The Google Nexus 10 is a sexy and
affordable way to enjoy your movies, games and favorite websites on a big
ten-inch screen. The fantastically crisp 1920p HD display, sharper than the
Apple iPad’s
GOOGLE’S Nexus 7 tablet was one of our
favorite mobile devices of 2012, a fantastic value seven-inch tab that somehow
manages to be powerful, portable and perfectly priced all at once. Of course,
not everyone is satisfied with seven inches, and, while the 7-incher was made
by Asus, Google has returned to Samsung (manufacturer of 2011’s Galaxy Nexus
phone) to create the Nexus 10 tablet. This 10-inch Android device is a must for
media fans with its sharp and eye-caressingly gorgeous screen, and only a couple
of minor niggles detract from an otherwise perfect package.
The
Google Nexus 10
Curvy and gorgeous
Picking up the Nexus 10 for the first time,
our initial thoughts were how solid it feels. It’s impressively slender at a
shade under 9mm, but packs a heft at 6l5g, about the same weight as Apple’s
iPad. Your arm will start to ache if you clutch it one-handed for too long
(unless you actually bother with stuff like going to the gym), but we found we
could keep a strong grip thanks to the spacious bezel surrounding the screen
and the soft-touch rear plate, which kept it from slipping out of our grasp.
The front of the Nexus 10 is free of
buttons because of Android’s on-screen shortcuts. Along the edges you’ll find
the power button and volume rocker, as well as the Micro USB and HDMI ports for
hooking up to your home computer or TV.
The speakers are housed at the sides of the
screen, so you get a powerful sound directed right at your face -easily strong
enough to ditch the earphones when you’re snug on your sofa.
The
front of the Nexus 10 is free of buttons because of Android’s on-screen
shortcuts. Along the edges you’ll find the power button and volume rocker, as
well as the Micro USB and HDMI ports for hooking up to your home computer or
TV.
Jelly Bean
Packing Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, the Nexus
10 tablet is a joy to use. You get a plentiful stack of widgets to liberally
scatter over your desktops, tons of great features such as face unlock, and
it’s all wrapped up in an attractive and responsive packaging that you can
customize to your heart’s content. Our only issue was a couple of unexpected
reboots when we first played with the tablet, but after updating Android to the
latest version (4.2.1) - a quick and simple process kicked off from the
settings menu -we didn’t see any more crashes.
After upgrading the Nexus 10, we were able
to set up multiple user profiles. This allows separate users to set up their
own accounts and arrange their desktops however they like, thus avoiding the
inevitable family arguments and tears when you find all your shortcuts have
disappeared and your background’s changed to a One Direction wallpaper. It’s
easy to swap between the different profiles, as it is on the Nook HD - simply
head back to the lock screen and tap the one you want.
Super sharp
One of the big draws of the Nexus 10 tablet
is the incredibly crisp 10-inch display. With its mighty 2560 x 1600
resolution, the PLS TFT screen is actually sharper than Apple’s iPad Retina
panel (the Nexus 10 chalks up 300 pixels-per-inch compared to the iPad’s 264),
and Samsung’s other excellent ten-inch tablet the Galaxy Note 10.1. Truth be
told, we struggled to notice much difference in sharpness between the iPad and
the Nexus 10 despite the greater resolution, but that still means the Nexus 10
has one of the best screens of any tablet right now. If you’re a fan of HD
movies, get ready for your eyeballs to explode with happiness.
Both films and photos are brought to life
with rich colors, with only a slight loss of brightness and vibrancy as you
tilt the display. The maximum brightness is enough to counter all but the
harshest glare, so you won’t be squinting too much in sunlight either (unless
you’re watching a dark movie).
Dual-core
We found the touch-screen was perfectly
responsive to our prods and swipes, and over a decent Wi-Fi connection even
photo-heavy websites loaded quickly. The 1.7GHz dual-core processor is backed
up by a mega-generous 2GB of RAM, so the Nexus 10 has no trouble running apps
either. We tried out some of the biggest Android games, which ran smoother than
an oiled-up otter. Our model came with 32GB of built-in storage for apps, games
and media, but there’s no memory card slot which is a particular drawback if
you opt for the cheaper 16GB version.
Battery life is about average for a
ten-inch tablet: expect around five and a half hours of video playback from
each charge, with the screen turned up to maximum brightness. Unfortunately the
Nexus 10 takes a while to charge up again once the battery’s drained. If you
use the tablet while it’s connected to the mains, it’ll say it’s charging but
actually consumes power faster than it can store it, so you’ll have to leave it
switched off to recharge. The same problem plagued Apple’s iPad (3rd and 4th
generations). Bear this in mind if you’re after something for lengthy journeys
or commutes, as smaller tablets such as the Nexus 7 by Asus and the Apple iPad
mini have longer battery life and charge faster.
Battery
life is about average for a ten-inch tablet: expect around five and a half
hours of video playback from each charge, with the screen turned up to maximum
brightness
Fully featured
The five-megapixel camera takes sharp
photos the instant you hit the on-screen shutter button, and although wielding
this tablet or pretty much any tablet - isn’t an ideal way to capture a moment,
it certainly works well if your smartphone’s camera is hopeless. We found the
camera adjusted well to different lighting conditions and is bolstered by an
LED flash for night shots.
One of our favorite features on the Nexus 4
smartphone by LG was a fun ‘panorama’ mode, which allows you to capture a
360-degree snapshot of your current location, and the Nexus 10 tablet
thankfully boasts the same feature. This is particularly great for grabbing a
stunning landscape shot, as you can fit absolutely everything in. On top of
that, you can shoot standard panoramas and HD video. A 1.9-megapixel
front-facing lens can also be used to chat on Skype or via Google+ Hangouts.
Of
course there are more portable tablets out there, if you’re after something for
the daily commute
The verdict
Google’s Nexus 10 tablet is a near-flawless
blend of performance, friendliness and desirability. At just $481 for the 16GB
model, it’s cheaper than Apple’s iPad but still packs in a majestically crisp
screen that’s great for gaming, movies, web browsing and more. Of course there
are more portable tablets out there, if you’re after something for the daily
commute.
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The Google
Nexus 10 specs
·
Web: www.google.com/Nexus10
·
Price: $587 (SIM-free)
·
Size: 264 x 178 x 8.9mm
·
Weight: 603g
·
Display: 10-inch PLS
·
Resolution: 2560x1600px (300 ppi)
·
Camera: 5 megapixels
·
Front camera: 1.9 megapixels
·
Video: Yes
·
Processor: 1.7GHz Dual-core A15
·
RAM: 2GB
·
Storage: 32GB (16GB also available)
·
Internet: Wi-Fi
·
GPS: Yes
·
Browser: Android
·
Email: Push
·
Music player: Yes
·
Video player: Yes
·
Continuous use: 5% hours video playback
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