Apple has announced the new iPad mini 2 complete with a new high-resolution retina display and four times the performance of the first generation of the small tablet.

The new 7.9in high-resolution display brings the iPad mini 2 up to par with the full-sized iPad, as well as the iPhone, and will make text crisper and more easily legible on websites and books.

Apple also significantly improved the internal components of the iPad mini 2 with the same faster A7 64-bit processor as the full-sized iPad Air with significantly improved graphics processing, which should make Apple's smaller tablet significantly better for gaming.

The iPad mini 2 also maintains its 10-hour battery life, while a fitting in a 5-megapixel camera on the back for shooting photos and videos.

Available in silver with white and grey with black, the iPad mini 2 will has a starting price of £319 ($399) for the 16GB Wi-Fi-only version, with the 4G iPad mini 2 costing £419 ($529) and up.

The iPad mini faces stiff competition from a raft of high-resolution small Android tablets, including the £199 Google Nexus 7 and £199 Amazon Kindle Fire HDX, as well as the £119 Tesco Hudl tablet.