Skip to main content

Sony Xperia Tablet Z vs iPad vs Nexus 10: Spec showdown

Still looking for that perfect 10-inch tablet? Sony would like to toss its hat in the ring for your attention – and money. The tech giant took to the Mobile World Congress 2013 stage today and announced the Sony Xperia Tablet Z would be making its way to the United States later this year. It will carry the price tag of a premium device and the specs of one, too, so we thought it best to stack it up against the top competition in the tablet market. We’ll see just how well the Xperia Tablet Z lines up against its opponents in a spec showdown with the iPad and Nexus 10.

 

iPad (4th Gen.)

ipad  4
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Nexus 10

nexus10
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Xperia Tablet Z 

Xperia_Tablet_Z

Size 241.2 x 185.7 x 9.4 (mm) 263.9 x 177.6 x 8.9 (mm) 266 x 172 x 6.9 (mm)
Weight 662g 603g 495g
Screen 9.7-inch LCD 10.1-inch LCD 10.1-inch LCD
Resolution 2048 x 1536 pixels 2560 x 1600 pixels 1920 x 1200 pixels
OS iOS 6 Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean
Storage 16/32/64GB 16/32GB 16/32GB
SD Card Slot No No Yes
Processor Dual-core A6X Dual-core A15 Quad-core Snapdragon S4
RAM 1GB 2GB 2GB
Connectivity Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, HSPA+ Wi-Fi Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, HSPA+
Camera Front 1.2MP, Rear 5MP Front 1.9MP, Rear 5MP Front 2MP, Rear 8MP
Bluetooth Yes, version 4.0 Yes, version 3.0 Yes, version 3.0
Battery 11,560mAh 9,000mAh 6,000mAh
Charger Lightning connector Micro USB Micro USB
Marketplace Apple App Store Google Play Store Google Play Store
Price $400+ $400 $500

Regardless of specs, the Sony Xperia Tablet Z definitely wins in the “longest and most confusing name” competition. But aside from that, one of the starkest differences between Sony’s tablet and its opposition comes just in physicality. The Xperia Tablet Z is so thin. Sony has cut off a full 2mm in comparison to the Nexus 10. The Tablet Z is 27 percent thinner and 24 percent lighter than the fourth-generation iPad. It’s definitely a sight to behold . (Literally, hold it. It’s so light.) Aside from that, though, a lot of the specs are pretty comparable. The Xperia bumps the processing power up to the quad-core Snapdragon, though it’s now outdated. It does have a significantly smaller battery than either the Nexus 10 or the iPad, and we’ll have to see exactly how much that plays into its usability. If it can’t run for long then it’s just a very expensive, impressive looking slab. That will likely be the biggest challenge that faces the Xperia Tablet Z as it enters the U.S. market.

Editors' Recommendations

AJ Dellinger
AJ Dellinger is a freelance reporter from Madison, Wisconsin with an affinity for all things tech. He has been published by…
Apple iPad (2022) vs. iPad Air (2022): Should you spend $449 or $599?
Someone holding the iPad (2022) with the display turned on.

Apple has made a pretty big splash with this year’s release of the 10th-generation iPad (2022), leaving its classic tablet design behind and bringing the entry-level iPad into harmony with the modern aesthetic of its higher-end models.

This change is more than skin-deep. The iPad (2022) doesn’t just get the new design language of its more premium siblings; it also receives some boosts to its specs to bring it closer to the iPad Air (2022) — plus a slightly increased price tag to match.

Read more
Apple’s iPad lineup in 2022 misses the thing that used to make it great
iPad Air 5 back in hand.

Apple recently gave its iPad lineup a big refresh, and it came with an interesting side effect: For the first time ever, Apple hasn’t discontinued the last generation base iPad after launching a new one. The $329 iPad (2021) still exists after the launch of the $449 iPad (2022). And there is a solid reason for it.

The latest product isn’t an affordable recommendation that the base iPad has always been. The latest iPad (2022) doesn’t enjoy the “just get an iPad” attitude in 2022. Combined with existing models like the iPad Air and iPad mini, there are just too many iPads that overlap with each other — and it's making the iPad lineup incredibly difficult to understand.
Is it an iPad or iPad Air Lite?

Read more
The one insane thing keeping the 2022 iPad from being amazing
The 10th gen iPad.

This week, Apple unveiled a pair of new iPads. While the much-anticipated M2-powered iPad Pro is the highlight of the season, it’s actually Apple’s entry-level 10th-gen iPad that’s a much bigger — and weirder — upgrade for the company’s tablet lineup.

After all, the M2 iPad Pro isn’t much of a surprise; it’s mostly the same iPad Pro we’ve known and loved for the past four years, supercharged with a faster CPU and expanded Wi-Fi 6E support.

Read more