14 DAY TRIAL // Google launched the Nexus 9 tablet a few hours ago, via a not-so-glamorous blog post. The announcement will soon be followed by Apple’s iPad-centric event, which most likely will see the advent of the iPad Air 2.
It can be said that the Nexus 9 is Google’s Android answer to the iPad Air and since its successor has yet to make it into the wild, let’s take a look and see how the latest Nexus tablet stacks up against Apple’s flagship.
Display and Design
The Nexus 9 tablet is a little smaller than the iPad, coming in with an 8.9-inch IPS LCD panel while the Apple tablet adorns a 9.7-inch Retina display.
In the resolution department, things are on par as both models offer 2048 x 1536 pixel resolution, although the Nexus has 288 ppi (and a smaller screen) while the iPad enjoys just 264ppi.
As for the unibody, the iPad Air is made of aluminum which feels light yet solid in users’ hands, while the HTC Nexus 9 is said to have a plastic back and a metal frame.
It would be interesting to know if the Nexus 9 is sleeker than the iPad Air, which is only 0.29 inches / 7.3 mm thick, but we don't have that info yet from Google.
Power and Performance
The iPad Air takes advantage of an A7 chip with 64-bit architecture and M7 motion co-processor, while the Nexus 9 also has a 64-bit chip running things onboard.
We’re talking about the 2.3GHz NVIDIA Tegra K1 fitted with 2GB of RAM, which is expected to provide a solid performance.
The iPad Air is offered with storage options of 16GB, 32GB, 64GB or 128GB, while the Nexus 9 tablet only comes with 16GB or 32GB models.
Cameras
The iPad Air takes advantage of a 5MP camera on the back (just like the Nexus 7 – 2013) and a FaceTime HD frontal one, while the Nexus 9 has a better 8MP main snapper and a 1.6MP as a secondary shooter.
Connectivity and Ports
The Apple tablet bundles 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, dual channel (2.4GHz and 5GHz), MIMO and Bluetooth 4.0. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack, lightning, ambient light and three-axis gyro.
As for the Nexus, the tab has 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi (2.4GHz &5 5GHz), Bluetooth 4.0, 3.5mm headphone jack, mini USB but no HDMI.
OS
At launch, the iPad Air arrived with iOS 7 out of the box, but since then the iOS 8 update has been made available, which is also compatible with this model.
As for the Nexus 9, the tab runs the latest version of Android, as it is the first tablet to arrive with Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box.
Pricing
The Nexus 9 is a premium device with a focus on productivity, so Google will sell it for pretty hefty price tags. The device will be offered in three configurations, including with 16GB for $399 / €312, with 32GB for $479 / €375 and 32GB with LTE for $599 / €468.
As for the iPad Air, the 16GB Wi-Fi model sells for $499 / €389 while the 16GB cellular version can be yours for $629 / €491.