Google released the new Nexus 9 amid high expectations, and by the looks of it, the tablet looks like a worthy upgrade to last year's Nexus 7, says Himanshu Juneja.
For the latest tablet, Google partnered with HTC and the result is a stunning piece of hardware.
The new Nexus is impressive with its construction. Its soft touch back and brushed metal sides gives it a very pleasing feel and look. The construction and build is indeed very high quality, something which the Nexus line up has been maintaining throughout.
Nexus 9 sports an 8.9-inch IPS variant display. With 2048 x 1536 pixels worth of resolution the tablet easily competes with the iPad Air. It will be pertinent to mention that the Nexus 9's relatively smaller display does carry a better pixel per inch density, which is a clear advantage.
Interestingly, the tablet will be having a 4:3 display, much like the iPads.
With the launch of Android Lollipop, Google Nexus 9 will be the first tablet to taste the new flavour of Android. This means users get to enjoy an array of fine features like Material Design, ability to access new notifications straight from the lockscreen, enhanced battery performance etc.
The tablet has been loaded with hardware features to go with the new software. Powered by 64 Bit Nvidia Tegra K1 chip, carrying CPU clocked at 2.3GHz, and a very impressive GPU in Kepler DX1 gives the Nexus 9 a strong combination of hardware. There is 2GB of RAM onboard.
The Nexus 9 carries two front facing speakers with the much acclaimed HTC BoomSound, as well as dual microphones.
In terms of sensors as well, the device seems to be impressively populated. It carries Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor and magnetometer.
Accompanying these are the MicroUSB, GPS, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth and of course the 3.5mm audio jack.
Generally the tablets don't show too much of a concern for the buyer's penchant for clicking images and comes with mediocre to poor snappers. The Nexus 9 doesn't disappoint the photography enthusiasts. It comes with an 8MP camera at the rear and a 1.6MP camera on the front. It is good to see that HTC went for better specs in this department as well.
Battery supplied with the tablet is 6700 mAh (Li-Po). Combined with Lollipop's battery boost, users can stop worrying too much about the frequent charging routine.
The tablet has been touted to provide more than 9 hours of battery life while browsing over Wi-Fi.
Nexus 9 offers buyers a choice of colours too. You can select from Midnight blue, Sand or Lunar White variants. But for the moment, the only option being offered in India seems to be Midnight blue.
On accessories front, a nice external keyboard can be purchased separately. The battery operated keyboard gets connected with the tablet via magnets and uses the NFC technology to pair itself with the device.
This combo will come in handy for people who have to occasionally substitute tablets for a proper desktop/laptop solution. The hardware looks capable of simulating the conditions well.
Google Play has Nexus 9 enlisted for pre order in India now. The 16GB Wi-Fi only model is up for frabs for s 28,900; the 32GB Wi-Fi version hasn't been listed yet, but the 32GB cellular version is shown with the price tag of Rs 44,900.
There is no doubt that the device looks absolutely stunning. It is well crafted and has impressive hardware features onboard. New tablet buyers will definitely find this option tempting, but with the price being on the higher side, it just might make interested buyers hold out till the price drops.
