7 inch Tablet War: Top 7 Google Nexus 7 Competitors

There are a number of best tablets available in the market but the arrival of Google Nexus 7 has created quite a stir. With all the hype it has generated, competition has stiffened too. Several tablets have risen to the challenge and are competing with Nexus 7 in the market. In the top 7 list, apart from the usual entries by Apple, Samsung and Amazon, I must mention some surprising gadgets by Karbonn, Micromax and even BlackBerry.

iPad Mini

This is a gadget of highs and lows, but still delightful to use. iPad Mini has a 7.9-inch IPS display of 1024x768p resolution and 163ppi pixel density. The gadget has 512MB of RAM, a 5MP camera and a front FaceTime HD camera for video calling. The iOS is a wonderful complement to its hardware and is backed up well by the 4490mAh battery.

Pros

• Design
• Software selection
• Battery life

Con

• Screen resolution

Amazon Kindle Fire HD

It has a solid build that is comfortable to hold. The 7-inch IPS display has resolution of 1280x800p and 216ppi pixel density, which means it has a sharper display than iPad Mini. The dual core processor is run smoothly by 4400mAh battery. There is 8GB of internal storage and 512MB of RAM. It does not have a camera.

Pros

• Display
• Battery life
• Amazon services

Con

• Small selection of apps

Price: 199 USD

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0)

The look is a striking contrast to Galaxy Tab 8.9 and this gadget looks more like an older sibling of Galaxy S3. The screen is surprisingly not AMOLED, but 1024x600p of TFT capacitive touch. It has a 1GHz dual core processor with 1GB of Ram which is better than most of its competition. There is a 3MP camera on the back and a VGA snapper in the front for video chatting. The device has a 4000mAh battery.

Pros

• Stylish design and build
• Smooth performance
• Moderate price

Con

• No AMOLED screen

HTC Flyer

It is a classic looking tablet with a highly sensitive touchscreen stylus, dubbed Magic Pen. With an LCD capacitive touchscreen of 600x1024p resolution, it is pleasing to the eye. This too has 1GB RAM that ensures smooth performance of the 1.5GHz processor. There is a 5MP primary camera with autofocus and a 1.3MP front facing camera. It packs in a Li-Po 4000mAh battery.

Pros

• Sturdy but stylish build
• Display
• Magic Pen

Con

• Android Gingerbread

Micromax Funbook Alfa tablet

The tablet is relatively new in the market, but has already gained momentum. It has a 480x800p TFT capacitive touchscreen. The 512MB RAM works well with the 1GHz Cortex-A13 processor. It has a VGA camera at the back, there is no secondary camera. The battery is a 2800mAh Li-ion unit.

Pros

• Android ICS
• Powerful processor
• Mali-400 GPU

Con

• Battery life and camera

Blackberry PlayBook

A surprising entry but you will fall for its handsome and professional look at first sight. It has a crisp 1024x600p display, a dual core 1GHz processor, 1GB of RAM and excellent multitasking ability. There is a 5MP rear camera and 3MP front facing camera which is a luxury for video callers. However, the battery life is disappointing.

Pros

• Snappy processor
• Display
• 1080p HD video playback

Con

• Clumsy UI

Karbonn Smart Tab 1

This entry by the Indian company has a very aesthetic and attractive design. It has a 7-inch LCD capacitive touch display of 800x480p resolution. The 1.2GHz Xburst processor runs smoothly thanks to 512Mb of RAM. There is a 2MP front facing camera for video calls and the 3700mAh battery offers a substantial period of browsing.

Pros

• Android ICS
• 1.2GHz processor
• 2MP front camera

Con

• No 3G compliance

Verdict

Taking into consideration the pros and cons of all the gadgets, I have to choose Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) as the best Google Nexus 7 competitor. While both have very fast processors (Nexus 7 has a quad core CPU and Galaxy Tab has a dual core CPU) and 1GB of RAM, Galaxy Tab 2 has 4G support, camera, microSD slot for external memory extension. Having said that, the other contenders are not very far behind in the race.

 

This is a Guest Post by Sai Kumar who blogs at Crunchyhub