LG G Pad 8.3 Google Play edition

By Alex Angove

Last updated 11 December 2013

LG just launched a Google Play edition of the G Pad 8.3, making it the first OEM-branded tablet to offer a Google Edition (GE) model. It comes rocking Android 4.4 and is on sale from the Google Play Store for $349.99.

The biggest appeal of a Nexus device is always how up-to-date its version of Android is. The LG G Pad 8.3 GE comes running Android 4.4 out of the box, while the original G-Pad is still only on 4.2.2. Running Vanilla Android means that you’ll see the newest versions of Android before other devices. Your Android device keeps getting better, while others stagnate and age.

HTC and Samsung have already released Google Edition smartphones with moderate success, but we think it may actually be more popular with the tablet market.

Nexus tablets boast a larger market share of their market than do Nexus smartphones. This is in part thanks to their aforementioned updates, their generally low price, and because many users really do prefer the pure Google Android experience.

Almost all third party Android tablets have problems with responsiveness and fluid scrolling. Ditching the heavy proprietary UI and running the minimalistic default Google interface is an easy way for manufacturers to release affordable tablets that actually run smoothly.

Under the hood

LG keeps things simple here, using the same hardware found in the original. It has a Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor clocked at 1.7GHz with 2GB of RAM. That makes it the equivalent of the HTC One and One Max in terms of raw power.

Its 8.3 inch IPS display has a resolution of 1920 x 1200 (just above 1080p). That makes for 273 pixels per inch (ppi), which is just above the 264ppi of a full-sized iPad Retina Display.

It’s all packed in to a fairly slim case with an 8.3mm profile and weight of just 338g. The battery is 4600mAh, which should give you a pretty standard amount of usage time.

Other specs:

16GB on-board storage
MicroSD slot for expandable storage
5MP rear camera
1.3MP front camera
WiFi a/b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0

Sony wants in on the fun

Not to be outdone, Sony has gone and announced its Xperia Z Ultra will join the Google Play team for $649 in the US, also running Android 4.4. The Z Ultra is more of a giant phablet than a full tablet, weighing in with a 6.4-inch 1080p screen.

The Z-Ultra is a bit of an interesting device. It’s powerful, with a 2.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor that equals the Note 3, LG G2 and Google Nexus 5. Despite its large screen and dimensions, it’s just 6.5mm thick and weighs 212 grams. It’s also waterproof and dust resistant.