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Disclaimer: You are going to see me mention the iPad a LOT here, and that's because I have been an iPad user since day 1 when the first iPad came out. I have HATED every single Android tablet up till the N7. My hatred for Android tablets was exacerbated by the fact that I love Android and so dearly wanted one that could compete with the iPad and they all just fell short. Now that I have my N7, I am THRILLED with it, and haven't touched my iPad once since getting it. So you may think from reading this that I am an iPad fanboy, which I most definitely am not. I have just been patiently waiting for a comparable Android tablet to come to market and now one finally has. Happy day.
Read on.
Those that know me know that I just don’t like Android tablets. They have never appealed to me. I have always found many things wrong with them (both hardware and software), and have always preferred the iPad for my on-the-go digital consumption and gaming needs. Even the highest end Android tablets have always left something to be desired- from the terrible screen, weight and heft of the Motorola Xoom all the way to the Transformer Prime which while being the best Android tablet ever when it arrived on the scene, failed to live up to the hype. Android just wasn’t quite ready for the tablet scene and the iPad always overshadowed even the best Android tablets. Argue with me all you want about how much better your Prime is than the iPad but the fact is (yes, I said FACT), it’s not. The iPad has better hardware, better software, better build quality, and MUCH better apps. Because of this, there was no reason whatsoever to buy any Android tablet over the iPad- until now.
In comes the Nexus 7, the second Android tablet I have owned (the first being the Samsung Galaxy tab 7.0 Plus that was returned after 4 hours), and easily the best Android tablet ever made. Now when I say that, I don’t mean that it has the best specs, the best screen, the slimmest profile, or the sexiest looks. What I mean is the package as a whole is the best Android has to offer, and for the price you just can’t beat it. In fact, after owning one for about 24 hours now, I’d be hard pressed to try to come up with a better way to spend $250. Pretty much all the complaints I have had about Android tablets in the past are completely moot now with the Nexus 7.
Lets start with the hardware. For $250 ($200 if you got the 8gb version), Google has managed to squeeze incredible performance out of this thing. The Tegra 3 processor just screams here. Now, the Tegra 3 is not the most powerful SOC (system on a chip) out there, but it is definitely a respectable powerhouse, and Google has clearly optimized Jelly Bean to run on it and that makes all the difference in the world. Apps open fast, games run flawlessly with nary a frame rate stutter, and scrolling is buttery smooth (more on the butter later). The 1280x800 screen on it isn’t the greatest. In all honesty, it is the N7’s biggest shortcoming. It feels rather outdated, especially coming from an iPad 3 and an HTC One XL, but for the price, you just can’t beat it. It’s an IPS LCD that has decent color reproduction, acceptable indoor brightness levels, and a great viewing angle. At the most extreme angles the blacks do get washed out but hey, who uses tablets from the side? At every USABLE viewing angle however the screen is great, as long as you don’t use it side by side with the previously mentioned devices. My only real complaint about it is its outdoor performance. Maybe the breathtaking SLCD2 on my AT&T One XL (best phone ever, shut up about your plasticky SGS3 already) has spoiled me, but I was very disappointed with the way the screen looks outside. Even at its maximum brightness it is barely viewable even on an overcast day like today. But the good thing is that disappointment was quickly diminished when I reminded myself how much I paid for this thing.
Build quality is superb, but that shouldn’t be a surprise considering ASUS manufactured this thing for Google. The front is a solid slab of Corning scratch resistant glass (not Gorilla Glass), it is bound by a very tasteful silver frame, and the dimpled rubberized back is a joy to behold. This thing is absolutely solid, not a creak or squeak anywhere, and it feels like a much more expensive device than it is. I expected decent build quality but what I got was way beyond whatever preconceived notions I had had. Seriously, the craftsmanship on this thing is belied by its diminutive price tag. I think all other Android tab manufacturers need to take note here (*cough*Samsung*cough*)- THIS is how you build an Android tablet. I have played with practically every other major Android tablet on the market and none of them conveyed a sense of quality that could hold its own against the build of an iPad. This bad boy right here goes toe to toe with Apple’s offering in this regard. They have completely different design aesthetics but there is no denying that Google and ASUS meant business here.
On to the software. The Nexus 7 is Google’s first device to ship with its latest version of Android, version 4.1 Jelly Bean. It isn’t a major leap forward from Ice Cream Sandwich but more of an evolutionary step. They have optimized the performance of it so it feels a lot faster, and added quite a few features such as Google Now which I haven’t really played with all too much so I’m not going to comment on it further. The biggest change to me, at least from a users perspective, is what Google calls Project Butter. This is Google’s attempt to finally match the “buttery” smoothness of the UI and other operations of the iPad. Whenever any Android device is compared to an iOS device, be it a phone or a tablet, one cannot deny that Apple’s offerings offer a MUCH smoother experience across the UI. People who love their Android devices will surely say that their Galaxy S2s are as smooth as the iPhone and that their Transformer Primes are just as smooth as the iPad- well I don’t care what you say because they aren’t. There just is no argument. Sure they are smooth as hell compared to other Android devices but iOS smooth they are not. That is because Apple sets the UI animation renderings as the priority for the CPU/GPU which makes them incredibly smooth. That smoothness conveys quality. Project Butter is Google’s answer to that and while I can’t quite say that they have matched that smoothness, they definitely succeeded in conveying that same finished product level of UI quality that iOS devices have. They do this with a combination of significantly smoother scrolling, great app opening animations, and various other tweaks throughout the system. Couple all the software tweaks with the single most responsive touchscreen on any Android device to date and you have one incredibly fluid experience. Bottom line- it’s awesome.
Now a lot of people, myself included, complained about Google’s choice to use more or less a phone UI for the Nexus 7 instead of the standard ICS tablet UI. I was very disappointed when I found out, that’s for sure. But I decided that Google made a conscious decision to do this, and that I needed to trust them so I went into it with an open mind. Now, my biggest complaint about the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus was the UI. I absolutely hated it. I’m not referring to the Touchwiz modifications that they made, but the actual Honeycomb UI design choices that still showed through. It just didn’t work on the 7” form factor, at least not for me. I am happy to report that the hybrid phone/tablet UI that Google decided to use on the Nexus 7 not only works, but does so famously. Long story short, any disappointment I had about it was quickly washed away when I started using it. It just makes sense to me now to use the phone UI here. Everything is within reach, nothing is cluttered, no buttons are too small making them hard to press, and I think it looks beautiful. My only complaint is that Google locked the homescreen UI to portrait mode only, but that is easily remedied by installing a 3rd party launcher like Nova which I use and recommend.
Now, where I think Android really needs to pick up the slack is with their tablet-optimized app selections. iOS simply blows Android out of the water here. A tablet is really only as good as the apps that can run on it and the apps alone make the iPad the best tablet out there. The nice thing here, is that since the Nexus 7 is a 7” tablet, it can handle tablet optimized apps AND phone apps and make it seem like they were all designed specifically for this size screen. Apps of both varieties feel right at home here. Quite frankly, it’s awesome and it makes a HUGE difference. When I am using an app that was only designed for a phone on the N7, it doesn’t feel like there is any compromise. This right here opens up a whole world of apps that while are a pain to use on a 10” tablet, they are great on the 7” one. With the N7 we get the best of both worlds.
The main reason why I got this thing was for gaming. Aside from browsing the web whilst sitting in the throne room, my iPad is used almost exclusively for games. The problem is, it’s just way too big for some. Playing a first person shooter like NOVA 3 or Modern Combat 3 is just way too cumbersome on a 10” tablet. On a 7” tablet, it’s flat out perfect. I have been waiting for a great 7” gaming tablet to come along and I couldn’t be happier with this thing. Right now, some of my favorite games just don’t run on it, like NOVA 3, but others do and they are AWESOME to play on this bad oscar. The Tegra HD games like Shadowgun look flat out gorgeous here and the fact that the screen isn’t massive makes them a joy to play. I haven't spent too much time yet with emulators, but I can say that N64oid works great and Starfox 64 is a blast to play on it. Most of the games I have played so far have run incredibly smoothly here, and it is obvious that the Tegra 3 was built with gaming in mind.
