Another "what should I buy" thread: N7, Tab 2 or KFHD

[PRW94]

I know there have been 10 jillion of these threads, but I'm driving myself (and the Mrs.) insane trying to choose what to buy, so I'm sending out an SOS.

I have the itch to buy a tablet. I've look at an iPod Touch or an iPod Mini, but I really want to go Android.

I want this tablet primarily as a media consumption device ... music (both purchased and that I've ripped myself), movies (again both purchased and that I've ripped myself), books ... something to get on the Internet with on the fly and to use with productivity and news/weather and sports and book related apps. I am not a gamer in any shape, form or fashion and am not planning to become one, do not have the time or inclination.

The N7 is attractive, very attractive, and was my first choice at the start of this process, but I'll level with you. The stories of poor build quality, screens spontaneously breaking, etc., have scared me off a bit. Although I am the kind of person who treats my electronic gear with kid gloves (never in my pocket), buys the strongest cases (regardless of price, I'm going to Otterbox anything I buy) and always uses screen protectors, and splurges for extended warranties that included breakage. (I still have 10 year old gadgets without a scrach on 'em that work perfectly because of this philosophy). I also don't have the disposable income to treat such devices as disposable, these days a $200 purchase for me is something I can't make every month or so.

I've looked at Galaxy Tab 2, expandable memory is a plus for me (although I know I can do USB to go with N7), although I know specs don't match up to N7, I could score a refurb for a good price. I've also looked at Kindle Fire HD, which given my preference for this as a media device and the fact that I'm a regular Amazon customer is attractive as well, but even though as noted I'm not a gamer and have no intention of messing with ROM or anything on a tablet or rooting or anything, I just have a disinclination toward the locked down Android they use.

But I keep coming back to the N7, and yes I know a new one is due in a few months. I know I'm a dufus for letting anecdotal stories scare me off, but that is a concern. While I know some folks will say "Dude, you're buying a $200 tablet, you shouldn't expect perfect workmanship and should expect some issues," I'm old-fashioned in that I do expect things I buy not to tear up out of the box or have issues, again I don't have the time or inclination to deal with such things, so again it is a concern, although not a deal-breaker.The thing is, there have been so many praises sung about the N7, that at the same time is a strong selling point for me. I guess my question is, given what I've described about how I'd be using it, do I really NEED something on the level of the N7?

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[hoosiermama2799]

I have both the original Kindle Fire and the N7. I have not touched the Fire since I got the N7. All the Fire is used for these days is for DH to read on. The carousel drives me absolutely bonkers. It's a horrible design and to me, one of the perks of Android is being able to customize. Amazon took that ability away.. That said, I've seen the Fire HD and the screen on it is beautiful. My main complaints with Amazon are that the app store is very limited and that darned carousel. That said, I am heavily invested in Amazon's ecosystem. The books I buy/read are Kindle, and I read on the N7 with the Kindle app. If I want to watch a movie, I can do that using Boat browser and get to my videos on Amazon. About the only downside is that I can't download a movie onto the N7. Not a big deal for me so far. My four year old grandson loves to play games, though, and Amazon's store just doesn't have the selection of children's games that Google's Play Store does. Even he doesn't want to use the Fire any more.

I've had absolutely no issues with my N7. When the update rolled out a few months ago, I was getting random reboots, but I figured out that it was HD Widgets. I uninstalled that, and haven't had a problem since. I have no idea whether they fixed it or not, but I haven't bothered reinstalling that. My N7 goes with me everywhere, and is used every evening.

I know nothing about the Galaxy Tab 2, and like I said, my Fire is the original (but that stupid carousel is there on the Fire HD).

Good luck with what you decide. All three are probably excellent tablets. Just find the one that meets your needs best.

 

[mikepolinske]

I too am looking for a 7" tablet.

I have an HTC EVO 4G LTE, an iPod touch and a 4th gen iPad, but want something in between that's lighter but yet good for reading on. I used to have a Motorola Xoom, but sold it and got the iPad since at the time, the apps were better on the iPad.

