The wait is finally over as Apple unveiled its iPad Mini yesterday morning. We learned about the specs and dynamic features from Tim Cook and Phil Schiller but before we pull the trigger and make a big purchase, let’s take a look at the iPad Mini reviews from the experts. While we don’t have a Mini here to give you our first hand experience of the tablet, which is available for preorder on Friday Oct. 26th and will hit the retail shelves Friday Nov. 2, we scoured the internet to find the most praising and scathing iPad Mini reviews for those who have one on hand. And by on hand, I literally mean on hand as the device can fit snugly and securely in one’s palm.

Here’s a roundup of some iPad Mini reviews:

TechRadar: “The smaller touch targets take some getting used to on the iPad mini, although they’re not any smaller than on an iPhone. What’s more, $329 for the 16GB Wi-Fi only version is significantly more than the 16GB Kindle Fire HD ($199), or 16GB Google Nexus 7 ($249). However, the iPad mini runs native apps, has a whopping 10 hours of battery life, and is extremely light and portable. It’s also comfortable to hold for long periods of time and won’t lead to wrist fatigue when you’re watching a movie. The 4:3 aspect ratio also allows you to fit more on the screen when you’re reading or surfing the web, which is a boon for 7-inch tablet fans.”

T3: “We’d go as far as saying it’s our favourite iPad yet. The smaller size, thinner shape and lighter weight makes for a much better mobile experience. It’s easy to hold and manipulate in the hand but feels durable and well-built enough to accompany you throughout the day. It’s definitely more premium that we were expecting. The main sticking point, however, is price and at Ł269 ($429) for the entry level Wi-Fi model, it’s Ł100 ($160) more than the Google Nexus 7. The iPad Mini will undoubtedly sell like hotcakes and will be at the top of many people’s Christmas wish list, but the price still gives Android tabs a place in the market.”

CNet: Certainly existing Apple fans will gravitate toward it, but there’s a question mark over how good the Mini actually is. Yes, it’s lighter and thinner than the competition, but the screen resolution lacks Apple’s crystal clarity, and the battery life is on-par with rivals, but won’t surpass it. Beyond that, the iPad Mini’s A5 dual-core processor could easily fall to the Nexus 7’s quad-core CPU.Offering two colors, three capacities, and a cellular option with 4G LTE connectivity will certainly help flood the market with iPad Minis, especially with the tablet presumably hooking into Verizon and AT&T’s shared data plans. Still, I’ll agree with CNET editor Molly Wood when she observed that, “They missed the price point that would have crushed the competition.” As far as I’m concerned, Apple may have the edge when it comes to product lore and sheer ubiquity, but for those deliberately seeking an affordable, portable in-between device, we’re looking at a much more level playing field for smaller-size slates.

Engadget: The device itself is precisely what you’d expect it to be: a slightly shrunken iPad, with a rear that resembles the new iPod touch. It’s aluminum-clad, finely polished and equipped with a 7.9-inch LCD (1024 x 768). The volume rocker, orientation / mute switch and bottom-mounted speakers are graciously borrowed from the conventional iPad, while the rest of the exterior maintains a pretty familiar look. No, there’s no touch sensitive bezel (ŕ la PlayBook), wireless charging or USB 3.0 support — if you were looking for breakthrough hardware additions, you’ll be sorely disappointed. That said, the smaller iPad is clearly aimed at classrooms and readers — two sectors where frills aren’t exactly necessary. Where it excels, predictably, is the overall fit and finish. Just as the bigger iPad, this one feels delightful in the hand. It’s still too big for your average pocket, and it’s not going to save you a heck of a lot of room in your knapsack compared to the 9.7-incher.

TechCrunch: “For Apple to market a device it must be profitable. And not just profitable, but within their acceptable range of what defines profitability, which means significant gross margins made on every device. Otherwise, it’s not worth Apple’s time to make that product, and it won’t be made. The iPad mini is priced where Apple can price it while still creating a quality product that doesn’t feel like a crippled device, while still satisfying their profitability requirements. If it was a 7-inch tablet with a single camera and a much thicker design, I’d say it was overpriced, but as it is, if you look at what it can do, it’s more than competitive and meets Apple’s business requirements for bringing a new product to market.”

So what can we take away from this? It’s still a bit too early to tell how smoothly the iPad Mini is going to operate. But preliminary reviews hint that this might be Apple’s best iPad to date. There are some concerns about the CPU (A5 instead of A6) and the price, but on the whole it seems to offer the convenience and usability that people expect from the tech giant. The price tag may be a bit steep for people trying to tighten their purse strings in a still bleak economy (its more expensive that its main rivals) but its still less expensive than the regular-size iPad and offers just as much in terms of computing.

We’ll keep updating you eager readers and Apple faithful as more information on the iPad mini rolls in. But in the meantime, let us know how you think its going to fair. Will the iPad Mini become the greatest tablet of them all? Will the cost keep it from competing with the likes of Google and Amazon? Are you going to buy it? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.