One thing I haven’t touched on so far is the battery life. I’m on the fence with it. It seems like the battery drops faster than I was expecting it to, but I have only had it for 24 hours and that just isn’t long enough for me to give an accurate review of it. If I am just swiping through the screens it seems to hold pretty well, but as soon as I start browsing the web or playing games the battery seems to drop fairly quickly. I have yet to run this thing through a complete cycle so I dunno. Google states that we should be getting about 8 hours out of it with “active use” and that seems fairly accurate, as long as that “active use” isn’t 8 hours of straight Shadowgunning because I promise you it won’t make it that long.
So that about sums up what I have taken from this thing in the 24 hours that I’ve owned it. I am thoroughly impressed with what Google and ASUS have done here and I am FINALLY a fan of Android in the tablet world. One thing I know for absolute certain is that my iPad will see a significant drop in usage now that I have my Nexus 7. I think used to think 10" was the perfect size for a tablet but the Nexus 7 has me convinced otherwise. The 7" form factor is SIGNIFICANTLY more comfortable to hold and use. I am in absolute love with the Nexus 7 and I know it is not just a honeymoon thing. Do I think it is better than the iPad? Nope, not really. Do I think it is as good as the iPad, in an apples to oranges sort of way? Absolutely. Do I think it is the best Android tablet to date? Without a doubt. Is it worth the $200-$250? Don’t be stupid, of course it is. The bottom line is, if you have been waiting to pull the trigger on an Android tablet like I was, this is the tablet to get. It simply cannot be beat for the price.
I know I left some things out here so feel free to ask any questions that you may have.
EDIT: It's official, I have decided to sell my iPad 3. The N7 is everything I ever wanted in a tablet, no need to hang on to the iPad if it's just going to be collecting dust.
whoa.. such a big review with such small fonts on my pc. i'll read it only on my GN7
for the time being, you should upload a video review on youtube. I'd love to see that dude.
_MetalHead_ said:
Those that know me know that I just don’t like Android tablets. They have never appealed to me. I have always found many things wrong with them (both hardware and software), and have always preferred the iPad for my on-the-go digital consumption and gaming needs. Even the highest end Android tablets have always left something to be desired- from the terrible screen, weight and heft of the Motorola Xoom all the way to the Transformer Prime which while being the best Android tablet ever when it arrived on the scene, failed to live up to the hype and left much to be desired. Android just wasn’t quite ready for the tablet scene and the iPad always overshadowed even the best Android tablets. Argue with me all you want about how much better your Prime is than the iPad but the fact is (yes, I said FACT), it’s not. The iPad has better hardware, better software, better build quality, and MUCH better apps. Because of this, there was no reason whatsoever to buy any Android tablet over the iPad- until now.
In comes the Nexus 7, the second Android tablet I have owned (the first being the Samsung Galaxy tab 7.0 Plus that was returned after 4 hours), and easily the best Android tablet ever made. Now when I say that, I don’t mean that it has the best specs, the best screen, the slimmest profile, or the sexiest looks. What I mean is the package as a whole is the best Android has to offer, and for the price you just can’t beat it. In fact, after owning one for about 24 hours now, I’d be hard pressed to try to come up with a better way to spend $250. Pretty much all the complaints I have had about Android tablets in the past are completely moot now with the Nexus 7.
Lets start with the hardware. For $250 ($200 if you got the 8gb version), Google has managed to squeeze incredible performance out of this thing. The Tegra 3 processor just screams here. Now, the Tegra 3 is not the most powerful SOC (system on a chip) out there, but it is definitely a respectable powerhouse, and Google has clearly optimized Jelly Bean to run on it and that makes all the difference in the world. Apps open fast, games run flawlessly with nary a frame rate stutter, and scrolling is buttery smooth (more on the butter later). The 1280x800 screen on it isn’t the greatest. In all honesty, it is the N7’s biggest shortcoming. It feels rather outdated, especially coming from an iPad 3 and an HTC One XL, but for the price, you just can’t beat it. It’s an IPS LCD that has decent color reproduction, acceptable indoor brightness levels, and a great viewing angle. At the most extreme angles the blacks do get washed out but hey, who uses tablets from the side? At every USABLE viewing angle however the screen is great, as long as you don’t use it side by side with the previously mentioned devices. My only real complaint about it is its outdoor performance. Maybe the breathtaking SLCD2 on my AT&T One XL (best phone ever, shut up about your plasticky SGS3 already) has spoiled me, but I was very disappointed with the way the screen looks outside. Even at its maximum brightness it is barely viewable even on an overcast day like today. But the good thing is that disappointment was quickly diminished when I reminded myself how much I paid for this thing.
Build quality is superb, but that shouldn’t be a surprise considering ASUS manufactured this thing for Google. The front is a solid slab of Corning scratch resistant glass (not Gorilla Glass), it is bound by a very tasteful silver frame, and the dimpled rubberized back is a joy to behold. This thing is absolutely solid, not a creak or squeak anywhere, and it feels like a much more expensive device than it is. I expected decent build quality but what I got was way beyond whatever preconceived notions I had had. Seriously, the craftsmanship on this thing is belied by its diminutive price tag. I think all other Android tab manufacturers need to take note here (*cough*Samsung*cough*)- THIS is how you build an Android tablet. I have played with practically every other major Android tablet on the market and none of them conveyed a sense of quality that could hold its own against the build of an iPad. This bad boy right here goes toe to toe with Apple’s offering in this regard. They have completely different design aesthetics but there is no denying that Google and ASUS meant business here.
On to the software. The Nexus 7 is Google’s first device to ship with its latest version of Android, version 4.1 Jelly Bean. It isn’t a major leap forward from Ice Cream Sandwich but more of an evolutionary step. They have optimized the performance of it so it feels a lot faster, and added quite a few features such as Google Now which I haven’t really played with all too much so I’m not going to comment on it further. The biggest change to me, at least from a users perspective, is what Google calls Project Butter. This is Google’s attempt to finally match the “buttery” smoothness of the UI and other operations of the iPad. Whenever any Android device is compared to an iOS device, be it a phone or a tablet, one cannot deny that Apple’s offerings offer a MUCH smoother experience across the UI. People who love their Android devices will surely say that their Galaxy S2s are as smooth as the iPhone and that their Transformer Primes are just as smooth as the iPad- well I don’t care what you say because they aren’t. There just is no argument. Sure they are smooth as hell compared to other Android devices but iOS smooth they are not. That is because Apple sets the UI animation renderings as the priority for the CPU/GPU which makes them incredibly smooth. That smoothness conveys quality. Project Butter is Google’s answer to that and while I can’t quite say that they have matched that smoothness, they definitely succeeded in conveying that same finished product level of UI quality that iOS devices have. They do this with a combination of significantly smoother scrolling, great app opening animations, and various other tweaks throughout the system. Bottom line is- it’s awesome.
Now a lot of people, myself included, complained about Google’s choice to use more or less a phone UI for the Nexus 7 instead of the standard ICS tablet UI. I was very disappointed when I found out, that’s for sure. But I decided that Google made a conscious decision to do this, and that I needed to trust them so I went into it with an open mind. Now, my biggest complaint about the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus was the UI. I absolutely hated it. I’m not referring to the Touchwiz modifications that they made, but the actual Honeycomb UI design choices that still showed through. It just didn’t work on the 7” form factor, at least not for me. I am happy to report that the hybrid phone/tablet UI that Google decided to use on the Nexus 7 not only works, but does so famously. Long story short, any disappointment I had about it was quickly washed away when I started using it. It just makes sense to me now to use the phone UI here. Everything is within reach, nothing is cluttered, no buttons are too small making them hard to press, and I think it looks beautiful. My only complaint is that Google locked the homescreen UI to portrait mode only, but that is easily remedied by installing a 3rd part launcher like Nova.
