Samsung Nexus 10 versus Apple iPad: Which is right for you?

Samsung Nexus 10 versus Apple iPad: Which is right for you?

When it comes to 10-inch tablets, most consumers certainly think of iPad as the most powerful option out there. Sure, there are other high-end 10-inch tablets that are running on Android or Windows 8/RT, but they don’t have the display power of the Retina and probably aren’t as cutting-edge in processing and graphics as the newest 4th generation Apple iPad. This dynamic is now crashing down thanks to the newly announced Samsung Nexus 10.

In the 7-inch world, the iPad Mini recently arrived and while pricier than alternatives, it doesn’t compare to the power of many its rivals like the Nexus 7. Of course it is still likely to do very well among many consumers. Now the same thing will be true in the 10-inch world. The Surface is already starting to do pretty well in the 10-inch category, and now the Nexus 10 is going to give Apple even more solid competition.

So is the Nexus 10 really in the same league as the Surface or even the iPad 3rd and 4th gen? Let’s find out.

Processing Power and RAM

While the iPad 4 runs on a dual-core Apple A6x processor and features 1GB of RAM. As for the Nexus 10, you get 2GB of RAM and a dual-core Exynos 5 processor. Clearly the Nexus 10 is a winner here when it comes to RAM at least. As for graphics, both do quite nicely here and might come close to a tie.

Storage Options

If you are looking for a 64GB storage option, the iPad 4 wins. If that doesn’t matter, they both also have a 16 and 32GB version. In storage the iPad does have a bit of an edge. Neither of the tablets have any way to expand the internal memory either.

Cameras

Love taking pictures, recording videos or talking via webcam? Both devices have a 5MP rear cam, but the iPad 4 does have a weaker 1.2MP front cam versus the 1.9MP front cam in the Nexus 7.

Connectivity

If you want mobile broadband, the iPad wins. For now, Google and Samsung aren’t announcing a 4G/3G version of the Nexus 10. As far as GPS is concerned, they are similar here, but the iPad DOES NOT have NFC and the Nexus 10 does… so it really depends on what you need here.

Weight and Size
The Nexus 10 weights SLIGHTLY less than the iPad 4 at 1.32 pounds versus 1.33 pounds- obviously not enough to notice though. As for the overall dimensions, the Nexus 10 is .35-inches thick while the iPad 4 is slightly thinner at .34-inches.

Pretty comparable here, to be honest.

Display

The display is where things get real interesting here. The 10.055-inch Nexus 10 has a 300ppi display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600. The slightly smaller 9.7-inch IPS LED display on the iPad 4th generation model has 264ppi and a display of 2048 x 1536.

There is no easy way to say it here, Apple just got dethroned when it comes to screen technology.

Battery

According to Apple, they have a 42.5 watt-hour battery in the iPad 4. The Nexus 10 has a 9000 mAh battery. Do with that what you will.

Ecosystem

Apple has the iTunes and iOS ecosystem. There are more apps here and many consumers like the interface in iOS over what you get in Android. This will honestly come down to preference.

Google has Google Now, the Apple has Siri. Both have powerful operating systems and decent marketplaces for consumers to get apps.

Pricing

With specs so close, you’d probably guess the Nexus 10 and iPad 4 are both $499. You would be totally wrong. The Nexus 10 is $100 cheaper, starting at $399 for the 16GB model or $499 for the 32GB model.

With cheaper pricing and similar hardware, could the Nexus 10 be the first true iPad killer? Probably not. This is a solid looking tablet and will likely sell quite well, but it will likely come down to whether you prefer Android or iOS. Current iOS fans would probably not go with Android no matter how great/cheap the tablet was, and the same goes for Android fans when talking about iPhone/iPad.

The real war here will be fought for those who are platform neutral and simply want a tablet that does the job well without costing a fortune. What do you think of the Nexus 10 so far?