Google Nexus 9 review: The biggest advantage is its price

Google's new Nexus 9 offers as pure of an Android experience as you can get - which means driving you to Google services. Read on to know what's new in the Nexus 9 and how well it fares against the competition.

What's new

The Nexus offers you a taste of Lollipop, the latest version of Android. Lollipop lets you interact with email and other notifications right from the lock screen, and it lets you unlock the device using the presence of a trusted device, such as an Android smartwatch. Like other Lollipop devices, the Nexus supports multiple profiles - up to eight, with no restrictions on which are for adults. A swipe from the left gets you the Google Now virtual assistant, if you've turned that on.

Made by HTC, the Google-designed device is slimmer and lighter than the previous Nexus 10. The dimensions have changed to match the iPad's and are now better for viewing photos, Web pages and documents. The Nexus also comes with a near-field communication chip, enabling mobile payments through Google Wallet. Apple's iPads lack this chip and allow Apple Pay only for online purchases. That said, I promise to make fun of you if I catch you waving a giant tablet to pay for groceries.

By comparison

The new dimensions have created a lot of wasted space when viewing video, unlike on the Fire and many other Android tablets. Audio wasn't as loud, video as bright or text as sharp as on the Fire at maximum settings. Google clearly tries to steer you to its services, with the default home page icons consisting entirely of Google apps such as YouTube and Gmail. But there's a vast selection of other apps you can install. Although many apps still come to Apple devices first or have more features for them, most Android apps work on the Nexus - but not necessarily the Fire.

So, what to buy?

Apple's iPad Air 2 and Samsung's Galaxy Tab S go further than the Fire HDX 8.9 and Nexus 9 in letting you unlock the devices with fingerprint IDs. The Galaxy's screen produces richer colors than most tablets, while the new Air is alone in having an anti-reflective coating to reduce glare. But both start at about $500.

The Fire and Nexus devices are more affordable and should meet many people's needs. The Fire is great for those newcomers, thanks to its Mayday help offering. Those newcomers - along with casual users and Amazon power users - also might not mind the reduced app selection. But if you need to do more at this price point, the Nexus 9 is likely for you.