Apple counteracts the movements of its main competitor, Google (with permission from Samsung), now also in the market for tablets with the Nexus 7. Although those of Cupertino have opted for a tablet –iPad Mini- of high flights that contrasts with the economic option of the seeker, their positions will inevitably lead them to a direct confrontation.
The fight between the two great technology companies has been going on for years, but with the presentation of the iPad Mini a new chapter follows which, according to recent events, is very interesting. On the one hand, Google's Nexus 7 has quickly positioned itself as the most successful Android tablet and, therefore, the most indicated to steal Apple's prominence in the sector, especially when its price is incredibly low for its benefits - However , the apple firm has other advantages. There is his legacy in the tablet market, with more than 100 million units sold in just over two years, a majority market share that gives him a clear advantage, in addition to the "push" of the brand image of the Californian firm.
Once the situation in which both companies find themselves and the evolution of the market have been reproduced, it is time to compare each and every one of the most outstanding technical characteristics of each model face to face.
Size, design and details
As we can guess, the characteristics of the iPad Mini screen will have a direct impact on the size of its case. However, they will not be much higher than the levels presented by the Nexus 7. According to the data revealed by Apple, the iPad Mini measures 200 x 134.7 x 7.2 millimeters. Therefore, if we compare these dimensions with those of the Google tablet (198.5 x 120 x 10.5 millimeters) we can draw the first conclusions. Apple's device is slightly wider, although the thickness is infinitely less, which can be a plus if we value portability. Similarly, the weight of the bitten apple tablet is set at 308 grams, 32 grams below the Nexus 7.
In this section it is interesting to mention the finish of the tablets and the materials used. In the iPad Mini you will notice, once again, the fine and luxurious finishes of Apple. For the occasion they have used anodized aluminum in black and white-silver versions. In the case of the Google model, manufactured by Asus, we find a well-finished tablet, although with the majority presence of plastic materials, perhaps inferior to the Apple device. However, the “rubber” back cover of the Nexus 7 gives it some ergonomics and makes it easier for the user to safely grasp the tablet.
Screen
An especially important point in this duel of benefits and characteristics. While Google opted to include a 7-inch backlit IPS panel, Apple has seen fit to raise the diagonal of the iPad Mini to 7.9 inches. In matters related to its use in activities such as web browsing, it can be a point in Apple's favor, due to its greater functionality a priori. However, from the point of view of image quality, those of Mountain View have a certain advantage as the 1.280 x 800 pixels are in the lead compared to the 1.024 x 768 pixels of the iPad Mini. In terms of dots per inch, the former registers 216 dpi and the latter, 162 dpi. The protection of both displays is ensured by a layer of reinforced glass, although in the case of the iPad it is also covered with an oleophobic layer to prevent dirt from the fingertips.
Processor and memory
It is early to advance a technical confrontation in this section, since despite evaluating the performance of processors and RAM memory, the software will play a crucial role. However, in the absence of knowing the performance test results of the iPad Mini (the Nexus 7 are already known), we are going to stick to the purely technical section. On paper, the Nexus 3's 1.3 GHz Nvidia Tegra 7 Quad Core processor offers some advantage over the 5 GHz Apple A1 Dual Core chip, despite being both based on an ARM Cortex A9 architecture. The results of the GPU can be shown very differently, in the first GeForce ULP and in the second PowerVR SGX543MP2, although we once again advocate a performance test as fair as possible to draw accurate conclusions.
The section of RAM, again we find a somewhat complicated confrontation. Although the Nexus 7 is positioned as a clear dominator with 1 GB and the iPad Mini has 512 MB, the management of the operating system is too important a factor to be carried away by the figures. In the beginning, it has always been said that iOS requires fewer resources due to its high degree of optimization between software and hardware. On the other hand, Android offers real multitasking, at the cost of a higher consumption of resources. Tie? Personal decision?
Physical and wireless connections
In this confrontation the Nexus 7 also suffers to save the type, although again because of its economic cut. While on the Apple side we find different versions, among which we find 3G and 4G –LTE- connectivity, the Android device only has a WiFi connection. Even on this side, the search engine tablet is in inferior performance since the iPad has a dual antenna, Dual Band 2.4 and 5 GHz. Regarding Bluetooth, the Cupertino model has the 4.0 protocol and the Nexus 7 version 3.0 , in theory less optimized from an energy point of view. Both models have GPS. Of course, the Google terminal has NFC which, together with Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean, gives it a greater number of functionalities. Apple has once again forgotten about short-range wireless technology. If we value the physical connections, perhaps the Nexus 7 option, which respects the universal connectivity of the microUSB to a greater degree, has a certain advantage over the new proprietary Lighting connector of the iPad Mini. Both models have the 3.5 mm audio jack.
Multimedia
Although the screen does have some relevance in this section, we will only refer to the digital camera. Without a doubt Apple wins the duel by a landslide since the economic profile of the Nexus 7 limits it to a great extent. On the one hand, the iPad Mini has a higher definition and quality camera, with a backlit sensor and IR filter, as well as a large number of software functions. In the case of the Nexus 7, the Google tablet lacks a rear camera, although it also loses out with respect to the specifications of the front camera. We can only consider the Nexus superior in terms of sound reproduction since it has two stereo speakers.
Storage
Although both tablets have the lack of a slot for microSD memory cards that allow to expand the internal space, the Google model will manage to distance itself from the iPad Mini for a mere monetary question. If we take into account the 16 and 32 GB versions (we exclude the 7 GB Nexus 8 and the 64 GB iPad Mini), other things being equal, the search engine's tablet comes out stronger as it has a cheaper price. Regarding the support of virtual space in the cloud, Google and Apple are even with Drive and iCloud and their 5 GB of free online storage.
Battery autonomy
This is one of the points of the comparison in which we have to conclude with a technical draw. Both Apple and Google announce that their models offer a range of 10 hours in WiFi web browsing. Also, the capacity of its lithium polymer batteries is at the same level, with approximately 16Wh. In the case of Google, the manufacturer Asus specifies the capacity of the battery in mAh, specifically 4325. In the case of Apple, the figure remains at 4.490 mAh.
Price
There is no doubt that the user looking for a balanced model from the economic point of view should opt for the Nexus 7. And if the premises are met, which are none other than the launch of a 32 GB version for 249 euros (reduced to 199 euros for the 16 GB version), the iPad Mini is in a compromised situation for its 329 euros, in its most basic version. The potential client would have to decide between a model of 199 euros and another of 329 euros, although completely different, designed from totally different philosophies. However, it is also important to assess the use that is going to be given to the device as well as to weigh whether the financial savings will not diminish any of our most frequent activities or even our preferences regarding the software.
Article provided by Movilzona.es