Now, where I think Android really needs to pick up the slack is with their tablet-optimized app selections. iOS simply blows Android out of the water here. A tablet is really only as good as the apps that can run on it and the apps alone make the iPad the best tablet out there. The nice thing here, is that since the Nexus 7 is a 7” tablet, it can handle tablet optimized apps AND phone apps and make it seem like they were all designed to specifically for this size screen. Quite frankly, it’s awesome and it makes a HUGE difference. When I am using an app that was only designed for phone on the N7, it doesn’t feel like there is any compromise. This right here opens up a whole world of apps that while are a pain to use on a 10” tablet, they are great on the 7” one. With the N7 we get the best of both worlds.
The main reason why I got this thing was for gaming. Aside from browsing the web whilst sitting in the throne room, my iPad is used almost exclusively for games. The problem is, it’s just way too big for some. Playing a first person shooter like NOVA 3 or Modern Combat 3 is just way too cumbersome on a 10” tablet. On a 7” tablet, it’s flat out perfect. I have been waiting for a great 7” gaming tablet to come along and I couldn’t be happier with this thing. Right now, some of my favorite games just don’t run on it, like NOVA 3, but others do and they are AWESOME to play on this bad oscar. The Tegra HD games like Shadowgun look flat out gorgeous here and the fact that the screen isn’t massive makes them a joy to play. Most of the games I have played so far have run incredibly smoothly here, and it is obvious that the Tegra 3 was built with gaming in mind.
One thing I haven’t touched on so far is the battery life. I’m on the fence with it. It seems like the battery drops faster than I was expecting it too, but I have only had it for 24 hours and that just isn’t long enough for me to give an accurate review of it. If I am just swiping through the screens it seems to hold pretty well, but as soon as I start browsing the web or playing games the battery seems to drop fairly quickly. I have yet to run this thing through a complete cycle so I dunno. Google states that we should be getting about 8 hours out of it with “active use” and that seems fairly accurate, as long as that “active use” isn’t 8 hours of straight Shadowgunning because I promise you it won’t make it that long.
So that about sums up what I have taken from this thing in the 24 hours that I’ve owned it. I am thoroughly impressed with what Google and ASUS have done here and I amn FINALLY a fan of Android in the tablet world. Do I think it is better than the iPad? Nope, not at all. Do I think it is as good as the iPad, in an apples to oranges sort of way? Absolutely. Do I think it is the best Android tablet to date? Without a doubt. Is it worth the $200-$250? Don’t be stupid, of course it is. The bottom line is, if you have been waiting to pull the trigger on an Android tablet like I was, this is the tablet to get. It simply cannot be beat for the price.
I know I left some things out here so feel free to ask any questions that you may have.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nusairh said:
whoa.. such a big review with such small fonts on my pc. i'll read it only on my GN7
for the time being, you should upload a video review on youtube. I'd love to see that dude.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm planning on doing a video review later. Too hungover to do it now lol
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium
Excellent review! I also have always known that Android has had a tough time competing with the iPad which has definitely dominated the market for multiple reasons. I still have my iPad 2 and will use the Nexus 7 solely for the week and if I don't miss the iPad it will be sold at the end of the week. Right now after having it for around 8 hours I couldn't be happier, but I will see if I miss any iOS apps.
Screen is great and really loving the 7" form factor. I use my iPad exclusively in portrait mode and do so with the Nexus as well and it works great!
Sent from my Nexus 7
Haha thnx for the review bud, I pre ordered from play store so lord knows when I'll see mine lol
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium
Skillz1318 said:
Excellent review! I also have always known that Android has had a tough time competing with the iPad which has definitely dominated the market for multiple reasons. I still have my iPad 2 and will use the Nexus 7 solely for the week and if I don't miss the iPad it will be sold at the end of the week. Right now after having it for around 8 hours I couldn't be happier, but I will see if I miss any iOS apps.
Screen is great and really loving the 7" form factor. I use my iPad exclusively in portrait mode and do so with the Nexus as well and it works great!
Sent from my Nexus 7
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One thing I know for sure is that my iPad will se a significant drop in usage now that I have the Nexus 7. I used to think that the iPad was the perfect size for a tablet, now I'm not so sure. I am in absolute love with the N7 and I know it's not just a honeymoon thing. The size of the N7 is sooooo much more convenient than the iPad and is way more comfortable to hold. Like you said though it's all those awesome iOS apps that I will probably miss and for that reason I will not get rid of my iPad (especially because of Land Sear Air Warfare, what an AMAZING game) but for sure the N7 is going to become my primary tablet.
Wait no pics?
Sent from my EVO 4G LTE
Excellent review, awaiting for mine to arrive and stalking these threads to assure me that my purchase is justified.
Sent from my GT-P7510 using xda app-developers app
david279 said:
Wait no pics?
Sent from my EVO 4G LTE
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pretty sure everyone knows what they look like by now.
_MetalHead_ said:
One thing I know for sure is that my iPad will se a significant drop in usage now that I have the Nexus 7. I used to think that the iPad was the perfect size for a tablet, now I'm not so sure. I am in absolute love with the N7 and I know it's not just a honeymoon thing. The size of the N7 is sooooo much more convenient than the iPad and is way more comfortable to hold. Like you said though it's all those awesome iOS apps that I will probably miss and for that reason I will not get rid of my iPad (especially because of Land Sear Air Warfare, what an AMAZING game) but for sure the N7 is going to become my primary tablet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I definitely prefer 7", but like you said will see if the iOS apps sway me back to the "dark side".
Any issues with dead pixels or screen flicker? Others are having some complaints
AtropineNa said:
Any issues with dead pixels or screen flicker? Others are having some complaints
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, aside from the minor complaints I talked about in the review, the screen is perfect. No image retention "problems" either.
Nice review
I'm trying to decide between the Xoom and the Nexus 7.
Both are the same price and each have their pros and cons so not an easy decision. Especially since I already have a 5.3" Note in my pocket.
Decisions, decisions.
Any advice?
Cheers
K1LLER HORNET said:
Nice review
I'm trying to decide between the Xoom and the Nexus 7.
Both are the same price and each have their pros and cons so not an easy decision. Especially since I already have a 5.3" Note in my pocket.
Decisions, decisions.
Any advice?
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly, I really don't like the Xoom in the slightest. I played with one again today and it reminded me about how much I hated it. The screen is pretty crappy, the thing is heavy as hell, and performance is terribly sluggish by today's standards. As far as I'm concerned, if you want to go with a 10" tab, the iPad is the only option worth considering. If you want a 7" or just any Android tablet in general, the only one that I can comfortably recommend is the Nexus 7 and that is a wholehearted recommendation. At this point, I don't think anybody should consider buying an Android tablet unless it's an N7 and even then they shouldn't consider it- they should stop wasting time and buy it already
Go with the Nexus 7 man, guaranteed you are going to love it.
_MetalHead_ said:
Honestly, I really don't like the Xoom in the slightest. I played with one again today and it reminded me about how much I hated it. The screen is pretty crappy, the thing is heavy as hell, and performance is terribly sluggish by today's standards. As far as I'm concerned, if you want to go with a 10" tab, the iPad is the only option worth considering. If you want a 7" or just any Android tablet in general, the only one that I can comfortably recommend is the Nexus 7 and that is a wholehearted recommendation. At this point, I don't think anybody should consider buying an Android tablet unless it's an N7 and even then they shouldn't consider it- they should stop wasting time and buy it already
Go with the Nexus 7 man, guaranteed you are going to love it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cheers, thanks for the info.
I recently sold my 64GB iPad 2.
Won't be going back to Apple. Good app selection but can't stand how they operate.
Just seen a review of the the Xoom's screen, pretty poor to say the least. Simply terrible viewing angles.
I think I'll take your recommendation and stick with my N7 pre-order :good:
Can't wait.
Thanks again
K1LLER HORNET said:
Cheers, thanks for the info.
I recently sold my 64GB iPad 2.
Won't be going back to Apple. Good app selection but can't stand how they operate.
Just seen a review of the the Xoom's screen, pretty poor to say the least. Simply terrible viewing angles.
I think I'll take your recommendation and stick with my N7 pre-order :good:
Can't wait.
Thanks again
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I hate the way Apple operates but I love the hardware and the game selections. No way can I get rid of my iPad.
