Hey all, hoping you can help me out some.
I've got a Sammy GTab 2 7 inch, but I knocked it off my bed last night and cracked the glass. Being a deployed soldier, I:
a) Need a device that is in good condition (as defects like that make it more susceptible to dirt, dust, and moisture getting in and damaging the device
b) Can afford a replacement
c) Already have someone who wants to buy this one off me when I get a new one
So with that said, I want to throw out some pros and cons about each tablet and see what you all think about getting either a new GTab 2 7 inch or a Nexus 7.
-GTab-
Pros: Good build of Android, actually has a pretty nice version of TouchWiz; I like the features that Samsung adds in. External memory card. Two cameras, front and rear. 30-pin connector allows for accessories (though I haven't gotten any yet aside from a simple dock). Good battery life. Good screen (brightness and clarity). Good sound quality (both output and input). Good size, feels comfortable in the hand. Power Saver mode built in, reducing processor speed, screen FPS, and screen brightness to save battery. Can easily clone data from current tablet via Kies. Has neat customizable button on bottom bar (currently set to screenshot, I use it quite often). Only has bottom bar, increasing screen real estate.
Cons: Will always be slow to get updates to Android, already .1 behind latest version. Relatively small app storage and no move-to-SD function. Does not mount as a normal drive on a computer, only mounts as an MTP device or camera. Front camera has a low resolution. Both cameras are fixed-focus and are not focused well in the first place. Can be slightly sluggish at times when playing heavier apps. Proprietary 30-pin connector means I have to use that specific cable, not a generic one from a store (micro USB is easy to come by, this has to be specially ordered). Slightly heavy. Can accidentally hit power or volume buttons because they stick out from the side so much.
-Nexus-
Pros: Made by Google, specifically designed for a good Android experience. Always up to date on Android version. 1.2 MP front camera. Micro USB connector. High storage capacity. Lightweight. Identical button layout to GTab, but slightly recessed to avoid accidental pressing. Compatible with smart cases. Quad-core Tegra 3 processor with Plus One technology, so very speedy. Higher battery capacity than GTab (battery life as compared to my usage with the GTab to be determined if I get it). Better screen resolution than GTab. Almost identical size as GTab, but slightly thinner and lighter. Has NFC. Dual microphones. No Samsung bloatware.
Cons: No back camera. No external SD card. No light and proximity sensors. No native WiFi Direct support (though not applicable to me, I use routers here). Restoring data from Kies may not work (making migration time longer and more in-depth). Textured back may attract dust and very fine sand (we have a lot of that here). Incompatible with my current dock (though I would sell that to my friend who wants the GTab when I get a new tablet, so...). No customizable button on bottom bar. Has top and bottom bars, slightly decreasing screen real estate.
I love my GTab, but I've also heard great things about the N7. I was actually going to get one when I got the GTab, but they were out and I had to have one that day. So I settled for the GTab. I can afford either one, as they're both $250, but I want the best one of the two. I'm more inclined to get the N7 because of the front camera (Skype is a beautiful thing when you're deployed, away from your fiancee), but it has no front camera. I'd have to carry a real camera or my phone (which is big enough to be a regular camera and is very sluggish). Plus the N7 has almost triple the processor power (4x1.3 vs. 2x1). But it lacks external memory, which means I can't transfer any data by swapping cards between devices and what I have on the device is all I have for offline storage. I don't always have internet access here, so I can wholly rely on cloud storage (though I already own over 100 GB of cloud storage via Box and Dropbox). I tend to use my tablet as a stand-in for my laptop (much more portable), and often use a bluetooth keyboard (and sometimes a mouse) for longer typing, but I still keep it as a portable device. Meaning I carry it like I would a phone back in the States. My phone is no good to me here, it's not worth carrying around and dealing with the bugs when it has no cellular connectivity to outweigh the smaller screen and sluggishness. I keep music and movies on my tablet to pass the time while... doing my job (that's about all I can say about that), and battery life is very important. That's why I like the Power Saver feature on my GTab so much, I only turn it off when I'm plugged in or to play Dead Trigger and Deer Hunter: Reloaded, and occasionally when I'm loading memory-hogging web pages.
What do you guys think? I'd like to hear some feedback from owners of both devices, maybe other similar devices if you guys think there's a third (or more) option. Thanks for any help or advice you guys give!
