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Samsung said Tuesday the galaxy note 8.0, a competitor to iPad mini and Nexus 7, will hit stores in the U.S. this Thursday. The South Korean electronics giant said the small 8-inch tablet (features S Pen stylus) will only be available in a Wi-Fi version and sell for $399, much more expensive than the rival. The model comes with 16 gigabytes of storage. So Should You Spend the Extra Bucks for the S-Pen? Several days ago, I have compared the specs and other features of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 and Apple iPad mini and today I will continue to introduce you how it stack up against the Nexus 7.Size
The galaxy note 8 has a large display, but is quite thinner than the Nexus 7.Weight
The two tablets weigh roughly the same, with the Nexus 7 tipping the scale just a hair more than the Note 8.Display
Just like their name says, galaxy note 8 features an 8-inch Lcd while the Nexus 7 has a 7-inch display. If you can sacrifice that (diagonal) inch of real estate, the Nexus 7’s Lcd should appear sharper.Processor
Both tablets sport quad core processors. The Note’s offers better performance, but for everyday use, both will more than suffice.RAM
In this aspect, Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 doubles the Nexus 7’s 1 GB of random-access memory (RAM).Storage
The storage edge goes to Samsung’s tablet. It offers larger internal flash memory options and can be expanded via microSD. The Nexus 7 doesn’t have a microSD slot.Wireless
If you’re looking for a Wi-Fi only device, both deliver. As far as (more expensive) mobile data options go, the Note has LTE and the Nexus 7 settles for HSPA+.Cameras
Galaxy note 8 has two cameras: a 5-megapixel main camera and a 1.3-megapixel user-facing camera. The Nexus 7 has no rear camera. So if you want to take photos with your tablet, just get the Note 8. Anyway, Megapixels aren’t everything.Battery
People always want to take battery capacity with grains of salt, as many other factors combine to determine actual uptime. With that said, the Note 8.0’s battery holds a bit more juice.Intangibles
Since the release of the Note 10.1, Samsung has been working to improve the user experience in its Note family of tablets, adding software enhancements that probably should have been there from the get-go.

The Galaxy Note 8.0’s stylus (S Pen) sees some upgrades, with greater integration into the Note’s Touchwiz software. Unsheathe the stylus, and the Note will prepare for pen input. Hover the S Pen over the Lcd, and select apps will respond accordingly (like previewing a post in Flipboard).

Apart from the S Pen, Samsung’s multi-windows feature, which allows for two simultaneous apps to run on the Lcd, has been thankfully enhanced too. Multi window is easily the best feature on the Note 8.0, especially when you need to copy and paste something between two apps.

The Nexus 7’s X-factor is its price. The 7-inchNexus 7 exists only for $200, much cheaper than Samsung Note 8. In the software aspect, Google Nexus 7 ships with the newest version of Android (4.2.2, Jellybean). It will also get future updates much quicker than Samsung’s tablet will. The Nexus 7 also sports “pure” (unskinned) Android, which many customers prefer over manufacturer UIs.

If you are the lucky owner of a Samsung GALAXY Note II then you need to check out our video guide to the best apps to make the most of Samsungs innovative pressure sensitive S Pen.


The real beauty of the Samsung GALAXY Note II is the fact that it opens up a whole new world of apps that work even better with the S Pen. Check out the video above for a run through of our current favourite apps on the Google Play store that make the most of the S Pen.

LayerPaint

£1.99
If you want to create something really spectacular on your Note II, then an arty app is a good place to start. LayerPaint makes the creative process even easier by allowing you to work with different layers.

There are loads of handy tools available to help perfect your masterpiece, including brushes, bucket tool, gradation and hand tool.

Once youre happy with your creation, you can even export your work as a Photoshop file to pick up where you left off on your laptop or desktop computer.

Touch ReTouch HD

£0.62
An app thats essential for any keen photographers out there is Touch ReTouch. Using your S Pen, you can tweak and edit your GALAXY Note II photos in great detail quickly and easily. You can remove shadows, ghosts and flare, touch-up facial tone and even remove whole bridges and buildings from a background.

Then if youre unsure of the changes, theres an unlimited undo/redo feature and you always keep the original image resolution.

Maze Racer

Free
Maze Racer is hand drawn and looks beautiful. It was originally created for a Best S Pen app competition, so is perfect for the S Pen.

The aim is to draw a line from the word start to the word finish, with lots of obstacles getting in your way.

Youre even encouraged to draw your own levels and send them in – which is made infinitely better using the S Pen