We had heard the rumors but today Apple has officially unveiled the iPad Mini that comes with a 7.9” IPS display. The screen is 35 % larger than existing 7” tablets from Google and Amazon. However, the iPad Mini is not labeled as Retina.

iPad Mini with 7.9” display

Today, Apple expands their iPad line-up with a new variant with a smaller display and a slimmer frame. The display is 7.9 inches but the format is unchanged so all apps run without issues. The display is small enough to make it fit in one hand and the iPad Mini is a more portable device for people on the run. It weighs just 308 gram and is just 7.2 mm thin.

Apple’s new iPad Mini is 35 % larger than 7” tablets

iPad Mini belongs in the “8-inch” category and not in the “7-inch” categories, such as the Nexus 7 or the 7” Amazon Kindle Fire HD. The difference in size is quite significant as the iPad Mini display is 35 % larger than the Nexus 7 display. The iPad Mini is also 35.5 % smaller than the current iPad. Remember, this is only the display. iPads also have bezels.

The display is still an IPS LCD panel with LED backlighting. The picture characteristics should be similar to those in the New iPad and iPhone 5 that have both been praised for extremely accurate colors, full sRGB color spectrum and wide viewing angles.

Apple’s new iPad Mini is 35 % larger than 7” tablets

The resolution of the display is 1024x768 pixels, which is exactly the same as in iPad 1 and 2 – just in a smaller display. That means that the iPad Mini will reproduce more detailing and sharper pictures as the pixel density is 163 ppi compared to 132 ppi on iPad 1 and 2. However, it is not on par with iPad 3 (264 ppi) or the Nexus 7 (216 ppi). And thus, it is not applicable in Apple’s Retina category.

Besides the 7.9” display, Apple also introduces a new version of iBooks for buying and reading books on the more portable iPad. It also features an A5 processor, camera, Lightning conenctor and much more. iPad Mini is built in aluminum. The price starts at $329.

What do you think? Do you want one?