Google Nexus 9 is a ideal in-between tablet if you're looking to upgrade that aged Samsung-made Nexus 10 and don't want to step down to last year's ASUS-developed Nexus 7.
It's also the perfect 8.9-inch fit if you're seeking an Android alternative that's not as small as the 7.9-inch iPad mini 3 and not as large as the 9.7-inch iPad Air 2.
After all, the new HTC-made Nexus 9 gives buyers more freedom than either of Apple's best tablets because it not only runs pure Android, but the new Android 5.0 Lollipop.
The specs have been bumped up considerably from the Google Nexus 7 2013 by spearheading Android Nexus' first use of a 64-bit processor. It's fast enough, sleek enough and cheap enough to consider
Cut to the chase
- What is it? New tablet to fill the gap between Nexus 7 and 10
- When is it out? Pre-orders begin October 17 with a November 3 launch
- What will it cost? Starts at $399 (£319, no AU price till November)
Nexus 9 release date and price
Google and HTC are adding another inch to the smallest Nexus tablet starting on November 3. That's the official release date. Pre-orders begin today, Friday, October 17.
Where can you buy Nexus 9 right now? HTC, the Google Play Store and Amazon are already accepting pre-orders in the US, UK and Europe. It's available to ship in 2-3 weeks, according to Google.
Be warned, the price is also bigger. Nexus 9 16GB model costs $399 in the US and £319 in the UK. If 16GB isn't enough space and you're bummed Nexus 9 doesn't include a micro SD card slot, the 32GB version costs $479 (£399). An 32GB LTE edition is also planned on its way for $599 (£459).
In addition to being the perfect size balance between iPad mini 3 and iPad Air 2, its price fits right in between the two rival tablets.
Nexus 9 display
Google Nexus 9 features what's really a 8.9-inch screen when you measure it diagonally, and IPS LCD display technology lights things up underneath Gorilla Glass 3.
A 2048 x 1536 resolution gives it a dense 287ppi count and a less-wide 4:3 aspect ratio that we've seen from other tablets including the iPad Air 2.
This is different from the 8:5 widescreen ratio of the Nexus 7 and allows for more headroom when working on the new tablet. We also like the display's "double tap to wake" feature.
Nexus 9 specs
Beneath that nearly-9-inch LCD display is the first Nexus 64-bit processor courtesy of Nvidia and its Tegra K1 system on a chip at we first saw at CES.
The Nexus 9's tablet-focused processor runs at 2.3GHz and is coupled with a Kepler DX11 graphics chip and a healthy 2GB of RAM. We'll have to wait for a teardown to see the memory of the new iPads to make a better RAM comparison.
The camera specs include a 8-megapixel rear snapper that bests the Nexus 7's 5-megapixel camera. A similar incremental update on the front gives it a 1.6MP camera, up from 1.2MP.
No changes is the internal memory configurations have been made. It'll be 16GB and 32GB, the same as last year's ASUS-made Nexus tablets.
New this year is a Nexus 9 keyboard folio accessory. It protects the tablet as a cover when closed and acts as a mechanical keyboard with Bluetooth pairing when open. It is $129 (likely £100), but it's your best Android alternative to a Microsoft Surface Pro 3.
The battery size, naturally, is dramatically increased to 6700 mAh with the larger size, up from 3,950 mAh. It should provide at least 9.5 hours of battery life, according to Google.
We'll have to put all of these specs to the test in our upcoming Google Nexus 9 tablet review.
via Techradar
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