Baught a retina mini... Now considering Nexus 7

I would think the ultimate choice here lay in the software available for the devices & their ease of use. I'm not sure how much those whiter whites are going to help you if you have nothing to do on the tablet.

I had a Nexus 7 for about two days. I bought it for my mom for Christmas and was setting it up for her. It is a great device but I still prefer iOS to Android.

One reason I stay with devices is the integration. Everything in our home is Apple (except for an old HP laptop that rarely gets used). It just makes it easier to integrate when all of the devices work together.

Rely undo said:

I realize this is an apple forum and that is the reason I am posting here. It cost me 648$ for my iPad mini and a smart case with tax.

Upon getting the mini I was underwhelmed by the screen, whites look kinda pinkish etc, but overall the form factor of the device is awesome and the screen is sharp.

However I compared it side by side with a new nexus 7.. And it seemed like the nexus had much better color saturation and better whites/blacks. Not only that, but I feel like the iPad with iOS 7 is now more laggers than stock android is.

So basically I am here today asking you guys why I should keep the mini even though it costs double what the nexus does?

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Don't keep it, return it and buy the nexus.

I don't know why people buy stuff then expect people to rationalize their choice for them. If the mini is not for you and you are having buyers remorse return it and pick up something different.

Have them all and really like the Nexus 7 the best, mine is a 2012 is is very fast with no lag. It obviously comes down to personal preference as I use a Mac and iPhone but use the Nexus for my tablet but with that caveat I don't use a tablet for work so it's pretty much a toy to me.
YMMV......Ed

Reasons I prefer the Mini Retina over the Nexus 7:

(1) Form factor - 4:3 7.9" display is just better for a tablet. I also HATE the bezels on the N7.....

(2) Ecosystem/Apps - tablet optimized apps are what make the iPad the superior experience in my opinion. For what I use my iPad for (games, reading, videos, sports), the apps available on iOS are 99.9999% of the time as good or better than the equivalent Android app.

That's really all that's needed for me to "justify" the extra expense (which, for my 32GB wifi only model comes out to about $230). Having owned both I know that the mini has more "value" for me because I'd rather pay $499 for a device I'll use constantly than pay $269 for a device I'll never use.

But as some have already said - the choice is up to you. Get whatever you feel is right for your situation. There isn't a "one size fits all" for everyone. You have a return period. Buy one, try it out, return it and try the other one. Then decide which is best for you.

jrswizzle said:

Reasons I prefer the Mini Retina over the Nexus 7:

(1) Form factor - 4:3 7.9" display is just better for a tablet. I also HATE the bezels on the N7.....

(2) Ecosystem/Apps - tablet optimized apps are what make the iPad the superior experience in my opinion. For what I use my iPad for (games, reading, videos, sports), the apps available on iOS are 99.9999% of the time as good or better than the equivalent Android app.

That's really all that's needed for me to "justify" the extra expense (which, for my 32GB wifi only model comes out to about $230). Having owned both I know that the mini has more "value" for me because I'd rather pay $499 for a device I'll use constantly than pay $269 for a device I'll never use.

But as some have already said - the choice is up to you. Get whatever you feel is right for your situation. There isn't a "one size fits all" for everyone. You have a return period. Buy one, try it out, return it and try the other one. Then decide which is best for you.

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+1 for this advice--and I'm satisfied with my Nexus 7 (2013). I prefer to have a foot in both the Apple and Android ecosystems and the Nexus 7 is my present entry for Android. The display is sharp and bright, whites are white, not tending towards the warm or cool spectrum, the materials are very good (love the soft touch back) and it's more pocketable than a Mini.

However, you lose a lot of screen real estate (roughly 35%) vs. the Mini with one less inch and a 16:10 display--too narrow in portrait, too flat and squished in landscape (more so by the on screen buttons). And it's ultimately up to what apps you use but personally, more times than not the apps I use are much better on iOS tablets than on Android tablets (the dreaded stretched phone app syndrome) and some are missing altogether.

I also have an iPad Air so a rMini would be a bit redundant, do I can live with the limitations. And in many ways, the Nexus 7 offers capabilities the iPads don't have, but that's another entire iOS vs. Android discussion. But if I was simply comparing the two devices on their own without my extenuating circumstances and had to pick one, I'd get a rMini, extra cost and all.

