Nexus 7 (2013) Review

[BaconComputing]

Hello! I've had my New Nexus 7 for around 5 months now, so I decided to do a review on it! First off, I am not a tablet or mobile device expert by any means. The only other devices I've had experience with are some iPod Touches and my brother's iPad Mini. Therefore, I am a somewhat noob to the Android ecosystem, so, I will make my review in that perspective.

 

Hardware:

 Oh, the hardware of this device. It includes a soft-touch plastic type material, with nice-feeling buttons of a smooth plastic feel. The back is not a fingerprint magnet, which is a relief, however it does not feel too durable. The buttons seem fairly firm-set into the uni-body design. However, the screen is a different story. There is a slight gap in between the sides of the glass and the backing material. This is where much dust and grime got trapped, and the glass edges started to fray after a few months of use. The camera, meh, it's a camera. No one uses a tablet camera, unless you're one of those people. Other than that, the back and materials feel fairly nice after trying to hold onto and not scratch the metallic back of the iPod Touch 4th generation. The weight of the device seems very balanced and fairly light.

Software:

 Now onto the software portion of the tablet, which is much more interesting. First off, the specs. The Snapdragon S4 pro in this tablet handles all but the most demanding of tasks fairly easily. Opening apps and loading pages seem fairly quick, but you will notice some slight lag while multitasking sometimes. The GPU is also top-notch for this budget tablet. Although I felt the device getting slightly warm/hot while playing demanding games, it was not a major issue. Nearly all games were playable without a sweat. Next up is the actual OS and experience. The standard, vanilla 4.4.2 KitKat experience is one of the best that can be had by any Android device, as there is no bloatware on top of Android. The overall experience is very very impressive. All apps and in general this device is extremely fluid and responsive. One gripe I have is the battery life, though. After playing Clash of Clans or watching YouTube videos for several hours, you will be running for a charger. Although this is much better battery life than my iPod Touch, I still feel it could have been improved upon. 

Conclusion:

 This is a very compelling option for first time Android users. With the pricetag at only $230 for the 16 GB model, it is a steal for what you get out of it. Although the build quality isn't top-notch, it can get you through the day unscathed. The software is very great, with updates coming right out of Google's warehouses. If you're debating about getting this, just buy it. You will not be disappointed.  

 

P.S. This is my first review, so please leave feedback about what I could change.

-Bacon

[Ssoele]

Nice review, I have a first gen however

[Zeke]

There is a slight gap in between the sides of the glass and the backing material. This is where much dust and grime got trapped, and the glass edges started to fray after a few months of use. 

TBH I think you've got a bad unit, I've been using mine for six or seven months and there's no sight of dust accumulation. 

 

Some things I would've added to your review: 

> There's no microSD card slot (although now we're FINALLY getting the microUSB/USB flash drives).

> The device itself is a powerhouse, but lots of apps are poorly optimized.

> The 16:9 aspect ratio makes it more suitable for watching movies, whilst iPads with their 4:3 are better for web surfing.

 

Aside that, I'm digging the post, nice work.

[BaconComputing]

TBH I think you've got a bad unit, I've been using mine for six or seven months and there's no sight of dust accumulation. 

 

Some things I would've added to your review: 

> There's no microSD card slot

> The device itself is a powerhouse, but lots of apps are poorly optimized

> The 16:9 aspect ratio makes it more suitable for watching movies, whilst iPads with their 4:3 are better for web surfing.

 

Aside that, I'm digging the post, nice work.

Thanks so much for the input. I'll be sure to add more detail next time I make a review.

[spwath]

Be better with pics

[TheSLSAMG]

TBH I think you've got a bad unit, I've been using mine for six or seven months and there's no sight of dust accumulation. 

 

Some things I would've added to your review: 

> There's no microSD card slot (although now we're FINALLY getting the microUSB/USB flash drives).

> The device itself is a powerhouse, but lots of apps are poorly optimized.

> The 16:9 aspect ratio makes it more suitable for watching movies, whilst iPads with their 4:3 are better for web surfing.

 

Aside that, I'm digging the post, nice work.

*coughs* 16:10 *coughs*

 

Screen resolution is 1920x1200

[Zeke]

*coughs* 16:10 *coughs*

 

Screen resolution is 1920x1200

I'm still waiting for 21:9 tablet.

[jezza39]

*coughs* 16:10 *coughs*

 

Screen resolution is 1920x1200

 

Don't the on screen buttons reduce it to 1920x1080 like the old Transformer/Sammy tablets?

[TheSLSAMG]

Don't the on screen buttons reduce it to 1920x1080 like the old Transformer/Sammy tablets?

Yeah, but the on-screen buttons are rid of when watching videos and doing other things.