No review can fully convey just how bad the Xoom's screen is. Especially if you are coming from an iPad, you will HATE it.
Picked mine up & am VERY happy w/ every aspect of this device. Hopefully the Dev community embraces the N7 and pump out ROMs / kernels etc
Good read OP. Just pre ordered from gamestop earlier.
Sent from my PG86100 using xda app-developers app
I'll add that the Nexus 7 will be a secondary tablet for me. The lack of an internal memory card slot, hdmi port, a rear camera (with flash), and other things relegate this to a part time toy. My Acer A500 is my workhorse. It has 80gb memory, reads barcodes, has the real estate big enough to read schematics at work, and has 2 USB ports... one full-size.
Don't get me wrong, I'll get a LOT of use from my Nexus, but not for work, not for on a trip where I want to display media on a projector or flatscreen... essentially, not for serious use. It's going to be a great reader, great for streaming, great for browsing, etc.
I now have a choice of viewing options- a 4.3" screen on my Razr Maxx, a 7" screen on my Nexus 7, and a 10.1" screen on my Acer A500. There's been times I wanted a larger second device with me, but the Acer (especially with the case) was just too damned bulky. This opens a lot of options. And, yes, it does fit in a pocket when you're wearing cargo pants
I don't know dude, almost sounded like the only thing you liked about it is the price (and the form factor, but that will be a non issue once iPad mini comes out).
Most of the time your review almost sounded sarcastic, like your using this review to reiterate how awesome your iPad is ..."Yeah, I like so and so about n7, it still sucks compared to my glorious iPad, but it's cheaper, so I'll pretend it's fine".
As for your so-called "facts" about one thing being better than another, you might wanna start substituting "facts" with "in my opinion", coz there is such a thing as personal preference.
Sent from my Full AOSP on Toro-VZW using xda app-developers app
I have never had a 7" tablet before, this is why I bring up this thread. Currently, my tablet is used mostly for things like reddit or for taking it around the house when my phone screen i just too small. I bring the tablet to browse the web, watch youtube vids occasionally or bring up my iHeartRadio app in the morning because it has a larger speaker. But another thing I use it for is school. See, I often try to find my books online in ebook form as it is cheaper and more convienent, and sometimes even free lol. I have used my HP touchpad for this previously, for those unfamiliar, it has a 9.7" screen, and it does the job well.
I figure the 7" screen would be fine for webbrowsing as I have used them at the verizon store and have a nice form factor and are decently easy to read from, but I wonder if anyone has any experience reading large page pdf files or textbooks with images on the pages. I want to know if this is easy to read or if it is impractical to use the nexus 7 as a textbook reader. If anyone would be so kind as to share you experiences with me or even post up a picture of your Nexus 7 with an ebook using adobe or something, that would be great.
The Touchpad is great for what it is. It is dual booted with the latest cm9 and I really have no complaints. It has its issues, like the camera and mic not working, but otherwise it is solid. The n7 seems to have a better processor, the same ram, and a better screen, as well as more gpus I am sure, but the screen is much smaller. I just worry that 7" is not all that much larger than my sgs3's 4.8" and I won't be able to read texts off of it without constantly pinch zooming and rearranging the screen.
yes, 10 char
Juicy92 said:
I have never had a 7" tablet before, this is why I bring up this thread. Currently, my tablet is used mostly for things like reddit or for taking it around the house when my phone screen i just too small. I bring the tablet to browse the web, watch youtube vids occasionally or bring up my iHeartRadio app in the morning because it has a larger speaker. But another thing I use it for is school. See, I often try to find my books online in ebook form as it is cheaper and more convienent, and sometimes even free lol. I have used my HP touchpad for this previously, for those unfamiliar, it has a 9.7" screen, and it does the job well.
I figure the 7" screen would be fine for webbrowsing as I have used them at the verizon store and have a nice form factor and are decently easy to read from, but I wonder if anyone has any experience reading large page pdf files or textbooks with images on the pages. I want to know if this is easy to read or if it is impractical to use the nexus 7 as a textbook reader. If anyone would be so kind as to share you experiences with me or even post up a picture of your Nexus 7 with an ebook using adobe or something, that would be great.
The Touchpad is great for what it is. It is dual booted with the latest cm9 and I really have no complaints. It has its issues, like the camera and mic not working, but otherwise it is solid. The n7 seems to have a better processor, the same ram, and a better screen, as well as more gpus I am sure, but the screen is much smaller. I just worry that 7" is not all that much larger than my sgs3's 4.8" and I won't be able to read texts off of it without constantly pinch zooming and rearranging the screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well i had an hp touchpad too, but i say for you to go for the nexus, it will be a much better buy and will have much longer support than the hp touchpad.
Juicy92 said:
I have never had a 7" tablet before, this is why I bring up this thread. Currently, my tablet is used mostly for things like reddit or for taking it around the house when my phone screen i just too small. I bring the tablet to browse the web, watch youtube vids occasionally or bring up my iHeartRadio app in the morning because it has a larger speaker. But another thing I use it for is school. See, I often try to find my books online in ebook form as it is cheaper and more convienent, and sometimes even free lol. I have used my HP touchpad for this previously, for those unfamiliar, it has a 9.7" screen, and it does the job well.
I figure the 7" screen would be fine for webbrowsing as I have used them at the verizon store and have a nice form factor and are decently easy to read from, but I wonder if anyone has any experience reading large page pdf files or textbooks with images on the pages. I want to know if this is easy to read or if it is impractical to use the nexus 7 as a textbook reader. If anyone would be so kind as to share you experiences with me or even post up a picture of your Nexus 7 with an ebook using adobe or something, that would be great.
The Touchpad is great for what it is. It is dual booted with the latest cm9 and I really have no complaints. It has its issues, like the camera and mic not working, but otherwise it is solid. The n7 seems to have a better processor, the same ram, and a better screen, as well as more gpus I am sure, but the screen is much smaller. I just worry that 7" is not all that much larger than my sgs3's 4.8" and I won't be able to read texts off of it without constantly pinch zooming and rearranging the screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're happy with a touchpad, you're easily impressed. Get a nexus. Hint: note the difference between "resolution" and "screen size."
for a second there i didnt think u were being serious with that question? lol yes get a nexus 7!
I'd say goto the store and check it out once its released. You have to take into consideration that none of these people actually have the Nexus 7 yet. Save some money on shipping cost and get better return.
I've had the Kindle Fire, HTC Flyer, BB Playbook, HP Touchpad, iPad, and a Transformer. I also use my tablets mainly for web browsing, Reddit, and PDF textbooks. I'm a student so having ebooks is a huge advantage. Here are my thoughts on the screen size differences.
Pdf reading is easier on the 10" screen. No zooming around is needed.
The 7" has a better form factor, meaning you'll be more inclined to pull out your tablet from your bag since its less of a hassle. It is also easier to hold in your hands (can hold 1 handed plus it will be lighter).
I think you would enjoy the Nexus 7 as the Touchpad is very heavy/bulky compared to any of my other tablets. I enjoyed using my Kindle Fire out of all of the tablets besides the Transformer. The transformer was nicer to use for school since I was able to switch between apps quickly since it had ICS compared to CM7 on the KF.
Also, reading pdfs on the 7" screen will trump your S3's 4.8" screen. My Infuse 4.5" has become a nuisance to read pdfs ever since I bought my first tablet (KF).
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using Tapatalk 2
Speak for yourself, i have had the nexus 7 since Friday. i can say reading pdf files has been fine and the screen is much bigge than my one X
the applications are awesome. example
Yesterday i was in the pub. decided to go to Calais, used my Nexus tethered to my one x and ordered tunnel tickets there and then, the chrome browser is amazing. I then used offline google maps to get home with the awesom new voice and then played max payne. finally watched all of transformer film, all on one charge.
Fantastic device
I went from a touchpad to a nexus 7 and also have a gs3. Believe me when I say its a huge upgrade in terms of performance and screen touch response is incredible. The size is much more manageable for typing and for book reading etc. I'd take it over the touchpad any day of the week. Also, I'm using the nexus much more than my gs3 when both are next to me, for checking twitter and Facebook and some quick browsing. Dear I say its actually faster than my s3 as sell (quad core variant).
