Google Nexus 7 is a superb low-priced tablet

Thinking of buying a smaller tablet soon? Don't buy until you take a look at Google's new 7-inch tablet, the Google Nexus 7, which is scheduled to ship this month. Judging by our preliminary results, this is one of the best small tablets we've ever tested.

Based on evaluation on a press sample of this newcomer, we found that it improves in almost every respect upon the performance of others in this class, including the Amazon Kindle Fire and Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet—which, like the Nexus 7, are priced at $200.

Here are the pluses to Google's first tablet, based on our preliminary tests:

• With a speedy Quad-core processor, the Nexus 7's display is very responsive when you're typing on the screen—and notably better than those on the Amazon and Barnes & Noble tablets.
• Its display suffered from noticeably less glare than those of other 7-inch tablets in bright light with the tablet's own brightness set to maximum, a plus for outdoor reading.
• At 0.7 pounds, it's almost 20 percent lighter than either the Kindle Fire or the Nook Tablet.
• It ships with Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), a new version of the operating system that's superior to OSes that other Android tablets ship with.
• You can customize the Nexus 7's user interface in many ways. The Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet have proprietary user interfaces that can't be customized much.
• We haven't fully tested the Nexus 7's battery life, but preliminary tests suggest it's at or close to Google's claim of 10 hours when Web browsing. If true, that's far longer than the roughly 6.3 hours that both the Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet ran in our tests.
• It has access to all the apps in the Google Play store. The Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet have access to a much more limited set of apps. For example, you can't download Amazon's Kindle app to the Nook Tablet, or B &N's Nook app to the Kindle Fire. Both apps are available on the Nexus 7 (along with other e-reading apps, including its own Google Play Books).

We noted several advantages when comparing the Nexus 7 with the Kindle Fire in particular:

• The Nexus 7's tapered case is easier to grasp with one hand than the square-edged Kindle Fire.
• Its power button is nowhere near the USB/power outlet, minimizing the likelihood of accidentally turning the unit off when plugging or unplugging it.
• When we read a book while holding it in portrait orientation, the Nexus 7 seemed less likely than the Kindle Fire to react to a stray touch either by displaying a dictionary definition of the word we happened to touch or by turning the page.
• The Nexus 7 comes in a 16GB version, which costs $249, a price well worth paying if you watch lots of video or often need to access content when Wi-Fi isn't available. The Kindle Fire is available only with 8GB of storage.

That said, the Nexus 7 isn't flawless. Here are some shortcomings:

• Like the Kindle Fire its two main competitors , the Nexus 7 lacks a memory card slot and a rear camera. (Unlike its two main competitors, though, it does have a front webcam.) [Corrected.]
• Adobe says the Nexus 7 will not support Flash for the version of Android the Nexus uses. But Google says that downloading the generic browser in the Google Play store will allow Flash access. (That browser was not present on our press sample, but we successfully downloaded the Flash app to the device and were able to play Flash videos via the Chrome browser.)
• The Nexus 7 works only in portrait mode on its home screen, which can be annoying if you want to switch from one landscape app, such as a Web browser, to another, such as a video player, and you have to locate the icon.

Bottom line: The Nexus 7 offers enough performance and design advantages to present a serious challenge not only to the Kindle Fire at the $200 price point but also to the pricier 7-inch tablets from Samsung and others. Check our tablet Ratings for a full assessment of the Nexus 7 shortly after it begins to ship.

—Jeffrey Fox