The iPad mini 3 has arrived and this time it is, to be honest slightly underwhelming. Apple’s new iPad mini hardly received a minute of stage time during the Keynote. It has gained the Touch ID sensor and new gold colour and a rethink the storage options and thats it. Same design, same price and same power.

The iPad mini 3 has the same Retina Display at 7.9-inches with 326ppi, same as last year. Also the 5MP camera goes unchanged whereas the iPad Air 2 has a 8MP offering. The FaceTime camera also remains the same. it is powered by the same A7 and M7 processors, same as the iPad mini 2.

The headline change to the slate is the addition of Touch ID, which has now made it’s way from the iPhone to the iPads. The new mini is also available in Gold, in addition to Silver and Space Grey.

Software & Pricing

In terms of software the iPad mini 3 will ship with iOS 8.1 which includes some much needed improvement to the operating system as well as Continuity, which was missing from the original iOS 8 release. Apple Pay for US customers is now added and the Camera Roll finds it’s way back to the Photos app. iOS 8.1 will be averrable this coming Monday.

The iPad mini 3 starts at the same £319 as the iPad mini 2. In terms of other prices, the iPad mini 3 starts at £319 for 16GB, £499 for 64GB and £549 for 128GB. WiFi and 3G/4G models are still available and they start at £419 for 16GB. 64GB is £499 and 128GB is £579.

In short the iPad mini 3 is a iPad mini 2, with the Touch ID and Gold option added. If you are not bothered by Touch ID, the iPad mini 1 from 2012 starts at £199 which is a bargain just in time for Christmas.