Here's our breakdown of everything you need to know about the iPad Mini 3.
Prices: iPad Mini 3 is priced at $399 for a 16GB model, $499 for a 64GB model and $599 for a 128GB model. Models with cellular connectivity cost an additional $130 for each model.
Deals: Check out this iPad Mini 3 for $325, it's one the far left of the page.
Pros: iPad Mini 3 is smaller in size and is more portable. It has excellent battery life. An added feature is the Touch ID fingerprint sensor. This adds to the security. With the new iOS 8, Touch ID can be used with third party applications. Apple Pay and health kit are also available. The display is top-notch and the device is now available in a gold variant too.
Cons: The screen and camera have not seen any changes. The only additions to the Mini 3 are the Touch ID and gold option, which do not justify the $100 price hike. There is no option to add an external micro SD memory card. The camera still does not have flash and results in very grainy darker lighted photos.
Specs: The Apple iPad Mini 3 runs on iOS 8.1, upgradable to iOS 8.1.3 operating system and a dual-core 1.3 GHz Cyclone (ARM v8-based) processor. It has 1 GB RAM and comes in variants of 16, 64 and 128 GB. There is a 5 MP iSight HD primary camera with FaceTime, time lapse mode, autofocus, face detection in still images etc. and 1.2 MP secondary camera. It has a 2048 x 1536 multi-touch screen with retina display and fingerprint resistant oleophobic coating. The Mini 3 sports a fingerprint reader for added security.
Talking Points: Sony is launching the Xperia Z4 tablet, its first "iPad Air competitor" in a year. While it may look similar to the Z2 tablet that it is to replace, a lot has changed.
Apply has quoted a high price for a device that is essentially the device launched last year with a few updates. At this price, an additional $100 will fetch the much more powerful and considerably larger iPad Air 2.
Conclusion: iPad Mini 3 has only a couple of upgrades from the previous model -- Touch ID and the gold casing. This is disappointing since the device is very similar to the Mini 2. While the Mini 3 does have attractive features, the Mini 2 is a better bargain.
