Google Nexus 7 vs. Samsung's Galaxy Tab 3: Which Is Better?

Google’s slate flaunts the best-looking display of any tablet on the market. Period. The 1920 x 1200 panel generates 323 ppi, which is 100 pixels more than its predecessor and nearly double the iPad Mini’s resolution (163 ppi). Colors are incredibly vibrant, visuals looking stunning, and viewing angles are great. It’s somewhat breathtaking to watch a Netflix video or YouTube HD clip on it. Text is sharp and web pages shine as well. On the other end, the Tab 3 sports a disappointing 1280 x 800 TDT panel that delivers so-so clarity and mediocre resolution at best. Not exactly what we’re accustomed to from Samsung, especially after taking in the manufacturer’s marveling screens on its Galaxy smartphones.

The Nexus 7 is offered with two different storage options, where as the Tab 3 promotes two color variants (white and gold-brown), also three memory alternatives and sizes: 7-, 8-, and 10-inch. Majority rules.

To the surprise of many, there's actually a massive number of moble users who actually prefer stock Android over manufacturer skins. Granted Google and Sammy's UIs carry their own bells and whistles, TouchWiz still bears a cluttered, and at times, buggy presence. Running the most recent version of Jelly Bean (Android 4.3) plays in favor of the Nexus 7, as unique features such as the ability to create “restricted” profiles makes for a fresher Android experience. It also looks cleaner and has better menu navigation control. Not to mention stock software makes rooting much easier.

Samsung's specialized in bringing the best entertaiment value to the Android platform. Nothing’s changed. Granted we would have loved to see Air Gesture integration carried over from the GS4, or some of the other productivity features from the Galaxy Note 10.1, the Tab 3 still provides more on the multimedia end than the Nexus 7. Multi-Window expands the viewing possibilities by allowing multiple apps to run on one homescreen simultaneously. Sammy’s media hubs also bring a vast selection of movies and shows to stream on the device. The improved S Voice apps offers better voice activation commands and the Tab 3’s built-in infrared turns the slate into a universal controller.

Our Quadrant Standard readings for both devices clocked similar scores. Keep in mind this doesn’t necessarily translate to a smooth system performance. Therefore we dug deep into the guts of each tablet. The Nexus 7 and Galaxy Tab 3 feature 2GB of RAM, but boast two different processors. Samsung’s 1.6GHz Exynos quad-core does deliver snappy results on the multimedia end, but the 1.5GHZ Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core sitting in the Nexus 7 is a multitasking beast. Google’s slate does a faster job opening apps, pulling up pages in the Web Browser, and renders images better.

A larger battery usually guarantees longer vitality and Samsung’s tablet carries the more powerful cell at 4,000mAh (7-inch), with the 8- and 10-inch version sporting larger capacities at 4,450mAh and 6,800mAh. Granted the 3,950mAh battery found in the Nexus 7 provides a solid 8 to 10 hours on moderate use, the Tab 3 pulls longer endurance by a good hour or two during heavy gaming and multimedia streaming (Netflix, YouTube) sessions.

Don't expect premium quality on the design end for either device. But the matte-black rubber finish on the back of the Nexus 7 makes it more comfortable and soothing to carry in-hand. Its lighter at 290 grams in comparison to Samsung’s smallest offering (302 grams), too. Both 7-inch models posses identical measurements, though the 8-inch Tab 3 is a tad wider than the Nexus 7. It doesn't hurt trimming some fat when considering you're compromising style for weight.

Google only offers a Wi-Fi version of the Nexus 7, where as Samsung has LTE and Wi-Fi models available for its offerings. Nevertheless, it's worth taking into account NFC support, a popular wireless feature that remains absent on the Galaxy Tab 3 and integrated in the Nexus 7. Not to mention Google has plans of launching a 32GB LTE model sometime in the near feature. One might have the advantage over the other in the short term, but in the long run, it is anyone's game.

The more memory requested on a portable device, the more money you have to fork up. Luckily, Samsung’s been a firm believer of giving its users the flexibility of expanding their storage via MicroSD slot—a feature that’s become nonexistent in most smartphones and tablets these days. Add three built-in memory options (8GB, 16GB, and 32GB) into the equation across all three models, the Tab 3 takes this round.

Usually the biggest selling point for any tablet not called the iPad is the price tag, which is tagged at $330. The cheapest alternative at the moment is the 7-inch Tab 3 at $200. However, the specs are nowhere near what Apple or Google is offering. At the starting price of $230, along with its premium hardware, the Nexus 7 is a steal.