The Google Nexus 7, Amazon Kindle Fire HD and Barnes & Noble Nook HD are cheap tablets that all offer incredible value. This is because each tablet is sold as a loss-leader, designed to either encourage uptake of the Android platform or content sales in their manufacturer's independent app and media stores. (See also: Kindle Fire HD vs Kindle Fire HD 8.9 review.)
As such, you're unlikely to feel cheated by any of these devices. But if you don't have a particular preference over whether you purchase your books, music, videos and apps from Google, Amazon or Barnes & Noble, which is best? Here we compare each tablet spec by spec to help you choose. See also: Group test: what's the best cheap tablet?
Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire HD vs Nook HD: Price
Each of these tablets cost from £159. While this amount of money will get you a 16GB Nexus 7 or Kindle Fire HD, you'll be looking at a Nook HD with just 8GB of storage. Amazon and Google also offer 32GB models at £199, while the 16GB Nook HD costs £189. A 32GB version of the Nexus 7 is also available for £239. This might make the Nook HD appear to offer less value, but it's the only tablet here to accept microSDXC memory cards, enabling you to add an extra 64GB.
Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire HD vs Nook HD: Dimensions
Given that all three tablets have 7in screens, they're fairly evenly matched in terms of size and weight. The Nook HD is the thickest, but also the lightest, at 127x194x11mm and 315g. The Kindle Fire is the widest, the heaviest, and also the thinnest, at 137x193x10.3mm and 395g, and the Nexus 7 is the tallest, at 120x199x10.6mm and 336g.
Barnes & Noble Nook HD video review
Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire HD vs Nook HD: Screen
All three tablets have 7in in-plane switching (IPS) capacitive multitouch displays. The only difference is in their resolution, where the Nook HD takes the lead with 1440x900 pixels over the 1280x800 of the Kindle Fire HD and Google Nexus 7. This means it has a tighter-packed pixel pitch of 243ppi, versus the 216ppi panels of its two rivals.
Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire HD vs Nook HD: Processor
One area in which there are clear differences between the tablets is in processing power and the resulting performance. The Nexus 7 has the fastest hardware, with a 1.3GHz quad-core nVidia Tegra 3 chip and quad-core ULP GeForce graphics. The Amazon Kindle Fire HD has the slowest hardware, with a 1.2GHz dual-core TI Omap 4460 processor and dual-core PowerVR SGX540 graphics. The Nook HD sits in the middle, with a 1.3GHz dual-core TI Omap 4470 processor and dual-core PowerVR SGX544 graphics. Unsurprisingly, then, the Nexus 7 boasts by far the best overall performance, while the Fire HD is the slowest.
In Geekbench, in which a higher score is better, we measured 1,452 points for the Nexus 7, 1,199 for the Nook HD and 1,124 for the Amazon tablet.
This performance was mirrored in the GLBenchmark graphics test, in which a higher framerate is better. We recorded 20fps for the Nexus 7, 14fps for the Nook HD and 8fps for the Kindle Fire HD.
In web-browsing performance, measured using the SunSpider JavaScript test, in which a lower score is better, the Nook HD stole the show. Barnes & Noble's tablet completed the test in 1,248ms, while the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD trailed behind with 1,665ms and 1,783ms respectively.
Amazon Kindle Fire HD video review
Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire HD vs Nook HD: Storage
As we mentioned earlier, the Amazon Kindle Fire HD and Google Nexus 7 are available with larger storage capacities out of the box, offering 16- and 32GB against the Nook HD's 8- and 16GB. However, a microSDXC expansion slot means the Nook HD can hold the most content, potentially up to 80GB. You'll need to factor in the cost of a microSDXC card, of course.
Amazon's tablet offers 5GB of web space for your documents, photos and media, while the Nexus 7 has access to all manner of cloud-storage apps. The difference here is that you'll be able to access content stored in the cloud only when you have an active internet connection, which isn't so great on the road.
Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire HD vs Nook HD: Cameras
If a camera is important to you, don't buy the Nook HD - it has no camera at all. Meanwhile, the Kindle Fire HD's 1.3Mp webcam is rated ever so slightly higher than the Nexus 7's 1.2Mp snapper; both can record HD (720p) video.
Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire HD vs Nook HD: Connectivity
We love the Nook HD's microSDXC card, but its single-band 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0 and proprietary dock connector don't stand up to the competition here. Both the Amazon and Google charge over Micro USB, cater for the latest Bluetooth 4.0, and the Kindle Fire's wireless support is dual-band. The Nexus 7 also boasts GPS and NFC, and 3G connectivity is an option, while the Kindle Fire sports Micro HDMI. All three have a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Google Nexus 7 video review
Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire HD vs Nook HD: Software
All three tablets are Android-based, but whereas the Nexus 7 runs the very latest Android 4.2 Jelly Bean software, both Nook HD and Kindle Fire HD run heavily customised versions of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.
The Nexus 7 offers full access to Google Play, which means you can buy content from whoever you like, including Amazon, while the Fire HD offers access only to Amazon Appstore, and the Nook HD only to the Nook store.
