Galaxy Note 8.0 vs. Nexus 7

After several years of the 9.7-inch iPad dominating tablet sales, we’ve seen a shift. Customers are gravitating more toward smaller (and cheaper) 7 to 8-inch slates. Two of today’s top choices in that bracket are the Google/Asus Nexus 7 and Samsung’s new Galaxy Note 8.0. Read on, as we compare the specs – and other features – of these two mini tablets.

Size

The Galaxy Note 8.0 has a larger surface, but is significantly thinner than the Nexus 7.

Weight

The two tablets weigh roughly the same, with the Nexus 7 tipping the scale just a hair more than the Note 8.

Display

Samsung’s display sits in the 8-inch range that many iPad mini customers enjoy. If you can sacrifice that (diagonal) inch of real estate, the Nexus 7’s screen should appear sharper.

Processor

Both tablets sport quad core processors. The Note’s offers better performance, but for everyday use, both will more than suffice.

RAM

The Galaxy Note 8.0 doubles the Nexus 7’s 1 GB of random-access memory (RAM).

Storage

The storage edge goes to Samsung’s tablet. It offers larger internal flash memory options, as well as SD card support. The Nexus 7 doesn’t have a microSD slot.

Wireless

If you’re looking for a Wi-Fi only device, both deliver. As far as (more expensive) mobile data options go, the Note has LTE and the Nexus 7 settles for HSPA+.

Cameras

Megapixels aren’t everything, but Samsung clearly wins this round. The Nexus 7 has no rear camera.

Battery

You’ll always want to take battery capacity with grains of salt, as many other factors combine to determine actual uptime. With that said, the Note 8.0’s battery holds a bit more juice.