Google Nexus 7 is Lightest of Leading 7-inch Tablets

Google says its new Nexus 7 tablet is thin and light, and a quick glance at the product suggests this is true–well, the “thin” part, at least. It’s hard to gauge a tablet’s weight until you’re actually holding the thing in your hands.

Since many users who own 7-inch tablets use their slates as e-readers, lighter is always better. As much as I like my new (3rd-generation) iPad, it gets heavy in a hurry, particularly when I’m holding it for longer than a few minutes at a time.

Of course, 7-inch slates are lighter than the 9.7-inch iPad. But which of the leading 7-inchers is the lightest? It appears that Google Nexus 7 wins that honor, but only by a feather or two over the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

7-Inch Tablet	Weight
Google Nexus 7	340 grams (12 ounces)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0	345 grams (12.17 ounces)
Nook Tablet	400 grams (14.11 ounces)
Kobo Vox	402.6 grams (14.2 ounces)
Kindle Fire	413 grams (14.6 ounces)
Nook Color	442 grams (15.59 ounces)

By comparison, the 3rd-gen iPad weighs in at 652 grams (23 ounces or 1.44 pounds).

Does an ounce or two really matter? I think it does when you’re using a tablet for extended periods. Most users probably wouldn’t detect a significant weight difference between the Nook Tablet, Kobo Vox, and Kindle Fire–after all, a half-ounce separates the three. Bu they might find the Nexus 7 noticeably lighter than, say, the Fire.

The next-generation Kindle Fire is rumored to arrive as early as next month, but there’s no word yet on its heftiness. Will the new Fire challenge the Nexus 7 for the featherweight crown?

Contact Jeff Bertolucci at Today@PCWorld, Twitter (@jbertolucci) or jbertolucci.blogspot.com.