Tech spec showdown: the new Nexus 7 vs. iPad mini
If you haven't heard, Google today announced a revamp of its Nexus 7 tablet computer, which is manufactured by Asus and was first introduced at this time last year, during the company's I/O developer conference.
The upgrade strengthens its hardware bona fides against Apple's iPad mini, formidable in its own right since it was released late last year.
How do they compare? See below.
Operating system
Google Nexus 7 (2013): Android 4.3 Jelly Bean
Apple iPad mini (2012): iOS 6 (for now; iOS 7 is coming this fall)
Display
Google Nexus 7: 7.02-inch (diagonal) display at 1,920-by-1,200-pixel resolution. That's 323 pixels per inch.
Apple iPad mini: 7.9‑inch (diagonal) LED-backlit, multi-touch IPS display at 1,024-by-768 pixel resolution. That's 163 pixels per inch.
Processor
Google Nexus 7: 1.5 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro
Apple iPad mini: 1 GHz dual-core A5
Video
Google Nexus 7: 1.2 megapixels in front, 5 megapixels in back. HDMI.
Apple iPad mini: 1.2 megapixels in front, 5 megapixels in back.
Memory
Google Nexus 7: 2 gigabytes
Apple iPad mini: 512 megabytes
Storage
Google Nexus 7: 16 gigabytes, 32 gigabytes
Apple iPad mini: 16 gigabytes, 32 gigabytes, 64 gigabytes
Audio
Google Nexus 7: Dual-stereo speakers with Fraunhofer surround sound
Apple iPad mini: "Built-in"
Connectivity
Google Nexus 7: Bluetooth 4.0, dual-band Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, NFC
Apple iPad mini: Bluetooth 4.0, dual-band Wi-Fi, 4G LTE
Battery, life
Google Nexus 7: Up to 9 hours of HD video playback, 10 hours of web browsing or e-reading
Apple iPad mini: Up to 9 hours of surfing the web using cellular data network; up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi‑Fi, watching video, or listening to music.
Battery, charging
Google Nexus 7: Wireless or USB to computer.
Apple iPad mini: Power adapter or USB to computer.
Carriers (U.S.)
Google Nexus 7: Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile
Apple iPad mini: Verizon, AT&T, Sprint
Price (U.S.)
Google Nexus 7: $229 (16GB Wi-Fi), $269 (32GB Wi-Fi), $349 (32GB 4G LTE). Ships July 30.
Apple iPad mini: $329 (16GB Wi-Fi), $429 (32GB Wi-Fi), $529 (64GB Wi-Fi), $459 (16GB 4G LTE), $559 (32GB 4G LTE), $659 (64GB 4G LTE). Available now.
Of course, that's just part of the story—these devices will (and should) be more than the sum of their parts. We'll find out more once we can compare them side by side, in the flesh.
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