By the way: When we refer to “the Nexus 7,” we’re talking about the new one that was just announced today.
New Google Nexus 7
The Nexus 7 is probably one of the best 7-inch tablets on the market. In terms of size/weight, the Nexus 7 is lighter and smaller than the Nook HD and the Kindle Fire HD, and is an inch narrower than the iPad Mini. The iPad Mini is a bit wider, but has a bigger screen as well.
In terms of specs, the iPad Mini is falling behind the Google Nexus. The iPad Mini’s screen resolution is only 1024 x 768, while the Nexus 7 has a 1920 x 1200 resolution that allows 1080p playback, which is the first Android tablet to do so.
But, beyond the screen resolution, there isn’t much different between the Nexus 7 and the iPad Mini. The cameras are similar to the iPad Mini and the Nexus 7 also has 16 GB of storage, just like the iPad Mini. But, The Verge writes that what could potentially be the best “feature” of the new Nexus 7:
That makes the big difference between the Nexus 7 and other Android tablets their performance, and it’s possible that Google’s new tablet will really stand out. In our testing, we found that both the Kindle Fire HD and the Nook HD ran a bit sluggish. They also both come with custom versions of Android that more-or-less hide the entire default operating system, and not in ways that we found particularly useful.
iPad Mini
The iPad Mini might be the most well-known 7-inch but it isn’t the best. The iPad is a great tablet, but it’s too expensive and too big when compared to tablets that you can carry in one hand. The problem is, the iPad Mini — in an effort by Apple to keep production prices low — is filled with less than stellar specs: the A5 processor, the same one in the iPhone 4S (and trust me there’s a significant lag), a non-Retina screen which lowered the tablet’s resolution, and a significantly higher price point (the iPad Mini costs $349, whereas the new Nexus 7 device starts at $220 and the most expensive version, one with 32GB of storage and 4G LTE, costs $349). With the Nexus 7 beating the iPad Mini in almost every single way, it’s hard to convince people that the iPad Mini is still a solid purchase.
I remember when the iPad Mini came out back in October 2012, I was thoroughly unimpressed. Besides the unique shape that cut down on the bezel (one of my biggest pet peeves), there wasn’t anything special about the iPad Mini; it just looked like a small version of the iPad 2, which was already outdated (the iPad 4 came out alongside the iPad Mini). Now, with Google surging ahead in developing high-end 7-inch tablets, the iPad Mini has fallen dangerously behind.
Verdict
The iPad Mini is a solid product, but the Google Nexus 7 outshines it in almost every single capacity. A better screen, higher resolution, faster processor which probably means better performance, and a significantly lower price makes the Nexus 7 one of the best tablets available.
Of course, you’d want to wait before the Nexus 7 actually ships out so that you can read some reviews before purchasing the device. But, for such a cheap price, the new Nexus 7 is definitely a solid choice.