The second iPad mini comes with a much better Retina display with resolution of up to 2048x1356 pixels. In addition, it also comes with a faster Apple A7 chip with 64-bit architecture, 5-megapixel rear camera, front-facing camera for video calls, and 16 - 128 GB of internal storage.

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

The iPad mini with Retina display has arrived. As someone who dumped the full-sized iPad for the iPad mini a year ago , I've been excited to get my hands on this new model. Can its small size beat out the all-new, all-lightweight iPad Air for a place in my heart and my backpack?

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

This is the iPad mini we've all been waiting for. When the first generation iPad mini debuted last year, 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.

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 TouchID like the iPhone 5s, but with the problems cropping up related to that feature lately, we're wondering if not including it was a smart move after...

The iPad mini matches the full-sized iPad Air in display quality, design and performance. Just be prepared to pay more than you would have for last year's model.

Stunning display; Solid performance; Long battery life

No Touch ID; Relatively expensive

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

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

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...

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.