When choosing a tablet, users often weigh the benefits of key brands, such as Google and Apple, known for their innovation and long-standing customer loyalty. In this review, we compare the Google Pixel Tablet with Apple’s iPad 7th Generation, examining factors like design, performance, display quality, software, battery life, and ecosystem integration. Both devices target users seeking versatility in tasks like web browsing, media consumption, and light productivity, but they differ in approach and overall experience. This detailed comparison will help potential buyers understand which of these tablets suits their specific needs best.
1. Design and Build Quality
Google Pixel Tablet
The Google Pixel Tablet brings a fresh approach to tablet design, showcasing a minimalist aesthetic that aligns with Google’s signature design language. With a focus on clean lines, soft edges, and an understated elegance, the Pixel Tablet looks and feels like a premium device. Its aluminum frame gives it a durable build, while the matte finish ensures it is comfortable to hold for extended periods. The front display features symmetrical bezels, which while not the slimmest, provide a practical grip area without detracting from the viewing experience.
A notable feature of the Pixel Tablet is its docking capability. It can transform into a smart home hub when connected to a magnetic charging dock, doubling as a Google Assistant-powered smart display. This makes the tablet not just a mobile device but a multifunctional gadget for both home and personal use. This integration of smart home control is a unique feature that enhances the overall utility of the device.
iPad 7th Generation
Released in 2019, the iPad 7th Generation represents Apple’s tried-and-true design, with a combination of aluminum build, rounded corners, and classic home button for Touch ID. The 10.2-inch screen is surrounded by thicker bezels compared to more recent iPad models, which may feel a bit dated in terms of modern tablet design. However, these bezels serve practical purposes, such as giving the user space to hold the device without touching the screen inadvertently.
At 483 grams, the iPad 7th Gen is lightweight and easy to carry around, making it ideal for students or professionals on the go. While not groundbreaking in terms of design, the iPad’s build quality is sturdy and refined, maintaining Apple’s reputation for creating durable devices. The aluminum back and glass front also ensure a premium feel.
Winner: Google Pixel Tablet
While both tablets have solid build quality, the Google Pixel Tablet takes the edge due to its dual functionality as a smart home hub and sleek, modern design.
2. Display Quality
Google Pixel Tablet
The Pixel Tablet features a 10.95-inch LCD display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600, giving it a pixel density of approximately 276 PPI (pixels per inch). The high-resolution display results in sharp images, vibrant colors, and excellent detail, making it ideal for watching videos, browsing the web, or engaging in light gaming. Google has optimized the display for balanced brightness levels and decent contrast, providing a solid viewing experience both indoors and outdoors. However, it lacks the OLED technology seen in high-end tablets, which limits its ability to produce deep blacks and richer contrasts.
iPad 7th Generation
The iPad 7th Generation is equipped with a 10.2-inch Retina display, offering a resolution of 2160 x 1620 at 264 PPI. Though slightly lower in pixel density than the Pixel Tablet, the iPad’s Retina display is renowned for its color accuracy and sharpness. Apple’s True Tone technology adjusts the color temperature based on the surrounding environment, providing a more comfortable viewing experience in varying lighting conditions. While the display quality is good, it is not laminated, meaning there is a noticeable gap between the glass and the actual display, which affects the overall touch responsiveness and can lead to light reflections in bright environments.
Winner: Google Pixel Tablet
The Pixel Tablet edges ahead in terms of resolution and display quality, offering sharper visuals, though the iPad 7th Gen still provides excellent color reproduction and reliability.
3. Performance
Google Pixel Tablet
The Google Pixel Tablet is powered by the Google Tensor G2 chip, which is also found in the Pixel 7 series of smartphones. This powerful custom processor is designed to handle a wide range of tasks efficiently, from gaming and media consumption to productivity apps. With 8GB of RAM, the Pixel Tablet offers smooth multitasking and can handle several apps running simultaneously without significant slowdowns. The integration of Google’s AI-driven software optimizations helps enhance performance in areas such as image processing, voice recognition, and battery efficiency.
In benchmarks, the Google Pixel Tablet performs admirably, especially in AI-driven tasks like Google Assistant and smart home controls. The Tensor chip’s machine learning capabilities make it unique in its ability to predict user behavior and adjust performance accordingly. While not as powerful as Apple’s A-series chips, it offers a strong overall performance for its price range.
iPad 7th Generation
The iPad 7th Gen is equipped with the A10 Fusion chip, which was introduced in 2016 with the iPhone 7. While this processor is somewhat dated compared to more recent Apple silicon, it is still capable of handling everyday tasks like browsing, streaming, and light gaming. The device comes with 3GB of RAM, which is sufficient for running apps smoothly, but multitasking with more demanding applications may show its age, especially when compared to newer iPad models.
Despite the older processor, the iPad 7th Gen runs iPadOS efficiently, benefiting from Apple’s tight integration between hardware and software. However, in more demanding tasks, such as gaming or video editing, the limitations of the A10 Fusion chip become more apparent, leading to occasional slowdowns.
Winner: Google Pixel Tablet
Thanks to the newer and more advanced Tensor G2 chip, the Google Pixel Tablet outperforms the iPad 7th Gen in terms of speed, AI-driven enhancements, and multitasking capability.