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
I've got a TP and have a Nexus7 on order so obviously I'd say yes to the OPs question.
All formats have their advantages and disadvantages, I do a LOT of reading on my TP and there's no denying it gets heavy but the larger screen does make a difference for web browsing. Since I got the TP my old Streak 5 doesn't leave the house and with the N7 coming halfway between the two I'm hoping it's speed will make up for the drop in screen size and of course since it will have a 'proper' version of Android on it it will be a smoother less buggy experience.
The TP will probably go back to pure WebOS if the Open WebOS guys can make headway and it will sit on it's touchstone full time, now there's a good idea for Googles' next Tablet, inductive charging!
To give you a quick reply.....It's what i did =) because this device will generate alot more developer interest than the touchpad means much better quality ROMs too (nothing to do with the devs at the touchpad forum, they did the best with what they had) and they only had 225mb to play with whereas if they increased the partition sizes they could've done alot more with a pretty much open android device. But so far they haven't which is why im here and not there
the downfalls of the touchpad alone....i found the 10" screen size too big for me....plus holding it with one hand made it a chore, otherwise was a good device
I currently have a ipad 3G, ipad 4G , and a blackberry playbook should i go with the nexus 7? Hell freaking yeah!! I love the 7inch form factor and with jelly bean 4core for 200$ that's a steal!!! This tablet is gonna rock! Plus i just brought my gnex back to life with jelly bean ill just tether when im out!
Sent from my iPad 4G
Asking people here if you should buy a Nexus 7 is like asking...
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IS SEX GOOD?
I think if I were studying textbooks, I'd prefer a 10" screen. Mostly because textbooks have diagrams, charts, etc... and it'd be a pain in the ass to constantly have to enlarge things on a 7" screen. There's a huge difference between ereading a novel and studying a textbook.
Keep the touchpad.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium
I guess the answer seems to be to wait until I can play with it in stores
I have an HP TouchPad running tweaked WebOS, and I just ordered a Nexus 7. Best of both!
--
Sent from my SGH-I777 using xda app-developers app
Juicy92 said:
I guess the answer seems to be to wait until I can play with it in stores
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea wait and check it out if you can, the touchpad is deceptively great, especially once youve overclocked it to 1.7 and got it dual booting CM9,i still love it. I have the Nexus 7 i picked up friday at gamestop, i will snap a picture for you tomorrow, send me a direct email if i forget, i have to say im sure .pdfs are better on the touchpad, at least the screen size part of the argument, theres the obvious resolution side which the nexus 7 wins. Its all up to preference i guess
Yeah, I have a bunch of tablets... I sold them all.. 2 16gb Touchpads both in new condition in the boxes and under warranty, I was able to get $150 each (Bought at firesale, and the shop sells them at $249!), and the old gtab brought an astounding $200. I still kept the ipad2/iphone4/itouches(2,4). The development community for android devices is incredible, having access to the amazon store (free app of the day), and google play is awesome! Plus Quad core, and 12 core GPU is incredible. The hacking of this device is going to be out of this world with its ability. Probably could do folding at home on this dude! Anyway, I will let you know when I get the nexus 7 in, should be any day.
Its all about what you want. I had a 32 gb touchpad running aokp and absolutely loved it. It was fantastic for the price I paid(120 after tax at best buy after some reward zone coupons and the fire sale). I used that thing non stop, then I got my girlfriend a kindle fire. I hated the amazon skin on top of android, but I fell in love with the size. It fit perfectly in my hand. Almost got one of those but then I read about the rumored nexus tablet. Never thought twice about the fire after that. Sold some games and got 110 for my touchpad that had the casing busted by the speaker and went to GameStop. No regrets. Good luck with your decision, honestly you can't go wrong either way if it is what you want
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
Will you be throwing away your Tab S when the new iPad air comes out with Retina HD?
NixxonExxo said:
Will you be throwing away your Tab S when the new iPad air comes out with Retina HD?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
NOPE. i probably sell it. to throw it away is just ridiculous... hahahaha... nah joking aside... if it satisfy my need i just have it both... :good::good::good:
Too many restriction on Apple product, use them before and not planning to turn back.
MKV with DTS is simply not possible even on 720p. You can easily copy and paste on Android and play with MX Player Pro ( custom codec )
NixxonExxo said:
Will you be throwing away your Tab S when the new iPad air comes out with Retina HD?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I came from Ipad Mini Retina back to AMOLED already and I'm not going back. The Retina Mini screen has poor colors, poor black levels, poor brightness when viewed from an angle and a 4:3 aspect ratio which sucks for movies. I regret that affair
No.. i doubt if i would even come back to lcd..
NixxonExxo said:
Will you be throwing away your Tab S when the new iPad air comes out with Retina HD?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're a funny man. There is no way I will go back to the apple ecosystem while their restrictive; "We tell you what you can do with your device and you'll like it" policy is in place.
NixxonExxo said:
Will you be throwing away your Tab S when the new iPad air comes out with Retina HD?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Note 3 has 388 PPI, SGS5 has 432 PPI, and the Note 4 has 515 PPI. The iP6 has 326 PPI and the iP6+ has 401 PPI. Far from "industry leading."
The Tab S/Pro 8.4 have 359 PPI and the N10.1-14 and Pro 10.1 have 299 PPI; the Tab S 10.5 has 287 PPI. The iPad Retina Mini has 326 PPI and the iPad Air has 264 PPI.
The iPad Air display performs well (but not as well as the Tab S); the higher PPI iPad Mini Retina display not so much.
Comparisons [against the Tab S] with the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX and Apple iPad Tablet Displays: In 2013 the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX Tablets became the top performing Tablet displays in our Display Technology Shoot-Out series, leapfrogging the competition with cutting edge displays using Quantum Dots and Low Temperature Poly Silicon. But with the ever continuing and impressive improvements in display technology the Samsung Galaxy Tab S has now taken the lead for the Best Tablet Displays. The Apple iPad Air, which came in second after the Kindle Fire HDX 8.9, now moves into third place for Flagship Tablet models, and the iPad mini with Retina Display, with a very disappointing 63 percent of the standard sRGB/Rec.709 Color Gamut and poor Color Accuracy moves further down the pack for the Mini Tablet models. You can directly compare all of the display performance measurements and results by referring to these and other articles in our Display Technology Shoot-Out article series.
http://www.displaymate.com/OLED_Tablet_ShootOut_1.htm
So it's a huge assumption based on history to assume Apple's next tablet displays are automatically going to be great. Especially greater than the Tab S'; the current reigning champion.
Marketing's a myth ladies and gentlemen. So tacking on an acronym (HD) to a contrived term (retina display) doesn't guarantee greatness. Especially since Apple's hasn't owned objective display "greatness" in quite a while.
spring80 said:
for people searching for best launcher to use with this rom, i highly recommend try aviate launcher for best experience and zero lag.
This application is not compatible from play store but u can download from here : (remove the gap) :
http :// www. apk4fun. com/ apk/ 1456/
i always use nova launcher but also has many lags in experience,but with this launcher no more
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK. I will chip in here. I used to have Galaxy Tab 1, Galaxy Tab 7.7, Ipad Mini Retina and now I have Galaxy Tab 8.4 s so I think I have good overview of small and mid sized tablets.
1. When I moved to own Ipad Mini Retina I was truly disappointed with iOS for its limitations, the need to have Ipad constantly hooked to PC, no file browser etc. I was more than excited with battery life and casing quality. The screen at the moment of the purchase of Ipad was OK (it was somehow small to watch movies though it was good to read; color rendition was also OK but was significantly worse than Galaxy Tab 7.7).
Now Galaxy Tab 8.4 s compared to Ipad Mini Retina:
Screen - no comparison at all in favour of Samsung. Perfect screen size, form factor, color rendition and blacks reproduction.
Casing - I am supposed. I expected cheap plastic tablet. It is chip and plastic but after three weeks of use it does not shows signs of any wear (I use book cover).
