iPad Mini vs Nexus 7: which is best? [GIVEAWAY]

by Antonio Wells Nov 19, 2012 12:26 PM – 91 Comments

iPad Mini vs Nexus 7! When shopping this holiday season for a small tablet these two are the top choices, so which is the best? Read and watch our review plus you can win either iPad Mini or Nexus 7 by entering our contest!

Video Review

Watch on Mobile | Watch in HD

Pros & Cons

iPad Mini

Pros

iOS ecosystem is plentiful!
Solid build quality and design!
Smaller, lighter and easier to hold in one hand than normal iPad; yet wider than other 7-inch Android tablets!
Super long battery life… almost no worries about charging it!
Features smaller Lightning port!
More affordable than iPad!

Cons

Expensive in comparison to Android tablets of same class.
No ‘Retina Display’, lower resolution screen noticeable in comparison to Android tablets.
Apple choose to include the slower A5 processor, pales in comparison to Nexus 7 Tegra 3 processor.
Introduces the Lightning port.

Nexus 7

Pros

Very affordable!
Features latest and greatest Google software experience has to offer including; (new) multiple account support, (new) gesture typing, Google Now, voice typing, notifications on steroids, and more!
Best designed Android tablet, perfect fit in one hand!
Ecosystem emerging with content; apps & games, music, movies & TV, books & magazines, and pure Google-experience devices!
Screen resolution is better than the iPad Mini!
Hyper-fast Tegra 3 processor!
Easier to personalize, customize and/or hack!

Cons

Ecosystem is second class only to Apple.
Minor, yet there is no rear-facing camera… which excludes new feature enhancements in the Camera app.
Slightly thicker and heavier than iPad Mini.

Design

iPad Mini

The Mini is a well designed tablet and feels that way in the hand. My gripes with it are the thin bezel on the sides (yet Apple says they have tweaked the tablet’s software to discount unwanted touches near the side edges) and it’s wider than most tablets of its class with the slightly larger 7.9-inch display (which offers 35% more display, yet only 1024×768 resolution at 163 ppi). If you’ve experienced a 3rd or 4th gen iPad or iPhone 5, you will definitely notice the screen quality degradation. The iPad Mini almost feels a little too wide to grip in one hand and the backing feels uninviting-ly cold in comparison to the N7′s soft back. There are two cameras; a front-facing 1.2-megapixel for 720p HD FaceTime video calling, with rear-facing 5-megapixel iSight 1080p full HD camera. It comes in two colors; white & silver or black & slate, the latter gives off a cool blue sheen on the back in the right light. It is far thinner than the Nexus 7 and weighs slightly less, this is the first thing you notice when you first pick it up.

Nexus 7

For a while seven inch Android tablets have not captured a sexy and thin design until the introduction of the Nexus 7. It only comes in one color; black on black (the white back we have is a limited edition from Google IO 2012). Speaking of the back, the grippy faux-leather rear makes cuddly up with it or holding in one hand very comfortable. The screen is far better than the iPad Mini which an HD IPS display with 1280×800 resolution at 216 ppi. Sadly, the Nexus 7 does not have a rear shooter, and with the new camera improvements in Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) this flagship Google device won’t get the goodies as there is no camera app. Luckily, you can download this app to get the missing Nexus 7 camera app. The front-facing camera is 1.2-megapixels for HD video calling & chats.

Ecosystem

iPad Mini vs Nexus 7 – The Ecosystems

iPad Mini

In my opinion, Apple’s robust ecosystem could be the sheer deciding factor of why you would choose the Mini over the 7. I’m not referring to the number of apps & games, nor the fact that Apple states there are more than 275,000 iPad specific apps, millions of songs, books & magazines, and exclusive movie and television show content deals… I’m referring to the fact that if you have invested into the ecosystem with any other Apple device, you can consume them as well on this device, and now without plugging up to a computer and iTunes due to iCloud.

Nexus 7

The same goes for Google’s ecosystem. They too have nearly a million apps & games, millions of songs, TV shows and movies, books & magazines; and if you’ve purchased any of the content here, you’ll know you can share among devices without wires via their cloud. For now at least, Google Play is only second class to Apple and the bar is extremely high.

