Tablets iPad Mini or Nexus 7?

[dragonev]

Trying to decide which one to buy for myself as a Christmas present. The choice is between the iPad Mini 16Gb Cellular (£369) or Nexus 7 32Gb 3G (£252). Previously had both iPad 2 and Nexus 7 WiFi, but sold both recently to get some extra cash for a cellular one. Each device has its' own pros and cons:

Mini:
+ iOS and millions of apps
+ perfect fit for my rMBP and iPhone 5 (can use the same Lighting charger)
+ bigger screen

- price
- smaller "HDD"

Nexus 7:
+ Some features of Android OS (SwiftKey, Widgets, Direct Download, Android File Transfer)
+ price
+ bigger "HDD"

+/- offline navigation

- shape is somewhat weird and no rotation in the home screen
- worse display (yeah yeah I saw the specs, but I also so both things in action)
- 1.5 apps for the entire android market

What's your opinion?

 

[D1G1T4L]

Going to go ahead and say the majority here are going to go with the mini

 

[Mjmar]

If you can handle a worse screen the iPad mini is the best bet because of the iOS ecosystem. Android doesn't have all the apps that I use on iOS, and many of the apps that they do have are just giant phone apps on the Nexus 7.

 

[Rodster]

First off you can rotate the Home screen on the N7. It was part of a Jelly Bean update, besides that both are solid devices. It all depends what ecosystem you prefer.

 

[EMAN19]

iPad mini. No contest.

It's simple, really. iOS wins every day of the week. Android is not for me, although I do applaud Google for the strides they have made. Android is way too disjointed for my liking.

 

[blackhand1001]

Trying to decide which one to buy for myself as a Christmas present. The choice is between the iPad Mini 16Gb Cellular (£369) or Nexus 7 32Gb 3G (£252). Previously had both iPad 2 and Nexus 7 WiFi, but sold both recently to get some extra cash for a cellular one. Each device has its' own pros and cons:

Mini:
+ iOS and millions of apps
+ perfect fit for my rMBP and iPhone 5 (can use the same Lighting charger)
+ bigger screen

- price
- smaller "HDD"

Nexus 7:
+ Some features of Android OS (SwiftKey, Widgets, Direct Download, Android File Transfer)
+ price
+ bigger "HDD"

+/- offline navigation

- shape is somewhat weird and no rotation in the home screen
- worse display (yeah yeah I saw the specs, but I also so both things in action)
- 1.5 apps for the entire android market

What's your opinion?

Nexus 7 has home screen rotation. It was added in 4.1.2
There is tons of apps for the nexus 7 as well. I have had no issue getting an app for every task I have needed to perform and I use it a lot. File system access is a huge plus of the nexus. You'd be surprised how useful it is, especially when emailing attachments. The display on the nexus 7 is definitely better as well. My friend has both tablets and I have used both extensively, the ipad has less color gamut and the ppi is noticeably lower. I also felt that apples decision to simply just reuse the ten inch apps on the mini has caused some elements to be a little small to touch with accuracy, both me and my friend frequently had to tap multiple times to hit certain buttons.

 

[Ccrew]

iPad mini. No contest.

It's simple, really. iOS wins every day of the week. Android is not for me, although I do applaud Google for the strides they have made. Android is way too disjointed for my liking.

I'd say it's a contest. Equal performance, better resolution screen, 1/2 the price. The Nexus is a nice tablet.

I have a rMBP and a iPad3, I couldn't get used to the screen on the Mini personally and took it back after 10 days. Bought a 32gb Nexus 7. It's a consumption device, it does what I want it to do, and does it well. Apps I use on IOS are available on Android for me.

 

[richy d]

Its likely that on this board most people will vote for the mini, if you put the same post on the Nexus 7 board on XDA developers prob most would vote for the N7.

I had an N7 and now own on a mini, with these two devices its more about personal choice as they are both good.

Obviously if price was a major factor in your buying decision, then I's say go for N7. If the actual form factor of the device is your main concern go for the mini.. but apart from that its the trade off between extra screen real estate vs better screen resolution and literally whether you prefer the IOS ecosystem vs the android one.

I chose to keep the mini as I needed the extra screen real estate (but boy did I miss the resolution of the N7 lol)... the ecosystem wasnt an issue as I have an android phone and an iPod touch, so Im not really locked into one ecosystem as such.

 

[Esoom]

I have had a WiFi N7 since launch, it's the best Android tablet.

I have a love hate thing going with the N7, it's cheap, it works, it gets the fastest software updates (out of all the Android tablets)

The hardware, outside of not having expandable memory is ok, build quality is good.

The OS is the best Android version yet, and I've been using Android since 1.5 on the G1.

All that being said, I just ordered an iPad mini, I'll be replacing the N7 with it as my daily driver.

