iPad mini 2 and its best alternatives

Ever since the first model's introduction, Apple has been selling iPads by the truckloads, and the latest models are likely to be in high demand as well. The iPad mini 2, in particular, is expected to land in the hands of millions of buyers once it is released. What makes Apple's smaller slate so sought after? Well, brand recognition and image aside, the iPad mini 2 is definitely shaping as one of the best small-sized tablets under the sun. It doesn't only look great. The iPad mini 2 has been blessed with a gorgeous Retina display, while the beefed up hardware under its hood makes the tablet just as capable as its larger sibling. 

But as is often the case with smartphones and tablets, there's a number of alternatives one should take into account before spending $400 on a second-gen iPad mini. And the best among them can be found right here, in the slideshow we've compiled below. 

iPad mini 2 alternatives

1. Google Nexus 7 (2013 edition)

There's a lot to love about the 2013 edition Google Nexus 7 tablet. It has a 7-inch screen that is just as detailed as the one on the iPad mini, while the quad-core processor it is powered by can handle anything you throw at it. Plus, it runs Android in its purest and most up-to-date form, with support for multiple users.

Price: $229

2. LG G Pad 8.3

Premium design – check! Powerful quad-core processor – check! Crisp, high-resolution display – check! All these and many other factors make the LG G Pad 8.3 a great alternative to the iPad mini 2.

Price: $350

3. Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0

Being a member of the Note family, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 has a special, pressure sensitive stylus for drawing, note-taking, and text input. It comes with a quad-core Exynos processor, 2GB of RAM, and a 5MP main camera. Its screen, however, isn't as great as the one you'll get on an iPad mini 2.

Price: ~$360

4. Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0-inch

While not as capable as the iPad mini 2 from a hardware standpoint, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0-inch offers good value for its money. It is light, thin, portable, and quite affordable.

Price: $280

5. Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 7

Even though it costs just $229, the 7-inch Kindle Fire HDX has quite a lot to offer – a high-res screen, a powerful processor, and 24/7 customer support at the tap of a button. There's a catch, however. Despite being an Android device at heart, the Amazon App Store is the only place where you'll be able to download apps and media for your Kindle Fire HDX.

Price: $229

6. Asus Fonepad 7

Now here's a tablet, the kind of which we don't see every day. The Asus Fonepad 7 has a SIM card slot that is used for not only accessing the internet on the go. Phone calls can be made using this device, making it suitable for a secondary handset. Hardware-wise, it is nothing more than a mid-range tablet, but its low price is expected to compensate for its lack of processing power.

Price: to be announced
Asus Fonepad 7 Hands-on

7. Asus MeMO Pad HD 7

The Asus MeMO Pad HD 7 is rather modest in the specs department, but is one of the most affordable brand-name Android tablets you can possibly find. As a matter of fact, you can get two of them for the price of a base iPad mini 2 model and still have enough money left to treat your family to dinner. Plus, it comes in a variety of pretty colors.

Price: $~145

8. HP Slate 8 Pro

If you're a fan of the iPad's 4:3 screen aspect ratio, check out the HP Slate 8 Pro and its 1200 by 1600 pixel display. Under its hood you'll find a very capable processor, namely the Tegra 4 SoC by NVIDIA.

Price: to be announced, to be available in November 2013