The iPad Mini is more popular than the Nexus 7 but a new test suggested that buying Google's vanilla Android tabs will bring better value to your cash - the Asus-built slates last longer than their iOS-powered counterparts.

According to The Telegraph, the iPad Mini got the 'highest score' among the 10 devices that insurance firm SquareTrade Europe has subjected through a battery of torture-test, which the group characterised as replicating "real life situations."

The smartphones and tablet computers were abused to measure their 'grip-ability', water resistance and toughness. The latter was proven by dropping all the devices into a concrete from a specific height. From there factors, the gadgets were given breakability score.

The iPad Mini registered 7.5, the top-score posted by the whole pack but it is something that Apple will certainly not be proud of. As far as SquareTrade is concerned, the highest the number is the more fragile the device is and that horror is bestowed to the iPad Mini.

While the report failed to mention the year model of the actual slate tortured, it is assumed that the iPad Mini 2 with Retina was the specific subject as SquareTrade also included the iPad Air to its list. The Air, incidentally, occupied the number three spot at 6.5, indicating that the two latest iPad models are not as durable when facing simulated everyday use scenarios.

The main purpose of its undertaking, according to SquareTrade, is to form a guide for device end-users so consumers will get their "money's worth."

"We want to help people make smart choices when it comes to choosing gadgets and ensure they are covered against accidental damage," SquareTrade's Kevin Gillan told The Telegraph.

So what is the better choice over the iPad Mini, which to date already sold millions of units like due to its supreme specs and features - headlined by its compact 7.9-inch screen with Retina display resolution and the powerhouse duo of a dual-core A7 CPU in 64-bit standard and 1GB of RAM?

Per the SquareTrade list, tablet buyers will surely not regret snapping up the 2013 Nexus 7 build, which scored five in the test and ended up as the second-best in the field, next only to the Moto X from Motorola.

Or the first Nexus 7 can also be a worthy alternative to the Mini 2 as the former sits on number 6 with the same score level.

Another Android tablet candidate to snipe for is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 though the report did not specify the model that SquareTrade has tested. Issued in early 2013, the Tab 3 comes in three builds - the Tab 3 7.0, the Tab 8.0 and the Tab 3 10.1.

For those interested, the iPhone 5S fared better than its tablet sibling, coming in third spot as the most durable gadget (or number 8 in the fragility race) with its score of 5.5. The iPhone 5C cleared with a scored of six while the Samsung Galaxy S4, also made of plastic like the 5C, will require more care in handling as it registered 6.5 or just three spots behind the iPad Mini.

With the new data, tablet shoppers have more reasons to seriously consider any of the Nexus 7 models. Not only that the components are high-end and ran by stock Android, the tag price will give better deals to buyers.

At Google Play Store, the 16GB Nexus 7 with Wi-Fi connectivity starts at $230 while the 32GB variant with LTE chip is at $350, still cheaper when pitted against the 16GB iPad Mini Wi-Fi only that already retails for $400.