LG G Pad 8.3 review

The 8-inch tablet sector is still in its infancy as it looks to bridge the gap between the super premium 10-inch slates and the bargain basement 7-inch contenders at either end of the market.

It does at least now have a group of strong competitors with the LG G Pad 8.3 joining the iPad mini and Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 - with the iPad mini 2 waiting in the wings.

The G Pad 8.3 is a tidy tablet, but while the iPad mini wowed us when it arrived last year, we were never stunned, surprised or left wide eyed and open jawed at anything LG's tablet did.

We liked

The G Pad 8.3 offers a well rounded package combining stylish design and a fluid user interface which makes using the tablet a joy.

What really makes the G Pad 8.3 stand out from the Galaxy Note 8.0 and iPad mini is its full HD display, delivering crisp, bright images - perfect for movies and gaming.

There's enough power to deal with multi-tasking and the QSlide applications which you can pop up on screen are handy - especially the video player.

We disliked

As we've mentioned, while the G Pad is a decent all round tablet, it doesn't really amaze. LG's rather childish UI on top of Android detracts from what should be a relatively premium experience, creating a disconnect between the onscreen action and the lovely chassis.

Battery life is rather disappointing and when compared to the iPad mini the G Pad 8.3 simply can't compete. You'll be lucky to see out a full day with this tablet, so keep a charger close by at all times.

The rear facing camera is a bit of a let down, and while we don't expect fully fledged snappers on the back of tablets it's surely worth making them at least half decent. The camera app itself is surprisingly well equipped, it just a shame the camera can't keep up its side of the bargain.

Verdict

Would we recommend the LG G Pad 8.3? Yes. It's a great tablet which offers a wide array of features and a beautiful screen at a price which pips Apple's latest offering.

If you're in the market for a smaller sized tablet then the Google Nexus 7 is still the pick of the bunch, but if you fancy a little more screen and can stretch your budget a little further the G Pad 8.3 is a solid shout.

The LG Pad 8.3 is one of the best tablets in the 8-inch sector, but with the iPad mini 2 soon to be released there will be some serious competition to contend with.