Mobile Technology

Nook HD vs. Nexus 7

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How does the Nook HD compare to the Nexus 7?
The Nexus 7 should outlast the Nook HD
Only the Nexus 7 allows video chat
Both are speedy, but the Nook HD may have a slight edge
The Nexus 7 is a bit longer and narrower
The Nook HD has a terrific display
For most customers, the latest version of stock Android beats a digital storefront
RAM is equal
The Nexus 7 has more internal storage, but the Nook HD's can be expanded
The Nook HD is light
For mobile data, only the Nexus 7 delivers
How does the Nook HD compare to the Nexus 7?
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The budget tablet has evolved. 2010's Nook Color was a pioneering product, with Barnes & Noble using digital sales to subsidize the device. Last year, Amazon's Kindle Fire brought that same formula to a much wider audience. In 2012, though, Google and Asus upped the ante. The Nexus 7 has better hardware – and much better software – than we've seen in a cheap tablet.

Now old meets new. Barnes & Noble's tablets have improved each year, but they're still following the same formula. This holiday, it battles the Nexus 7: the first device of its kind that runs "real" Android. How does the Nook HD compare to the Nexus 7? Read on.

Dimensions

The Nexus 7 is a bit longer and narrower

There aren't any dramatic differences here. The Nook HD is a bit shorter, wider, and thicker than the Nexus 7.

Weight

The Nook HD is light

Neither tablet is heavy, but the Nook HD is 25 g lighter. This could come into play for lengthy one-handed use.

Display

The Nook HD has a terrific display

The Nook HD has a terrific display. Its 243 pixels per inch (PPI) aren't far from the 264 PPI in the iPad 3 and 4. Expect razor-sharp text and crisp images.

Processor

Both are speedy, but the Nook HD may have a slight edge

Performance won't be an issue on either tablet, but the Nook HD may have the slight advantage.

RAM

RAM is equal

Both tablets sport 1 GB of random-access memory (RAM).

Storage

The Nexus 7 has more internal storage, but the Nook HD's can be expanded

The base model of the Nook HD has less storage, but it can be expanded with a microSD card. The Nexus 7 can't.

Wireless

For mobile data, only the Nexus 7 delivers

If you want mobile data, the Nexus 7 is your only option.

Battery

The Nexus 7 should outlast the Nook HD

Take these manufacturers' estimates with grains of salt, but the Nexus 7 should have the advantage. The Nook's lower-capacity battery is powering a display with over 270,000 more pixels.

Cameras

Only the Nexus 7 allows video chat

Neither tablet has a rear camera, but the Nexus 7's front-facing shooter opens the door to video chat.

Intangibles

For most customers, the latest version of stock Android beats a digital storefront

You can read all the specs that you want, but purchases often come down to those hard-to-define intangibles. Here the Nexus 7 has the clear advantage.

The Nook HD technically runs Android, but you wouldn't know it. It's buried beneath a Barnes & Noble storefront. It lets you buy Nook content, stream video from Netflix and Hulu Plus, and download third-party apps. That app library, though, is limited.

The Nexus 7, meanwhile, runs Android in its purest form. It ships with the latest version, 4.2 Jellybean. It will also receive future updates immediately.

The Nexus 7's Play Store is still light on dedicated tablet apps, but stretched-out phone apps are useable on a 7-inch display. Though it's imperfect, it's much more than you'll get from the Nook HD's app library.

Summing up

The Nook HD has an excellent display, but there's less to do with it. If you're content with B&N's limited app selection, you might appreciate those extra pixels. Readers will love it.For anyone else, though, it's hard to recommend the Nook HD over the Nexus 7. For the same starting price, Google and Asus give you comparable hardware and much better software.

To see more options, you can check out our 2012 Tablet Comparison Guide.

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2 comments
barrettjet
OOPS, you didn't comment on the GPS or lack thereof. GPS is very important to mobile Tablet Users. Thats what they bought them for .... on the go and they need to know where. There is a large difference in GPS as installed in the tablets. Some are redhot (HTC) some are DOA or none-functional and weak. Tell us about them.
James Rowland
You say "the Nook HD may have the slight advantage" when talking about the processor. They have the same clock speed and RAM, but the Nexus 7 has twice as many cores. Why do you say the Nook HD has an advantage?