Rooted Nook HD+ or Nexus 7 (2013)?

heyyu

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I've had an iPad (retina display) for the past year. Frankly, it's served me well enough for my basic tablet purposes of reading/watching movies/basic gaming. My wife has been asking for a tablet, so I'm going to give it to her and get something else. I want an Android based tablet, so this week I went ahead and purchased a Nook HD+ for $150 from Barnes and Noble and the new Nexus 7 32gb (2013) for $240 from Staples, with the intention of keeping one and returning the other.

I went ahead and installed Cynamogen 10.1 on the Nook HD+, and it's been very good so far. Haven't encountered any real problems with it, besides the occasional wallpaper resize issue. I like the fact that the HD+ is also lighter than my old iPad, and easier to hold. I also like the fact that the screen is 8.9" and that it has a microsd slot. And of course, you can't beat that price for tablet this size. I do have some concerns about the quality/durability of the actual hardware though.

The Nexus 7 is pretty nice. Everything seems fast. Games (Riptide GP 2) load fast and play well. The screen is also fingerprint resistant, which seems like a small thing, but in comparison the HD+ is like a smudge magnet. However, my biggest complaint with the Nexus 7 is that I just feel the screen is not big enough for my tablet use case purposes. Even thought it has a better ppi than the HD+ , I've already got an Android smartphone with a 4.7" screen, and it doesn't seem like enough of a difference in size from it to the Nexus 7. Of course, everything else in the Nexus 7 is better (2gb ram, cameras, gps, higher ppi) than the Nook HD+, and it is a newer device, with stock Android. Maybe I feel this way because I'm coming from the 9.7" iPad?

So anyways, need some opinions here. Which would you keep? Are there other factors I should be considering? Thanks for the help. :)
 

OceanView

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That's gonna be a personal choice.
I've been in a similar situation as yourself and here are my conclusions:

"The tablet that I want is not available at the moment"

I want an Android tablet with high PPI screen that is at least 8" with the latest processors and with 2GB+ memory.
This could be the next Nexus 10 (hopefully)

The reason I didn't go with the Nexus 7, the screen is too small for me. I have a Note II and the 7" screen is really not that much bigger.
I was also considering Samsung tablets but they have too low PPI density to read magazines without constant zooming in and out.

So I settled on the Nook HD+ again. Yes I bought it originally a few weeks ago, took it back and bought another one.
Initially I returned the first one cause I thought I would like the Samsung 8" tablets but the screen resolution bothered me.
So I went back and bought the Nook HD+ again.
At $149, the nook is a great value.
My Main issues with the Nook HD + is the lag issues and overall smoothness of the UI.
I do have Nova Launcher installed but I may root my device and install CM one of these days.

So, My advice to you is to keep the Nook until something else comes out that you like instead.
 

acam333

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I've had an iPad (retina display) for the past year. Frankly, it's served me well enough for my basic tablet purposes of reading/watching movies/basic gaming. My wife has been asking for a tablet, so I'm going to give it to her and get something else. I want an Android based tablet, so this week I went ahead and purchased a Nook HD+ for $150 from Barnes and Noble and the new Nexus 7 32gb (2013) for $240 from Staples, with the intention of keeping one and returning the other.

I went ahead and installed Cynamogen 10.1 on the Nook HD+, and it's been very good so far. Haven't encountered any real problems with it, besides the occasional wallpaper resize issue. I like the fact that the HD+ is also lighter than my old iPad, and easier to hold. I also like the fact that the screen is 8.9" and that it has a microsd slot. And of course, you can't beat that price for tablet this size. I do have some concerns about the quality/durability of the actual hardware though.

The Nexus 7 is pretty nice. Everything seems fast. Games (Riptide GP 2) load fast and play well. The screen is also fingerprint resistant, which seems like a small thing, but in comparison the HD+ is like a smudge magnet. However, my biggest complaint with the Nexus 7 is that I just feel the screen is not big enough for my tablet use case purposes. Even thought it has a better ppi than the HD+ , I've already got an Android smartphone with a 4.7" screen, and it doesn't seem like enough of a difference in size from it to the Nexus 7. Of course, everything else in the Nexus 7 is better (2gb ram, cameras, gps, higher ppi) than the Nook HD+, and it is a newer device, with stock Android. Maybe I feel this way because I'm coming from the 9.7" iPad?