The Nook store, in particular, is currently limited. Amazon's Appstore is better, if not up to Google's level, but the firm also owns Lovefilm, so those who hold a subscription to this service can also stream movies on the tablet.
Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire HD vs Nook HD: Battery
Google's tablet kept going for nine hours 40 mins in our tests, while the Kindle Fire HD's slightly larger-capacity battery (16.4Wh vs 16Wh) lasted a shorter seven hours 42 minutes. The Nook HD trailed the pack, able to endure five hours 25 minutes of our video-looping test.
Comments
Anthony Campbell said: The Nexus 7 is a great device but has a flawed screen design that breaks if you breathe on it too hard My 160 investment is now junk after about 5 months Many have lost theirs after a couple of weeks I would love to buy another Nexus but cant take the risk so Kindle Fire for me
Nikki said: I want to start off by saying that I love the Kindle fire however there is a problem with the charger connection The charger fits loosely into the device and after awhile my kindle will not charge at all Customer service with amazon has been great and they have sent me out a new kindle However I am now on my 4th kindle fire and the same problem happens every time I am now fed up and have decided to get a Nexus 7 The kindle meets all my needs but what good is it if after awhile I cant charge it I have spoken with others who have had this problem also
Guest said: so which one should i get nexus or kindle fire
Mike3775295 said: no Im in need of one first my asus tf 700 was hit by a car The back pack is not designed to withstand a direct hit I was told by the store manager But I still have the strap that came off at least that is safe
Thys Feenstra said: This would beeasierto understand and read if it was laid out a little betterI would suggest color-coding the information somehow yellow for kindle fire hd blue for nexus 7 green for nook hd
Benfield101 said: Theres another choice that for some reason is virtually ignored and really shouldnt be its got a fabulous 7 screen that is super smooth to use fantastic brightness that really can be seen easily in bright sunlight while still being easy to read At its lowest setting which makes it easy on the eyes in low light Its fast has no problem running multiple apps at the same time without struggling and great graphics for games and photostv or video viewing It has a 64GB hard drive HDMI and USB ports amazing sound that doesnt distort if you ramp it up excellent back front cameras for stills HD video The build quality is superb battery life is great The operating system and browser are in my and other owners opinion the best there is so secure it does not have or need any anti virus malware program After 14 months of use I can honestly say I have not had a single problem There are now more than enough apps for most people - quality not quantity Best of all it now costs less than the two tablets reviewed here IT IS THE BLACKBERRY PLAYBOOK Do consider this great little tablet better still try one If I lost mine I wouldnt think twice about getting another one rather than newer tablets from other makes If BB hadnt made some glaring omissions at launch now corrected Im certain Apple would not have the huge market share it gained early on No tablet is perfect including the iPad but the BB PlayBook comes just as close as the latter for most people in my humble but experienced opinion
illiterate with technology said: Good to know Thanks Use excel word for most part Wouldnt be creating most likely but would be nice to editadd to items sent to me and send back
illiterate with technology said: Thanks Id rather be illiterate with technology which actually Im notthan illiterate in common courtesy Being over 50 believe me friends and family in my age group consider me to be a total computer geek Sad but true And my parents family and friends their age consider me tech support lol
illiterate with technology said: Thank you for all your comments as well Nexus is packed to be returned I did some readingabout Pure Google Android andAndroid on its own I bought the Nexus 7 for what I thought would be best fit to what Im used to on droid phone Not a google fan but thats why I went google My nephew got the Kindle Fire for Christmas so I was able to play around with it a bit It seems that as you and others have said its better suited for my uses and has an hdmi and sound and a better picture to boot I appreciate everyones candid comments tonya
illiterate with technology said: Thank you I agree with most everything you mentioned My nephew got a Kindle Fire for Christmas so I was able to play around with it The Google Nexus is on its way back Actually Im NOT a google fan I bought the Google for best match to my phone regarding UI and learning curve Found Kindle to be more like my strictly Android phone versus the GoogleAndroid combo in Nexus Thanks
Lysjocksan said: In my experience the nexus support people dont actually know anything about the products theyre supposed to be supporting They have info sheets and if they read them quickly then theyll get the facts mixed up or just plain wrong lol Only the nexus 10 has hdmi The 7 just isnt compatible
Lysjocksan said: Im afraid there isnt a way to run IE on the kindle fire without rooting it I prefer chrome or firefox but can also run IE on my kindle if I choose to Rooting isnt too difficult and it isnt illegal though it will void your warranty You can also pay someone to root your kindle for you A friend of mine charges 20 to root ppls tablets so it shouldnt be any more than that There are a lot of guides online though on how to root the kindle fire hd As for processor speed I didnt really notice a difference but I didnt have my nexus for long The speed and response on the kindle fire hd is good and streaming movies and playing games is very smooth I use it for handwriting notes in class and I need immediate response because my professors move quickly and the kindle works well for that The speakers on the kindle fire are much MUCH better and I would not say that its slow Im a computer science student and tech geek I have 6 computers in my room which I often run all at the same time 3 more upstairs 4 laptops and 3 tablets P My kindle certainly hasnt affected my surfing speed but that is largely dependent on your provider and your modem
