Mobile manufacturers are doing their best to produce a user friendly tablets; Apple with iPad and iPad mini, Samsung with Tab series and Note 8, Google by Nexus 7 and Nexus 10, and Sony with its Ultra Z tablet.  7 to 8 inches and 10 inches tablets are known as the best sizes for tablets and the smaller size ones are getting more popular due to their size and weight and more importantly they are easier to carry in bags or even pockets.

This AW Center article is about comparing two of the best 7 to 8 inches tablets available in the market: iPad Mini from Apple and Nexus 7 2 from Google.

We first compare the specifications of two tablets and the last part is about comparing these 2 lovely tablets based on the users’ needs, which is not discussed much.

Design

  • Dimension: iPad mini is 7.2x134.7x200 while Nexus is 8.7x114x200 mm and iPad mini is 14 grams heavier than its competitor.  
  • Beauty: Determining which tablet is more beautiful than the other, really depends on the user’s preference, but Apple products are known as ultimate simplicity and beauty, and iPad Mini is not an exception
  • Ergonomic: When you hold both tablets, the first thing you notice is about how perfect they fit in your hand, especially Nexus 7 when holding horizontally.

Hardware

  • Processor: iPad Mini is using the Apple A5 as the processor which is a dual core CPU clocked to 1Ghz. On the other size Nexus 7 is using a 1.5 GHZ quad core Snapdragon S4 Pro and its 2GB of RAM is four times more than iPad Mini. If you want to decide just based on the benchmarks, then the second generation of Nexus is the absolute winner.
  • Storage: Both tablets are available in 16GB and 32GB models, and iPad Mini is also offering the 64GB version
  • Display: Retina Display didn’t find its way to iPad Mini and the resolution of this 7.9 inches screen reaches to 768x1024 which has nothing to offer in compare to the resolution of the 7inches nexus which is 1200x1900. Which one do you pick as the best display? The 323ppi device or the 162ppi one?
  • Connectivity: They are both equipped with 4G networks, as well as dual channel Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. The only connectivity tool which is available only on Nexus is NFC
  • Camera: The qualit y of pictures and recorded films with both device are almost the same and acceptable. They both have a 1.2 front camera and 5MP rear camera with Auto Focus, and the ability to record Full HD videos

Software

  • OS: iOS 7 vs Jelly Bean 4.3. Both operating systems have reached maturity and are the best 2 mobile operating systems available.
  • User Interface: If you are looking for a simple yet beautiful UI with lots of functionality then iOS is your choice, but if you are such a geek who likes to change everything on the UI, then Jelly Bean 4.3 is decently the right answer.
  • Applications: The latest official announcements by 2 companies indicate that Apples reached 900,000 applications on the Apple Store while this number is 1,000,000 for Google Play applications. Apple claims that exclusive applications for its tablets are far more than Android’s, which is not a false claim. But the point is, whether they are all useful and must be installed? We believe not. In the next part, we discuss about this issue more:

Which One should I get? Nexus 7 2 OR iPad Mini?

Nexus 7 2 and iPad Mini are literally the best 2 tablets available on the market so far (We haven’t seen Ultra Z yet). The 16GB WiFi model of Apple iPad Mini costs you 329 USD, which is about $100 more expensive than the Nexus 7 with the same specifications. If you want to buy the 4G model with 32GB of storage, you have to pay about $350 for Nexus 7 which is $200 cheaper than iPad Mini. If the price difference made to make your mind, then no need to continue the article, but if you still have some doubts, continue reading.

If you use your device very often as a file manager, then Nexus 7 suites you the best, and unlike iPad Mini you don’t need a iTunes like application to sync your contents. Nexus 7 2013 is also the choice of those who love to change the look of their device every day and install custom ROMs.

If you care about the look and beauty of your device, and you don’t like customizing much and iCloud and other cloud service satisfies you as a file manager option, then iPad Mini with its gorgeous look with its exclusive apps is your choice.



See Also: Nexus 7 2013 Review