On Oct. 23, Apple unveiled its much-awaited iPad mini at an event in California. Earlier in July this year, Google launched its first tablet the Nexus 7, which has rivaled other 7-inch tablets in the market.

With the two tech giants presenting their 7-inch tablets, users may have a tough task in finding the better device. Here is a round-up of what the iPad mini and Nexus 7 offer to consumers.

Dimensions And Weight

The iPad mini measures 7.87 x 5.30 x 0.28 inches, making it taller and wider but thinner than the Nexus 7 which measures 7.81 x 4.72 x 0.41.

At 12 ounces, the Nexus 7 is heavier than the iPad mini which weighs 10.86 ounces. Apple claims that the iPad mini weighs similar to a paper pad.

Processor

Apple's custom-designed A5 processor powers the iPad mini. On the other hand, a 1.3GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processor powers the Nexus 7. Both the processors are powerful providing good performance and speed to the device. 

Display

The iPad mini sports a 7.9-inch LED-backlit Multi-Touch display with IPS technology with 1024 x 768 pixels resolution. On the other hand, the Nexus 7 features a smaller 7-inch Back-lit IPS display with 1280 x 800 pixels resolution. The Nexus 7 has a higher pixel density of 216 pixels per inch (ppi) when compared to the 163 ppi of the iPad mini.

Storage

The iPad mini is available in 16/32/64GB on-board storage versions, but with no option to expand. On the other hand, the Nexus 7 is available in only 8/16GB internal storage models, with no option to expand the memory either using a microSD card.

Camera

The iPad mini sports a 5-megapixel rear-facing iSight camera and a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera. The Nexus 7 does not offer a rear-facing camera and includes only an 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera  

Operating System

The iPad mini runs on the latest iOS 6. The Nexus 7 runs on the latest Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

Battery

The Google tablet has a 4325mAh Li-ion battery, which offers 9 hours of HD video playback, 10 hours of web-surfing or e-reading, and 300 hours of standby time. The iPad mini includes a 16.3 watt-hour battery, which Apple claims will provide 10 hours of continuous productivity.

Price, Availability, And Colors

Apple will commence pre-order of the iPad mini from Oct. 26 and the tablet will be shipped in November. Apple will offer the iPad mini with a starting price of $329. Google Nexus 7 has a starting price tag of $199 only.

The iPad mini will be available in black or white colors; whereas, the Nexus 7 is available only in black.

Both the Google Nexus 7 and Apple iPad mini pack impressive features which a user needs in a 7-inch tablet. However, with the iPad mini priced slightly higher, time will tell if the latest Apple offering can divert Nexus 7's customers.