The much-rumored HTC Nexus 9 tablet officially breaks cover, ready to replace both the Nexus 7 and the Nexus 10 in a single swoop.

The HTC Nexus 9 comes as the first Nexus device from HTC since the two companies collaborated on the original Nexus One, and also marks HTC's return to the tablet market after a notable absence.

The tablet leaked extensively ahead of its official launch and previous rumors suggested that it would boast the sleek unibody design of the HTC One family, but in a tablet form. The HTC Nexus 9, however, looks more similar to the Nexus 5 and the Nexus 7, sporting a matte soft plastic and a vertical Nexus logo on its rear. It does, however, feature a metallic edge that gives it a more stylish look and feel. This metallic edge is silver on the white and sand-colored versions, and matte black on the black one, for a more elegant touch.

In terms of hardware, the Nexus 9 joins the 64-bit processing party and comes with high-end specs and features all around. First of all, the tablet boasts an 8.9-inch display with a resolution of 2048 x 1536, with an aspect ratio of 4:3. Under the hood, the slate packs a 64-bit Tegra K1 beast clocked at 2.3GHz, paired with 2GB of RAM and 192-core Kepler graphics.

Other specs include 16GB or 32GB of internal storage capacity, an 8-megapixel rear camera with an f/2.4 lens, a 1.6-megapixel front shooter, optional LTE, NFC, and the latest Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box.

The Nexus 9 will launch as the very first Android tablet to ship with Lollipop and be optimized for 64-bit on both the software and the hardware level, which should result in an impressive performance.

Android 5.0 Lollipop highlights include 64-bit support, Google's new Material Design interface, notification improvements within the user interface (UI), enhanced security and business features, improved battery optimization, as well as some more minor tweaks such as searchable settings and revised quick settings.

The Nexus 9 also comes with an optional Keyboard Folio accessory, which attaches via magnets and pairs via NFC. The keyboard also comes with its own battery, which will last for roughly five months on a charge.

The new Google Nexus 9 from HTC will go up for pre-order on Oct. 17 and will be available in three color options: Lunar White, Indigo Black, and Sand. The Wi-Fi-only variants will come in 16GB and 32GB for $399 and $479, respectively, while the 32GB LTE model will retail for $599. The tablet will reportedly start shipping on Nov. 3.

For more details regarding the new HTC Nexus 9, check out the product page at this link and watch the video below.