Apple made a point of doing a side-by-side comparison of its new iPad Mini with Google's Nexus 7 at the launch event Tuesday in San Jose, highlighting the mini tablet's thinness, larger viewable screen area and custom app compatibility.
ANALYSIS: The iPad Mini puts Apple in a pickle
Those are all fine points, but they might not tell the whole story - here's a more detailed comparison between the two devices.
SCREEN: The Nexus 7 boasts higher resolution in a smaller overall package than the iPad mini - 1280x800 in 7 inches, compared to 1024x768 in 7.9 inches - giving it superior pixel density and a sharper picture. Apple opted not to include its Retina display technology in the new device for compatibility reasons - since apps written for other iPad versions are all designed for a 4:3 aspect ratio, they would have to be retooled for differently proportioned screens.
Apple made a lot of hay out of the bigger screen at the launch event, saying that it represents a substantial increase in viewable area - and the thin side bezels allow it to accomplish this without swelling the device's overall size by too much. While that's true, it's also slightly misleading - yes, content can be displayed on a bigger scale, but it will still be less sharply defined than on the Nexus 7's screen.
UNDER THE HOOD: Much was made of the "missing" features on the Nexus 7 at its release -- the consensus is that Google skipped out on cellular connectivity and a rear-facing camera in the interest of keeping costs down. However, the device's other internals are nothing to scoff at - the quad-core Tegra 3 system-on-a-chip provides solid performance and decent graphical horsepower.
Apple's iPad Mini adds a 5-meagpixel rear camera, but other than that, packs hardware similar to that of the second-generation iPad, released in March 2011 - meaning 512MB of RAM to the Nexus 7's 1GB, and a dual-core A5 SoC instead of the aforementioned quad-core Tegra.
SOFTWARE: The excellent Version 4.1 of Android, better known as Jelly Bean, powers the Nexus 7, providing a powerful, responsive user experience. While the iPad Mini is no slouch in this department either, iOS 6's well-documented problems with Maps and other features detract from the usually seamless Apple UI.
That said, Apple's software ecosystem contains far more dedicated tablet apps than the Google Play store, meaning that there's a richer variety of tablet-focused content available to iPad Mini users.
See also: iPad mini review and Google Nexus 7 (vs iPad) review
NETWORKS: Although a mobile-data-ready version of the Nexus 7 is rumored to be on the way soon, Apple's iPad Mini launched with that functionality already in place. It doesn't come cheap, however - buyers will pay £100 extra for 3G/cellular connectivity, to say nothing of the data plans themselves. Both devices support 802.11n Wi-Fi.
VALUE FOR MONEY: The iPad Mini will sell plenty of units, of course - Apple's dedicated fan base will see to that - but the device simply does not outstrip the competition on features. It also comes with a substantial price premium - the base model with Wi-Fi connectivity only and 16GB of storage goes for £269 - which could prevent it from dominating the 7-inch tablet market.
While it's still an impressive device, Apple presented it as the new state-of-the-art in the small tablet space - but it's not. The Nexus 7 offers a higher-resolution display and superior hardware, which most would consider key points for a tablet.
What's more, it offers those advantages while costing less, when similarly equipped. (16GB storage, Wi-Fi only.) To many users, Apple's superior app ecosystem and stylish design will be worth the extra dough and 18-month-old internals. However, the company can't really be said to have conquered the small tablet market with cheaper, more powerful rivals like the Nexus 7 already in place.
See also:
Apple unveils Fusion Drive for new iMac and Mac mini
Apple iPad mini vs. Apple iPad: We compare Apple's new tablets
Apple iPad mini in pictures
Apple's new iMac line-up tech specs and UK pricing
Apple's new 13in MacBook Pro with Retina display UK pricing and tech specs
Apple iPad mini specs revealed
Apple updates Mac mini
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Comments received
christof69 said on Wed, 24 Oct 2012
HA! As usual, tabloid style silly review from one of the Macworld extended posse. Only one comment "valid" that is the SLIGHTLY higher resolution for the much smaller screen size...