The combination of a more mature OS, the form factor, build quality, support (jesus, look at some of the issues people have with support for Google's products, they really punt launches and support versus how Apple treats it's customers), integration with the Apple ecosystem (hell, I want the mini for it's remote app for Apple TV alone), and resale value have me in the mini category.

 

[Booji]

I've just ordered an N7 3G. I also have an iPad 3 and iPhone 5.

I think the iPad Mini is too expensive and I want to wait for the next generation (my rule never to buy first generation Apple anything) hoping it has a better screen next year.

Also, I like the form factor with the soft backing. While its thicker, it will make less of a difference as I won't need to put a cover on it.

Final reason is that I'm "Android Curious" and want to compare OS. Looking for some different experience. I had the original N1 and although I really did not like Gingerbread, but with the current Jellybean it looks as if they finally are getting it right.

 

[dragonev]

Thanks guys! Funny enough it seems that the general opinion is not "get a mini", but rather "personal choice".
In terms of the apps selection I think my main uses are mail, web, social stuff. I would love to have things like "Around Me" and "1Password" but I am still not sure whether this is a dealbreaker for Nexus.

One of the major concerns for me in buying Mini is the fact that it is likely to be updated in 6 months with all those niceties like Retina display and better CPU which will leave me no choice but to sell the outdated device and buy a new one. On the contrary, if I get a Nexus, I will be able to save £100+ for the next purchase and then easily sell it in 6 months for at least 70% of its' actual price to which will provide me with handful of cash to purchase an updated mini.

P.s. Yeah, and I think it is quite apparent that I spent fortunes on apps for iOS but boy not ready to do so for the Android. At least, I am not planning to migrate my phone to Android.

 

[Eadfrith]

I looked at both on Saturday, I much preferred the screen on the Mini. The N7 is just too small, especially when you take into account the virtual buttons which take up even more screen space, it really was like looking at a large phone screen.

 

[MrXiro]

Thanks guys! Funny enough it seems that the general opinion is not "get a mini", but rather "personal choice".
In terms of the apps selection I think my main uses are mail, web, social stuff. I would love to have things like "Around Me" and "1Password" but I am still not sure whether this is a dealbreaker for Nexus.

One of the major concerns for me in buying Mini is the fact that it is likely to be updated in 6 months with all those niceties like Retina display and better CPU which will leave me no choice but to sell the outdated device and buy a new one. On the contrary, if I get a Nexus, I will be able to save £100+ for the next purchase and then easily sell it in 6 months for at least 70% of its' actual price to which will provide me with handful of cash to purchase an updated mini.

P.s. Yeah, and I think it is quite apparent that I spent fortunes on apps for iOS but boy not ready to do so for the Android. At least, I am not planning to migrate my phone to Android.

6 month is an assumption and not a fact. Could it happen? Maybe... But I think it is unlikely. At least at the current thickness and price point.

 

[Vermillon]

I love apple products but honestly the nexus 7 is far superior then the iPad mini.

 

[Booji]

Thanks guys! Funny enough it seems that the general opinion is not "get a mini", but rather "personal choice".
In terms of the apps selection I think my main uses are mail, web, social stuff. I would love to have things like "Around Me" and "1Password" but I am still not sure whether this is a dealbreaker for Nexus.

One of the major concerns for me in buying Mini is the fact that it is likely to be updated in 6 months with all those niceties like Retina display and better CPU which will leave me no choice but to sell the outdated device and buy a new one. On the contrary, if I get a Nexus, I will be able to save £100+ for the next purchase and then easily sell it in 6 months for at least 70% of its' actual price to which will provide me with handful of cash to purchase an updated mini.

P.s. Yeah, and I think it is quite apparent that I spent fortunes on apps for iOS but boy not ready to do so for the Android. At least, I am not planning to migrate my phone to Android.

Actually, in terms of total cost of ownership, I think Apple products do much better. Its very easy to sell a one or two year old Apple device - I'm surprised at how much even the original iPad can bring.

Android stuff, on the other hand, depreciates a lot. Google Nexus however is a little better than other but no match for Apple in terms of resale.

 

[reputationZed]

If your going cellular why isn't LTE (mini) vs 3G (N7) a concern?

 

[dragonev]

6 month is an assumption and not a fact. Could it happen? Maybe... But I think it is unlikely. At least at the current thickness and price point.

Well, we already saw how Apple sacrificed thickness with iPad 3 in order to fit in Retina display and a larger battery to support it. The price point is a somewhat doubtful assumption since Apple will be able to leverage a substantial discount on quantities and give up just a slight portion of margin.

I love apple products but honestly the nexus 7 is far superior then the iPad mini.

This is somewhat doubtful.

Actually, in terms of total cost of ownership, I think Apple products do much better. Its very easy to sell a one or two year old Apple device - I'm surprised at how much even the original iPad can bring.