Features

iPad Mini

The iPad’s lil brother too has iOS 6 which brings more features to Siri like gathering sports & movie information plus booking restaurants. Finally, there’s natural Facebook integration to share things, you can store credit cards, coupons, and boarding passes in Passbook, FaceTime is mostly available over cellular, you can pick up where you left off in Safari browser via iCloud tabs & save content for offline reading, and lastly you can capture panorama photos.

Nexus 7

Google already released the best version of Android at IO this year, then they doubled-back with an incremental update with Jelly Bean (4.2) that introduces multiple user accounts on one tablet device. Think of it like a Windows computer, where each family member can have their own setting with personalized backgrounds, widgets and apps to their tastes on the same tablet. Additionally, there are improvements to the Camera app to allow one-handed switching between settings by tapping anywhere on the screen. For example, to turn auto-flash on/off or switch to the front-facing camera it is a simple tap and slide away. Google expanded on panorama shots with mesh augmented reality to allow you to create a 360 degree photo (can be very useful in real estate). Lastly, Google introduced gesture typing, just like Swype, where you can slide to letters to spell words for faster typing. These improvements are atop the intelligent inclusion of Google Now, a superior voice search & command assistant that learns your habits over time and can remind you of flight travel, nearby restaurants and events, get the weather, has near flawless voice recognition and voice to text typing, and of course search the Web.

Storage

iPad Mini

The iPad Mini comes in 16, 32 and 64 GB models, and either as Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi + cellular to be available soon on AT&T, Verizon and Sprint. As you may know, there is no external storage expansion option on Apple products… so choose wisely.

Nexus 7

The Nexus 7 comes in 16 and 32 GB models, and either as Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi + cellular on AT&T’s HSPA+ mobile Internet network. Unfortunately, and unlike the trend in nearly all other Android devices, there is no external storage expansion option… so choose wisely.

Performance

iPad Mini vs Nexus 7 Geekbench Performance Tests Comparison

iPad Mini

I know why they did it- hey if it isn’t broke then don’t fix it… Yet it’s sad to see how Apple will milk their customers in a few quarters- releasing “the all new [and magical] iPad Mini 2 with Retina Display and faster A5X processor”. To be honest, high-end games and tasks never lagged in my experience and iOS performed buttery smooth, however, based on the Geekbench processor performance tests, the Nexus 7 is way faster. If we’re talking battery longevity, even if you don’t have plentiful Lightning ports laying around as you may have 30-pin connectors, you don’t have to worry about charging this thing… it’s the Energizer Bunny!

Nexus 7

As displayed in the screenshot above, the Nexus 7′s quad-core Tegra 3 processor proves that it outpaces the Mini. Yet I get the same super long battery life out of the 7 as I do on the Mini. In my experience, and using both moderate-to-heavy, I would say an average of 6-8 hours for the former and 9-11 hours on the latter.

Price

$300 vs $500

iPad Mini

Pricing is what truly hurt the Mini. Yes you are getting a quality built product and you pay a little more premium for Apple’s vogue, however, compared to other seven inch tablets, starting at $329 is pretty steep. BTW, if you like me, will purchase Apple Care protection, a Smart Cover, plus tax, you’re looking at $500 for the cheapest option.

Nexus 7

Google & ASUS nailed this with the enticing price of starting $199. Even if you add on shipping, a case and taxes, you’ll be looking at around $300 for the cheapest option.

AndroidTapp.com Conclusion

So which is the best option iPad Mini vs Nexus 7? This one is a tough call, they both are 4.5/5 star tablets, although I believe the deciding factor will be Price and Ecosystem. Meaning, if you’ve invested in either ecosystem you may sway that way. If you’re brand new to tablets and looking to choose between these two this holiday season, I believe the cheaper price of the Nexus 7 will win you over. You get virtually the same experiential offerings to interact, learn, discover, play, surf, share and connect on these devices with more real estate than a smartphone.