Battery life is 30%-35% percent worse for Samsung. It is disappointing as regards Samsung but it is not a deal brake r. For me Samsung lasts 6 hours or a bit more whereas Ipad lasted 9-10h.
OS. I am with ANDROID again. Hurra! It is fun and freedom to use this OS again.
^
Swiftness/performance - lag and stutter is again there. It is non issue after I debloated my ROM and changed the kernel but extra 2 Gigs of ram brings suppressingly little.
And of the day I am happy but I am not so certain how I will react when new mini comes out.
Cheers,
KL
BarryH_GEG said:
The Note 3 has 388 PPI, SGS5 has 432 PPI, and the Note 4 has 515 PPI. The iP6 has 326 PPI and the iP6+ has 401 PPI. Far from "industry leading."
The Tab S/Pro 8.4 have 359 PPI and the N10.1-14 and Pro 10.1 have 299 PPI; the Tab S 10.5 has 287 PPI. The iPad Retina Mini has 326 PPI and the iPad Air has 264 PPI.
The iPad Air display performs well (but not as well as the Tab S); the higher PPI iPad Mini Retina display not so much.
Comparisons [against the Tab S] with the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX and Apple iPad Tablet Displays: In 2013 the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX Tablets became the top performing Tablet displays in our Display Technology Shoot-Out series, leapfrogging the competition with cutting edge displays using Quantum Dots and Low Temperature Poly Silicon. But with the ever continuing and impressive improvements in display technology the Samsung Galaxy Tab S has now taken the lead for the Best Tablet Displays. The Apple iPad Air, which came in second after the Kindle Fire HDX 8.9, now moves into third place for Flagship Tablet models, and the iPad mini with Retina Display, with a very disappointing 63 percent of the standard sRGB/Rec.709 Color Gamut and poor Color Accuracy moves further down the pack for the Mini Tablet models. You can directly compare all of the display performance measurements and results by referring to these and other articles in our Display Technology Shoot-Out article series.
http://www.displaymate.com/OLED_Tablet_ShootOut_1.htm
So it's a huge assumption based on history to assume Apple's next tablet displays are automatically going to be great. Especially greater than the Tab S'; the current reigning champion.
Marketing's a myth ladies and gentlemen. So tacking on an acronym (HD) to a contrived term (retina display) doesn't guarantee greatness. Especially since Apple's hasn't owned objective display "greatness" in quite a while.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
NixxonExxo said:
Will you be throwing away your Tab S when the new iPad air comes out with Retina HD?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're hilarious! I highly doubt anyone here would ever change from Android to iOS purely because of the screen resolution.
ThE_SoUrCe said:
No.. i doubt if i would even come back to lcd..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
^ so true. I was waiting for the Nexus 9 when I made the mistake of using a Tab S, now I own one and don't care about the K1 or Nexus 9 because it won't have the quality of display I'm used to. iPads and iPhones are terrible in bright light, even worse in low light (so much backlight bleed!) and colors aren't near accurate enough for web design testing. Whereas a few minutes of calibration revealed my Tab S is nearly perfect in color reproduction.
Apple has a long history of sub-par display technologies, pretty-but-awful materials and questionable design choices. Retina HD sounds like more of the same hype without substance considering that iPad/iPhone hardware isn't competitive with most Androids and hasn't been since 2010.
edit: haha! this is so funny, somebody made an infographic showing the derivation of new iPhones
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Few on XDA would be willing to trade any android device for an Apple ANYTHING. Apple makes(or contracts) great hardware, and then installs their "bland, locked down, marketed to cattle" OS on top.
I might someday switch back to windows based tablet/phone, but I will never buy an apple.
it's kind of amusing, I'm an engineer, I work with a 1/2 dozen other engineers, all of whom own apply iphones, they are the same guys who hate windows and love linux because it's open source and totally configurable. They are all already planning to dish out 350 buck for the iWatch after months of telling me they thought my gear neo(which I spent 150 dollars for) and all smartwatches were ugly overpriced and unnecessary. Now they are gaga for the same features they were bashing months ago because it has an apple logo on it.
brando56894 said:
You're hilarious! I highly doubt anyone here would ever change from Android to iOS purely because of the screen resolution.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And in particular. ..... a DOWNGRADE
Listen to me people , Never ever go to ios based piece of tech especialy after trying freedom of android
Second thing is how will anybody will trade this astonishing screen with anything else
Apple is NEVER even a consideration when I buy any gadgets! Had an iPUD, found it was way to restrictive sold it and never looked back. BUT, I am very, very disappointed with Android at this moment as I am not allowed to write to the SD Card that *I* paid for with anything except the Samsung file manager. I hope this is changed by the next Android release. I know, rooting is the answer right now, but I'm not ready to take that step as I keep hoping this will change.
Oled
once you go black you never go back.......Oled.....
Zamboney said:
Haha, you would have to be a retard to switch to ipad from the S. The question is: are you?
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First if u think like that u r the retard
Second I used both and no way I will go for ipad again
Can we find another negative adjective besides "retard" to throw around? I'm sure some find it offensive. Better yet, stop personalizing something as simple as someone's views on LCD vs. AMOLED or iOS vs. Android that may differ from yours. It's a mobile device we're talking about, not world peace or a cure for terminal illness.
The freedom of android is pure gold, BUT the android experience on tablets of 10inches with high res like the tab s 10.5 is just crap, I really wish Google made some guidelines for developers for higher screens. Almost every app is just exploded phone apps, they look ok at 8.4" but something bigger and dang A LOT of wasted space, sure we can install xposed + app settings and change the dpi, but then we loose sharpness.
So yeah once the new ipad is announced and IF it comes with 2gb of ram I will get one, and keep my pro 8.4 (switched from tab s 10.5")
So for me is personal phone Android (S4).
Tablet to take out of home Android (Tab pro 8.4).
Tablet to keep at home for night usage (iOS) Ipad.
Apple is pure utter garbage. I was a slave of their devices for years. I'm glad to say, that when I was released from their shackles, my experiences and pleasures with devices (other than apple) rose exponentially.
CyberManiaK said:
BUT the android experience on tablets of 10inches with high res like the tab s 10.5 is just crap
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are there piss poor large format tablet apps? Sure.
Of the apps I use most I'd say about 75% are optimized for large tablets. Meaning the UI is adjusted to maximize the additional screen real estate. About 20% are fine on a tablet but could make better use of the real estate. 5%, like the two above, are crap. Multiview on a 10" tablet is great; you can comfortably use two apps side-by-side. Not so much on a 8" tablet. So I put up with a small amount of app quirkiness because, at least to me, the additional screen real estate is worth it. But it's not as bad as your sweeping statement indicates.
Edit: decision made, no Nexus 6 for me, it's too big, expensive and ugly immo, just ordered a brand new Nexus 5 from Amazon for €300. ☺
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As suspected for a few months, we will probably have a 6" Nexus phone coming this fall.
As a Nexus 4 user i am reluctant to start using a 6" phone, but being a Nexus user since the Nexus One, and after talking to a few friends with the Note i am inclined to take a leap of faith.
What do you guy's think, let's post a few pros and cons so we all can make an informed buy.
Pros:
Better browsing and youtube experience;
Stop carrying a tablet;
Possible massive battery.
Cons:
It won't fit all pockets;
Two hands usage;
Possible weight.
PS: let's skip the 5.2" vs 6" as it probably won't be happening.
I'm ready for the switch
N⁴
The Zel said:
I'm ready for the switch
N⁴
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you forgot a unique con which plagues all nexus phones ....**** battery
HYPE.
I'm just waiting for it to be real and purchaseable.
I'm waiting for a Moto Nexus since Google bought Moto back in 2011! (and they do it after selling it to Lenovo lol)
Will buy day 1 regardless of its dimension! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Not going near any 6inch device, no matter if its called Nexus.
I prefer to have a tablet at 10 inch.
