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Google Nexus 7 (2013)
Google has had the smaller Android tablet market sewn up for a long time now, perhaps that's why we're still awaiting a new Nexus 7, or possibly a Nexus 9.
The Nexus 7 (2013) has been on the market for well over a year. Despite a tidal wave of budget competitors and a serious challenge from Amazon, ask any tech writer "what's the best small Android tablet?" and they'll still tell you to buy the Nexus 7.
Tesco's Hudl 2 is serious competition. It has a larger screen, stereo speakers, and it is significantly cheaper. Given the option between a £99 Hudl 2 right now and a Nexus 7 from Google at £199 I would definitely advise you to buy the Hudl 2. If you want something for the whole family to use around the house then the Nexus 7 is not worth the extra cash.
The two tablets have exactly the same 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution. Look at them side by side, and because the Nexus 7 is smaller, it looks a bit sharper. Its screen is also a bit more vibrant, and if you angle yourself to the side it has slightly better viewing angles, but it's not enough to make a major difference, the Hudl 2 screen still looks great.
Get rid of the My Tesco launcher and you've essentially got a stock Android tablet with newer hardware and an 8.3-inch screen at a lower price. The biggest compromise you have to make with the Hudl 2 is battery life.
Amazon Kindle Fire HDX
The basic Kindle Fire HDX is now £149 and it has a smaller 7-inch display with the same 1920 x 1200 resolution. The processor is clocked at 2.2GHz compared to 1.83GHz for the Hudl 2. The Kindle Fire HDX also has better battery life.
Both are aimed at the family market. The Kindle Fire HDX has a range of user-friendly features like Mayday for instant technical help and easy screen mirroring.
The big difference is that the Kindle Fire HDX locks you into Amazon's eco-system. You don't get Google's great range of apps and services. You don't get full access to the Play Store. Not only is there a smaller subset of apps available in the Amazon App Store, but some of them are older versions.
Amazon provides its own set of apps, but they aren't as good. The Hudl 2 is more attractive because Tesco doesn't lock you down at all. The Hudl 2 also had a price advantage.
iPad mini 2
At the premium end of the small tablet market we have Apple's offering. The iPad mini 2 with Retina display starts at £239. It's not really fair to compare the Hudl 2 at £99. As you would expect, the iPad mini 2 is faster, slicker, and all-round better, but at well over double the price it had better be.
It has a 7.9-inch display at 2048 x 1536 pixels. It also has 16GB of storage, a 5MP main camera and a 1.2MP front-facing camera. I'm not going to argue the merits of Android vs iOS here, but on paper Apple's diminutive tablet does not look particularly special next to the Hudl 2's specs. In reality Apple optimizes its hardware and software to run harmoniously together and gets real world results that exceed expectations for the specs.
A fairer comparison might be the original iPad mini, but you're still looking at paying £249. If you're invested in the Apple eco-system and addicted to that premium design maybe you'll see that added value, but is it £140 better than the Hudl 2?
