It was only a few short weeks ago that Apple introduced us to its first ever 'phablet' - the oversized iPhone 6 Plus.
With its 5.5-inch screen and tablet-alike features, some would argue that Apple has bitten into its own market by taking away many of the reasons that would make Apple fans want to own both an iPhone and a 7.9-inch iPad.
There are, of course, fans of Apple's diminutive tablet out there that might currently own an ageing Nexus 7 or Kindle Fire HD, and who aren't operating-system bias. For them, and Apple fans-alike, the lure of a shiny new tablet may be too tempting to avoid.
- Read our in-depth iPad mini 3 review
iPad mini 3 vs iPad mini 2: Design
Whether or not you are a follower of the fruity Cupertino collective, there's no denying that Apple has consistently got it right in the design department of its tablet range, ever since the original incarnation turned the idea of a chunky stylus-wielding tablet with a clunky interface on its head.
The iPad mini 3 is really only a very minor incremental upgrade from last year's second generation slate, so minor in fact that it sports exactly the same design, dimensions and weight as its predecessor.
That means it's 200 x 134.7 x 7.5 mm and tips the scales at 331g (or 341g if you opt for the 4G version). It's not a bad thing, as we're big fans of the iPad mini's design, but we were hoping for even a small tweak from Apple.
iPad mini 3 vs iPad mini 2: Touch ID
Why is Touch ID so high up the list here? Well apart from two new storage options on the iPad mini 3 the only thing that differentiates if from the iPad mini 2 is the presence of Touch ID on the home key.
Seriously, we're not kidding, that's it. Crazy, huh?
iPad mini 3 vs iPad mini 2: Display
No changed here, as Apple has stuck with the same 2048 x 1536 resolution, 7.9-inch display that was so impressive in the iPad mini 2.
That means the latest mini tablet from Apple is still packing 326 pixels per inch. It has to be said though, it's not alone in the world of pixel-packed 7 to 9-inch tablets, with the brand new Nexus 9 from Google & HTC packing in an equally gorgeous 2048 x 1536 resolution, while the 2013 Amazon Kindle HDX 7 and Nexus 7 both packed a perfectly sharp 1920 x 1200 resolution.
iPad mini 3 vs iPad mini 2: Camera
If you've skipped straight to this section in anticipation of some kind of tablet wonder-snapper, then we'll bring you right back down to earth.
Tablets aren't the photographic device of choice, and generally include cameras in order to offer video-chat and augmented reality capabilities.
Apple hasn't even bothered to upgrade the cameras on the iPad mini 3, with the pint-sized slate sticking with the same 5MP iSight rear camera and 1.2MP front facing FaceTime HD snapper of the iPad mini 2.