Though for two lucky people, you won’t have to buy your iPad Mini or Nexus 7, as you can enter our contest and win either free!

How to Enter

WATCH our comparison video iPad Mini vs Nexus for secret code
Enter contest and LIKE us on Facebook
Enter secret code from video
CHOOSE iPad Mini or Nexus 7

Rules of the Contest

Must be 18 or older to enter. Open domestically and internationally. Contest ends December 14, 2012 at 11:59pm CST with the winner announced in the following week. The winner is randomly selected using the Sweepstakes app and contacted via Facebook for shipping details. Winner of the iPad Mini will receive the gently used product used in our review along with box and all contents plus red Smart Cover. Winner of the Nexus 7 will receive a brand new in box 16GB Wi-Fi only device and not the limited edition version used in our review. By entering our promotion, you authorize AndroidTapp.com only (excluding our partners and affiliates) to send you promotional offers and content related to the content and promotions AndroidTapp.com supplies. AndroidTapp.com produces a monthly email newsletter and occasional giveaway/promotional offers to members and promotion participants (members can unsubscribe at any time). Additionally, you agree and accept the “Rules” for the promotion.

Tags: Android 4.2, Android Tablet, AndroidTapp.com, Giveaways, iOS, iOS 6, iPad Mini, iPad Mini vs Nexus 7, Jelly Bean, Nexus 7, Nexus 7 vs iPad Mini, Win a Nexus 7, Win an iPad Mini

Categorised in: Android Advice, Android Tablets, Featured, Freebies, News

91 Comments

By Tom on November 19, 2012 at 1:14 pm:

Excellent video. I am an Android phone user who was actually looking forward to the iPad Mini, but the cost and a seemingly lower quality product will keep me in the Android family.

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By Ernie Manning on November 19, 2012 at 1:42 pm:

Great comparison video! I think the obvious points are stated clearly and I like how even though this is an Android site you let the viewer come to their own conclusions.

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By EhJude on November 19, 2012 at 4:32 pm:

It’s a really tough call. On the one hand, the Nexus 7 is faster (ram and processor), plus it has a much better screen resolution. But on the other hand the iPad mini has a bigger screen and is thinner, plus it has a rear camera (although that’s useless for me and many others). You can see an infographic style head to head comparison over at Sortable: http://sortable.com/tablets/Google-Nexus-7-32-GB-vs-Apple-iPad-mini-32-GB#differences – I would be typed to go with the Mini on this one from a portability perspective, but if I wanted a more powerful device it’d be the Nexus.

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By Ken on November 19, 2012 at 5:06 pm:

Both are great devices and a better form factor and price than 10 inch tablets – especially when you are trying to justify buying a tablet or not.

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By Charla on November 20, 2012 at 2:40 pm:

I hate to appear stupid… and I may be anyway, but where do we enter the “secret code” that we pull from the video?

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- By Antonio Wells on November 20, 2012 at 2:46 pm:
  
  No worries, enter it here http://www.facebook.com/androidtapp?sk=app_143103275748075&app_data=dlt-1
  
  Reply
By Lady Di on November 20, 2012 at 7:05 pm:

I think my email addys might be different between FB and here. Ooops.

Anyhow, I have cataracts and I think I’d like the Nexus 7 much better, viewing wise. Although I’ve never had an Apple product, I’m cautious as they have proprietary parts that I can’t afford. I’m all Android now so I’ll stay with what I know and can see.

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By gadgetgem on November 22, 2012 at 12:12 pm:

Loved the video, very impartial. Both look like fantastic tablets, wouldn’t mind getting my hands on either and writing my own review.

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By Pravas on November 23, 2012 at 10:35 am:

Hi there the comparison was very informative and thanks for the giveaway.

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By Andy on November 23, 2012 at 12:50 pm:

If only the nexus had a smart cover like the iPad.

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By Mel on November 24, 2012 at 2:50 am:

Great review. I guess none will ever provide the option of external storage slot. I can’t really justify paying that much for a mini version of the iPad when there are other options out there. That’s a lot of money to invest in considering the turn around for newer versions draw so near making your acquisition ‘old’ within months. You could practically buy two Nexus 7s for the price of one iPad mini!

