iPad Mini 3: Is Touch ID Button Worth $100 More?

At long last Apple has unveiled the iPad mini 3, and Apple aficionados may be looking to send their iPad mini 2 (formally known as the iPad mini with Retina Display) to the land of refurbished gadgets. But with the iPad 2 discounted to $299, what does moving up to the $399 iPad 3 get you? A new button — specifically, Apple's Touch ID button that reads your fingerprint, saving you the arduous task of typing in a four-character password. If you think that convenience is worth $100, the iPad Mini may be for you. If not, and you've been eying an iPad mini longingly, Apple has just gifted you a $100 discount.

The only other changes are more storage options — with 64 and 128GB varieties — and fewer color options. If you love goooold, you'll be disappointed to learn that Apple has eliminated that option from the iPad mini 2, leaving consumers with Silver and Space Gray. If you want the Midas touch, you'll have to spend the extra $100 bucks to get a mini 3.

MORE: Apple iPad Buying Guide: Which iPad is Right For You?

Quizzically, while the iPad mini 3 is available in 16, 64 and 128GB varieties, 32GB is noticeably absent. But if 32GB is your sweet spot, you can get it for $349 on the iPad mini 2 Wi-Fi version. That's $50 cheaper than the 16GB version ($399) of the mini 3 and $150 less than the $499 64GB edition of the device. It's almost as if Apple were trying its damnedest to dissuade consumers from making the leap from mini 2 to mini 3?

Just to be clear, this table shows how the two models compare (read carefully).

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Row 0 - Cell 0 iPad mini 2iPad mini 3
Price with Wi-Fi$299 (16GB), $349 (32GB)$399 (16GB), $499 (64GB), $599 (128GB)
Price with 4G LTE$429 (16GB), $479 (32GB)$529 (16GB), $629 (64GB), $729 (128GB)
CarrierAT&T / Verizon/Sprint/T-MobileAT&T / Verizon/Sprint/T-Mobile
AvailabilityNowNow
Dimensions (in.)7.87 x 5.3 x 0.29 inches7.87 x 5.3 x 0.29 inches
Weight0.73 pounds (Wi-Fi), 0.75 pounds (4G LTE)0.73 pounds (Wi-Fi), 0.75 pounds (4G LTE)
Display Size9.7-inch9.7-inch
Display Resolution2048 x 1536, 326 pixels per inch (ppi)2048 x 1536, 326 pixels per inch (ppi)
ProcessorA7 chip with 64-bit architecture and M7 motion coprocessorA7 chip with 64-bit architecture and M7 motion coprocessor
Touch IDNOYES!
Storage16GB / 32 GB 16GB / 32 GB / 64 GB / 128 GB
ColorsSpace Gray, SilverSilver, Gold, Space Gray
Front Camera1.2MP FaceTime HD camera1.2MP FaceTime HD camera
Back Camera5MP iSight,shoots 1080p HD video5MP iSight,shoots 1080p HD video
MicrophoneYesYes
Wi-Fi802.11a/b/g/n + MIMO802.11a/b/g/n + MIMO
Mobile Broadband4G LTE World-Ready4G LTE World-Ready
BluetoothYesYes
GPSYesYes
Battery11:06 hours on Wi-FiUp to 9 hours on 4G LTEUp to 10 hours (Wi-Fi) Up to 9 hours (4G LTE)
Gyroscope3-axis3-axis
Accelerometer3-axis3-axis

Aside from the addition of the Touch ID sensor on the iPad mini 3, the two tablets are essentially the same. The devices sport the same dimensions  (0.73 pounds, 7.87 x 5.3 x 0.29 inches) and the same 2048 x 1536 Retina display.

However the new Touch ID sensor is compelling as iPad users will now have the ability to unlock their tablet with the touch of a finger. That's cool, but the best use of the sensor will be the Apple Pay system when it launches. Now iPad users will have the ability to make online purchases with the simple touch of a finger. When the feature launches on October 20th, it will have the backing of over 500 banks and a host of mainstream retailers including Sephora, BJ Wholesale Club, Macy's and Urban Outfitters. But this is for online purchases only; it doesn't, at least currently, work for in-store shopping.

Ultimately, unless you're chomping at the bit to use a biometric sensor to unlock your iPad mini and make online purchases, there's really no need to upgrade to the iPad mini 3 just yet. However, perhaps some scrappy developers will find a way to make Touch ID into a must-have feature in the near future.

Sherri L. Smith
Editor in Chief

Sherri L. Smith has been cranking out product reviews for Laptopmag.com since 2011. In that time, she's reviewed more than her share of laptops, tablets, smartphones and everything in between. The resident gamer and audio junkie, Sherri was previously a managing editor for Black Web 2.0 and contributed to BET.Com and Popgadget.