The nexus 7's display is definitely better than the retina minis. It has much better contrast, colors, and white balance. I also prefer the form factor as its much easier to hold in one hand since its narrower.

Thank you and I agree. I usually have both and Android phone and iPhone so my Nexus 5 will be my foot in the Android world.

Agree, using both is the best way to go!

jrswizzle said:

Reasons I prefer the Mini Retina over the Nexus 7:

(1) Form factor - 4:3 7.9" display is just better for a tablet. I also HATE the bezels on the N7.....

(2) Ecosystem/Apps - tablet optimized apps are what make the iPad the superior experience in my opinion. For what I use my iPad for (games, reading, videos, sports), the apps available on iOS are 99.9999% of the time as good or better than the equivalent Android app.

That's really all that's needed for me to "justify" the extra expense (which, for my 32GB wifi only model comes out to about $230). Having owned both I know that the mini has more "value" for me because I'd rather pay $499 for a device I'll use constantly than pay $269 for a device I'll never use.

But as some have already said - the choice is up to you. Get whatever you feel is right for your situation. There isn't a "one size fits all" for everyone. You have a return period. Buy one, try it out, return it and try the other one. Then decide which is best for you.

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I agree with this. The whole apple eco-system, IMO, works just fine with a different phone, but I really need an ipad inside the house. I use airports, apple tv, and hue lighting. 2 of those 3 things only work with an IOS device, so I cannot live without an ipad or ipod touch.

The new Nexus 7 is a great improvement from the first model. It's probably the most bang for your buck so to speak, but only if you're comfortable in Android. I can see how a mostly iOS user would be really frustrated with Android, especially if you're married to the app store. Comes down to what you like.

Personally, the Nexus 7 2013 is easier to hold in my hand than the iPad Mini, but I do really like the iPad Air. I guess I go both ways?

Had a Nexus 7 for about two weeks and returned it just a couple of days ago actually. Now I'm in the market for an iPad Mini Retina.

jrswizzle said:

Reasons I prefer the Mini Retina over the Nexus 7:

(1) Form factor - 4:3 7.9" display is just better for a tablet. I also HATE the bezels on the N7.....

(2) Ecosystem/Apps - tablet optimized apps are what make the iPad the superior experience in my opinion. For what I use my iPad for (games, reading, videos, sports), the apps available on iOS are 99.9999% of the time as good or better than the equivalent Android app.

That's really all that's needed for me to "justify" the extra expense (which, for my 32GB wifi only model comes out to about $230). Having owned both I know that the mini has more "value" for me because I'd rather pay $499 for a device I'll use constantly than pay $269 for a device I'll never use.

But as some have already said - the choice is up to you. Get whatever you feel is right for your situation. There isn't a "one size fits all" for everyone. You have a return period. Buy one, try it out, return it and try the other one. Then decide which is best for you.

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1. You mean in your opinion, 4:3 is better for a tablet? I love the form factor and ratio on my Nexus 7, and it never inhibits me nor causes problems with reading websites, or small text on the screen. It might be a little narrow in portrait, but it's nothing that makes me wish I had a mini.

2. Sure, Apple has more apps, and more apps that are catered to tablets, however I still find PLENTY of apps that I need (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Netflix, Pandora, banking apps, etc) basically all the apps that I use, Android has just fine. Are iOS apps more plentiful? Sure. Do they have a better selection of games? Sure. That is because of the sheer fact that people more commonly have an Apple product, so more effort is being put into developing. Android has come a long way, and it's closing the gap and catching up.

Listen, we can all argue until we are blue in the face about what device is better. But it simply is different for each individual.

Of course people like me who bought the Nexus 7 are going to defend it, but it's a little annoying to see people who bought the mini coming in and saying "oh yea, the mini is way better, even though it's double the price."

This all just shows HOW good the Nexus 7 is, it's constantly being compared to tablets that are DOUBLE it's price.

In my opinion, for the price, for the specs, the raw power and performance, the Nexus 7, for that price, kills anything. I mean, think about it... Nexus 7, $230, iPad mini $400. Go ahead and get the more expensive device, but at the end of the day, a tablet is a tablet. Most people use tablets for heavy web browsing, watching media, etc... and the Nexus 7 does it perfectly for.... half the price. Some people think more about what your paying and what you're getting, not paying double the price and getting sort of a better experience.