I'm a bit concerned about the screen and reviews saying it breaks easily, but will look at the Nexus 7. I see there are cheaper 7" tablets out there, but I'd rather stick with a brand that I know rather than a "no name" tablet as I am a firm believer in you get what you pay for.

Plus, being a "Google" device it should get updates fairly quickly.

 

[Algus]

I honestly believe the Nexus 7 is one of the best computers I have ever owned. It looks good. It runs everything well. And it comes at an efficient price.

But if I knew back when I was shopping what I know now, I would have passed on it for something with an HDMI out. The question you need to ask yourself in regards to the N7 is "can I live without certain features" No memory card slot, no video out. If you want those options or think you will want them down the road, you might want to consider another tablet.

 

[lmvine]

KFHD has no GPS as far as I know and that is a stopper for me. I use my N7 when travelling & GPS is a big help for maps, Tripadvisor, around me, etc.

 

[shadowy]

Had my 7 since mid-December, absolutely no issues with any aspect of build quality.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

 

[quicksilver53]

I have a 32g N7 and I just love it. I use drop box for all my pictures and files. I think you could not go wrong with one. I love it so much I ordered an N4.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

 

[Aquila]

I'll couch this in saying I've never used a GT2. I have used the Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD and I thought it was useless. Primarily because 99% of what I wanted to do was not related to Amazon.

From reviews I've read and my personal experiences, I'd say that the N7 by far superior to the other two; honestly there have been some batches with issues... but I've never seen one that had the issues, and I got my first one from the pre-order, finished the purchase while they were still on the stage with it. If you were to get a faulty one, the RMA process is pretty solid now that we're a year in. I will agree that there is a refresh expected within the next 90 days or so, so if you're considering shopping for the bulk of that time, it might be worth the wait.

The other thing to remember about reviews, complaints, etc on the internet... it's rare for someone to post how much they love their device, they ask questions about issues they're having or simply get on to complain. The only complaint I have about the N7 is that, out of the box, without some apps and tomfoolery, watching Amazon Prime video's isn't happening. As you stated, there are a score of people raving about how much they love their N7. When that happens, we should take notice.

With your wants for something simple, I'd definitely recommend the N7 with an urge to strongly consider the N10. If you plan on watching a lot of movies or reading a lot, the much better screen and processing power may be worth the higher price point, but for me, while I've considered it several times (giving the N7 to my daughters and getting the N10 for me), every time I end up just loving my N7 more and keeping what I have.

Good luck with whatever you choose!

 

[bitek]

Nexus 7 hands down.

Sent from my Z10 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Nychotxxx]

I bought the N7 a month or so after its release last year and have never had a problem. Perfect audio and video and build. The apps on my ipad 3, on my ipad mini and my iPod touch 5 are all available on my n7. Plus there are great android apps that are not available in IOS. But the n7 is missing some features such as hdmi out or streaming and a rear camera. If the n7 2 is updated with video out at a minimum, I'll go for it. And I'm thinking of selling my ipad 3 to buy an n10. I have a lot of frustration with IOS, especially the stupid no back arrow capability. My only real complaint about the n7 is battery time. It is not great, especially if you watch streaming movies/TV etc. hopefully that issue will be fixed in the next version.

 

[jrsharp70]

I bought a galaxy tab two from Costco for $170, Plus tax, and then add the cost of a memory card and a case, and I was looking at $215 to make it right.

I returned it and purchased a nexus seven off of craigslist for $150, 16 GB and a magnetic closure case.

After using both, I like each one, but the Nexus is just a better machine. The only thing that I miss is the rear facing camera.

 

[Shilohcane]

That poor build quality for N7 was way overblown since I am sure over 99% that were shipped had no issues. I got my N7 in the first week they shipped and never had any issues. I really think a lot of those reports were faked by iPad fan boys.

