Tablet Faceoff: Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 vs. Google Nexus 7

If an 8-inch stylus-enabled Samsung Galaxy Note wasn't your cup of tea, Don’t worry, Samsung just announced a new addition to its Galaxy Tab lineup several days ago and is expected to hit shelves in this month. The Galaxy Tab 3 sports a 7-inch, 1,024-by-600 pixel display, and runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, etc. So how does Samsung’s latest – the Galaxy Tab 3 – compare to the Google/Asus Nexus 7?

Size

Compared to Google Nexus 7, The Galaxy Tab 3 promises a more sleek and stylish design that is comfortable to hold in one hand. The Galaxy Tab 3’s smaller bezel makes it about six percent shorter and eight percent narrower than the Nexus 7.

Build

Both of the two devices are made of plastic chassis. The Tab’s backside is smoother, and it also has a removable battery cover. The Nexus 7’s rear has a grippy texture to it, and can’t (easily) be opened.

Weight

Both tablets are light.

Display

The resolution of the Tab 3's LCD is 1024 x 600, which isn't much of a match for the 1280 x 800 display on the Nexus 7. The Nexus 7 is growing a little long in the tooth.

Processor

The Tab3 powers with a mystery processor, but we do know that it’s a dual core chip clocked at 1.2 GHz. The Nexus 7’s Tegra 3 is a known quantity and will almost certainly be faster than whatever mid-grade chip Samsung squeezed into this new Galaxy Tab.

RAM

Both tablets have 1 GB of RAM.

Storage

The tab 3 arrives with 8 GB or 16 GB of internal space, and up to 64 GB of additional space via a microSD card slot. The Nexus 7 comes in 16GB or 32GB of non-expandable memory.

Wireless

Samsung says the Wi-Fi-only Tab 3 will be available beginning in May, followed by a 3G model for making calls and browsing the web untethered sometime in June. Like the Nexus 7, it maxes out at HSPA+ 21 speeds (that typically means between 4-8 Mbps in real world speeds).

Cameras

The Tab 3 features a 3-megapixel rear camera, 1.3-megapixel front facer, while Nexus 7 only has a 1.2-megapixel front camera.

Battery

There probably isn’t much to worry about here. Crappy display + mid-range processor + decent sized battery should mean plenty of uptime for the Tab 3. Ditto for the Nexus 7, only with better speed and a better (but not exactly mind-blowing) display.

Software

Both slates run Android. Samsung gives you its TouchWiz UI slapped on top, but you still get Google Play, and all the fun stuff that goes along with it.

The Nexus 7’s big advantages are that it runs a newer version of pure Android, and it will always be more up-to-date than the Tab 3.

Wrap-up
Samsung didn't reveal how much the Galaxy Tab 3 will retail when it begins to arrive this month. So which do you choose? The Nexus 7 or the brand new Galaxy Tab 3? Or Wait for the 2nd-gen Nexus 7, which might be announced at Google I/O 2013 in a couple weeks. Welcome to show your opinions.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 vs. Google Nexus 7: Should You Spend the Extra Bucks for the S-Pen?

Samsung said Tuesday the galaxy note 8.0, a competitor to iPad mini and Nexus 7, will hit stores in the U.S. this Thursday. The South Korean electronics giant said the small 8-inch tablet (features S Pen stylus) will only be available in a Wi-Fi version and sell for $399, much more expensive than the rival. The model comes with 16 gigabytes of storage. So Should You Spend the Extra Bucks for the S-Pen? Several days ago, I have compared the specs and other features of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 and Apple iPad mini and today I will continue to introduce you how it stack up against the Nexus 7.

Size

The galaxy note 8 has a large display, but is quite thinner than the Nexus 7.

Weight

The two tablets weigh roughly the same, with the Nexus 7 tipping the scale just a hair more than the Note 8.

Display

Just like their name says, galaxy note 8 features an 8-inch screen while the Nexus 7 has a 7-inch display. If you can sacrifice that (diagonal) inch of real estate, the Nexus 7’s screen should appear sharper.

Processor

Both tablets sport quad core processors. The Note’s offers better performance, but for everyday use, both will more than suffice.

RAM

In this aspect, Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 doubles the Nexus 7’s 1 GB of random-access memory (RAM).

Storage

The storage edge goes to Samsung’s tablet. It offers larger internal flash memory options and can be expanded via microSD. The Nexus 7 doesn’t have a microSD slot.

Wireless

If you’re looking for a Wi-Fi only device, both deliver. As far as (more expensive) mobile data options go, the Note has LTE and the Nexus 7 settles for HSPA+.

Cameras

Galaxy note 8 has two cameras: a 5-megapixel main camera and a 1.3-megapixel user-facing camera. The Nexus 7 has no rear camera. So if you want to take photos with your tablet, just get the Note 8. Anyway, Megapixels aren’t everything.

Battery

People always want to take battery capacity with grains of salt, as many other factors combine to determine actual uptime. With that said, the Note 8.0’s battery holds a bit more juice.

Intangibles

Since the release of the Note 10.1, Samsung has been working to improve the user experience in its Note family of tablets, adding software enhancements that probably should have been there from the get-go.

The Galaxy Note 8.0’s stylus (S Pen) sees some upgrades, with greater integration into the Note’s Touchwiz software. Unsheathe the stylus, and the Note will prepare for pen input. Hover the S Pen over the screen, and select apps will respond accordingly (like previewing a post in Flipboard).