I've had both the original and 2013 versions of the Nexus 7, and the single biggest factor in favor of the latest version of the Nexus 7 is the display. It really is a thing of beauty.

That said, the screen ratio is just not the best, nor is the 7" size. The iPad Mini got those right. My next tablet will be the Mini, unless we see 8" Nexus with a 4:3 (or close to that) ratio.

Bottom line, I do love the Nexus 7, but I would like it a lot more if it copied the iPad mini size. Nor would I have any qualms buying the Mini (other than the outrageous pricing for a 16gb 8" tablet! This is the biggest negative for the Mini.)

PhoenixMac said:

Don't keep it, return it and buy the nexus.

I don't know why people buy stuff then expect people to rationalize their choice for them. If the mini is not for you and you are having buyers remorse return it and pick up something different.

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This entire forum is just people asking others to rationalize their purchases, lol. Welcome to the internet and online forums.

I use an Android phone a MBP and a iPad Mini (original) I love them all and TBH my SGS3 and Nexus 4 integrate quite seamlessly with my Apple products. I do prefer Android phones over Apple but when it comes to tablets I still prefer the iPad (mini) I enjoy the diverse natures of the two OS's.

While I use an Android phone, I've always felt iOS offers a much better tablet experience. I have yet to use an Android tablet that I found acceptable. The apps for iPad are light years ahead, and the accessory market is nice. This is coming from someone who uses an iPad for a lot of music and video related tasks.

Something to keep in mind with that iPad mini- if you're running iOS 7, the colors are going to be a little weird because of the translucent effects added to everything. I know when I bought my air, it took me a few days to get used to that. I would think the screen had a bad area, and then I realized it's the effect. Kind of annoying, and I was unaware of it since I hadn't used iOS 7 before.

jrswizzle said:

Reasons I prefer the Mini Retina over the Nexus 7:

(1) Form factor - 4:3 7.9" display is just better for a tablet. I also HATE the bezels on the N7.....

(2) Ecosystem/Apps - tablet optimized apps are what make the iPad the superior experience in my opinion. For what I use my iPad for (games, reading, videos, sports), the apps available on iOS are 99.9999% of the time as good or better than the equivalent Android app.

That's really all that's needed for me to "justify" the extra expense (which, for my 32GB wifi only model comes out to about $230). Having owned both I know that the mini has more "value" for me because I'd rather pay $499 for a device I'll use constantly than pay $269 for a device I'll never use.

But as some have already said - the choice is up to you. Get whatever you feel is right for your situation. There isn't a "one size fits all" for everyone. You have a return period. Buy one, try it out, return it and try the other one. Then decide which is best for you.

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Yeah, I agree with that. I have a 2012 nexus 7, and the aspect ratio is terrible for browsing in landscape. It's great for movies, but I rarely watch movies on my tablet.

The main reason I went and bought an iPad Air was the tablet optimized apps. When I compared my nexus 7 to my brothers ipad mini, I was pretty impressed by the apps he had on his tablet. My nexus 7 was also slow compared to his ipad mini. Just trying to turn on my N7 and change it's orientation took a while.

People always use display models for 5 minutes and come to the conclusion that a tablet doesn't lag. Those display models probably don't have **** on them. The more I used my N7, the laggier it got. I eventually stopped using it because I couldn't stand it.

Brittany246 said:

Yeah, I agree with that. I have a 2012 nexus 7, and the aspect ratio is terrible for browsing in landscape. It's great for movies, but I rarely watch movies on my tablet.


The main reason I went and bought an iPad Air was the tablet optimized apps. When I compared my nexus 7 to my brothers ipad mini, I was pretty impressed by the apps he had on his tablet. My nexus 7 was also slow compared to his ipad mini. Just trying to turn on my N7 and change it's orientation took a while.

People always use display models for 5 minutes and come to the conclusion that a tablet doesn't lag. Those display models probably don't have **** on them. The more I used my N7, the laggier it got. I eventually stopped using it because I couldn't stand it.

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Browsing in landscape seems perfectly fine to me. It's better than portrait because you see more side to side. Don't know why it's not good for you...explain.

