iPad Mini 2 Vs. Nexus 7 2013: Specs and Feature Comparison
Apple finally unveiled the next-generation iPad Mini with retina this week and the device is the perfect match for Google's second-generation Nexus 7 tablet.
Both devices are extremely impressive in their own right, but Apple's smaller slate comes at a higher cost and features a screen with a higher resolution. So which one is the better gift for the holiday season? Here is a brief comparison of the specs and features on both devices.
Display
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Apple's iPad Mini 2 comes with a retina 7.9-inch display with 2048x1536 pixels resolution at 324ppi. The Nexus 7 comes equipped with a 7-inch IPS LCD display with 1920x1200 pixels resolution at 323ppi. Apple has an advantage here thanks to the retina screen that's gives the iPad Mini 2 one of the best pictures on the market. Google's device still holds its own and its screen is almost one inch smaller making the difference in resolution relative to each slate.
Speed
Apple equipped the iPad Mini 2 with the same A7 chip with 64-bit architecture that is found in the iPhone 5S. Google's device packs a Qualcomm S4 Pro processor. The processor on the iPad is dual-core while the one on the Nexus 7 is quad-core. In this department, both devices should be extremely fast and efficient, but Apple has a bit of an advantage with the 64-bit architecture. The Nexus 7 packs 2048 MB RAM which also helps the device in the speed department.
Software
Both tablets come with the latest versions of each company's mobile software as the iPad Mini runs iOS 7 out of the box and the Nexus 7 runs Android 4.3, JellyBean. The Nexus was used to introduce the new Google software. This area comes down to a matter preference.
Design
The iPad Mini is constructed from Aluminum giving it a classier look than its competitor. It measures in at 7.87x5.30x0.30 inches and is slightly thicker than its predecessor. The Nexus 7 sports a different shape and measures in at 7.87x4.49x0.34 inches. The iPad Mini weighs a little bit more than the Nexus 7 thanks to the retina display. This area could come down to preference, but Apple is pretty tough to match when it comes to aesthetics.
Camera
Both the Nexus 7 and iPad Mini with retina come with 5-megapixel rear cameras that can capture videos with 1920x1080 resolution. They also come with 1.2-megapixel front shooters for FaceTime and Skype. However, the iPad Mini has a slight advantage as its front camera could take video in 720p HD.
Conclusion
The iPad Mini with retina appears to be in a league of its own. Its price is significantly higher than the Nexus 7's, but Apple offers a lot of top notch features and state of the art components. The Nexus 7 was impressive at launch, but will lose its luster when placed against Apple's device. The biggest advantage Google has is that its nearly half the price of the iPad Mini at $229 for the 16GB Wi-Fi only model. Apple's device retails for as low as $399 for the 16GB Wi-Fi version.
