Nexus 7 vs. iPad Mini 2: Specs of the two small-screen tablets are compared in this review. Does Google’s Nexus 7 deliver more value than the iPad Mini 2, especially because its cheaper? Or does the power of the iOS 7 iPad Mini 2 and its sleek design give more bang for your buck?

Type of User

The iPad mini is a great tablet for those who have already been sucked into the world of Apple. It is most suitable for those who love consuming media, games and checking out various apps available from Apple on their iPhones and Macs. The Nexus 7 on the other hand runs on Android from Google which means that the user is free to choose between apps from Google or any other Android developers – a freedom not available to iOS users.

Hardware

At first glance, both devices seem to be of the same dimensions. The iPad however, is actually wider making it ideal for reading books or surfing the web but a bit annoying when watching videos. The Mini has an IPS display of 7.9 inches with 2048 by 1536 resolution giving you 326ppi for clear and bright text as well as video. The Nexus 7 has a 7-in screen that’s 1920 by 1,200 resolutions with 323ppi meaning that both tablets give you fantastic displays.

In regards to the body, the iPad Mini comes is light in weight and comes with a great aluminum back panel with metal edges that are a bit slanted. It feels quite expensive in your hands when compared with the Nexus 7 which albeit not feeling cheap, does not quite deliver. It has a smooth matte finish that does not retain moisture. It does however have the advantage of being easier to handle in one hand in comparison to the wider iPad Mini.

Performance

Both the iPad Mini and Nexus 7 come equipped with very fast processors for great performance. They are pretty much the same unless you disable the animation on the iPad Mini to make it run faster. The iPad Mini is better than the Nexus 7 when it comes to the speaker volume and sound quality but the Nexus however has the better speaker placement. Apple put their speakers on the right hand side and while Nexus put a speaker on each side when held in landscape mode.

Operating Systems

The iPad Mini comes with a preinstalled iOS 7 from Apple while the Nexus 7 runs on Android 4.4. These are two different systems with some similarities. The better of the two systems will totally depend on the type of user you are. One great aspect of the Android 4.4 on the N7 is that you are able to set different profiles to allow the tablet to function in different ways depending on the profile chosen. For example, you may have one profile for each member of the family. A great similarity with both devices is that you can use Google Chrome to sync data (e.g. browsing history & contacts) from various devices and locations as long as you use the same account.

One of the biggest advantages that you will have with the iPad is that there are a lot of apps that will launch on it first before (if ever) they come to Android. If you therefore need to have the newest apps as soon as they are released then the iPad is the right choice for you.

Both devices have great media organization features and apps. They both also allow for immediate saving up to Cloud services. Currently, you can only get Google Play Music on the N7 but it is set to come to the iPad soon as well.

Cameras

Most smartphones today will take better photos than the tablets in the market. Both Apple and Google decided to go with 5 megapixel cameras on the rear of the tablets and 1.2 megapixel cameras on the front. Despite having the same megapixels, the iPad seems to achieve better video and picture taking.

Battery Life

Both the devices will be able to run all day without requiring a second charge. The Nexus 7 however runs on higher brightness settings thus making it difficult to compare the two’s battery lives. If the brightness is turned down, the Nexus 7 battery can outlast the iPad’s.