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By klevente on November 24, 2012 at 5:10 am:

Nexus 7 is the best tablet out there! And for free, it would be a dream come true for me!

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By Sai Tarun Meka on November 25, 2012 at 12:39 am:

I love the reviews on Android Tapp, they give the required information and help me choose the best to select.. i would really like to win a nexus-7

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By theperfectnose on November 25, 2012 at 3:48 am:

Totally invested in the apple ecosystem and agree with you that they are milking customers with a retina-less slower version but still want the ipad because all the apps I love aren’t available on the Android system.

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By Tj on November 25, 2012 at 3:49 am:

The mini is easier to hold as well..

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By DISNEYDEEVA on November 25, 2012 at 11:50 am:

I hadn’t considered replacing my rooted NC….until I watched your video. With it’s processor power and performance, the Nexus 7 is a great fit for my needs. It goes on the top of my list to Santa!

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By Kay on November 26, 2012 at 8:30 am:

I actually have the Nexus 7 so I’m voting for the iPad since I can’t be bothered to buy it myself

In general, the Nexus 7 seems like an obviously better choice.

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By maaz on November 27, 2012 at 1:36 pm:

ipad is best

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By leo garcia on November 28, 2012 at 12:49 pm:

great reviews now i decided to buy the nexus 7

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By dementia on November 28, 2012 at 12:54 pm:

I actually learned a lot with the comparison video. I was thinking of eventually getting an iPad Mini but you’re right, it’s better to wait for a better version

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By codz on November 29, 2012 at 10:31 am:

I have both and while Nexus may have a faster processor and more pixel density, the wider screen is a decisive factor toward the Mini, as the screen on the Nexus 7 is very cramped while in portrait mode and not sufficient enough also in landscape mode.

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By Edmond Leung on November 29, 2012 at 2:48 pm:

Pick me, pick me! Your next winner!!! Show me the money! I love your video. Very educational and informative about the techni data and pros and cons of the tablets. It would be a dream come true and means a lot more to me than anyone else to win the prize. Starving artist here desperately needs ipad tablet to work and eat again. Winner, winner. Chicken dinner. A life changing experience. Top of my bucket list.

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By Nicole de Dios on November 29, 2012 at 2:55 pm:

This is the best review I am still choosing Ipad Mini after all! Eventhough it will milk their customer, I still like it better

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By Carol Oddy on November 29, 2012 at 5:03 pm:

Great video, very informative, it was very hard to choose between the two models!! Thanks for the great contest!!

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By amiel monte on November 29, 2012 at 6:59 pm:

I have nexus 7 and my friends has ipad mini. I like more my nexus 7 & less his ipad. My friend more like my nexus 7 & less like his ipad mini. Same

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By Ma Jonique del Rosario on November 29, 2012 at 9:24 pm:

Antonio Wells, Thank you for the review. This really helps people distinguish the right device for their needs. For some who would want tablets with higher processors, the Nexus would be for them. The upsides of the Ipad is its bigger screen but comparing it to the Nexus’s screen resolution, it pales in comparison.

For me, since i would choose the tablet with the better camera. I would choose the Ipad. Also because its lighter than the Nexus. As a girl, it would be tiring to hold the Nexus all day… If the Nexus had a rear camera then that would be the basis for me when choosing.

Other than that, different people have different standards. ^^ (If my brother has a say in my review then he would choose the Nexus because of its Tegra 3 processor)

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By Jeric Castano on November 30, 2012 at 4:24 am:

never had a tablet of my own!
i hope to finally have one ^^

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By Emanuel on November 30, 2012 at 8:45 am:

Comming from a companie that joked with galaxy note, the ipad mini is kind of a rip-off without phone! And why the bad processor and no retina in such an expensive gadget? thinking that you can not put it in a pocket, why buy a smaller ipad?