The thread below tells about the new N7-2. The Qualcomm Snapdragon processor is replacing the Nvidia Tegra 3 that from what I read on other stories was to improve battery life on the N7. I really wanted the new Nvidia Tegra 4 processor that is much faster than the T3. My favorite N7 game is Auralux that will only run on Nvidia Tegra 3. The Snapdragon CPU is a negative for me since the battery life is good enough for my needs. Then again the only thing that would make me consider buying the N7-2 would be either HDMI or Miracast output to mirror the N7 to my HDTV. That level of detail isn't out yet. Problem is the Nexus 10 is also going to get a refresh and that could be a better choice with the bigger screen for home and my N7 would still be for travel.

Drop any tablet and you got problems with the broken glass, which is why you buy a case. After you have a case who cares if the new N7v2 is thinner or lighter it is in the case?

New Google Nexus 7 Landing In July - Full HD Display, Improved Processor and Thinner | 3G.co.uk

 

[Aquila]

That poor build quality for N7 was way overblown since I am sure over 99% that were shipped had no issues. I got my N7 in the first week they shipped and never had any issues. I really think a lot of those reports were faked by iPad fan boys.

The thread below tells about the new N7-2. The Qualcomm Snapdragon processor is replacing the Nvidia Tegra 3 that from what I read on other stories was to improve battery life on the N7. I really wanted the new Nvidia Tegra 4 processor that is much faster than the T3. My favorite N7 game is Auralux that will only run on Nvidia Tegra 3. The Snapdragon CPU is a negative for me since the battery life is good enough for my needs. Then again the only thing that would make me consider buying the N7-2 would be either HDMI or Miracast output to mirror the N7 to my HDTV. That level of detail isn't out yet. Problem is the Nexus 10 is also going to get a refresh and that could be a better choice with the bigger screen for home and my N7 would still be for travel.

Drop any tablet and you got problems with the broken glass, which is why you buy a case. After you have a case who cares if the new N7v2 is thinner or lighter it is in the case?

New Google Nexus 7 Landing In July - Full HD Display, Improved Processor and Thinner | 3G.co.uk

I don't think we're getting a N10 refresh quite so early this year. N7 should be announced at I/O mid-May and released within 30-60 days of that (hopefully faster than that), but the N10 will probably be during the fall. Whenever it is, I'm really excited to see what they do with it.

 

[Alex trebek]

The Kindle Fire HD is cheap and good, but if you aren't on a budget, the N7 is a very bad*** tablet

Sent from my HTC Rhyme

 

[anon(847090)]

i would stay away from kindle tablets it so walled

 

[Alex trebek]

i would stay away from kindle tablets it so walled

That's what rooting is for...

Sent from my HTC Rhyme

 

[anon(847090)]

That's what rooting is for...

Sent from my HTC Rhyme

for a normal user rooting is not simple.
installing custom rom has so many issues like camera,audio,hw acceleration wont work right away. it takes a while to fix.
why go through all hassle when N7 is there

 

[trivor]

I have had a N7 since shortly after release (July 2012), paid $250 for the 16 GB model and use it almost every day without a case (don't take it out of the house). I have had zero issues with it, the screen looks great, it is snappy (didn't have any issues the 4.2.2 update), and it still looks great today. I haven't seen any build quality issues, $200 is a great price for a 16 GB tablet (if you're going to load movies on it I would spring the extra $50 for a 32GB model especially if you're going to keep it for a long time - Airdroid is great for transferring files to any Android device over your local WiFi and not having to deal with USB/MTP issues). I also believe the build quality issues were overblown and highly recommend the tablet.

 

[ematija]

I have N7 for 10 days now. Bought it used but in 'mint' condition. Build quality is fine. Go to some local store and try it yourself.

I have only one advice. Narrow down what you need the device for. I need it as a car multimedia mostly, but i need it as a gps navigation, something to do Google searches, check my email and stuff, and occasionally play some games.

I have a 1,5 year old son and he likes to watch YouTube videos. Soon it will be cartoons. N7 will be mounted on passenger headrest. When son is not in the car, I will use it to connect it via bluetooth with obd2 scanner (and app: torque pro). I will use it as a gps navigation too.

