Terrific screen, powerful processor, sturdy build, expandable memory, good battery life
Not the cheapest, no network connectivity
LG's last tablet was the unloved Optimus Pad way back in 2011, but the all-new G Pad has a lot more going for it, including a blinder of a screen, tough build quality and a rip-roaring quad-core processor. But can it outstrip Google's Nexus 7?
Design
With its metallic rear and hard plastic surround, the G Pad feels sturdy and looks pretty classy too. It's a little on the heavy side at 338g (around the same as the iPad mini, though it's a shade thicker), but you get the feeling it'll still be going strong even after a few moderate drops.
The 8.3-inch screen sits within a narrow bezel and offers a more than full HD resolution of 1,920x1,200 pixels, which amounts to 273ppi -- same as the Nexus 7. It looks terrific actually, with bold, vibrant colours and good viewing angles which make it ideal for sharing. Movies look great and so do busy web pages, though since there's no network connectivity option, you're stuck with Wi-Fi for your internet access.
Android and processor
It's running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, so not the very latest 4.4 KitKat but not too far behind. LG has put its own user interface on top but aside from a different skim on the icons and a neat little animation when you slide between screens, you won't notice much difference. LG apps include QPair, which lets you connect to your phone via Bluetooth and displays incoming calls and texts. QSlide lets you to slide up to three apps to the left while keeping them open, so they appear as stacked pages. Handy stuff, but nothing really essential.
The 1.7GHz quad-core processor is backed by a full 2GB Ram and it's a pretty powerful beast. Our AnTuTu benchmark scored clocked it at 23,029, comfortably behind high-enders like Samsung's Galaxy Note 3 but ahead of its main rival in this bracket, the Google Nexus 7.
Photography
The five-megapixel camera is decent enough but not outstanding.
There's no flash but there is autofocus and a BSI sensor for better low-light pics. Picture quality is generally okay, though there did seem to be a bit too much noise in lower light images, despite the BSI sensor. There's also a 1.3-megapixel camera on the front which does the job for video calls.
There's 16GB of memory on board, which is so-so, but you can add a further 64GB by microSD card if you feel the need.
The good-sized 4600mAh battery put in a decent performance and we got comfortably more than a day's use out of it.
Conclusion
At around £250 it's certainly not expensive, but then again, it's a good £50 more expensive than the Nexus 7, which is still a tough act to follow. Still, for the extra you get a slightly more powerful processor, a bigger screen and classier bodywork, plus the ability to expand the memory via microSD -- all good stuff which will make the extra expense worth it for some.
Software: Android 4.3 Jelly Bean
Processor: Quad-core 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600
Memory slot: Yes
Display: 8.3 inch IPS LCD, 1920x1200 pixels, 273 ppi
Connectivity: Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
Ports: microUSB, 3.5mm headphone jack
Camera: 5 megapixel with autofocus, BSI sensor; 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera
Video playback: MP4, DivX/XviD, H.264, H.263
Audio playback: MP3, WAV, eAAC+
Radio: No
Battery: 4600mAh
Size: 217x127x8mm
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