So anyways, need some opinions here. Which would you keep? Are there other factors I should be considering? Thanks for the help. :)

Have you tried riptide gp 2 on the nook? Just wondering because I am buying one in the next couple days and I love that game on my galaxy tab 2. The loading times are terrible on the tab 2 though and there is some lag sometimes

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acam333

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Also I would go with the nook, the nexus may get all the updates from Google but The nook has a bigger screen and is a lot cheaper. Also now the nook is an officially supported cyanogenmod device starting with cm10.2 so you can always get a stock latest version of android with that.

Posted via Android Central App
 

heyyu

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Have you tried riptide gp 2 on the nook? Just wondering because I am buying one in the next couple days and I love that game on my galaxy tab 2. The loading times are terrible on the tab 2 though and there is some lag sometimes

Posted via Android Central App

I tried Riptide Gp 2 on both the Nook and the Nexus 7. Performance on the Nexus 7 was of course, much better. Loading time was super fast when compared to the Nook, and there were graphical elements on the Nexus 7 that I don't see on the Nook, such as the water splash effect on the screen. That being said, it was still playable on the Nook...after it loaded. ;)
 

heyyu

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That's gonna be a personal choice.
I've been in a similar situation as yourself and here are my conclusions:

"The tablet that I want is not available at the moment"

I want an Android tablet with high PPI screen that is at least 8" with the latest processors and with 2GB+ memory.
This could be the next Nexus 10 (hopefully)

The reason I didn't go with the Nexus 7, the screen is too small for me. I have a Note II and the 7" screen is really not that much bigger.
I was also considering Samsung tablets but they have too low PPI density to read magazines without constant zooming in and out.

So I settled on the Nook HD+ again. Yes I bought it originally a few weeks ago, took it back and bought another one.
Initially I returned the first one cause I thought I would like the Samsung 8" tablets but the screen resolution bothered me.
So I went back and bought the Nook HD+ again.
At $149, the nook is a great value.
My Main issues with the Nook HD + is the lag issues and overall smoothness of the UI.
I do have Nova Launcher installed but I may root my device and install CM one of these days.

So, My advice to you is to keep the Nook until something else comes out that you like instead.

Great reply, thanks for confirming my feelings about the screen size. I've been surpised by how nice the ppi is on the Nook HD+. It's been great for reading books/web/comics. And you're right, I think an 8" Android tablet would be the ideal size for me. I considered the Galaxy Note 8, but it's just way too expensive.

I can't believe you haven't rooted your Nook yet! The default Nook UI was so laggy, there's no way I would keep it if it wasn't possible to root it.
 

acam333

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I tried Riptide Gp 2 on both the Nook and the Nexus 7. Performance on the Nexus 7 was of course, much better. Loading time was super fast when compared to the Nook, and there were graphical elements on the Nexus 7 that I don't see on the Nook, such as the water splash effect on the screen. That being said, it was still playable on the Nook...after it loaded. ;)

How bad are the loading times? It takes about a minute to a minute and a half to start the game up and loading a track takes about 45 seconds to a little over a minute on my galaxy tab 2. Are they at least better than that?

Posted via Android Central App
 

OceanView

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Great reply, thanks for confirming my feelings about the screen size. I've been surpised by how nice the ppi is on the Nook HD+. It's been great for reading books/web/comics. And you're right, I think an 8" Android tablet would be the ideal size for me. I considered the Galaxy Note 8, but it's just way too expensive.

I can't believe you haven't rooted your Nook yet! The default Nook UI was so laggy, there's no way I would keep it if it wasn't possible to root it.

Yes I want to root my Nook. Is it a fairly easy process?
Any problems like freezing or compatibility issues?
I'm gonna start looking into rooting this weekend when I have more time.
 

heyyu

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Yes I want to root my Nook. Is it a fairly easy process?
Any problems like freezing or compatibility issues?
I'm gonna start looking into rooting this weekend when I have more time.

Yep, very easy! Only problem I ran into was that it didn't seem to like my Samsung 32gb microSD card. I had a spare 8gb Sandisk microSD card that I used and it worked like a charm.
I just followed the instructions here - [NOOK HD/HD+] Installing CyanogenMod 10.1 for Dummies - xda-developers. Took less than an hour from start to finish.
 

heyyu

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How bad are the loading times? It takes about a minute to a minute and a half to start the game up and loading a track takes about 45 seconds to a little over a minute on my galaxy tab 2. Are they at least better than that?

