Nexus 7 vs Nexus 9 comparison: Is Google's latter tablet really better?

Google Nexus 9[Photo credit: Google]

The Nexus 7 from 2013 and the newly-unveiled Nexus 9 tablets look very much alike. However, everyone needs to know if there's really a significant difference between the two, given that the Nexus 9 is a more expensive tablet. So, here's a sweet and short comparison between the two:

With the design, both have the usual Nexus tablet look, so there's really not much difference here. Nonetheless, one can tell the Nexus 9 through its brushed metal frame with a soft grip plastic rear body. It comes in sand color. The Nexus 7 has a black and white color.

The screen size is probably one of the most significant differences between the two. The Nexus 9 has an 8.9-inch screen with a resolution of 2048 x 1536. Although the pixel density decreased to 281 ppi, the Nexus 9 features an aspect ratio that can move from 16:9 to 4:3.

In terms of power, the Nexus 7 uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro with 1.5 GHz quad-core. The Nexus 9 uses an nVidia Tegra K1 processor with a 2.3 GHz 64-bit quad-core chip. Obviously, the Nexus 9 packs tons of power.

What about taking photos using these tablets? The Nexus 7 features a 5 MP camera and its video recording is up to 1080p. The Nexus 7 doesn't have a flash. On the other hand, the Nexus 9 has an improved 8 MP camera with an LED flash.

How long can the tablets be used? The battery performance of the Nexus 9 is undoubtedly the winner here. The Nexus 7 only has 3950 mAH, while the Nexus 9 has a whopping 6700 mAH battery. Surely, the battery life is a huge difference here. According to PC Advisor, the Nexus 9 can be used for a total of 10 hours (heavy usage).

It is very clear which is the winner here — the Nexus 9. It has a more powerful processor, a better camera, a bigger screen and better battery life. This tablet has a starting price of $399.