The good news is Apple will surely issue an iPad Mini 2 this year with September as the latest release date. The bad news is it will be a minor refresh and the much-awaited Retina panel not part of the package.

Yet there is a major consolation, according to DigiTimes, reporting that "Apple is ... revising the design of the chassis to give the next-generation iPad mini an almost bezel-free look."

Consumers can also expect a slightly faster CPU and probably, the 512MB of RAM from the first iPad Mini will be bumped up to 1GB. So essentially, buyers will be getting almost the same Mini with less bezel and iOS 7 representing the biggest attractions.

For many this would suffice but for some, looking beyond the iPad Mini 2 this year could be the answer. They can wait out for Apple to produce the Retina-laced iPad Mini in big numbers, which should happen early next year or consider the alternatives and they are many.

Four of them, the best among the 2013 crop, are listed below.

Quad-core Nexus 7 2 with Jelly Bean 4.3

Top candidate, of course, is the Mini arch-foe Nexus 7 2, the second serving of Google's 7-inch tablet known for its native Android and powerful specs, which according to leaked info will surely dwarf what Apple would serve via the Mini 2.

But really, the core attraction of the Nexus 7 2 is its accessibility. It is likely to come out (in the next few weeks) with a price tag not exceeding the $220 mark or for the dirt-cheap $199. The whole offer will deliver every inch of a power-user experience, thanks to its vanilla Android, which assures too that the slate is top priority once the Key Lime Pie upgrade gets going.

Samsung's Galaxy Tab 3 series or the Galaxy Note 8.0

Samsung is currently on top of the Android food chain and one of the better reasons to skip the iPad Mini refresh is the tempting prospect dangled by its small Galaxy tablet lines. There are the Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 and the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0, which likely will at least equal the hardware feature that the Mini 2 will bring to the table. The Tab 3 implemented a major body revision for this year - the devices now sports the same look popularised by the Galaxy S3, giving the impression that users are actually enjoying slightly blown out renders of the GS3.

For those looking to relish premium tablet experience, the Note 8.0 is the definite answer, boasting of quad-core power and the very Note environment with an S-Pen stylus to boot. The only thing lacking is the Super AMOLED display though what this gadget offers instead is decent enough tablet screen.

One minor bonus is the ability to make and take phone calls, depending on market location. That is if you feel comfortable holding up the 8-inch gadget to your face when talking. The tag too is a bit pricey, breaching the $500 mark in some markets for the unlocked version.

The Kindle Fire HD 2 from Amazon

The online retail giant, according to Taiwan's Economic Daily News, will be unveiled in the next few weeks in time for its August release date. The bump up, the report said, will constitute mainly of faster processor and higher screen resolution for better HD rendering. Two flavours are on the menu, 7-inch and 8.9-inch, and the Fire HD 2 will likely lure buyers with the same starting price it flashed last year, which is $160.

The first iPad Mini

But for loyal Apple fans who do not wish to jump overboard, the first iPad Mini should be sufficient - able to accommodate all tablet tasks of viewing web contents, media playback and gaming even. The best thing about this option is buyers do not need to wait, it is readily available worldwide.

But for the holdovers, big discounts likely await as Apple normally shaves off the retail price of old device models. It is said the iPad Mini 2 will hit store shelves with a $250 asking price so it is possible that the first Mini tag price could go much lower, probably at $199, which is already the packaged offer being pushed by major telcos in Asia-Pacific.