Posted via Android Central App

Yes, better than those load times for sure. I wonder how much ram the Galaxy Tab 2 has.
 

acam333

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I tried Riptide Gp 2 on both the Nook and the Nexus 7. Performance on the Nexus 7 was of course, much better. Loading time was super fast when compared to the Nook, and there were graphical elements on the Nexus 7 that I don't see on the Nook, such as the water splash effect on the screen. That being said, it was still playable on the Nook...after it loaded. ;)

Just so you know you can enable the water splash effect on nook by going to settings/graphics/advanced/ and clicking on the water splash fx. Then it can have all the same effects as the nexus:)

Posted via Android Central App
 

OceanView

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Tadb123

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I own both of these tablets currently. The 8.9" display on the B&N HD+ is very nice and it's colors are very vivid. I like it's display a lot. It's a very light tablet also. I'm a pure Android fan so I did the the N2A Cyanogenmod 10.1 mod also, and really like their modified version of jellybean 4.1.2, but it's subject to random reboots. Here's what I don't like. The B&N tablet has WiFi connectivity issues that have ruined my experience with this tablet. It just won't hold it's signal in my small apartment. I've tried many different fixes and none work. Also, I'm not a big gamer, but the TI processor in the B&N tablet can't handle 3d graphics well, which is another issue. The processor shows it's age in it's speed which is frustrating. Also, the screen is the worst fingerprint magnet that I've ever seen. Having said all of that it does a good job in streaming Netflix and HBO Go, and the resolution in surfing the web is very good.

On the other hand. The new Nexus 7 has none of those issues. The speed on this tablet is fantastic. Also, It's important to me to have quick availability of Android upgrades, which this tablet will have. It has zero scrolling lag on the internet and the software is very smooth. The only issue is screen size.

In conclusion, if you need mobility first, then definitely stick with the Nexus; but if screen size is your highest priority, then the B&N tablet wins. Just be aware that it's really inferior to the Nexus in every other way. My favorite tablet is actually my Nexus 10. It has a superior screen size and resolution to the B&N, and is much faster and smoother. It's really the perfect tablet for me.

Sent from my M470BSA using AC Forums mobile app
 
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tccc143

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I own both the nook hd plus and the Nexus 7 2013. I actually find myself using the Nook more because of the screen size. I have rooted it and put a full android rom on it and it runs really well, just wish it had the specs of the nexus, then it would be perfect.
 

phoenix5724

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I have not read everything as far as responses in here so I'm just going to put down what I think and if it is the same as what has been said that says something.

I bought a Nook HD plus that is primarily going to be my "wife's" tablet. Overall for the price the resolution and screen size are great but for me, I want something a little smaller than that to be portable/fit in a pocket instead of a bag. I don't know anything about rooting so the only downside I have experience with the Nook is the finger prints like you mentioned and it seems to die fast. With google play there isn't a lot missing as long as you are not expecting a powerhouse. I have used it for watching short videos/internetting/reading books.

I considered the Nexus 7 but decided for the size it didn't offer what I was looking for. The resolution was great but the size just seemed too awkward for my preference. I do not have a smart phone *gasp* but I understand what you mean about a 7 inch screen being close to that of a smart phone. If I were you I might return both and look for something in the 8 inch range or maybe something slightly bigger. The nexus 7 is the hands down winner at the 7 inch range if you don't prefer anything specific but I was looking for something with a stylus and with expandable storage, price was also a factor.


*edit* if the Nook had the hardware of the nexus 7 it wouldn't be $150.
 

Supercali

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I also have both the Nook HD+ and 1st gen Nex 7, and I find that I use the Nook more for its size AND its responsiveness because I've installed Slimbean rom on it. It is as responsive as the Nexus 7. Here's a simple step by step instruction from xda to install slimbean on the nook hd+ that you can try.

xda-developers - View Single Post - [HD & HD+] [EMMC] Unofficial - Slimbean 4.3

Note I've tried CyanogenMod 10.1.3 the stable release and Carbon and I keep coming back to Slimbean. The only drawback on slimbean is that bluetooth is disabled since it's still in development. There's a slimkat coming though. It is now my everyday rom.
 

madbr3991

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i have a nook hd+ with CyanogenMod 10.1.3 i like it its very responsive. and having the micro sd slot is great. the only issue i have with the nook is the power cable. its not a standard micro usb. its a custom 30 pin cable. and they are expensive a cable and a charger is $25. but the screen is bigger than the nexus.

im considering trading in the nook for the nexus losing the screen size and microsd card slot but gaining a micro usb port. that i can plug a microsd card into