Nexus 7 review: Specs of the 7-inch Nexus 7 Android tablet has been lauded by tech reviewers. It includes a “razor sharp” Full HD display and a 1.4GHz quad-core processor powered with 2GB of RAM. The tablet, which starts at $229 (16 GB, Wi-Fi version) is rumored to be obsolete soon because of the upcoming Nexus 8.

The 7-inch tablet, which is expected to soon run on Android 4.4.3, has a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro system on chip with a quad-core Krait CPU and a single-core Adreno 320 GPU. It also has 2GB of RAM with support for 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi and a Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS. In CNET’s review it also pointed out that it has a gyroscope, accelerometer, and a digital compass.

In terms of screen and display, the Nexus 7 doesn’t fail. It’s screen is incredibly sharp and the text is particularly fine and easy to read. Beside other tablet screens, the high pixel density of the Google tablet stands-out. CNET noted that it’s also one of the brightest tablet display out there and the colors are more accurate and fuller compared with the 2012 Nexus 7. The device’s contrast ratio is also noticeably higher.

The screen’s responsiveness is also speedy and browsing through the web is a smooth ride. Battery life for the Nexus 7 is a whole day affair, giving you that security that it could barrel through a 9-5 schedule. Wi-Fi speeds for it has also been stable, with no spotty connections within a safe distance.

In a 3DMark and GFXBench scores, the Nexus 7 has blown away the competition across the board. In terms of memory as well, it has one of the highest with the Sony Xperia Tablet Z and Google Nexus 10 matching the speed.

Price-wise, at a starting point of $229, the Nexus 7 is beyond competitive. The new iPad Mini at $399 and the LG G Pad 8.3 at $350 makes the Nexus 7 a handy choice if you’re opting for something that is both powerful and affordable.