Asus’ latest tablet, the Google Nexus 7 is now available locally (full review here). The 7” tablet is at present available in the larger 16 GB version at just below the R3000 mark.

 

The Nexus 7, which is the first tablet in Google’s Nexus line of devices, marks a joint development between Google and Asus, while the tablet also has the distinction of being the “world’s first 7” quad-core tablet”.

 

While Asus contributed its “design thinking” philosophy to the hardware construction of the device, on the software front, the innards are no less impressive than the hardware. Complementing the aforementioned Tegra 3 quad-core processor, Google chose to pack the Nexus 7 with the latest version of its Android OS, Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean).

 

 

Additionally, the Nexus 7 further became the beneficiary of Google’s Project Butter, which was aimed at smoothing out Android’s rough edges and offering up the most responsive version of the OS to date. According to Asus, this results in the companies delivering “the ultimate portable computing experience at an irresistible price.”

 

The company elaborated that the tablet’s 1280 x 800 high-resolution display offers more than one million pixels, while its IPS panel “ensures text is sharper, HD video is more vivid and gameplay is smooth and dynamic.” Additionally, the screen is duly protected under scratch-resistant Corning glass.

 

Along with the Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor (1.2 GHz) and 1 GB of memory, the Nexus 7 includes a gyroscope, accelerometer and NFC (Near Field Communication) alongside its 10-finger multi-touch screen. 

 

In our recent review of the device, the Nexus 7 proved that its praise was more than hype or hyperbole. At 10.5 mm thin and 340 g light, the device proved to be a pleasure to hold, while battery life lasted an impressive 10 hours for e-reading and web-browsing, and 8 hours for video. Most importantly, the tablet’s speedy and fluid performance impressed us no end.

 

 

While the tablet may be considered a budget Android device, given its sub-R3000 price tag, it certainly does not feel cheap, neither in ones hand, nor in its performance.  

 

As the tablet does not cater for expandable storage via a microSD slot, Asus’ decision to launch the larger 16 GB variant locally, rather than just the smaller 8 GB version, is certainly a wise move, that is added to a welcome announcement.