The iPad mini and Google Nexus 7 are both heavy-hitters in the tablet arena, and while consumers' purchasing decisions may largely depend on their affinity for either iOS or Android, critics largely concede that the Nexus offers a greater value even despite the iPad's faster performance. Budget conscious buyers will undoubtedly be lured in by the Nexus 7's baseline price of $199.99, but those willing to surrender an extra premium for the iPad mini's $329 price must weigh each device's merits more carefully. Let's take a look at what both critics and consumers had to say about two of the hottest tablets available.
Critics
CNET argues that "the Nexus 7 represents the best that Android has to offer at a very attractive price. The iPad Mini is more expensive, but offers a larger if lower-resolution screen, better apps support, faster performance, and longer battery life. The iPad is overall the better performer, but the Nexus 7 edges past it in value.
The Verge still thinks that users are better off purchasing an iPad, but note: "If you're sold on a Nexus 7, I can't think of a good reason not to buy it with mobile data."
TechRadar laments that the Nexus 7 "may not tread a lot of new ground" but commend the device for being "a solid performer and easily the best tablet around for the thriftier buyer."
Engadget labels Google's 7-inch device as "the best Android tablet for less than $200 and the best budget 7-inch tablet on the market." As for the iPad mini, the site writes: "No, the performance doesn't match Apple's latest and yes, that display is a little lacking in resolution, but nothing else here will leave you wanting."
The iPad mini isn't a cheap tablet in comparison to $199 Android-powered options," says Slash Gear. "But it feels better in the hand, has a huge number of applications specifically intended for tablet use, and delivers what it promises to in a cohesive and predictable way.
Consumers (CNET User Reviews)
CS9791 explains that he is "buying the second [Nexus 7] for [his] wife who refuses to use anything other than Apple products. She played with the Nexus for a while and was highly impressed. In essence, she felt comfortable using the device."
For Yoohoorocket, the Nexus 7 redeemed the Android platform. "After hating Android for 2 years, this fantastic product brought me back into the fold. Thank you Asus and Google for delivering the best tablet for the money the world has ever seen. I just love this thing," he says.
Johnlott remains an Apple faithful and suggests, "The iPad mini is massively superior to the Kindle and nexus. You really have to actually hold these devices to appreciate the difference. For book reading the difference is huge."
Techy1964 believes that the mini is the "best tablet that money can buy, dollar for dollar, and the iPad 4 is the second best. The Nexus 7 and 10 come in 3rd and 4th in my book, as Android 4.1 & .2 are definitely better than previous versions of Android.. but, there are just SOOOOOOOO many more cool apps for iPad and iPad mini."