2012 Nexus 7 (no offense to those who own one) is horrible compared to the 2013 Nexus 7. Huge performance increase, screen is WAY better (323 ppi on new Nexus 7 vs 216ppi on last years). The old Nexus doesn't hold a candle compared to the new.

And yes, many with the first Nexus 7 report that it's now laggy. That is not the case with the new Nexus 7. Old Nexus had 1gb ram, new Nexus has 2gb ram.

Basically you're complaining about a tablet that we aren't discussing, we're comparing the NEW iPad mini to the NEW Nexus 7. The new Nexus 7 kills the old mini not only in display but in performance. The new mini has the a7 and much better performance and retina display, so it's now more evenly matched to the new Nexus.

What it all comes down to is what size screen you prefer. That extra 1 inch difference is noticeable, and nice. But I love the Nexus 7 size and portability. You can hold it in one hand with your fingers wrapped around, and I love that. The small screen, although annoying to some, doesn't take away from the tablet at all, in my opinion. I also own an iPhone 5S though, so I'm not used to a tablet sized cell phone. A 7" screen size is sufficient to me.

Again, people are going to argue based on the device they own. iPad mini owners swear the mini is better, Nexus 7 owners swear the Nexus is better. It all comes down to preference. For most, paying a lower price and getting a tablet that is still considered great (look at reviews for the Nexus 7 all over the web) is the best option for them. I could afford a mini, but for what I use a tablet for, the Nexus 7 was just right.

This question should have been asked in the Nexus 7 thread where there is already 'countless' hands on opinions and thoughts about that device.

We had a thread over on the console forums that we eventually made sticky... It was called 'should I buy' thread . Basically it was for the exact reason like this we created it .... There are more than enough threads and post content within the Alternatives forum where a user can find our opinions on the hardware they have in mind. Creating multiple threads asking the same folks to regurgitate their hands on impressions and opinions of a device that is already posted in other threads.


At the end of the day though - only the OP can and must decide and every persons opinion here is just subjective and neither right or wrong. Just do what you want OP. If your not happy with an iPad - get a nexus 7 - if your not happy with the nexus 7 - return that too. It's just common sense.

And like I say if you want to read a lot of stuff about the nexus 7 from the folks in here - just go to that thread and read and if it helps you decide all well and good.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1604845/

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spinedoc77 said:

This entire forum is just people asking others to rationalize their purchases, lol. Welcome to the internet and online forums.

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Exactly......

I think that the stock apps and functionality of android on tablet is awesome, However the apps in the play store are a little behind on optimization. Where as the stock apps on IOS are just up scaled Iphone apps similar to play store apps and, really boring. However the app store apps on ios are tablet compatible to the extreme.
I wish apple would at least make the iPad experience a little different.

I bought the Nexus 7 a week ago and I'm liking it a lot. The white levels are great, although the black levels aren't as strong as they are on my Galaxy S4.

I much more prefer the 16:10 aspect ratio in a tablet then the 4:3 aspect ratio. For the majority of my usage I hold it in landscape mode and I'm not a fan of 4:3 for that.

A ton of things available for the Nexus 7 and I'm liking setting each page up with different apps and widgets and giving each one a certain look.

phoenixmac said:

don't keep it, return it and buy the nexus.

I don't know why people buy stuff then expect people to rationalize their choice for them. If the mini is not for you and you are having buyers remorse return it and pick up something different.

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+1

Im thinking the same thing because of my yellow tinted screen. The Nexus 7 on this site looked perfect in comparison. Im holding out for a Nexus 8 though.

In reality, iOS and Android have similar problems (blown up phone elements) but in different areas of the experience:

Android's apps themselves are largely just blown up phone apps and not optimised at all for a tablet. Apps don't work as expected, scale improperly, have tiny buttons/text and generally just kind of suck.

Meanwhile the iOS interface in general (home screens, some native apps, etc.) is just a blown up iPhone interface and isn't optimised at all for a tablet. There is so much wasted space on a home-screen; a tablet's screen real estate allows so much room for creativity and utility in the interface, and Apple just ignores it and plops a row of tiny icons everywhere.

So I'm staying away from tablets as a whole for now. Still don't really understand the craze TBH.