Not content with their already impressive smartphone outings in the forms of both the G2 and Nexus 5, LG wants to make it a hat trick with the newest member of the Android lineup. Their latest foray into the tablet space is the G Pad is here in our hands at the Gadgets HQ. We’re rushing a lab for you kids, and we’ll have a nice, quick video review up as well, but for now, here’a a quick teaser.
One of the first things you’ll notice with this tablet is just how thin and light it is. It measures in at a very svelte third of an inch thick and tips the scales at a measly 338 grams, far lighter that what one would expect from a tablet with a very generous 8.3-inch screen.
I have always, always said that a screen hovering somewhere around the 7-8 inch mark is the perfect size for you to carry around and use a lot, and this is the refinement of that, giving you an even bigger screen with inexplicably low weight. The display, with a resolution of 273ppi is gorgeous, bright, perfectly readable outdoors, and very nicely responsive.
The device comes with Android 4.2.2 JellyBean, which is a bit of a bummer, but as it is at the top of the totem pole in LG’s tablet lineup, I’m quite hopeful we should see an update very soon. It packs 16GB of internal memory, 2GB of RAM and a 1.7 GHz, quad-core Krait processor, plus Adreno 320 graphics which should be more than plenty to handle your favorite apps.
The back panel, which is a nice, brushed metal, is home to the two speakers, as well as the primary 5-MP main camera. And have i mentioned just how thin and light it is?
The G Pad is a Wi-Fi-only device, which isn’t really a deal-breaker, as it is more than likely going to tether off of your data plan and mobile phone anyway. This is a great way to keep weight and size down, and not really something I miss.
As I mentioned at the top, stay tuned fora video review, as well as a full-on lab on this device in the coming issue of Gadgets!