Nexus 7 2013 review: Cheaper than most, better than all

[nsane.forums]

Great screen, fast internals make this refreshed tablet a great deal at any price.

Just over a year ago, Google released its first Nexus tablet. The 2012 Nexus 7 wasn't perfect by a long shot, but it was the kick in the pants that the Android tablet ecosystem needed at the time. Up until that point, the best Android tablets (and we use that term loosely) were trying to pretend like they weren't even Android tablets. Among the Galaxy Tabs and Motorola Xooms of the world, no one tablet really did well enough to merit the attention of developers or users. The Nexus 7 also redefined what people could expect to get for $200—an entirely usable (if not cutting-edge) general-purpose tablet without performance-sucking third-party skins or OEM-exclusive app stores.

Since then, the seven-to-eight-inch tablet category has gotten much more competitive thanks to lower prices from Amazon and a new, smaller iPad from Apple. Since it launched, praise for the original Nexus 7 has also gotten more muted, as storage-related performance degradation has set in and made the tablet feel slower than it did at first. With this follow-up, Google and Asus don't just have to provide a decisive answer to the iPad mini—they also have to quell doubts about their tablet's longevity. Luckily for us, they've managed to do both.

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[calguyhunk]

I was pretty keen last year on the Nexus 7 being my first tab for ~$200, and then they went and released it in India for ~$400 and that too, after six months of it being in the US market :o

Just didn't feel like buying a Galaxy tab for half the specs and uncertain update schedule for ~$250 knowing what $200 can fetch you :( Didn't have that budget either for what is essentially a bit of a toy at this stage :P

This one looks even more promising. Hopefully, they'll price it right this time 'round - even though I'm not holding my breath ;) In any case, with the Rupee devaluing by over 20% over the last year, $200 this year will buy only what ~$160-165 bought last year. :( So even if it's released @ $230, it'll feel like paying ~$300 in our currency. And that's gonna be a total deal-breaker. So unfortunately, no tab for me for at least till the next year. Damn! :mad2: