Hands on review
- The Google Nexus 10 arrived with us on Thursday, so we're taking a few days to properly get to grips with the tablet, so we can bring you the most comprehensive and detailed review on the web.
After the roaring success of the Nexus 7 budget tablet the Google Nexus 10 is dropped into the reasonably-priced tablet war, with its eyes set on stealing sales from the steeply priced new iPad 4.
The Google Nexus 10 release date is set for November 13 in the UK and the US, and the Samsung-made Nexus 10 tablet will set you back £319 ($399) for the 16GB model, while the 32GB version costs £389 ($499); significantly cheaper than Apple's iPad.
The Nexus 10 is Wi-Fi only, with currently no signs of a 3G or LTE enabled version on the horizon, although we're not completely ruling it out after Google announced a 3G version of the Nexus 7 at the end of October.
As Samsung is the firm behind the Nexus 10, the 10-inch tablet sports a slightly different design to the Asus made Nexus 7, with a more rounded device reflecting the style of the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and Galaxy Note 10.1.
The rather garish speakers found on the previous two Samsung tablets have been elongated to span the whole width of the Nexus 10 either side of the screen, but the grill is now the same colour as the case, meaning they are a lot less intrusive.
The 10.1-inch Super PLS TFT display on the Google Nexus 10 offers up an HD resolution of 2560x1600, with a 299ppi pixel density â€" which is better than the iPad 4's Retina display.
There's also a 1.9MP front facing camera above the screen, allowing you to have video chats using apps such as Skype.
The rear plastic chassis has a soft-touch feel, with the rubberised effect providing additional grip in the hand, and wrapping round to the front of the tablet for a smooth, seamless finish.
Up top you'll find the power/lock and volume rocker switches, which are easy enough to hit when it comes to 10-inch tablets, while on the left side there's microUSB and 3.5mm ports.
On the right there's a microHDMI connection, allowing you to link up the Google Nexus 10 to an HD monitor or TV, although a cable is not supplied in the box, and on the base is a magnetic charging port which will come into play when docking the tablet into accessories.
Weighing in at 603g the Nexus 10 is pretty average in the heft stakes, and while two handed holding is no problem, one handed usage is mostly out of the question.
The screen itself is excellent, the high pixel count coupled with a good brightness levels leads to a pleasing experience and the Nexus 10 happily responded to our gestures without fuss.
The 1.7GHz dual-core processor and 2GB of RAM means Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, the latest version of Google's mobile platform, runs smoothly on the Nexus 10 and we were able to glide around effortlessly.
As well as the front facing snapper, Samsung has also stuck a 5MP lens and LED flash on the rear of the Google Nexus 10, something the Nexus 7 doesn't feature.
On the back the camera is housed in a large oval of dotted rubber, which is similar to the finish found on the back of the Nexus 7, and while it's not particularly necessary, it does break up the expanse of black plastic.
We're still not fans of using a 10-inch tablet as a camera, but at least the option is there for those of you who feel the need to look awkward in public.
Early Verdict
Google is determined to win in the tablet market, with its reasonably priced tablets boasting impressive specifications looking to lure customers away from Apple.
The Nexus 10 appears at first look to be a decent tablet, especially when you consider that it easily matches the iPad in terms of power and display, while also being cheaper.
We're feeling positive about this larger slate from the search giant, but we'll reserve proper judgement for our Google Nexus 10 review, which will be online soon.
Hands on gallery
Official photography
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