Critics verdict: iPad Air, Mini both awesome, but which to get?

Apple has certainly vowed the critics with its new iPad lineup. Both the thinner, lighter iPad Air as well as the iPad mini 2 with Retina Display are getting rave reviews from across the board, with the only criticism perhaps being that it really puts consumers in a bind. With the only real difference seeming to be screen size, which one do you buy?

We look at what the tech writers who's who are saying on this one:

MG Siegler from TechCrunch is in a word, floored. He says,

As someone who still regularly uses a larger iPad (technically, the “iPad 4″), it just doesn’t seem possible that a company could pull off such an upgrade from one generation to the next. I’m not sure it even seems possible to perform such an upgrade at all just based on the laws of science. I mean, not only is this iPad Air absurdly thinner and lighter, it actually boasts hugely upgraded internals as well. It’s just silly.

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And this according to him, is not even the most significant thing.

"Here’s the strangest thing to me about today’s unveilings: while the iPad Air perfected and upgraded the larger iPad in every way, the iPad mini got spec upgrades that are nearly unfathomable. How unfathomable? The iPad mini now seemingly has the exact same internals as this new iPad Air. Think about that for a minute."

Poor Siegler's biggest dilemma is the quintessential first world problem. Which should he buy? Or should follow the advice of Tim Cook and just get both? So rave reviews from that end. (Read the full review here)

David Pierce from the Verge, looks at the iPad Air and is as impressed as his counterparts.

"Apple's clearly trying to turn the iPad Air into a full-size device you're willing to take outside your home, and based on our first impressions we'd happily throw one in our backpacks today.", he says. (Read more)

Over at CNet however, the opinion is that Apple is actually cannibalising the sales of the larger tablet by introducing the new improved iPad mini, saying that the tough decision on which one to buy was solely dependent on whether you were willing to pay $100 for a larger screen.

Yet, they feel that Apple could have done more.

"Apple missed some opportunities to wow us with a tablet that could have perhaps had a larger screen with higher resolution, a higher-megapixel camera, or laptoplike accessories. At the very least, this was Apple's chance to recapture its spirit of innovation and give us something different, rather than what amounts to a polished iteration of what we already had."

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