Here's How Google's 2013 Nexus 7 Compares to the Original

This is a big day for Google. During its "Breakfast with Sundar Pichai" event, Google unveiled its second generation Nexus 7 tablet built by ASUS (along with a few other announcements). The impending introduction of another Nexus 7 tablet was one of the worst kept secrets on the web, but now that it's official, we can dismiss with the speculation and focus on the facts.

To start with, the 2013 model Nexus 7 is thinner, lighter, and faster than the original released last year. It also boasts a higher resolution display that's been bumped up to 1920x1200. though the 7-inch form factor remains. As for brand new features, it now has a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera, support for wireless charging, Bluetooth 4.0 LE (upgraded from 3.0), and 4G LTE support.

2013 Nexus 7

How does it compare with the original? Let's have a look:

  Nexus 7 (Second Generation)
Nexus 7 (Original)
OS Android 4.3 Jelly Bean Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro, quad-core, 1.5GHz NVIDIA Tegra 3, quad-core, 1.2GHz
RAM 2GB 1GB
Display 7-inch IPS; 1920x1200; 323 PPI 7-inch IPS; 1280x800; 216 PPI
Storage 16GB / 32GB 16GB / 32GB
Front Camera 1.2MP 1.2MP
Rear Camera 5MP N/A
Wireless 802.11n; Bluetooth 4.0 LE 802.11n; Bluetooth 3.0
NFC Yes; wireless charging Yes
Connectivity micro USB; HDMI (slim); 3.5mm micro USB; 3.5mm
Price $230 (16GB); $270 (32GB); $350 (32GB, Wi-Fi + Cellular) $200 (16GB); $250 (32GB); $300 (Wi-Fi + Cellular)

The 2013 model Nexus 7 measures 0.3 inches (H) by 7.9 inches (W) by 4.5 inches (D) and weighs 11.2 ounces, compared to the original Nexus 7's dimensions of 0.4 inches (H) by 7.8 inches (W) by 4.7 inches (D) and 12 ounces.

2013 Nexus 7 Angled

One of the more interesting developments is the price. We've gotten used to subsequent generation tablets maintaining the same price point. The fourth generation iPad, for example, starts at $499, the same as every previous generation at launch. That isn't the case here. Google bumped up the price by $30 for the 16GB version, $20 for the 32GB model, and $50 for the Cellular SKU.

The new Nexus 7 will be available on July 30th in the U.S.