Apple's iPad Mini 3 vs iPad Air; reviews of the tech giant's latest entry to the tablet arena leaves a lot to be desired.

Apple's iPad Mini 3 vs iPad Air is a comparison of specs, even though both devices considerably stand on their own merits.

The tech giant has a knack for going against the trend of bigger devices, releasing iPhones and iPads smaller than their predecessors.

Android devices, on the other hand, progressively became larger with each upgrade; though these are accompanied with better specs and new features, some devices have become too wieldy to be serviceable.

Apple's iPad Mini 2 offered a compact alternative to the usual fare of tablets when it came out last year. Users were able to enjoy the same performance of the larger iPad on a smaller, more compact device.

Reviews of the iPad Mini 3 don't offer much improvements on the iPad Mini 2, though, in terms of specs. While the latter was a fitting alternative to the iPad, the new iPad Mini 3 doesn't make the same convincing argument, especially for those who already own an iPad Mini 2.

The Verge reviews Apple's latest release in the Mini market, lukewarm and disappointed. "Touch ID is the only new hardware feature (if you don't count the gold color option). If you've been using an iPhone with Touch ID, you'll no longer feel that moment of cognitive dissonance when resting your finger on the home button doesn't unlock the iPad."

"Really, most of the complaints I have are only in comparison to the iPad Air or to some ideal smaller tablet I wish Apple had made instead of just rehashing last year's model. Last year's A7 processor still handles most apps and video fine (though truly intensive games will drop frames)."

The Retina screen retains solid response, and the display is serviceable compared to the best devices around. The iPad Mini 3 vs iPad Air is a fitting match-up, which is more than can be said if the same mini is pitted against the iPad Air 2 (source: theverge.com).