Lysjocksan said: I used Kingsoft Office on my kindle hd for a while but its really only good for editing MS docs Now I use QuickOffice Pro It was 15 but hey its cheaper than actually paying for MS Office lol You can create edit and import word powerpoint and excel docs I never tried to download either on my nexus Got rid of it too quickly P
Lysjocksan said: Definitely take it to have it checked out maybe the Geek Squad can help or exchange it It should work well out of the box so if it isnt then somethings wrong On the other hand Im a kindle fire hd advocate so I would advise jumping on my bandwagon hehe P
Lysjocksan said: Can you please specify which hd model you have Sounds like only the 89 has what you want When you use 4g on your phone its included with your service plan usually paid for on a monthly basis so you do have to pay for that service and kindle is partnered with ATampT on that front for a 50 plan I dont like ATampT and I already had net zero when I got my kindle so I use that and really like it I travel a lot and use net zero for my laptops via the usb device or hotspot device and my tablets via the hotspot device I think I paid 75 for the devices together and I usually pay 50 a month for their platinum plan but if I know itll be a slow month I just downgrade and pay maybe 20 I went to Europe for a month and didnt want to bring any of my tech so I just downgraded to their free plan for the month and let my 70 yr old neighbor use the 200mb Its great for study groups for me because my group can study in the park or something and everyone can just connect to my deviceI dont know of any tablets at all that still offer free 3g or 4g service Amazon used to but then stopped and their limited free 3g is factored into the cost of some of their products and services on their market- same with the nook Someone correct me if Im wrong but you always have to pay for 3g and 4g on tabletsanything actually For the tablets that did offer free 3g for a short time it just got too expensive for the company and they stoppedCant say anything about paying for extra software thoughI didnt need tounless you mean apps There are lots of free apps out that are super useful Ive found plenty of free apps that I like but sometimes I do pay for apps as welltheyre usually like 2 bucks For example my favorite handwritten note taking app was 150 and I use it every day multiple times a day and I use it to email all of the notes I take with it to various people in my classes and study groups Well worth it There are plenty of free apps that I could use for the purpose though- I just prefer this one Youll have to pay for apps with any tablet though unless you like some of the free ones and there are plenty and you will have to pay for mobile broadband as well If you ARE talking about 3g and 4g service and apps and please let me know if you werent then there just isnt a tablet on the market that will offer these things for free excluding the free apps I referred to If I misunderstood anything in your comment then please let me know but it sounds like youre not just unhappy with the kindle fire hd but with an alleged deficiency in tablets in general Maybe just stick with a smartphone Might I also suggest not typing in all caps It makes your comment more difficult for people to read
Lysjocksan said: Anyone you upset has issues Your comment was polite and thoroughly communicated your experience and opinion
Lysjocksan said: Wowasshat attitude totally uncalled for You just sold me on the kindle HD AGAIN and I already have one lol I had a nexus before I got my kindle and customer service SUCKED A lot I rooted my kindle and I now use it more than my asus transformer hdmi on kindle rox Speed clarity and wifi are better on the kindle The touch response on the nexus was worse as well as the response with my favorite stylus so taking handwritten notes in class was nearly impossible on the nexus but its what I use my kindle fire for the most And while youtube SHOULD be much easier to get going on the nexus its not It was doable yes but was much easier on the kindle though it doesnt matter to me anymore since Ive rooted Kindle fire is still better though
Lysjocksan said: No way Dont get a tablet if you just want to read I have a kindle touch that I really like It feels just like reading a book to me- I can really get lost in the story Great not having to struggle to turn a page too since I tend to read in very strange positions lol Whatever hand Im holding it with is fully equipped with a thumb that can very easily reach over and tap the screen for the next page I like it for my textbooks too I have 3 math classes the textbooks for which are all in pdf A couple professors dont like students using devices with wifi because students tend to use them to facebook and play games Since you cant do that with the kindle touch my professors dont mind me using it in class and I dont have to carry around a bunch of super heavy hardback books Also has text to voice used it a lot for my history text book and some class notes highlighting dictionary feature you can use by tapping on a word you dont know and selecting dictionary and a couple other neat features You can quickly access amazons store and download a bunch of their free ebooks directly to the kindle touch and buy amazon books if thats your thing Personally I prefer finding whatever book I want online on my laptop usually for free and then transferring it over to my kindle You may have to use calibre for that sometimes Calibre can take an ebook in any format and reformat it for any ereader
Mdyshams said: Outdated comments Did not compare the huge eBook stores for these
Andrys said: guest Im someone who signs my post under my real name I am also biased toward the Kindle Fire for the reasons I gave -- and the ties you to Amazon bit is an old saw If you have the ability and wherewithall to check a box on your Android-based device to allow installation of apps from unknown sources meaning non-Amazon in this case you are not tied to Amazon unless you dont know how to find the box that is a regular everyday Android feature