iPad Mini's Retina Display Ranks Below Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HDX 8.9" And iPad Air

Apple's AAPL iPad Mini with Retina Display may be an attractive tablet, but its color range can't compare to its competitors. According to AnandTech (via AllThingsD), the second-generation iPad Mini has the same color gamut as the first-generation iPad Mini. In his review of the new Mini, Anand Lal Shimpi found that the color range is "narrower than the iPad Air and less than the sRGB coverage we normally look for." The iPad Mini with Retina Display retails for $399 -- $100 less than the iPad Air -- so consumers may be willing to accept a lower color range. However, Google's GOOG Nexus 7 (which starts at $229) and Amazon's AMZN Kindle Fire HDX 8.9" (which starts at $379) offer a superior color range as well. While the Kindle Fire HDX 8.9" retails for nearly as much as the iPad Mini with Retina Display, its display is notably larger. The 2013 Nexus 7 may be a tad smaller than the Mini, but it sells for $170 less. These differences may be significant to consumers who want a display with the best color range possible. This info may also disappoint those who passed on other new tablets because they assumed the second-generation iPad Mini would deliver a superior product. Related: Panasonic's New 4K Tablet Is 12X More Expensive Than Apple's iPad Air The average consumer is unlikely to notice though. Shoppers may find rows of competing Android products at Target TGT and Best Buy BBY, but Apple's products tend to be tethered to a separate display a few feet away. This could make it difficult for consumers to do a side-by-side comparison. Without a proper comparison, the only thing that will keep consumers from buying the Retina Mini is its $399 price tag. The product is relatively new (Apple quietly released the new Mini last week), so it is too soon to gauge the consumer reaction. Thus far, however, it seems to be performing better than the ill-fated iPhone 5C. Disclosure: At the time of this writing, Louis Bedigian had no position in the equities mentioned in this report. Louis Bedigian is the Senior Tech Analyst and Features Writer of Benzinga. You can reach him at louis(at)benzingapro(dot)com. Follow him @LouisBedigianBZ