Why not mention the engineering, the chip performance comparison (not the date!), the product quality etc etc
Really. Poor journalism.
antonyadler said on Wed, 24 Oct 2012
Hi - I thought this was excellent! I'm a huge Apple fan AND a huge Android fan. I will buy whatever is best frankly. I was sorely disappointed with last night's announcement. Underpowered, screen average at best and overpriced. Sadly, this is further evidence to me of the slowly failing post-Steve halo. I was desperate for the mini to be fab. i expected it to be EITHER amazing technologically (retina?) or very well priced. But it's neither. It's more expensive that rivals and aside from the app store, it's weaker than its rivals. I'm desperate for a TOP spec 7incher, the Nexus 7 (which I own) is nice but not good enough on the display (looks washed out to me). I've got an iPad 3 (7 months? jeez Apple), it's too bulky for my work bag, I still don't have a truly fab mid sized device for daily use. The iPhone 5, isn't, ultimately, all that, now the Mini follows this route. I recently got a 15inch retina MBP, AWESOME piece of kit, but tablet and phone wise, I do worry for Apple...
masterpfa said on Wed, 24 Oct 2012
Thanks for a honest review, regardless of which side of the fence one falls, the facts speak for themselves.
iPad had more tablet featured apps, has a larger number of apps, will sell more than any other non Apple tablet.
But let's not walk around with rose tinted spectacles , it is based on older hardware but with a smaller screen.
The resolution is worse on a larger screen than the 7" version of tablets available elsewhere and the price too does not match up to the competition.
Life is about choices and we are all free to choose which ever device we wish too, but please non of this rubbishing a review because a few truths have been spoken.
anaxagoras said on Thu, 25 Oct 2012
Quote "That said, Apple's software ecosystem contains far more dedicated tablet apps than the Google Play store, meaning that there's a richer variety of tablet-focused content available to iPad Mini users."
Years ago, one of the key "advantages" of the Windows PC over the Mac was the greater range of software available. I never bought in to that argument. If you needed, say, a spreadsheet program and there was a decent one available for the Mac, that was fine; it mattered not one jot that you had a choice of 37 different spreadsheets for the PC.
The boot is on the other foot, now. But provided the apps you want and need are available for your chosen platform, it doesn't matter that there are hundreds of thousands of others available. From what I've seen on the Apple Store, a good 99.9% of the apps are of no interest whatsoever to me!
Technojunky said on Thu, 25 Oct 2012
Seriously disappointed. Got a 2nd gen iPod touch for music & occasional movies, an ageing Mac mini with slot drive for home server use & a 15" MBP for everything else. What i was waiting for, was a portable device with which i could web surf, check e-mails, read e-books & watch movies on. A device that could (at a stretch) fit into a pocket & not need a satchel bag. But what i got was an iPad put through a Wonka Vision converter. I'm sorry but i won't sacrifice a third of my non hd screen resolution just to watch a wide screen movie. Of all the reviews i've read, & watched, not one of them has mentioned this, in a product designed specifically for this purpose. If you want the full blown iPad, iOS experience then get the iPad, but if you want a portable tablet for media consumption then for me it's going to have to be the Nexus 7.So thanks Apple for introducing me to the world of Android. It's gonna be fun, t'ill Apple comes up with a 16:9, 7" tablet next year.
Technojunky said on Thu, 25 Oct 2012
Add to previous post above.
Screen resolution: 1024 x 768
Screen format: 4:3 instead of 16:9
For widescreen movie watching read, large black bars top & bottom of screen therefore losing approx one third of screen real estate. Edit that one in iMovie HD Apple?
Of course you could always do Twitter or Facebook if you're that inclined.
At least the old movies( pre 2.35:1) will look fab, but then they're in black & white as well so the bars won't matter.
MacGee said on Thu, 25 Oct 2012
I bought a Nexus when it came out. I didn't like it. The touch screen became unresponsive at times, but it was really Android I disliked. It just seems to be a poor copy of iOS. If I was buying a non Apple tablet or phone I'd go for a Windows 8 device.
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