Nvidia SHIELD tablet or iPad mini 2?

[ddk2561]

Hi, guys,

 

 

I'm a student, and I have been think about buying a tablet for myself lately. After looking though the prices and specs, my options narrowed down to 32 GB Nvidia SHIELD tablet LTE and 32 GB iPad mini 2 LTE.

 

Just to be clear, I'm not a gamer at all, I put Nvidia Shield tablet against iPad mini 2 simply because it's budget price, high performance and near stock android experience, I'm just buying a tablet for general uses as a student. Nvidia's hardware(Tegra K1 chip, pretty much) and it's price, plus, it's very likely to receive fast Android updates since it uses a near stock android. Some of the hardware features are great, too: front facing speakers, 5MP front and rear cameras, and a SD SLOT! Although I think android has been improving rapidly, which is amazing and I love that, but my old Android experiences kept haunting me about the later lags, which I am very afraid of: I will most likely keep use this tablet for about at least 4 years. Since Nvidia is very proactive about software updates, I'm really hoping for the update speed like a Nexus, but to my other concern, this ISN'T a Nexus, the future of this new product line is uncertain, what if, just what if Nvidia stops caring about it 1 or 2 years later? It's a gaming tablet, and Nvidia isn't a mobile device manufacturer after all. I also have a little bit concern about the build quality since a few users got their SHIELD's edges cracked because of the processor's heat. 

 

Now to the iPad mini 2. Honestly, it wasn't even on the list before the price cut right after the Apple's new releases, mainly because I'm not an Apple fan at all, I prefer Android, a lot better! Yet I can not deny that Apple has advantages of it's own, the high build quality, the efficiency of it's hardware, promising software updates, they all just seem as great, especially the battery, comparing to the Nvidia SHIELD, it's a big gap. About the display, although it's not that much better, but it's still greater at reading and web browsing. OK, I just wrote down pretty much all the Apple advantages I could ever think of, now the downside. First of all, the price, it's still $100 more expensive than the SHIELD even after the price cut, that's a BIG difference to me. And, iOS, not a fan of it, it runs smooth, sure; it saves battery, sure; it looks so fab, sure. But it's much less fun to play with and open than Android, and it's not as convenient. Although iOS can keep running smooth for a long time, but let's face it, Apple doesn't give much sh*t about the old customers, besides the instability, those fast software updates aren't made for the older models all that much, it just lags... Plus, Apple loves making new devices, mini 2 is probably an old junk to Apple already. The gap between the A7 and A8 concerns me that the later A8 or future A9 oriented iOS might not work so well on the A7 equipped devices. So much for the software, there are problems with the hardware, too. SHIELD is one of those tablets with beloved micro SD slots and iPad obviously isn't one of them. 32 GB is all I can afford, but it still doesn't seem to be enough for a tablet. Even iPad mini 2 uses iOS,Nvidia's 2.2 GHz Tegra K1 with 2GB of RAM is clearly better than the 1.4 GHz A7 with 1GB. Although I don't care that much, but 1.2 MP front camera and the bottom speaker are just not so great...

 

Whoo, there, I said it all(probably), most of you guys might even know better than be already but I just felt like it's better to put it out anyway. This is a really hard decision for me, so I come to you guys, looking for helps, and I will most likely go by the result of this discussion. I appreciate it a lot!

 

Thanks!

[FloRolf]

I'd actually say Nexus9. I'm using the Shield Tab and it's very nice.

It has some flaws though, for example it isnt very well optimized (yet) with the Tegra chip. It stutters quite often. that should change with the Nexus 9 release though (also uses K1).

[Nico123473]

of those two I would get the Shield, but you can also get the nexus 9

[Trophywolfe]

the tegra k1 is better than any apple Ax chip so if you want it go for it

[Aniallation]

I'd definitely go with the SHIELD Tablet. The only thing I liked about the iPad Mini was the better aspect ratio for productivity and web browsing, but now the Nexus 9 exists with the same 4:3 aspect ratio, if that's what you're going for.

[OriginalPromise]

Galaxy Tab S or nothing but....

I'll probably go with the shield..
 

[QueenDemetria]

-snip-

Shield Tab. Android has come a long way and its really good now. The iPad Mini is meh IMO. Its not that fast since the A7 barely good enough and it has too many limitations(thanks Apple).

[ddk2561]

thank you all for replying

[ddk2561]

I'd actually say Nexus9. I'm using the Shield Tab and it's very nice.

It has some flaws though, for example it isnt very well optimized (yet) with the Tegra chip. It stutters quite often. that should change with the Nexus 9 release though (also uses K1).

 

 

of those two I would get the Shield, but you can also get the nexus 9

 

 

I'd definitely go with the SHIELD Tablet. The only thing I liked about the iPad Mini was the better aspect ratio for productivity and web browsing, but now the Nexus 9 exists with the same 4:3 aspect ratio, if that's what you're going for.

Well, as a matter of fact, Nexus line was the first thing came to my mind when I decided to buy for a tablet, so I waited, then Nexus 9 turned out to be a rich man's toy, the 32GB LTE version is way, way out of my price range.

[thekeemo]

of those two I would get the Shield, but you can also get the nexus 9

dis

[ddk2561]

I'd actually say Nexus9. I'm using the Shield Tab and it's very nice.

It has some flaws though, for example it isnt very well optimized (yet) with the Tegra chip. It stutters quite often. that should change with the Nexus 9 release though (also uses K1).

So are you getting the Nexus 9 as well?

[FloRolf]

So are you getting the Nexus 9 as well?

no why would i? It's basically a Shield Tab just bigger and completely stock android.

[ddk2561]

no why would i? It's basically a Shield Tab just bigger and completely stock android.

 

 

dis

 

 

Shield Tab. Android has come a long way and its really good now. The iPad Mini is meh IMO. Its not that fast since the A7 barely good enough and it has too many limitations(thanks Apple).

 

 

Galaxy Tab S or nothing but....

I'll probably go with the shield..

 

 

 

I'd definitely go with the SHIELD Tablet. The only thing I liked about the iPad Mini was the better aspect ratio for productivity and web browsing, but now the Nexus 9 exists with the same 4:3 aspect ratio, if that's what you're going for.

 

 

the tegra k1 is better than any apple Ax chip so if you want it go for it

 

 

of those two I would get the Shield, but you can also get the nexus 9

 

 

I'd actually say Nexus9. I'm using the Shield Tab and it's very nice.

It has some flaws though, for example it isnt very well optimized (yet) with the Tegra chip. It stutters quite often. that should change with the Nexus 9 release though (also uses K1).

Yep, I'm going for the SHIELD, thank you all very much!