The Good Outstanding design & build quality Great new display A8 processor is fast iOS 9 gives iPad new tricks The Bad More expensive than competition Little else Apple's iPad remains one of the most accessible personal computing devices ever made.

Outstanding design & build quality; Great new display; A8 processor is fast; iOS 9 gives iPad new tricks

More expensive than competition; Little else

The iPad Mini 4 is the King of compact tablets. Impossibly thin, lighter and faster than before, and with outstanding front and rear cameras, the Mini 4 has the power of a full-size tablet in a compact form factor.

Apple's iPad Mini 4 still works well, even if the insides are starting to get a bit dated.

Small and compact; Strong and attractive all-metal design; iOS 9's multi-tasking is useful; Faster A8 processor

It's pricier than Android alternatives; iPad Air 2 and iPad Pro offer more

Apple hasn't revolutionised the iPad Mini with this fourth model but it's certainly one of the best sub-10-inch tablets you can buy right now. A desirable combination of slick performance and longevity, combined with some serious media chops, make the Mini 4 a solid choice for almost any user.

Super thin and light; Slick performance; Great battery life

For shoppers looking for a compact, wallet-friendly tablet with premium features, the $399 iPad mini 4 is a solid choice. This device has not been completely overhauled or upgraded since the previous generation mini 3 and mini 2.

Sep 25 2015 - Apple's 4th generation iPad Mini received many of the updates that it should have last year when they released the iPad Mini 3. The tablet is now thinner thanks to the laminated glass display which also greatly helps improve the display especially outdoors.

. We still gave its third generation five stars for performance, but it was ultimately little more than an

Sharp; vibrant screen; Excellent colour balance; Fast; slick performance; Detailed; refined sound; Gorgeous design; Strong app selection

Storage is non-expandable

The iPad Mini 4 replaces the iPad mini 3 and with it closes the book on one of Apple's laziest upgrades in recent years. Overshadowed by huge advancements with the iPad Air 2, last year's iPad mini 3 struggled to find its place in the range, coming across as a device that was neither top-of-the-tree...

Smaller and slimmer design; decent performance; Touch ID fingerprint scanner; anti-reflective screen

Screen is a bit small for Split View in iOS 9; not as powerful as the iPad Air 2; iPad mini 2 far cheaper

Update : The iPad mini 4 has had a free boost to its storage, so if you've yet to hop onto the mini train, you'll now get it by default in 128GB capacity in both Wi-Fi and cellular variants. For those in need of a small tablet, the purchase decision may have just gotten easier.

So do Apple's petite tablets make sense any more? I've been running with the iPhone 6s Plus in tandem with the mini 4, just to see how often I'd reach for the mini's extra 2.5 inches of screen.

Subtle display tweaks make it easier on the eyes; Super portable form factor; Longevity in battery life

FaceTime camera is still a measly 1.2MP; No 3D Touch