Android stuff, on the other hand, depreciates a lot. Google Nexus however is a little better than other but no match for Apple in terms of resale.

Well, I sold wi-fi only versions of both iPad 2 and Nexus 7 in 5 days easily so it is somewhat comparable selling experience. Moneywise I think the price drop was also comparable.

----------

If your going cellular why isn't LTE (mini) vs 3G (N7) a concern?

Oh this is a no brainer. There is not much of the LTE coverage in the UK today (none in my area anyway) and it is likely to be the case for another year or so. When travelling back home to Russia the story will be the same. Travel for holidays - same stuff again. So it is actually 3G vs 3G which is not a differentiating factor.

 

[darngooddesign]

The Nexus shows noticeably less of a website in landscape.

 

[smwatson]

The Nexus is cheaper and does basically everything the iPad does. It's also more portable and, in my opinion, nicer to hold and use.

You've owned one before, what did you think of it then?

If you can afford the iPad Mini then it looks like you prefer it, so you should buy that. If you're interested in saving £100 then buy the Nexus.

 

[Dlanod]

I'm in exactly the same quandary. Have a 4th gen iPad, iPhone 5, iMac and Air and have just sold my wifi N7. Bought a wifi Mini but returned it because the screen was a bit of a shock. Decided I need something cellular. Ordered an 3G Nexus 7 at the weekend intending to cancel my order for a cellular Mini. Have been to the Apple Store at lunch and decided the Mini screen isn't that bad. Now I'm totally confused. Money is isn't really an issue. Or storage. I use cloud storage mostly. I love the Nexus screen. But the forms factor of the Mini, the larger screen is a big attraction.

Groan. What now.

 

[Eadfrith]

The Nexus shows noticeably less of a website in landscape.

Here's how much extra room you have in landscape mode, taken from this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcBnoHoepEY:

 

[Mr.damien]

First off you can rotate the Home screen on the N7. It was part of a Jelly Bean update, besides that both are solid devices. It all depends what ecosystem you prefer.

Wow. latest bleeding edge feature on Android is rotating the home screen ... lol. Last on as to be less sluggish on a quad core proc, they are clearly catching up

 

[nfl46]

I had both. iPad mini. You will be amazed at how light it is compared to the N7 but the extra .9" does come in handy.

Also, the mini has a front and back camera. That could come be helpful.

 

[Nychot]

"Millions" of apps for the ipad, true. I've had the ipad 1,2(twice), 3 (wife also has one). I have 149 apps on my ipad. I probably use a half dozen regularly, and more than a dozen sometimes and the rest hardly. I bought an n7 when it came out and literally every app i have on my ipad has an android version. So beware of the assertions that they are nothing more than phone apps. Screen is brilliant, and fast. I bought a mini but a slight drop from a desk caused the screen to totally shatter. I had applecare plus for $100 so i had to pay another $50 to get a replacement mini. I'm going to return it. I can also get $100 of my $150 back. So it cost me fifty bucks to experiment with the mini. I'm returning it because if what everyone else believes -- version two with be upgraded. Plus i think the screen is way two thin and the unit itself very fragile. The genius i saw to get my replacement got thin shards of glass in his finger when he removed the mini from its case. He said he couldnt believe how really thin the glass screen was. So i'll keep my ipad 3 and the nexus 7. The only place i find real estate on the n7 too small is when i open mail in portrait and it shows half the ad or website and i have to scroll to the right a little. Other than that its totally fine in landscape.

 

[dragonev]

The Nexus is cheaper and does basically everything the iPad does. It's also more portable and, in my opinion, nicer to hold and use.

You've owned one before, what did you think of it then?

If you can afford the iPad Mini then it looks like you prefer it, so you should buy that. If you're interested in saving £100 then buy the Nexus.

Well, I already expressed my pros and cons with regard to Nexus. The money threshold is set at £380 (this is the money I got from selling iPad 2 and Nexus 7).

I'm in exactly the same quandary. Have a 4th gen iPad, iPhone 5, iMac and Air and have just sold my wifi N7. Bought a wifi Mini but returned it because the screen was a bit of a shock. Decided I need
Groan. What now.

Agree, tough choice. I actually a bit frustrated with Apple forcing me to think - couple of years ago it was a no brainer decision to go for Apple product as oppose to the competition, but it is no longer the case today.

Here's how much extra room you have in landscape mode, taken from this video

Thanks for this. Certainly a + for Mini

"Millions" of apps for the ipad, true. I've had the ipad 1,2(twice), 3 (wife also has one). I have 149 apps on my ipad. I probably use a half dozen regularly, and more than a dozen sometimes and the rest hardly.

Probably it is just a behavioral thing but I like to have an opportunity to use a certain app, even though I might try it only once. For example, I've just reinvented "Around Me" app a week ago. Freedom of choice is important. But I agree with the general idea of "must have pool of apps" which is available on both platforms.