Memory can be expanded with external hard drive or usb memory stick. I don't need 3g. I use wifi tethering on my smartphone. I dont need rear camera. Front is good enough when using skype. Screen resolution is more than great, processing power is awesome... N7 has everything I need considering what it's purpose is.

Ask yourself... What do you actually need? Not what you "want"?what you "need"!

I wanted 10" screen. But when i got my hands on a 7" prestigio i realized that 7" is actually what I need considering it's size and especially the price compared to good 10" tablets. Then i did a research on 7" tablets and narrowed it down to this.

Be careful when asking for others people's opinions. They will usually answer considering their needs. Think about what YOU really need and fit it together with your budget. Simple as that...

Sent from Nexus7-Tapatalk HD

 

[mrmw]

I have a 32g N7 and I just love it. I use drop box for all my pictures and files. I think you could not go wrong with one. I love it so much I ordered an N4.

a media consumption device ... music (both purchased and that I've ripped myself), movies (again both purchased and that I've ripped myself), books ... something to get on the Internet with on the fly and to use with productivity and news/weather and sports and book related apps. I am not a gamer in any shape, form or fashion and am not planning to become one, do not have the time or inclination.

Our tablet uses are pretty similar. I bought my 32gb N7 on Cyber Monday, together with a Poetic case (many other threads here and about).
--No N7 build quality issues whatsoever
--the Poetic case failed after 75 days. A simple email exchange and they shipped a new case which is better than ever.
--I have working (and highly usable) Thinkpad T series laptops going back to 2005, my current is a T420S. I just donated a 2002 X23 pumped up with maximum memory and an updated hard drive for free to a single working mother who uses it for surfing and email and light MS Office while she returns to school and let me tell you--except for Youtube it still performs!
--I'm not a gamer but I do use Excel, Word and PDF's (see below)

Using Wugfresh's truly brainless root method Nexus Root Toolkit v1.6.3WugFresh | WugFresh I rooted the N7 (and contributed it was such a beautiful and easy to use piece of work), bought an OTG cable for $1.50 from Monoprice.com and bought the Stickmount app from Google Play after trying it out ($3.99) et voila--I have full USB flash drive. To make it more usable I bought a 'Nano' sized 32gb flash drive when it came around at a good price.

For ebooks, I use Aldiko reader (free) and get 99% of my books from gutenberg.org (free, out of copyright). Book reader apps also installed are Kindle, Nook and Google Play Books--but none of these gets much of my action because I have open source Calibre on my laptop which enables me to convert ANY format (even Kindle and other locked down formats) to epub. I have more than 200 books installed, all in ePub format.

Browsers--none of them are perfect. Installed are Opera Mobile, Dolphin, Firefox and Chrome. Opera gets the most use because of how nicely it flows text when you pinch to zoom in/out.

Music: 16gb of MP3 self ripped--permanently installed on the tablet. I already owned PowerAmp so that's what I use. Sound quality is terrific.

MS Office. Documents To Go Pro and Office Suite Pro, both picked up on sale, provide MS Office function and vg to exc PDF capability.

For video apps, I have several--MX Player (a few bucks), Dice Player (free) and the native player. It seems to just depend on the container and codec which works best.

Finally, I installed Handbrake (free open source video converter from sourceforge.net) on my laptop. It converts a 3.6gb blu-ray file down to 412MB in its high quality Android mode--no need to mess with settings. Think about how many movies that is!

The Poetic case automatically awakens the N7. From settings I use airplane mode to disconnect wifi when the tablet is not used. The resulting battery life is very robust.

Cons.
--Microphone is not accessible through the headphone jack, nor through bluetooth. So Skype audio input is only through the speaker phone never through a wired or bluetooth headset.
--No video output to your TV, neither through HDMI nor Miracast.

(Sorry, my only other experience is with rooting several original Nook Tablets; when they can be had for under $100 these are great machines, but they do take some work to get healthy and right.)