I've got a Sammy GTab 2 7 inch, but I knocked it off my bed last night and cracked the glass. Being a deployed soldier, I:
a) Need a device that is in good condition (as defects like that make it more susceptible to dirt, dust, and moisture getting in and damaging the device
b) Can afford a replacement
c) Already have someone who wants to buy this one off me when I get a new one
So with that said, I want to throw out some pros and cons about each tablet and see what you all think about getting either a new GTab 2 7 inch or a Nexus 7.
-GTab-
Pros: Good build of Android, actually has a pretty nice version of TouchWiz; I like the features that Samsung adds in. External memory card. Two cameras, front and rear. 30-pin connector allows for accessories (though I haven't gotten any yet aside from a simple dock). Good battery life. Good screen (brightness and clarity). Good sound quality (both output and input). Good size, feels comfortable in the hand. Power Saver mode built in, reducing processor speed, screen FPS, and screen brightness to save battery. Can easily clone data from current tablet via Kies. Has neat customizable button on bottom bar (currently set to screenshot, I use it quite often). Only has bottom bar, increasing screen real estate.
Cons: Will always be slow to get updates to Android, already .1 behind latest version. Relatively small app storage and no move-to-SD function. Does not mount as a normal drive on a computer, only mounts as an MTP device or camera. Front camera has a low resolution. Both cameras are fixed-focus and are not focused well in the first place. Can be slightly sluggish at times when playing heavier apps. Proprietary 30-pin connector means I have to use that specific cable, not a generic one from a store (micro USB is easy to come by, this has to be specially ordered). Slightly heavy. Can accidentally hit power or volume buttons because they stick out from the side so much.
-Nexus-
Pros: Made by Google, specifically designed for a good Android experience. Always up to date on Android version. 1.2 MP front camera. Micro USB connector. High storage capacity. Lightweight. Identical button layout to GTab, but slightly recessed to avoid accidental pressing. Compatible with smart cases. Quad-core Tegra 3 processor with Plus One technology, so very speedy. Higher battery capacity than GTab (battery life as compared to my usage with the GTab to be determined if I get it). Better screen resolution than GTab. Almost identical size as GTab, but slightly thinner and lighter. Has NFC. Dual microphones. No Samsung bloatware.
Cons: No back camera. No external SD card. No light and proximity sensors. No native WiFi Direct support (though not applicable to me, I use routers here). Restoring data from Kies may not work (making migration time longer and more in-depth). Textured back may attract dust and very fine sand (we have a lot of that here). Incompatible with my current dock (though I would sell that to my friend who wants the GTab when I get a new tablet, so...). No customizable button on bottom bar. Has top and bottom bars, slightly decreasing screen real estate.
I love my GTab, but I've also heard great things about the N7. I was actually going to get one when I got the GTab, but they were out and I had to have one that day. So I settled for the GTab. I can afford either one, as they're both $250, but I want the best one of the two. I'm more inclined to get the N7 because of the front camera (Skype is a beautiful thing when you're deployed, away from your fiancee), but it has no front camera. I'd have to carry a real camera or my phone (which is big enough to be a regular camera and is very sluggish). Plus the N7 has almost triple the processor power (4x1.3 vs. 2x1). But it lacks external memory, which means I can't transfer any data by swapping cards between devices and what I have on the device is all I have for offline storage. I don't always have internet access here, so I can wholly rely on cloud storage (though I already own over 100 GB of cloud storage via Box and Dropbox). I tend to use my tablet as a stand-in for my laptop (much more portable), and often use a bluetooth keyboard (and sometimes a mouse) for longer typing, but I still keep it as a portable device. Meaning I carry it like I would a phone back in the States. My phone is no good to me here, it's not worth carrying around and dealing with the bugs when it has no cellular connectivity to outweigh the smaller screen and sluggishness. I keep music and movies on my tablet to pass the time while... doing my job (that's about all I can say about that), and battery life is very important. That's why I like the Power Saver feature on my GTab so much, I only turn it off when I'm plugged in or to play Dead Trigger and Deer Hunter: Reloaded, and occasionally when I'm loading memory-hogging web pages.
What do you guys think? I'd like to hear some feedback from owners of both devices, maybe other similar devices if you guys think there's a third (or more) option. Thanks for any help or advice you guys give!
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