NVIDIA just recently released its new SHIELD tablet in two versions: the LTE and the Wi-Fi only one. The company manufactured this tablet as a gaming tablet and they promise that the gaming experience is one over the top, which resembles the PC experience. Today we thought we would compare this tablet with Google’s own tablet, the Nexus 7 (2013). Keep reading to find out what differences are between the two and which one would be the best fit for you.
Display, Exterior and Size
The NVIDIA SHIELD device is equipped wih an IPS LCD display that measures 8 inches and that can render a screen resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. As for design, NVIDIA gives its tablet a high grain polycarbonate exterior case which has a matte finish. As for the sides, we see furrowed edges which give the handset a quite interesting look. This device is 9.2 mm thick and it weighs 390 grams.
The Google Nexus 7 comes with an IPS LCD display as well, but this one measures only 7 inches. Even though it has a smaller display, the screen resolution still sits at 1920 x 1200 pixels – same as the SHIELD tablet. Regarding design, we see that Google made sure its tablet had a black strip of glass on the sides and a rubberized exterior case. This device is as well thinner (thickness: 8.65 mm) and lighter (weight: 299 grams) than the NVIDIA SHIELD.
Hardware, Software and Memory
The SHIELD tablet is a gaming-oriented tablet, so we’re not that surprised that the device comes with better a better performing processor: Cortex A15r3 which is a quad core working at 2.2 GHz paired up with Tegra K1 chipset and KEpler 1 SMX GPU. The tab supports 2 GB of RAM and it comes with two options regarding interior storage capacity: 16 GB and 32 GB (if you choose to use a microSD card, you can expand your memory by up to 128 GB). The operating system the NVDIA SHIELD runs on is Android 4.4.2 KitKat.
The processor that powers the Nexus 7 is a Krait: quad core working at 1.5 GHz paired up with the Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset from Qualcomm. Regarding RAM and ROM, we see the same specs here (meaning 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB/32 GB of ROM) but no option for memory expansion. The operating system the Google Nexus 7 runs on is Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, but the OS is upgradable to higher versions.
Camera and Battery
Regarding the primary camera, both devices show off a 5 MP camera with similar features (they don’t hold flash). Regarding the secondary camera, NVIDIA pulled something interesting, giving the same type of camera (5 MP) in the front of the tablet, while the Nexus 7 comes with a 1.2 MP.
The battery unit seen on the SHIELD device overpowers the one seen on the Nexus 7 by far (SHIELD battery capacity: 5197 mAh; Nexus 7 battery capacity: 3950 mAh).
Price
If you’re looking to buy the NVIDIA SHIELD tablet, you will find the 16 GB variant at the price of $299.00. If you’re more interested in Google’s Nexus 7, the 16 GB version of the tablet is priced at only $208.00.
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