When LG released the G Pad 8.3 last year, we all thought it was a sign that LG was back in the tablet game, giving Android users one more choice in the sub 10.1-inch category. We reviewed the G Pad 8.3 and found it to be an excellent middleground between the likes of the Nexus 7 and 10-inch tablets like the Galaxy Note 10.1. Since then however, LG has announced a slew of new Android tablets, with the focus being on the budget end of the market with 7, 8 and 10.1-inch sizes. Now, the 10.1-inch version of the new G Pad will be hitting shelves throughout the globe during July.
If you were hoping for some sort of Galaxy Tab S alternative or even another fabled “iPad Killer”, this isn’t it. With a 10.1-inch 1280 x 800 display, a quad-core Snapdragon 400 CPU, 1GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable storage this isn’t going to win any awards. It is however, running Android 4.4.2 KitKat and features an 8,000 mAh battery, so this should last you throughout the day. There are cameras here, with a 5-megapixel shooter around the back and a fairly disappointing 1.3-megapixel shooter around the front.
Software features from the new G3 are also here with the Smart Keyboard, Knock Code and the new version of QPair all coming along for the ride. LG is keeping quiet when it comes to pricing, but we’ve been told that the G Pad 10.1 is to hit the US later this month and then head to other markets in Europe, Asia and Latin America shortly after. While LG’s 10-inch tablet is somewhat disappointing, the budget sector of the market is a good place for LG to make some decent money, of course the price will determine how successful their new line of tablets will be, but in terms of features it looks like they have what it takes to give Samsung and ASUS’ budget offerings a run for their money.
