iPad mini 5 vs Huawei MediaPad M3 specs review and comparison: Huawei's tablet is worthy Android alternative for iPad mini

Apple fans are waiting for the long-rumored iPad mini 5 to come out, but for those who want a cheaper alternative, reviews indicate that the Huawei MediaPad M3 is a good option.

The iPad mini 5, which could be released as the iPad Pro mini, is expected to stray from the standard iPad mini launch schedule and come out in March 2017. The Huawei MediaPad M3, on the other hand, will hit store shelves in the U.S. in December.

The Huawei MediaPad M3's 8.4-inch IPS screen boasts 2,560 x 1,600-pixel resolution and 359 ppi, which is great for watching HD videos. The unconfirmed Apple iPad mini 5, on the other hand, is expected to have a Retina display and is rumored to have Apple Pencil support and, possibly, 3D Touch.

The MediaPad M3 has Harman Kardon speakers on both sides of the tablet while the iPad mini 5's audio specs are expected to be similar to those of the iPad mini 4.

The next iPad mini could come powered by Apple's A9 processor and M9 motion co-preocessor. The MediaPad M3 features Huawei's HiSilicon Kirin octa-core processor. Reviews indicate that the Huawei tablet offers great performance comparable with devices that are more expensive.

Storage options for the Apple iPad mini 5 are expected to be at least 32 GB for the cheapest variant. Memory should be at least 4 GB. Similarly, the Huawei MediaPad M3 comes with 32 GB and 64 GB internal storage options and 4 GB RAM.

One of the MediaPad's best features, aside from its speakers, is the split-screen mode that enables users to work on two different apps at the same time. In addition, Huawei added a fingerprint scanner to the device, indicating that device security is one of their main concerns. Similarly, the iPad mini 5 is expected to come with Touch ID and even NFC support for secure payments via Apple Pay.