Apart from the S Pen, Samsung’s multi-windows feature, which allows for two simultaneous apps to run on the screen, has been thankfully enhanced too. Multi window is easily the best feature on the Note 8.0, especially when you need to copy and paste something between two apps.

The Nexus 7’s X-factor is its price. The 7-inchNexus 7 exists only for $200, much cheaper than Samsung Note 8. In the software aspect, Google Nexus 7 ships with the newest version of Android (4.2.2, Jellybean). It will also get future updates much quicker than Samsung’s tablet will. The Nexus 7 also sports “pure” (unskinned) Android, which many customers prefer over manufacturer UIs.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is a stunning tablet with a truly useful stylus, but the price is a little expensive. So which is for you? Are you going to get the Galaxy Note 8.0 or Nexus 7?

Best 7-8 inch tablets 2013: Apple iPad Mini, Samsung Galaxy Note 8, Google Nexus 7

After the big success of Apple’s iPad, a flux of new tablet models have come onto the market, and many of the early competing tablets have been released in the same size, such as Samsung galaxy note 10.1, Google Nexus 10, Microsoft Surface RT and so on. But some people are finding that a small model is a bit more portable and easier for tasks like reading or gaming, and now they are in huge demand. We have seen several launches in the last few months, the latest being Samsung Galaxy Note 8, HP Slate 7 and Sony Xperia Tablet Z, etc. Here we take a look at the top small 7-8 inch tablets available in the market 2013.

• Samsung Galaxy Note 8

This is one of the best small 8-inch tablets awaiting to be launched in the market. Samsung has designed the device as a medium one between the Note 2 phablet and the Note 10.1 tablet PC, in order to compete directly with Apple iPad Mini, Google Nexus 7, Amazon Kindle Fire HD. Samsung's latest S Pen device boasts an 8-inch 1,280 x 800 TFT display, 1.6GHz Exynos 4 Quad processor and paired with 2GB RAM. The device runs on Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2 and also support for Smart Stay, Multi-Window and Air View functionality, Popup video and note, as well as AllShare Play and Cast.

• Apple iPad Mini

If you want the full, polished Apple tablet experience in a smaller package, the iPad Mini is your wise choice, but the price seems a bit steep, that is to say good alternatives are available for less money. Apple’s iPad mini features a 7.9-inch non-Retina Display at a pixel density of 163 ppi, A5 processor which isn't as robust as the one in the fourth-gen iPad and iPhone 5,  5 mega pixel rear camera and 1.2 mega pixel front camera with 720p HD video and ships in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB storage. The device runs on Apple iOS 6.

• Google Nexus 7

With a stunning 7-inch display, all day battery life, even more storage, and mobile data to keep you connected, Nexus 7 is the perfect travel or commute companion.

 The Nexus 7 features a 7-inch display, an Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core chip, 1 GB of RAM, and 8, 16 or 32 GB of internal storage. Incorporating built-inWi-Fi and near field communication (NFC) connectivity, it is marketed as an entertainment device with integration with Google Play, serving as a platform for multimedia consumption of e-books, television programs, films, games, and music. And the tablet was the first device to ship with Android version 4.1, nicknamed "Jelly Bean".

• Kindle Fire HD

The Kindle Fire HD is now available for order for only $199. This is the long anticipated Amazon tablet which is being marketed under the Kindle brand although it appears to be much more than an eBook reader. It runs on Android OS but comes with its specialized browser called Amazon Silk which claims faster speeds. The devices comes with a 1280x800 HD display, dual-core processor with an Imagination PowerVR 3D graphics core, World's first tablet with dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi for over 35% faster downloads and streaming. And it delivers over 11 hours of reading, surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video, or listening to music.

• HP Slate 7

Though this is not as well-endowed as Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8, nonetheless it is in a class of its own and very useful. It is HP’s first Android tablet. The company earlier ditched its own webOS-based TouchPad, which hit stores as a hyped-up iPad killer a few years back. “The HP Slate 7 won’t wow anyone with its specs or features, but at $169 it’s a reasonably priced low-end 7-inch slate,” says PCMag. The most exciting feature with the Slate 7 is its ability to print. HP has an own native app to do the task simply. Wi-Fi connectivity, Beats Audio integration are some other outstanding traits of the tablet PC. The device powers with a dual-core A9 processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of built-in storage, a 7-inch, 1,024 x 600 display and dual 3MP / VGA cameras and so on.

• Asus Fonepad

It is another low end tab from Asus. It is a 7-inch tablet PC with voice calling capability. That is, you can mount a SIM card inside the device and make calls as you do on a phone. The Fonepad is coming with an Intel Atom processor onboard. It is to be priced at $270. The selling point of the device will be its voice calling feature. Apart from this, the Fonepad is coming from the maker of Nexus 7, a market-hit small screen tablet from Google.

The FonePad has a 7-inch display, which packs in 1,280x800 pixels, making this the same size and resolution as the Nexus 7. It lacks a rear camera, but finds space for a 1.2-megapixel front-facing snapper, which should come in handy for video calling. The device powers with Intel's Atom Z2420 processors, clocked at 1.2GHz and backed up by 1GB of RAM and is running on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

See also: Gift guide to full-size tablets for 2012 Christmas