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By jasper on December 1, 2012 at 1:16 am:

great reviews now i decided to buy the nexus 7

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By jasper on December 1, 2012 at 1:21 am:

GREAT REVIEWS.

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By Borey on December 1, 2012 at 4:39 am:

I think Ipad mini is worse because of the cost with it’s limited featured no retina display.

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By lauren knott on December 1, 2012 at 4:51 am:

Liked them on fb as lauren knott

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By Michael Crowley on December 1, 2012 at 11:38 am:

Great review/comparison video! Very difficult choice to make between the two, but for someone who runs mainly PC based hardware and software and new to tabs I think the Nexus 7 is the best way to go. Thanks!

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By Jeam Rhasty Viodor on December 2, 2012 at 3:35 am:

great review!

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By Rohit Mahadev on December 3, 2012 at 12:40 am:

By far the best comparison ever saw. Two thumbs up for u guys

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- By Antonio Wells on December 3, 2012 at 7:42 am:
  
  @Rohit Mahadev Thanks!
  
  Reply
By Rohit Mahadev Shringare on December 3, 2012 at 1:50 am:

Very well presented !!

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By alexey on December 3, 2012 at 10:35 am:

great review, your step by step comparison give complete understanding of both devises

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By Eugene on December 3, 2012 at 1:08 pm:

Nice review!

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By Martín on December 3, 2012 at 2:16 pm:

Great comparison, is awesome the Nexus 7.

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By Bambi on December 3, 2012 at 5:27 pm:

Cant wait to get the mini Ipad to compare it to my Nexus 7

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By Dumitrache Jenica on December 4, 2012 at 10:36 am:

great review!

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- By Antonio Wells on December 4, 2012 at 10:38 am:
  
  Thanks!
  
  Reply
  - By Dumitrache Jenica on December 4, 2012 at 10:45 am:
    
    Antonio Wells congratulations again to present you the right man at the right place.
    
    Reply
By Dumitru Cristina on December 4, 2012 at 10:39 am:

Excellent video.Nexus 7 is the best tablet out there!

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By isberg on December 5, 2012 at 6:17 pm:

Hello there I am a guy from Denmark

I’m new to tablets, I just bought one but that was because
that friends have told me about how children can learn with these
Tablets … That is why I bought one for my daughter and son, and yes .. they have some wonderful hours with it and I’ve bought some good apps for them.
so there are still parents control over this tablet and how to use it ..
But I could because after watching your video like an ipad mini, which then could be my own personal, since I’m sure I also have good experiences with such a tablet.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you out there behind the screen

(I am sorry for my bad english, hope you all understand it)

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By Ismael on December 5, 2012 at 10:21 pm:

Very nice review. I’m Android, all the way, but this is very fair and a strong comparison review.

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By Michelle H. on December 5, 2012 at 10:46 pm:

Thanks for the detailed review, I thought I was sold on an ipad mini but you really made me think again about the Nexus 7.

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By Terrell on December 5, 2012 at 11:45 pm:

“Bestreviews”

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- By Antonio Wells on December 6, 2012 at 7:06 am:
  
  @Terrell have you entered the code in the correct place? Should be here http://www.facebook.com/androidtapp?sk=app_143103275748075
  
  Reply
By Goh sook keen on December 6, 2012 at 8:16 am:

Both Ipad and Nexus are just great smartphones. Honestly,i think it just boils down to personal taste

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By Abdul Mueed on December 6, 2012 at 10:22 am:

Nexus 7 is the best tablet out there! And I would love to win <3

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By Paul Tobeck on December 6, 2012 at 10:27 am:

Coming from a cross-platform user (iPad and HTC Rezound), this was a very nice, even-handed comparison with no fanboy BS. Good job.

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- By Antonio Wells on December 6, 2012 at 10:32 am:
  
  Thanks Paul!
  
  Reply
By aviedo on December 6, 2012 at 1:30 pm:

Thanks for the very detailed review. There are both apple and android products in our home and this is a very tough decision.

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By SHIVENDRA on December 6, 2012 at 1:53 pm:

True Nexus 7 is the best but still prefer IPAD Mini!!

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