4. Software and Ecosystem Integration
Google Pixel Tablet
The Google Pixel Tablet runs on Android 13, offering users access to a wide array of apps from the Google Play Store. One of the key strengths of Android is its customization options, allowing users to tailor the experience to their preferences. The tablet also integrates seamlessly with the Google ecosystem, making it a perfect companion for users who rely heavily on services like Google Drive, Google Photos, Gmail, and Google Assistant.
Another standout feature is the Pixel Tablet’s ability to double as a smart display when docked. In this mode, it becomes a hub for smart home control, music playback, and video calls, powered by Google’s AI and voice recognition technology. For users invested in Google’s ecosystem, this added functionality is a significant advantage.
iPad 7th Generation
The iPad 7th Gen runs on iPadOS, Apple’s tablet-optimized operating system. Over the years, iPadOS has evolved to offer features that make the iPad more productive, such as Split View, Slide Over, and Apple Pencil support. Although this particular iPad model supports the first-generation Apple Pencil, it is not as feature-rich as later models that work with the second-generation Pencil or have more advanced multitasking features.
Apple’s ecosystem integration is one of its strongest selling points. The iPad 7th Gen works seamlessly with other Apple devices like the iPhone, Mac, and Apple Watch, allowing users to switch between devices with ease. iCloud provides a centralized platform for file storage and syncing across devices, which is particularly useful for users already entrenched in the Apple ecosystem. However, iPadOS, while user-friendly, offers less customization than Android.
Winner: Tie
This category largely depends on whether the user prefers Google or Apple’s ecosystem. The Google Pixel Tablet shines with its smart home integration and customization options, while the iPad 7th Gen offers unparalleled synergy with other Apple devices.
5. Camera Quality
Google Pixel Tablet
The Google Pixel Tablet features an 8MP rear camera and an 8MP front camera. While these specifications aren’t groundbreaking, the cameras benefit from Google’s AI-powered image processing, which can enhance photo quality, especially in well-lit environments. The front camera is particularly optimized for video calls, ensuring clarity and balance in lighting. However, like most tablets, photography is not the primary focus, and the results are average at best compared to smartphone cameras.
iPad 7th Generation
The iPad 7th Gen is equipped with an 8MP rear camera and a 1.2MP front camera. The rear camera performs adequately for casual photos and scanning documents, but it lacks advanced features found in newer iPads. The 1.2MP front camera, however, is one of the more dated aspects of this tablet, leading to grainy video quality in FaceTime calls or video conferences, especially in low light.
Winner: Google Pixel Tablet
Both tablets feature 8MP rear cameras, but the Google Pixel Tablet takes the win here due to better front-facing camera quality and Google’s superior AI image processing.
6. Battery Life
Google Pixel Tablet
Google promises around 12 hours of battery life on the Pixel Tablet, depending on usage. This includes activities like video streaming, web browsing, and light productivity tasks. In real-world usage, the Pixel Tablet tends to live up to this claim, although more resource-intensive activities like gaming or extensive multitasking may reduce this figure slightly. The tablet charges via USB-C, offering fast-charging capabilities when docked or plugged in.
iPad 7th Generation
Apple’s iPad 7th Gen offers a similar battery life of around 10 hours for web surfing, watching videos, or using apps. The longevity of the battery is quite impressive, given the older hardware, and it remains a reliable device for day-to-day activities without frequent recharges. Charging is done through the Lightning port, and while it does not support fast charging to the same extent as newer models, it is sufficient for most users’ needs.
Winner: Google Pixel Tablet
The Pixel Tablet edges ahead with a slightly longer battery life and more modern charging options via USB-C, which is more convenient for most users today.
7. Price and Value
Google Pixel Tablet
The Google Pixel Tablet is positioned as a mid-range tablet, offering solid value for its price, especially considering its modern hardware, dual functionality as a smart display, and smart home integration. It targets users who want a versatile device that can function both as a traditional tablet and a home hub.
iPad 7th Generation
The iPad 7th Gen was priced affordably when it launched, making it a popular choice for students and budget-conscious users. However, with the release of newer iPads, its value proposition has diminished somewhat, especially when considering the dated hardware. That said, it remains a solid option for those looking for a reliable tablet at a lower price, particularly in the second-hand or refurbished market.
Winner: Google Pixel Tablet
While the iPad 7th Gen offers good value in its price range, the Google Pixel Tablet provides a better balance of modern features and functionality for a competitive price.
Conclusion
In this head-to-head comparison, the Google Pixel Tablet emerges as the overall winner, offering a more modern design, superior performance with the Tensor G2 chip, better front-facing camera quality, and enhanced smart home integration. It excels in terms of versatility, making it ideal for users who want a tablet that can double as a home hub and a personal device.
The iPad 7th Generation still holds its ground as a reliable, budget-friendly option, especially for users already invested in the Apple ecosystem. However, its older hardware and dated design place it at a disadvantage compared to the more feature-rich Google Pixel Tablet.
Both tablets cater to different audiences, so the final decision will depend on your specific needs and ecosystem preferences. If you’re looking for modern features, customization, and smart home functionality, the Google Pixel Tablet is the better choice. If you prioritize iOS, simplicity, and value, the iPad 7th Gen remains a solid contender.
