The iPad mini (retina) A7 appears to run slower than the iPad Air’s A7 does, this likely is a heat saving and power saving maneuver, [as Matthew Panzarino notes][1]:

> The reduction may be due to thermal profiles which prevent the device from getting uncomfortably warm to the touch, a complaint with some previous models of iPad. Many iPad Air owners and reviewers have noted that the tablet does not have the same warming issues even with heavy use.

Interestingly I hadn’t noticed that my iPad Air gets hot at all. With the iPad 3 there were many times it would be very warm, hot even. The iPad mini got warm, but never hot. The iPad Air, as best as my memory tells me, has yet to even feel noticeably warm. Even after gaming, Geekbenching — no warmth.

That may be the most impressive upgrade to the iPad line thus far.

#### Side Note

Panzarino [links to this Geekbench result][2] that is assumed to be the new retina iPad mini, clocking it at 1390/2512 on Geekbench 3. That seems to be on par with the iPhone 5s and just slightly lower than the iPad Air. We will need a lot more data points before anything definitive can be shown here though.

What’s more interesting to me is the speed jump from the original iPad mini which clocked in at: 261/495. That’s almost comical to think about in comparison to what the iPads are putting out today. Amazing, really.

I cannot wait for new applications to come out that take advantage of all the CPU power in the newest round of iPads.

[1]: http://techcrunch.com/2013/11/12/retina-ipad-minis-a7-runs-at-1-3ghz-same-as-iphone-5s-and-slightly-below-ipad-airs-1-4ghz/
[2]: http://browser.primatelabs.com/geekbench3/201561