Unleashed by my Nexus 4
Nexus 6 should be max 5.5... 6 inches smart phone is useless, According to me
Nope. As much as I love the nexus line, that is just way too damn big for me. If I can't operate it one handed, I don't want it. If anything, I plan to finally move up to the Nexus 5, and the's max size I want in a phone. Any bigger and I say "thanks, but no thanks."
fahadsul3man said:
you forgot a unique con which plagues all nexus phones ....**** battery
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
According to all the rumors, the Nexus 6 will have a 3200+ mAh battery, i just hope the QHD display won't eat it too fast...
Way to big. Ordered a meizu mx4. Mostly for the camera. I still think that maybe to big.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
To me, N4 is a phone and N6 is not. 5.9" is just crazy, who knows, maybe Google brings something in normal screen size (5" or less) alongside N6.
cyberon said:
As suspected for a few months, we will probably have a 6" Nexus phone coming this fall.
As a Nexus 4 user i am reluctant to start using a 6" phone, but being a Nexus user since the Nexus One, and after talking to a few friends with the Note i am inclined to take a leap of faith.
What do you guy's think, let's post a few pros and cons so we all can make an informed buy.
Pros:
Better browsing and youtube experience;
Stop caring a tablet;
Possible massive battery.
Cons:
It won't fit all pockets;
Two hands usage;
Possible weight.
PS: let's skip the 5.2" vs 6" as it probably won't be happening.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pro's: performance (good enough for a couple of years, looking at the specs). Oh, and 4G in Europe.
Con's: size. A big screen sounds great, but portability and one-handed use.
Looks like the terminal will have excellent processing power and RAM plus a big battery so it'll be good for a couple of years, but like everyone else - will this thing fit in a trouser pocket and can it be used 1-handed?
That last point may well force the UI to offer options so that eg status bar can be positioned at the bottom/navbar on the bottom left or right (just saying). But it's a big piece of kit....
This thing doesn't even fit my backpack.
I'm a Brazilian without English Course, sorry and be comprehensive
I was ready for the switch, couldn't wait...but if the N6 is really gonna be that big I don't think I will buy it. It's too much of a jump from the N4 in terms of size.
If Google really comes out with just the 6 inches version, I think I will choose between the MotoX and the G3. Or maybe even an N5 if I will find one.
I actually think I'm gonna skip this one. As European guy I couldn't picture the size in inches(do it America, I beg you, switch to metric system like the rest of the world! ). Now seeing the two in comparison I must say that it's way too big for me. Nexus 4 is just about the right size, fits in the hand, you can control it with 1 hand. I never found myself wanting a tablet or phablet for that matter. It's phone, laptop or desktop pc for me. I like the keyboard very much to give it up
I'm definitely up for a bigger phone. My Nexus 4 is the biggest phone I've owned, and I'd love a big phablet to use at home for gaming and reading eBooks, and for traveling when I don't want to lug around my laptop. Obviously, I'll be keeping my Nexus 4 to use when I don't want a gigantic slab in my pocket (I want a Sony Z3 Compact for that, but that's several months away for me).
Maybe I'll even pick up a Nexus 5 when the price drops because the 6 is out.
One thing I'm wondering about the Nexus 6 is that, if it comes running Android L out of box, will we be able to "downgrade" it to 4.4.4 KitKat? Obviously, with previous Nexus phones, downgrading to a version prior to its release made no sense, but for those of us that love what the Xposed framework can do for us, I have a feeling 4.4.4 will be ported to the Nexus 6.
Rumor is there'll be a 32GB version for $419USD, and 64GB for $449. If that turns out to be the case, I'm only about $100-150 short of affording the 64GB, which I should be able to save by the time it's available in November.
If the phone does turn out to be 5.9" like most people suspect then I'm out.
I'll be a little disappointed as I was hoping to go from my N4 to an N6 but that screen is FAR too big. It's near enough phablet size and I want a phone not a phablet.
I'll probably just pick up an LG G2 instead. 5.2" is the perfect sized screen IMO.
Neuromansa said:
I was ready for the switch, couldn't wait...but if the N6 is really gonna be that big I don't think I will buy it. It's too much of a jump from the N4 in terms of size.
If Google really comes out with just the 6 inches version, I think I will choose between the MotoX and the G3. Or maybe even an N5 if I will find one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The G3 and MotoX are also my other options but i'm waiting for the price. If the Nexus 6 arrives with a decent price it's a hard choice.
Looks like the next Nexus won't be inheriting the good looks of the GNex/N4/N5 (mostly N4 lol). That's it, i'm out. Can always flash an AOSP Rom on a phone if I want the Nexii feel again.
I will switch when it comes down in price from Fido
BassBlaster said:
Looks like the next Nexus won't be inheriting the good looks of the GNex/N4/N5 (mostly N4 lol). That's it, i'm out. Can always flash an AOSP Rom on a phone if I want the Nexii feel again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You won't get the same experience even on AOSP, had a Galaxy S2 running CM and sold it after two months.
Lot's of bugs and frustration.
I've current got an LG G-Pad GPe, and I'm finding its 16GBs of storage really cramped. My comic book library through Comixology doesn't support external storage.
Best Buy US sells a 32GB Tab S 8.4, is that worth buying at this point? I've gone hands on with it a couple times on the display models, and that screen is simply beautiful. Not a fan of the physical button though. And on the display model, even after using the task manager to kill all, the thing still had 2.5GBs of its 3GBs of RAM in use. Is that normal for you guys? I am uncertain where I'd root/rom it, but I would be disabling swaths of Samsung apps and probably using Nova Launcher. Does the official Lollipop ota scale back the TouchWiz UI?
Or should I just say screw it and wait for the refresh? My Google-fu only turned up a few vague references to this summer though.
Bateluer said:
I've current got an LG G-Pad GPe, and I'm finding its 16GBs of storage really cramped. My comic book library through Comixology doesn't support external storage.
Best Buy US sells a 32GB Tab S 8.4, is that worth buying at this point? I've gone hands on with it a couple times on the display models, and that screen is simply beautiful. Not a fan of the physical button though. And on the display model, even after using the task manager to kill all, the thing still had 2.5GBs of its 3GBs of RAM in use. Is that normal for you guys? I am uncertain where I'd root/rom it, but I would be disabling swaths of Samsung apps and probably using Nova Launcher. Does the official Lollipop ota scale back the TouchWiz UI?
Or should I just say screw it and wait for the refresh? My Google-fu only turned up a few vague references to this summer though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually bought a tab s 8.4 a couple weeks ago. After evaluating the n9, I realized this was what fit my needs best. I absolutely love it. Yes, I needed to root it to remove some bloat and optimize it a little, but no, I don't have any regrets about my purchase.
Although I don't believe that best buy sells a 32gb version of the 8.4, only the 10.5. Then again, I knew I'd be buying a micro sd card anyways. So now I have 64 + 10 gb internally.
The tablet itself is a pleasure to use and if the other Samsung lollipop updates are any indication, this thing will fly on it. I'm afraid that a few years from now it will not be updated, but if it runs like this for the next few years, I'd be more than happy.
As for pricing, I got mine during a brief sale on buydig where the price dropped to $260 or so. Prices are going down but that doesn't mean it's not a terrific tablet. Hope this helps!
Lastly, your post belongs in Q&A, not general, per xda rules.
Sent from my Galaxy Tab S using Tapatalk
nhshah7 said:
I actually bought a tab s 8.4 a couple weeks ago. After evaluating the n9, I realized this was what fit my needs best. I absolutely love it. Yes, I needed to root it to remove some bloat and optimize it a little, but no, I don't have any regrets about my purchase.
Although I don't believe that best buy sells a 32gb version of the 8.4, only the 10.5. Then again, I knew I'd be buying a micro sd card anyways. So now I have 64 + 10 gb internally.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They sell a 32GB version of the 8.4, I've checked.
The tablet itself is a pleasure to use and if the other Samsung lollipop updates are any indication, this thing will fly on it. I'm afraid that a few years from now it will not be updated, but if it runs like this for the next few years, I'd be more than happy.
As for pricing, I got mine during a brief sale on buydig where the price dropped to $260 or so. Prices are going down but that doesn't mean it's not a terrific tablet. Hope this helps!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the feedback.
Lastly, your post belongs in Q&A, not general, per xda rules.
Sent from my Galaxy Tab S using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My bad.
