EVGA Tegra Note 7 Pro Reviews

There's no question that the Tegra Note 7 presents an interesting value proposition. It's the fastest tablet in its size class and distinguishes itself from the rest with gaming muscle and a pleasantly effective stylus for those who may want to use it as a drawing tool. In some regards, there's nothing else quite like the Tegra Note 7. But there are many alternatives. Nvidia clearly had to make some tough design choices in terms of price and performance, and so too will you. Two-hundred dollars buys you no better tablet in terms of gaming, sound, and stylus support. However, an extra $30 put towards the Nexus 7 gets you ahead in most other experiences where processing power isn't as important.

As small stylus tablets go, you have only two viable options right now: the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and the EVGA Tegra Note 7. The Note 8 overall offers a more fulfilling stylus experience, with more accurate palm detection, a higher quality screen, and an overall interface that feels better integrated into the OS. However, I still feel the Note 8 is about $50 to $75 overpriced, and that's where the Tegra Note 7 demonstrates its worth. The Tegra Note 7 has a fast Tegra 4 CPU, Micro-HDMI, and a price that's nearly half the Galaxy's. If you're simply looking for something to take notes on in meetings, the Note 7 will meet your needs easily. Artists and those looking for a richer experience will want to choose the Note 8. Removing the stylus from the equation, the Note 7 is still a viable tablet option that offers lots of value at a low price. However, with only a 1,280x800 resolution, both the Kindle Fire HDX 7 and the 2013 Nexus 7 -- which house 1,920x1,200 screens -- offer prettier and sharper experiences for about $30 more. So, if you're willing to pay a bit more -- or a lot, in the case of the Note 8 -- more fulfilling experiences are available from Samsung, Amazon, and Google.

NVIDIA's Tegra Note 7 undercuts the refreshed Nexus 7 by $30 and comes in at just $199 from partners who will soon be making them available to shoppers. But that $30 savings comes at a price – that dollar amount means you lose the high DPI display, 5 GHz WiFi connectivity, get slower internal storage, and trade some battery life off. What you do get in its stead is what we've touched on – an even faster hardware platform with faster CPU and GPU, reasonably well executed note taking capabilities, and audio that sounds better, even if it isn't necessarily louder. Like anything, which combination of tradeoffs is "better" really is a story of tradeoffs. This has to be frustrating for NVIDIA, because with Tegra Note 7 it has arguably built the original Nexus 7's spiritual successor, though I couldn't imagine Google ever being happy without a high resolution display. What it has done however is give all of its partners a tablet that they can sell, bundle, and use to differentiate their current lineups. I suspect building NVIDIA's brand in the mobile space and at the same time making the traditional GPU partners happy with a tablet platform they can somewhat call their own is the real success story for Tegra Note.

If you already have a Nexus 7 in your life, then there isn’t really enough new on the Tegra Note 7 to warrant an upgrade. But for users that are looking to enter the tablet market, the 7-in device being released this month from NVIDIA and EVGA is clearly among the best options in terms of performance, value, and features.

The tablet market is a crowded one: you have to offer something special to stand out. Usually that’s either price, or design, or some specific functionality rivals don’t offer, and interestingly NVIDIA has aimed for not one but two of those factors. The Tegra Note 7 isn’t going to win any prizes for its design or the quality of its plastics, but it’s impressively cheap and the DirectStylus technology is certainly clever.For those resolutely committed to digital note-taking or artwork on their tablet, an active digitizer is still the pinnacle of mobile penmanship. That precision comes at a price, however, and it’s now one that casual note-takers needn’t extend to: the Tegra Note 7 does sufficiently well at just $199. Throw in its potency as a gaming machine (and, even if you’re not a gamer, the usefulness of being able to control media playback from the sofa with a low-cost gamepad) and you have a capable little slate with the flexibility of untampered Android.