iPad mini 2012 vs Nexus 7 2013

[shash747]

Hey there,

I'm planning to gift my girlfriend a tablet - and I need to decide between the iPad mini and Nexus 7 2013. They're both costing me roughly the same amount ($250). I want to go for the iPad for the following reasons:

- The build is just amazing. The premium feel is just great.
- My girlfriend isn't a techie/geek. She's not going to need the customisation options that you get on Android. In fact, iPad is pretty much going to be a simpler and better experience for her.

BUT

- The specs aren't so nice. Nexus 7 runs on 2 GB of RAM vs the iPad mini's 512 MB. I know Apple optimizes iOS and it won't lag. But 1-2 years into the future - won't the iPad mini show signs of obsoleteness much faster than the Nexus 7?

Basically - I want the iPad mini, but I also want it to last a good amount of time. I'm on the upper limit of my budget here so I can't really switch to a better iPad.

Should I still go for the mini, or is the Nexus 7 truly a better choice?

 

[Rodster]

If I had to choose it would be the N7 by a long mile. It has a MUCH better screen and better hardware. I recently bought a brand new discounted 2012 Mini and returned it. The screen was awful even at $199. If the rMini was $199 then I would definitely pick that over the N7.

 

[gotluck]

having trouble finding it now, but could have sworn I saw refurb '13 nexus 7 going for $100, can certainly find them at the ~$150 mark. Androidpolice, droidlife tend to follow the sales well.

 

[Shanghaichica]

The nexus 7 2013. Without a doubt. You don't have to customise it if you don't want to. It is straight forward to use. If it were the nexus 7 2012 vs the first gen mini I'd pick the mini bit the 2013 nexus 7 is better in every way.

 

[Shanghaichica]

having trouble finding it now, but could have sworn I saw refurb '13 nexus 7 going for $100, can certainly find them at the ~$150 mark. Androidpolice, droidlife tend to follow the sales well.

Here you go

New-in-box Nexus 7 (2013) for as little as $99, via Staples

http://www.androidauthority.com/nexus-7-2013-staples-515368/

 

[gotluck]

yep, there it is ^

saw it on reddit
http://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/2egles/psa_nexus_7_2013_on_clearance_for_9900_usd_at/

 

[apolloa]

For me it's the Nexus 7 no contest, for your girlfriend I would say the iPad Mini as she is not techie, and being a women she'll love the fashionable 'Apple' logos and build quality. Just make sure it's going to get iOS8? And get her one of those pink leather cases too.

Another alternative is to not buy anything now, wait till the new iPad Mini is launched next month or October, then get a Retina second gen mini when the prices drop.

 

[shash747]

Here you go

New-in-box Nexus 7 (2013) for as little as $99, via Staples

http://www.androidauthority.com/nexus-7-2013-staples-515368/

Looks like it's sold out. Can't find it on the website anywhere.

 

[xraydoc]

For the girlfriend - the iPad mini.

Do not compare spec-to-spec; as you stated, Apple significantly optimizes the OS for their hardware, so it can do with "less."

As for which will be out of date faster, well unless your girlfriend is going to root her device and start installing custom ROMs off XDA developers, I'd say they both have about the same life span. Perhaps the iPad is better in that regard as Apple, in my opinion, supports devices longer than most Android devices are supported.

On top of that, there's a simplicity that the iPad has, especially for non-tech users, that Android tablets still do not enjoy. And likely her friends use iPads, which will make app recommendations easier for her.

The Nexus 7 if she'd enjoy the technical side of things or the customization options. iPad mini if she just wants to Facebook, web browse, iMessage, etc. Doubly so if she uses an iPhone.

 

[gotluck]

Looks like it's sold out. Can't find it on the website anywhere.

in store only

dont think it was ever online

 

[Mechayoshi]

She might not be into tech but how is her eyesight? Okay awkward way to put it, what I mean is, will the lack of retina bother her?

 

[xraydoc]

She might not be into tech but how is her eyesight? Okay awkward way to put it, what I mean is, will the lack of retina bother her?

Lack of a retina screen on the 8" mini, but a noticeably smaller screen on the 7" Nexus 7.

I have both (well, my wife has an iPad mini and I've got an N7), and that one inch difference is more substantial than you'd think if you've never used a Nexus 7 for any length of time.



(yes, yes... I better add this before someone else does... that's what she said).

 

[shash747]

She might not be into tech but how is her eyesight? Okay awkward way to put it, what I mean is, will the lack of retina bother her?

It may not. But she's going to be using it primarily for browsing and reading ebooks. You need resolution for that don't you?

 

[apolloa]

It may not. But she's going to be using it primarily for browsing and reading ebooks. You need resolution for that don't you?

Yes, but the iPad would suffice still, I am in the camp that higher resolution matters given my arguing in the news threads

But that extra inch also makes a difference, my sister was on holiday in America and her husband bought her a first gen iPad Mini for her birthday, it was on sale for a very very good price, in one of your big name electronics stores I think. Anyway she loves it, uses it for email, web browsing, and some reading, she also has a Kindle though.
I showed her my Retina Mini and she could see the difference in the screens but didn't much care.

 

[lighthouse_man]

You have to consider the storage size. If she's going to keep lots of books, magazines, music, etc. then it's clearly the N7.

I think in the long term, you're going to save money between getting games off the Humble Bundle to the daily free app by Amazon. Granted most free apps by Amazon are crap, but they also occasionally give away many quality apps.

On a side note and not add to the confusion but if you have a premium account with Amazon, the Kindle Fire might end up being a good alternative as well.

 

[Ddyracer]

Its all 'bout priority here. Screen size, ecosystem, money etc.

 

[shash747]

Is a refurbished Nexus 7 worth it?
Are refurbished devices any good?

 

[Sensamic]

Why is this even a question?

Seriously?

 

[RickTaylor]

For me the 7.9 inch screen with its 4:3 aspect ratio was the deciding factor when the iPad mini first came out. My main use for the device is reading pdf documents which can't be easily reformatted to a smaller screen. The mini slips easily into my suit jacket pocket, and for me is about as small as it could be while still being able to read such documents comfortably in portrait mode. The Nexus would have been too thin.