So what’s the bottom line? Is the Nexus 7ii a big improvement over the Nexus 7? I’d have to say that it is. The new high-res screen is nice, but, with my aging eyes, it doesn’t make that much difference to me. The colors are more vibrant, and that’s nice. It appears to be quite a bit faster, but Android devices tend to slow down over time, and my old Nexus 7 has a year of hard use on it and this one is fresh out of the box, so that may be part of it. Android 4.3 is OK, but my socks aren’t blown off; maybe I need more time to appreciate its wonderfulness.
But here’s the really great thing about the new Nexus 7. It just feels great in your hand. You notice it right away. It’s a quarter of an inch narrower (from right to left when you hold it in the portrait orientation), and that lets you grasp it much more comfortably. It’s a little taller, which doesn’t seem to be good or bad. It’s thinner, which helps with the hand holding comfort. It’s lighter, too. After using it for an hour or so, you don’t notice any of these things. It just feels right. But pick up the old Nexus 7, and the very same tablet that you’ve used for a year with great satisfaction feels klunky, heavy, and awkward.
I don’t have an Android phone. I use an iPhone, because what I value above all else in a phone is that it just works. In a tablet. I’m a bit more forgiving, and I am really bored with the limitations of iOS devices. So the Nexus 7ii is right on target for me.
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