Bateluer said:
on the display model, even after using the task manager to kill all, the thing still had 2.5GBs of its 3GBs of RAM in use.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Free ram is wasted ram. On a display model people have been trying lots of different apps and it is good that these have been cached into RAM. That means they can load quickly when you need to open them again. No sense in having 3gb sitting around doing nothing. Android is smart enough to release the ram when you need it for something else.
Bateluer said:
They sell a 32GB version of the 8.4, I've checked.
Thanks for the feedback.
My bad.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome! Didn't know that. No problem! Glad to help. Also, regarding ram, the above is correct as well. Demo units are just that. After debloating, I have 1.5-2.5gb as the ranges I've seen in the built in task manager. I do clear all apps in recent apps occasionally, which I'm not sure if it's necessary, but it doesn't hurt.
Sent from my slim1+1 using Tapatalk
codified said:
Free ram is wasted ram. On a display model people have been trying lots of different apps and it is good that these have been cached into RAM. That means they can load quickly when you need to open them again. No sense in having 3gb sitting around doing nothing. Android is smart enough to release the ram when you need it for something else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most of the time, I wholeheartedly agree. I just get concerned with all a devices RAM is used on a fresh boot.
I just don't want to have buyers remorse in a month, if Samsung releases a refreshed Tab S line with 14nm silicon in it.
nhshah7 said:
Awesome! Didn't know that. No problem! Glad to help. Also, regarding ram, the above is correct as well. Demo units are just that. After debloating, I have 1.5-2.5gb as the ranges I've seen in the built in task manager. I do clear all apps in recent apps occasionally, which I'm not sure if it's necessary, but it doesn't hurt.
Sent from my slim1+1 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/samsung...onze/2064123.p?id=1219524352394&skuId=2064123
Only comes in Bronze though, and its on a small sale right now. 350 USD, usually its 399. Yeah, I know it says regular 449 on the page, but I've seen it multiple times on the Samsung display islands.
Bateluer said:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/samsung...onze/2064123.p?id=1219524352394&skuId=2064123
Only comes in Bronze though, and its on a small sale right now. 350 USD, usually its 399. Yeah, I know it says regular 449 on the page, but I've seen it multiple times on the Samsung display islands. [emoji14]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think 449 is correct regular price for the 32gb model. 399 regular price is for 16gb. 16 gb was on sale for 299!
Totally worth it. I got mine a month or so back and one of the reasons was for manga and graphic novel enjoyment. I use Perfect Viewer for my .cbr and .pdf reading - crisp and very readable text on the screen, plus you can have your library on the external SD. Size and acceptable weight in one hand is perfect for reading. I'm on stock firmware, rooted with some Xposed mods here and there. No issues with it so far. I wish the battery would last longer (maybe 1 or 2 hours longer would be perfect for my usage) but I accept that as a consequence of powering a screen this size and resolution.
YrrchSebor said:
I think 449 is correct regular price for the 32gb model. 399 regular price is for 16gb. 16 gb was on sale for 299!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably. I ended up burning some of my stockpiled BB cards and got the 32GB model for 355 with local taxes and in store pick up.
pawces said:
Totally worth it. I got mine a month or so back and one of the reasons was for manga and graphic novel enjoyment. I use Perfect Viewer for my .cbr and .pdf reading - crisp and very readable text on the screen, plus you can have your library on the external SD. Size and acceptable weight in one hand is perfect for reading. I'm on stock firmware, rooted with some Xposed mods here and there. No issues with it so far. I wish the battery would last longer (maybe 1 or 2 hours longer would be perfect for my usage) but I accept that as a consequence of powering a screen this size and resolution.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is my usage as well, though primarily through Comixology. Plenty of their content does have DRM-free PDF and CBR versions though, if I was so inclined to grab them. Probably should for some of the larger series I own.
I have the 32GB model and rooted it on day one then flashed Cyanogenmod.
I use Perfect Viewer for my comic / graphic novel needs and it works great!
You should be able to enjoy comics with Comixology with the lovely screen.
At home, my brightness level is only about 1/56 and it's a beauty to read comics on.
I was thinking of getting the 10.1 version but it was too big for my messenger bag that also houses
my Asus Ultrabook laptop.
You could wait for a couple of months more as the new line of tablets for Samsung will push the price of the Tab S 8.4 lower.
To answer your question, I think, yes it's still worth buying.
One serious problem with the current Tab S generation is the relatively weak CPU/GPU performance. If you read the reviews of Samsung Tab S, NVidia Shield, and Nexus 9 over at anandtech, you see that their benchmark scores of the Tab S look pretty modest relative to practically all big players on the market. This doesn't mean that the tablet always crawls slowly, but considering the pace of the continuous bloating of the operating systems and the web sites, I expect the Tab S to become outdated much sooner than say the Nexus 9. The Tab S should work fine for playing HD videos, ebooks, and most other applications. The screen is beautiful, but the responsiveness can bog down on some truly bloated web sites. Installing Ad Block can help.
It's an EPIC fail that the Google Nexus 9 comes with no sd card slot, but if you can live with only 32GB of storage, get the Nexus 9 IMO or perhaps take a look at Nvidia Shield. This week Best Buy announced $75 off on all Nexus 9 models. If you do get the Tab S, you can get the 16GB model, and then add a 64GB/128GB sd card for a small price (I got my 64GB for $30 on amazon).
I would personally wait for the refresh. I like my Tab S a lot, but its performance is indeed a bit underwhelming. It stutters on very high quality HD videos that my freaking Note 3 has no problems playing.
Samsung might have saved some money by using their own Exynos processor instead of Qualcomm in the Tab S (except for an LTE model or two). Maybe thats their standard practice in tablets, and international models? This did make me hesitate buying it but I ended up loving it anyway. But yeah my Note 4 with the Qualcomm 805 does feel snappier and such.
I think it is worth it. I just picked up one of these today for $80 bucks on Craigslist for my parents. I love it so far, the screen is absolutely gorgeous and it is so easy to hold. The only problem is that text may be too small for my parents to read. I might end up flipping this one and getting a larger iPad Air 2 or Tab S 10.5. I think the next generation of this device is going to be spectacular considering what Samsung has done with the GS6 and GS6E. This needs the updated Exynos 7420 and slimmed down TouchWiz.
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senneca01 said:
I think it is worth it. I just picked up one of these today for $80 bucks on Craigslist for my parents. I love it so far, the screen is absolutely gorgeous and it is so easy to hold. The only problem is that text may be too small for my parents to read. I might end up flipping this one and getting a larger iPad Air 2 or Tab S 10.5. I think the next generation of this device is going to be spectacular considering what Samsung has done with the GS6 and GS6E. This needs the updated Exynos 7420 and slimmed down TouchWiz.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, $80! What condition is it in? Good going lol. I know what you mean about the text size tho.... that's one gripe I have, is that bigger devices often have even SMALLER text!! The print on my Note 4 is bigger than on this. But luckily I can root, install xposed, and use the App Settings module to adjust it. Still it isn't as good as if it were fully scaled properly to the screen size. .
It's a great little tablet if you can pick it up on a sale or with unused gift cards for under $300. I rarely shop at Best Buy so the fact I had a couple laying around and an older phone sitting in a drawer they gave me $50 for got me to $255 for a new 32gb model. My company provides AT&T data cards so I have that going as a bonus as well.
It's not the speediest and Touchwiz is Touchwiz, just as Samsung is Samsung, but for a nice little travelling media device it's great, the screen is fantastic, good size too, and it's very light. It's the perfect train/hotel companion if that's what you want it for, like me. I was using my N6 for everything and granted the screen on that is a decent size and looks good but this is better for watching movies or reading, and not all that heavier either.
I wouldn't have paid $450 for it, the original asking price, and even $350 might have made me pause a little, but a couple dusty gift cards and and even dustier iPhone 4s that took forever to charge just so I could make sure it was wiped and we were at $255 which is a nice price brand new for this, at 32gb. Put my 128gb in it, Plex on it, and I'm off.
Need to root it now to get rid of some bloat and put an ad blocker in place.