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The Tablet Kings: iPad Air 2 vs iPad Mini 3 vs Nexus 9

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We have had a lot of announcements in the past few days, and that includes the flagship devices of two major companies competing in the tablet space – Google & Apple with the Nexus 9 and the new iPads. We now put them side to side to put everything in scale.

Nexus 9 vs iPad Air 2 Mini 3

iPad Air 2iPad Mini 3Google Nexus 9
9.7-inch 1536 x 2048 Retina Display7.9-inch 1536 x 2048 Retina Display8.9-inch 1536 x 2048 IPS LCD display
1.3GHz Apple A8X dual-core CPU with M8 motion co-processor, 64-bit1.3GHz Apple A7 dual-core CPU with M7 motion co-processor, 64-bit2.3GHz NVidia Tegra K1 quad-core CPU, 64-bit
1GB RAM1GB RAM2GB RAM
8 megapixel rear camera5 megapixel rear camera8 megapixel rear camera with LED flash
1.2 megapixel front-facing camera1.2 megapixel front-facing camera1.6 megapixel front-facing camera
iOS 8.1iOS 8.1Android 5.0 Lollipop
8600 mAh battery6470 mAh battery6700 mAh battery
240 x 169.5 x 6.1 mm200 x 134.7 x 7.5 mm228.2 x 153.7 x 7.9 mm
16GB - $499
64GB - $599
128GB - $699
16GB - $399
64GB - $499
128GB - $599
32GB - $399
64GB - $479
16GB - $629
64GB - $729
128GB - $829
16GB - $529
64GB - $629
128GB - $729
64GB LTE - $599
Touch IDTouch IDBoomSound speakers

If you look at the sheer numbers of the specs of these devices, we can easily give the crown to the Nexus 9 for having lots of cores for its graphics, a higher CPU clock speed, its 2GB RAM and its higher megapixel front-facing camera resolution – but in reality, higher numbers do not necessarily translate to better performance.

While the screen resolution is similar across devices, the sizes aren’t: the iPad Air 2 is the largest and the thinnest, the Mini 3 is the smallest and the Nexus 9 sits right in the middle, also being the thickest by a small margin. In terms of storage options on the other hand, there are more variants going in favor of the new iPads. However, at $399, the Nexus 9 is basically competing with year-old hardware in the iPad Mini 3, so in that case – the bang for the buck goes to the Nexus 9, unless Touch ID is of extreme importance to you.

While we’re still not convinced you should take photos with your tablet, these new devices offer improved optics and camera features – which will have to be tested first before deciding which is better.

On top of everything, especially your preference for tablet sizes, this is where the never ending argument of which OS is better comes in – Android 5.0 Lollipop or iOS 8.1? These are truly the things that set these tablets apart regardless of specs as it also brings in the companies’ ecosystems into play.

What do you guys think? Leave your thoughts in the comment section down below.

Stay tuned for more coverage on local availability.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which tablet has the best value for money?
The Nexus 9 offers the best bang for the buck at $399, competing with year-old iPad Mini 3 hardware.
Which tablet is the thinnest?
The iPad Air 2 is the largest and the thinnest among the three tablets.
Does the article recommend taking photos with a tablet?
The article is not convinced you should take photos with your tablet, but the new devices offer improved optics.
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Written by
Bob Freking

Bob Freking

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Bob Freking occasionally contributes articles to the website. He is a UST Graduate of Commerce & Business Administration, Major in Marketing Management, and a full-time Sith Lord with three dragons.

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20 Comments

HI
HiERARCH · 12 years ago

magkano kaya binayad ni Iggy at fineature talaga siya sa nexus 9

Reply
TA
Tablet · 12 years ago

IOS with google’s hardware, one can only dream.

Reply
KE
keriboomboom · 12 years ago

pagdating sa tablet..kahit apple pa nagpasimula ng lahat loser na sila..nowadays, ibang level na ang android. sa apps nalang talaga magkakatalo dahil sa mga exclusive apps for ios. pero feature wise…android ftw. walang ng tatalo lalu na pag manonood ng series na pirated na download from torrent. kahit anung file pa yan kaya yan iplay sa android. d na kelangan iconvert. haahahah

Reply
JA
Jan · 12 years ago

Well for iOS you have third party apps that can handle that. I personally use AVPlayerHD and haven’t converted anything, it can even play 1080p mkv with no issues

JC
JC · 12 years ago

atsaka sa pagdating ng file/media transfer PC to android masmadali nuh? tama ba? hehe

EA
Easy E · 12 years ago

nauubusan na talaga ng innovation ang Apple. iOS is already boring. Nexus 9 ftw.

Reply
MA
Marc · 12 years ago

OS preference will always be the deciding factor when comparing these.

Reply
HU
HungHangKa · 12 years ago

Since when did OS becomes the deciding factor when t comes to devices that has yet to be launched or just launched? IT IS ALWAYS the HARDWARE!!! OS comes to play only when you start to run APPLICATIONS.

CH
Chris · 12 years ago

For a tech shootout, It’s always specs.

For usage, it comes down to preference.

I personally use an android phone and an iPad.

DE
devilboy · 12 years ago

mukang mas ok si nexus 9 interesting….

Reply

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