Last month, Google released the new Nexus 7 2nd generation tablet that brings us mind-blowing specifications for a great price. We’re going to put it in a side-by-side comparison with the iPad mini from Apple and see whether the new Nexus 7 takes the lead, being the best 7-incher you could get at the moment.
Technical Specifications
Put these two tablets side-by-side and they are exactly the same height. However, the Nexus 7 2 is a bit narrower which makes it easier to hold with one hand. That’s being said, the Nexus 7 2 is smaller and a little bit lighter as well. It weights 290 grams comparing to iPad mini’s 308 grams. Despite the fact that iPad mini has been out for months whilst the new Nexus 7 has been just released, Apple’s mini tablet is still thinner, and it’s quite noticeable when holding.
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Dimensions | Thickness | Weight |
| Apple iPad mini | 135x200mm | 7.2mm | 308g (312g LTE) |
| Google Nexus 7 2 | 114x200mm | 8.65mm | 290g (299g LTE) |
Nexus 7’s hardware upgrade just beats up the iPad mini. The new quad-core Snapdragon processor runs at 1.5GHz versus iPad mini’s A5 Dual-core 1GHz. The Nexus also packs up 2GB of RAM, which is 4 times the amount of RAM iPad mini has.
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CPU Frequency | CPU Cores | RAM |
| Apple iPad mini | 1GHz | Dual-core | 512MB |
| Google Nexus 7 2 | 1.5GHz | Quad-core |
2GB |
With this specs, the new Nexus 7 leaves the iPad mini behind not only on paper, but in Benchmarks too.
Design and Displays
The iPad mini is a fantastically well-designed product. Its aluminum and glass unibody structure exudes a solid and premium feel. The plastic Nexus 7 doesn’t give the feel of being quite such premium as the iPad mini, but it’s certainly better to hold in one hand because it is narrower and lighter. The back cover retains a likewise soft-rubbery touch feel of the previous generation.
Despite the fact that Nexus 7 doesn’t share a similarly premium design and build-quality, its improved display is a ground-breaking one. With a smaller screen size of 7 inch compared to the 7.9 inch iPad, the new Nexus 7 packs a Full HD 1080p resolution. Its sharp, high-density display looks really better than the iPad. Now you can watch movies in true 1080p resolution, and by the way, they look much better than on any other tablet of this size.
| Size | Resolution | Pixel Density | |
| Apple iPad mini | 7.9 inch | 1024×768 | 163ppi |
| Google Nexus 7 2 | 7.0 inch | 1920×1200 | 323ppi |
Operating systems
The new Nexus 7 is the first device that comes with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean on board. User interface is quite nicer and much more customizable than iOS 6. Android 4.3 runs fast and is very responsive on the Nexus 7 2. Google Now voice assistant gives you instant responses and Google Maps renders the map in less than a second. We can’t admit that iPad mini is slower on iOS 6, but you won’t get the same great user experience. If you prefer simplicity and exclusive content from App Store, iPad should be your choice here. But if you enjoy customizing your device as much as possible, installing custom ROMs and new features – Nexus 7 2 perfectly suits you.
Cameras
Both devices share a front-facing 1.2 megapixel camera and a back 5.0 megapixel camera. The camera on Android offers more settings and features, but they both have HDR and panorama views. Outside, Nexus 7 took sharper and brighter photos than the iPad mini. In low-light conditions, Nexus 7 took much more grainy photos. The iPad mini’s skin tones, however, were more accurate and natural.
*click to view the video sample
1080p video shooting looks quite nice on both devices. The only difference you can tell is a much brighter image on Nexus 7.
Battery life
iPad mini is clearly a winner in this department. With its 10-hours in use battery life, it excels the Nexus 7 2 by 1.5 hours in most of the tests.
Verdict
Both tablets are extraordinary good and you should consider both of them as a back-to-school tablet. Review the above information well in order to make a conclusion whether to go for the iPad mini or the new Nexus 7. But bear in mind that Nexus 7 2 is a $100* cheaper, and generally is a better deal. But we’re pretty sure that iPad mini 2 that is coming soon will give it a run for its money.
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16GB Wi-Fi only | 32GB Wi-Fi only | 32GB LTE |
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Apple iPad mini |
$329 | $429 |
$559 |
| Google Nexus 7 2 | $229 | $269 |
$349 |
Review: Nexus 7 2 (2013) vs iPad mini