Google Nexus 7 vs. Amazon Kindle Fire: Compact Tablet Showdown

Want the perfect balance of size and functionality? Put the two best 7-inch tablets up against each other. Which will become the winner? The current trend in Android tablet PCs sees the screens getting ever better. Current flagship tablets like Amazon Kindle Fire and Google Nexus 7 are packing displays in compact of 7 inches, while the iPad is too big. The Kindle Fire and the Nexus 7 are all very much two-handed affairs, fantastic to use when you are sat down and type with two thumbs. The Kindle Fire has a dual-core processor, while the Nexus 7 has a beast quad-core processor. Of course speed is not the only focus as users are looking at the features and the screen quality in general. More specifically users are looking to see how the screens perform under a number of conditions which include watching videos in term of clarity and vibrancy, using the devices outdoor and also how their viewing angles look. Both devices aim to offer a great tablet experience for a great price, but which is better?

Display

Both devices use IPS panel, which is similar to that one used on the iPad, offering wide viewing angles, perfect for sharing your screen with others. By the way, the Nexus 7 is superior in most areas. It is made of Gorilla Glass, which is highly damage-resistant. The 1,280×800-pixel screen looks fantastic and the Android Jelly Bean OS has been joined by the new Google Nexus 7, while its screen cannot match the Retina’s 264 pixels per inch on the new iPad, but the Nexus 7 can deliver a crisper 216ppi to the Kindle Fire’s 169ppi.

Winner – Google Nexus 7

Processor

Best of all, the Nexus 7 is powered by a monster 1.3GHz Cortex-A9 Quad-core Tegra 3 processor. Amazon has managed to give the Kindle Fire a 1GHz dual-core TI OMAP4 processor, the performance is not bad considering the budget-minded price, it is capable of handling most basic tasks, like web browsing, media playback, and reading. But the Kindle Fire will have some issue with the next generation of power-hungry games and apps, due to its processor clearly is not up there with the Nexus 7.

Winner – Google Nexus 7

Connectivity

Both devices come with Wi-Fi capability, users can connect to 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi networks, and enjoy web browsing on the go. On top of that, the Nexus 7 offers built-in Bluetooth and NFC. So, the Nexus 7 is able to share various files between Android devices and work with a wide range of Bluetooth speakers and peripherals, while NFC allows two nearby devices to communicate with each other. Google Wallet is a prime example of NFC technology being used to make wireless payments.

Winner – Google Nexus 7

Storage

The Kindle Fire is priced at $199 with only 8GB of internal storage, and Amazon also included free cloud storage for its users. On the other hand, the Nexus 7 comes with two storage options of 8GB and 16GB at $199 and $249 respectively, and Google also offers a cloud-storage option to rival Amazon’s free unlimited cloud storage for Amazon content and 5GB for non-Amazon content. The low price tag does come with certain sacrifices, both tablets omitted the microSD card slot for memory expansion. So, please think carefully before you purchase, how much storage you need to store your apps and files.

Winner – Google Nexus 7

Camera

The Nexus 7 has no main camera, but comes with the 1.2MP front-facing camera which is pretty good at video calling. Furthermore, it also offers Google’s new map feature, “compass mode,” boasting 360-degree images of your surroundings using the camera and gyroscope. For the Kindle Fire, it is a big disappointment that there is no any camera on it.

Winner – Google Nexus 7

Software

In term of software experience, Amazon has chosen Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread for Kindle Fire’s operating system which makes it way behind the times, and stuck with an OS that is not appropriate for tablets. The Nexus 7 runs Android 4.1, Jelly Bean and you cannot say that for many devices at the moment. It offers additional new features including offline dictation and maps, auto arranging of icons, and a predictive keyboard, however they are not breathtaking additions, so the overall experience is pretty close to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Google should consider Google services which were leagues above everyone else to make it a real winner.

Winner – Google Nexus 7

Conclusion

All in all, there is plenty of similarities between the two tablets, and both are aimed at a similar market. So far, the Google Nexus 7 looks very impressive with fantastic screen, Android Jelly Bean, powerful processor, front camera, Google Play and NFC, making it a powerful little machine. On the other end, the Kindle Fire is probably easier to use and more intuitive for the average consumers and still holds a place in consumers’ hearts. The two big differences between these two devices are the software experience and the snappy processor that the Nexus 7 blows the Kindle Fire away and stands out from the competition.