iPad Air 2 or iPad Mini 3 - Apple tablets compared

Apple offers its iPad in two different sizes. In our large tablet comparison, we will tell you whether the large iPad Air 2 or the smaller iPad Mini 3 is currently ahead.

David vs. Goliath: External differences of the iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3

The size differences of the Apple tablets can be seen at first glance: While the iPad Mini 3 wants to be small and mobile, the manufacturer tries to create a handy notebook replacement with the iPad Air 2.

• Display: For the iPad Air 2, Apple uses the usual 9.7-inch display format. Overall, the large iPad measures 240 x 169.5 x 6.1 millimeters. The iPad Mini 3, on the other hand, is just 200 x 134.7 x 7.5 millimeters with a 7.9-inch screen. The resolution is the same for both devices with 2048 x 1536 pixels. This gives the iPad Mini 3 a higher pixel density (324 ppi) than the big sister model (264 ppi)
• Case: Both tablets have a chic aluminum back and look very high quality. The iPads are available in gold, silver or space gray.
• Camera: The iPad Air 2 scores with an 8-megapixel camera that records videos in Full HD and 30 FPS. The iPad Mini 3, however, is only 5 megapixels. Really great photos don't work with both tablets. This also applies to the front camera: Apple uses 1.2 megapixels for both devices.
• Connections: Both the iPad Air 2 and the iPad Mini 3 have a Lightning connector. You can use it to charge the tablets, connect them to the PC or connect accessories. There is also a version of both tablets with a SIM card slot and LTE. You cannot expand the memory on any of the iPads.

The inner life: Hardware of the Apple tablets in the check

Not only on the outside, but also on the inside, the iPads show some differences. In terms of hardware in particular, the large model has the edge.

• Hardware: The iPad Air 2 is operated by a powerful Apple A8X + M8 motion processor with three cores and 1.5 GHz. There are also two GB of RAM. The iPad Mini 3, on the other hand, looks weak with its dual-core Apple A7 + M7 Motion with 1.3 GHz and 1 GB RAM. However, the test shows that both tablets work quickly and efficiently and can even handle demanding apps without any problems.
• Equipment: Both tablets are available with either 16 GB, 64 GB or 128 GB hard disk space. If you want to surf on the go, you can use the models with LTE. For all others, the iPads offer WLAN-ac and Bluetooth LE. Both the iPad Air 2 and the Mini 3 support Apple's latest iOS 9 operating system.
• Battery life: In the test, the iPad Air 2 only lags after about eight hours of video playback. When surfing, it's still over five hours. But the iPad Mini can easily keep up with this: Surfing is only over after 6.5 hours. However, the tablet only lasts just over seven hours in video playback.

Conclusion: iPad Mini 3 against iPad Air 2

Both tablets are well equipped and have no problems with current games or apps. The only real difference is the size. So if you prefer a small, handy tablet, you should go for the iPad Mini 3. For everyone else, the iPad Air 2 is worth it. But you shouldn't lose sight of the price either:

• You currently pay around 600 euros for the iPad Mini 3 with 128 GB and LTE. For the smallest version with WiFi, it is still around 320 euros. You can find the cheapest price for each model in our constantly updated price comparison.
• With the iPad Air 2 you have to dig deeper into your pocket. The version with 128 GB of memory and LTE costs around 720 euros. The smallest version without LTE, however, costs around 440 euros. You can always find the best prices here in our price comparison.

Apple has already introduced the successor to the iPad Mini 3. Our large tablet comparison shows whether the new iPad Mini 4 is really worth it.