Nexus 7 (2013) vs Nexus 7 (2012): by the numbers

The Nexus 7 (2012) was met with critical acclaim when it launched last year. Hardware-wise, it was a very impressive tablet, and the quick updates straight from Google made it something to fawn over. As they always say, all good things come to an end, but in this case, a good thing is coming to an end to make room for something even better. Enter, the 2nd generation of the Nexus 7. How much better is it than last year’s model? Find out in our “by the numbers” comparison.

7 inches

Is how large the screen size is on the 2012 and 2013 model of the Nexus 7, making both versions perfect for travel, media consumption, along with work and play. 7-inches is a good size for a tablet, but when it comes down to it, the resolution and pixel density determines how well the screen performs.

107ppi

There’s a stark difference when it comes to the display of the two tablets. The Nexus 7 (2013) has a 1,920 x 1,200 LCD IPS panel, rated at 323 pixels per inch. Last year’s model comes in with a much lower, 800 x 1,280 LCD IPS display, rated at 216ppi. That’s a 107ppi difference between the two devices.

300MHz

Is how much faster this year’s Nexus 7 is. It has a quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU, clocked at 1.5GHz, while last year’s model sported a lower, quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor, clocked at 1.2GHz. While some expected NVIDIA’s new Tegra 4 CPU to power this year’s model, ASUS and Google instead opted for Qualcomm’s offering.

375mAh

That’s the difference in battery capacity between these two models. Interestingly enough, this year’s version has the smaller battery, coming in at 3,950 mAh, while last year’s model has the larger, 4,325 mAh unit. The Nexus 7 (2013) provides up to 9 hours of active use, while last year’s device gives you 10. The downgrade isn’t actually a bad thing, though. While we’d all love to have an even larger battery, we’re sure the power consumption is even more efficient in the 2013 model.

1GB

The difference in RAM capacity between the 2013 and 2012 models. The newer variant has 2GB of RAM, making multitasking and switching between apps a breeze. Last year’s device only has 1GB of RAM, making things generally slower. While 1GB if probably sufficient for most people, power users are going to love the added speed that the extra 1GB offers.

16GB or 32GB

The amount of storage the Nexus 7 (2013) and Nexus 7 (2012) comes with. Last year’s model was originally only available in 8GB and 16GB variants before Google switched it up, nixing the 8GB version, and opting for 16GB and 32GB variants. That said, the 16GB and 32GB capacities make a return in the Nexus 7 (2013), allowing users to have that needed extra storage right off the bat.

3.8-megapixels

Is the difference between the difference in rear camera’s. The Nexus 7 (2013) has a much better performing, 5-megapixel rear shooter, while last year’s tech didn’t even have a rear camera. However, it did have a 1.2-megapixel front-facing shooter, which is the same as the Nexus 7’s (2013) 1.2-megapixel front-facing performer, this year. In this case, software-wise, camera usage should generally be the same, since both tablet’s are running the same version of Android. The real difference here is that the newer model has optics on the back now, thus giving you a better picture on the hardware side.

$29 and $19

Is the pricing difference between the Nexus 7 (2013) and Nexus 7 (2012) in 16GB and 32GB capacities. The Nexus 7 (2012) costs $199 for the 16GB model and $249 for the 32GB model, while the Nexus 7 (2013) costs $229 for the 16GB version and $269 for the 32GB version. Of course, with the Nexus 7 (2013) taking the place of last year’s tech, you’ll see the price of the 2012 model getting some drastic price cuts.

Any plans to get the Nexus 7 (2013) or are you sticking with the 2012 model?