air ), while the second-generation mini is more impressive than ever, thanks to a major update.

Very portable, with a well built, well designed body; Retina display is very crisp, powered by fast, significantly upgraded hardware; iOS has by far the best selection of tablet apps going around

Pricey, especially for storage upgrades and the cellular model; Display color gamut is lacking

The Good - Superb build quality and design - Cutting-edge processor and graphics performance - iOS 7 a beautiful and powerful complement to hardware - Outstanding built-in and free iWork, iLife apps - Retina display most pixel dense iPad display yet The Bad - Relatively high up-front price -...

- Superb build quality and design - Cutting-edge processor and graphics performance - iOS 7 a beautiful and powerful complement to hardware - Outstanding built-in and free iWork; iLife apps - Retina display most pixel dense iPad display yet

- Relatively high up-front price - Slightly thicker and heavier than non-Retina model - Retina display outclassed by iPad Air Retina display - No Wi-Fi 802.11ac support

The iPad mini Retina is here and it clears up one of the biggest complaints about the original iPad mini: the screen. With the original it wasn't as good as the iPad or the iPhone, but with the Retina display now on board the iPad mini 2 looks to be an incredible tablet device.

Portable; powerful; great screen; as a tablet should be

No Touch ID; not 802.11ac; no microSD

In our review of Apple's original iPad mini last year, we remarked that its exceptional iOS app catalogue, outstanding build quality and super light weight were only let down by a mediocre screen.

Excellent battery life; Retina screen a big upgrade; Fast; snappy performance

More expensive than predecessor; Screen can't match iPad Air

In our review of Apple's original iPad mini last year, we remarked that its exceptional iOS app catalogue, outstanding build quality and super light...

Excellent battery life; Retina screen a big upgrade; Fast; snappy performance

More expensive than predecessor; Screen can't match iPad Air

Small doesn't have to mean second-rate, we've seen the future of tablets and it looks like the Retina iPad Mini

Gorgeous build; stunning Retina screen; All day battery life; Much faster than the original Mini

Very expensive compared to 7/8in tablets; No expandable storage; Marginally inferior colours compared to Air's screen

Review Last year's iPad Mini really was playing second fiddle to the regular iPad. Not merely smaller than its sibling, the Mini had a much lower resolution display. It had a less powerful processor too. It felt like a product Apple was obliged to make rather than one it actually wanted to.

Apple has taken its landmark tablet and made it significantly better. There's no doubt this is the best small tablet on the market, and should budget not be a primary factor in a buying decision then it's the device to go for whether it's for screen quality, range of apps, battery life, physical...

Amazing display, excellent battery life, fast processor, great 3D graphics, easy to use, app store still number one for quality and variety A more expensive choice in the current tablet market Despite being scored eight-out-of-ten when it was first released in 2012, Apple's iPad mini has been a firm...

Amazing display, excellent battery life, fast processor, great 3D graphics, easy to use, app store still number one for quality and variety

A more expensive choice in the current tablet market

At ￡319 for the 16GB, cellular-free, model, the iPad Mini Retina isn't cheap, especially compared to its rivals. Things get almost MacBook-like at the top-end, with the 128GB/4G model setting you back ￡659.

Stunning Retina display; Speed performance; Size and weight for daily use

Price; No Touch ID