Comparison: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 vs Nexus 7

Samsung has decided not to make users wait at this Mobile World Congress 2013 and quickly make its Samsung Galaxy Note 8 official, which will be a direct rival to Apple's iPad Mini, as can be clearly seen in this comparison. However, he will not only have to fight against the device of those from Cupertino but also with another of the favorites on the market, the seven-inch tablet from Google. We put them face to face in this comparison: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 vs. Nexus 7.

Processor and RAM

We start with the main pillar of any electronic device, the processor. On the one hand we find the Nexus 7, with a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, which is not bad at all, capable of reaching a clock speed of 1,3 GHz. However, the truth is that they belong to different generations, being the most current Samsung Galaxy Note 8, which is perceived by seeing that its processor is also quad-core, but has ARM's Cortex-A9 architecture, reaching a clock frequency of 1,6 GHz.

However, the real difference in processing and fluidity will not be noticed so much by the processor as by the RAM. And, the Google tablet, the Nexus 7, has a 1 GB unit, while the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 has a 2 GB RAM. The latter will facilitate the retouching of photographs, the use of high-quality games and applications that require large resources, etc.

Screen and camera

The screen in this case becomes one of the elements that most attract the attention of users. And it is that, in reality, what differentiates this new range of devices from the rest is the size of the screen. While the top models go at 10 inches, the lower ones stay at seven. It is not uncommon, therefore, that it is one of the elements that receives the most attention. The Nexus 7 is in the range of small tablets, with a seven-inch screen. The resolution of this screen is 1280 by 800 pixels. In front you have a Samsung Galaxy Note 8 that is included in a slightly higher range. Its screen, as indicated by the name of the tablet itself, is eight inches, while its resolution is the same, 1280 by 800 pixels, reaching high definition, but without being Full HD.

The other multimedia pillar of any smartphone, the camera, loses a bit of importance when we talk about tablets, although it is still something to take into account. The Nexus 7 does not have a main camera, only a 1,2 megapixel front camera that allows video conferencing with high definition quality. Its rival, the recently introduced Samsung Galaxy Note 8 does have a main camera, although it is not of exaggerated quality either, staying with a five megapixel sensor, which will allow us to take decent pictures. However, it also has a 1,3 megapixel front camera for high definition video calls.

Operating system

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 will hit the market with Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, along with the entire set of applications developed by the company for its flagship devices. Meanwhile, the Nexus 7 has the most recent software updates, which means having Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean as the operating system, and the assurance that it will update to Key Lime Pie and probably all the new versions that are released. for the next year and a half. Google also takes good care of the interfaces, design and operation of the software of its devices, so in this case we find a small tie, where the Samsung tablet stands out for the set of specially prepared applications that it will have, while the Nexus 7 stands out for having an operating system without layers with almost unbeatable performance. However, by carrying both very recent versions of Android, they share many characteristics.

Memory and battery

The memory options of each of the devices are as expected. While the Nexus 7 remained a bit below what is usually released on the market, with two versions of 8 GB and 16 GB, although later a 32 GB version was released and the 8 GB one was withdrawn, so that, currently, the 16 and 32 GB are present. The South Korean company has decided to go one step higher since the launch, offering its tablet in two versions of 16 GB and 32 GB. There is still the question of whether there will be a 64 GB version, about which no details have been confirmed or denied. Something remarkable is that the Galaxy Note 8 has the possibility of expanding its memory through a microSD card.

As for the battery, we find a technical draw. The Nexus 7 has a 4.325 mAh unit, while the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 has a 4.600 mAh battery. There is a slight difference, although if we consider that the South Korean device has a slightly larger screen, which always produces a higher energy consumption, then we reason very quickly that the difference in practice will be really negligible.

Miscellany

As for the rest of the details of the devices, we mainly find the possibility of both being acquired in versions with 3G. The Nexus 7 was not launched at the beginning with this possibility, but a version that will have a mobile network was later announced. It has also been confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 will have a version with 3G, not LTE 4G. However, if something stands out about this last device is its most representative peripheral, the S-Pen, the pointer that expands the possibilities of the tablet, allowing you to get the most out of the applications, with some specially developed such as S-Note, S- Planner, Photo Note and Paper Artist, among many others. It uses technology from Wacom, the reputed company dedicated to graphics tablets. Without a doubt, it is a factor that works in favor of the South Koreans.

As for the price, it has not been made official how much the different versions that will reach the market of the Galaxy Note 8 will cost, although it is expected that they will be, at least, slightly above those of the Nexus 7. The latter, the Google tablet, It is available for a price of about 200 euros for the 16 GB version, and 250 euros for the 32 GB version. For a little more, for 300 euros you can get the 32 GB version with 3G.