After huge success from their nexus 7, Google have officially announced a follow up device, the first to ship Google’s latest operating system: android 4.3 Jelly Bean. Whilst being very similar to the previous model, the new nexus 7 has received significant upgrades both inside and out.
SIZE
The new nexus 7 is of similar build to it’s predecessor, supporting a few minor adjustments here and there. It’s around 2mm thinner and slightly narrower with 3mm taken off the bezel.
CAMERA
Whilst no changes have been made to the 1.2 MP front facing camera, Google have fitted the tablet with a 5MP rear facing device. Which may be music to the ears of some, but we feel that a greater upgrade to the front facing camera would be all together more useful.
SCREEN
The screen of the nexus 7 (already being fantastic) has received perhaps the most significant upgrade. Google have boosted the screen resolution up to 1920 x 1200 (full HD), resulting in a pixel density improvement, from 216ppi to 323ppi. Google have also expressed that the screen will be capable of showing a 30% wider range in colors.
PROCESSOR
The nexus 7 packs a 1.5GHz quad core Snapdragon S4 CPU, which claims to be nearly double the speed of the previous version. The RAM has also been upgraded from 1GB to 2GB.
RELEASE DATE AND PRICE
It’s rumoured that Google’s new flagship device could hit stores in the UK for September, and many other regions in the coming weeks. The device was released in the US last week and is shipping at $229 for the 16GB version and $269 for the 32GB variant. The LTE compatible tablet will cost around $349. For UK customers, the nexus will cost £199 (16GB) and £239 (32GB.)
OUR VIEW
Whilst describing the new model as a ‘nexus 7 on steroids’ wouldn’t be far from the truth, the elegance and simplicity of the previous model still remain. We are impressed with Google’s efforts to improve the device in the areas that matter, such as the screen and overall performance. The lack of show stopping changes and brand new features is evident. However! Google are enticing us with an HD, slim and powerful yet elegant Android tablet for $269? Bargain!
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