Which Apple tablet device is the better choice for consumers? We pit the iPad Air 2 against the iPad Mini 3 to see which device is worth the purchase.

In terms of design and display,the iPad Air 2 weighs 437 grams and its thickness is 6.1 mm, making it thinner but heavier than the iPad Mini 3 which is 7.5 mm thick and weighs 331 grams. Both tablet devices feature the same aluminum body that comes in space gray, silver and gold shadings.

The iPad Mini 3 has a 7.9 inch screen that uses a 2048 x 1536 resolution with a 326 ppi pixel density. The iPad Air 2 on the other hand, comes with the same resolution, but with a 264 ppi pixel density and a larger display which measures 9.7 inches. The iPad Air 2 display also features an anti-reflective coating that makes it more accessible for viewing content outdoors under direct sunlight.

For the hardware and OS, the iPad Air 2 comes with the newest A8X chip from Apple, which is a tri-core 64-bit model that has a clock speed of 1.5 GHz. The iPad Mini 3 on the other hand, has a A7 processor. The iPad Mini 3’s CPU also works on a 64-bit architecture, but with only 2 cores and a 1.3 GHz clock speed. The Air 2 has superior memory with 2 GB of RAM, as compared to the Mini 3’s 1 GB. the storage options remain the same, with 16, 64 and 128 GB variants available. Both devices run in the newest version of Apple’s iOS operating system, which has reached its 8th installment.

For camera specs, both Apple devices feature a 1.2 MP camera on the drontal panel, but the rear lens is superior on the iPad Air 2, with 8 MP, while the iPad Mini 3 has only 5 MP.

The iPad Mini 3 cost about $400, while the iPad Air 2 is at $500.

Which Apple device is the better purchase? Sound off in the comments section below.