Nexus 10 review

Google's Nexus 10 tablet is here. Find out if the iPad beating resolution and next generation Exynos processor is suitable for business use.

IT Pro Verdict

Without a doubt a class leader, the Google Nexus 10 is the first non-Windows tablet that can feasibly be bought with multiple users in mind. Add to that its stunning display, solid performance and ergonomic design and this affirms the fact that Google are doing something very right here. While battery life and app selection aren’t on-par as the iPad, this doesn’t take away from the fact that the Nexus 10 is a landmark business tablet and a pleasure to use.

ITPRO Recommended award

Made by Samsung, the Nexus 10 is a solid effort. The screen betters the iPad's Retina Display (264ppi)with a ppi of 300. Naturally, it renders incredible text/images and optimised movies look totally pixel-free. Colours could be slightly punchier when side-by-side with the iPad, though in isolation this isn't too noticeable.

Made of plastic, the Google Nexus 10 might not have the same stark, cold appeal of its main rivals, Apple's iPad and Asus's Transformer Pad Infinity. In the same breath, shipping in a demure black and sporting a rich matte tactility, it would be far from embarrassing to pull out in a meeting. In fact, the build and grippy finish mean it's one of the few 10in tablets around that can comfortably be used one handed.

Business use: Hardware

The Google Nexus 10 is an incredible presentation delivery tool. Combining ease of handling, a stunning display and front facing speakers, whether you're presenting audio, video or stills, the Nexus 10 will set you up to impress. With Android's versatility, it can also power its way through a range of video codecs and file-formats with no converting needed, saving time and energy.

Google Nexus 10

The 2-megapixel front facing camera is also capable of high definition video. This makes the tablet well suited to HD Skype meetings or Google hangouts. With its 5-megapixel rear camera, decent quality images can be captured, as well as 360 Photo Sphere panoramas, ideal for capturing the entirety of a space, be it an office or venue.

Both the presentation and video conferencing capabilities mentioned can easily take full advantage the one of the Nexus 10's most useful of features - its micro HDMI port. With a microHDMI to HDMI cable (10-15), plugging the Nexus 10 into an HDTV mirrors on-screen content of the tablet across screens, outputting to full HD resolution. With the Apple iPad HDMI converter costing 39 and another 10 or so for the HDMI cable, Google's offering is significantly more cost-effective and easier to set up.

The Google Nexus 10 isn't expandable, though ships in either a 16GB version for 319, or a 32GB version for 389. Lending itself to high-definition content and high-end gaming, we would be inclined to suggest the larger capacity 32GB version, especially considering the 32GB Nexus 10 still costs less than the 16GB iPad. With a micro USB port, the tab can also be used as a mass storage device, taking full advantage of the memory on board.