Review: LG G Pad 8.3

Given that others have dominated the 10.1-inch, 9.7-inch, 8-inch and 7-inch tablet space, LG decided that 8.3 inches is a nice number and has stuck with it.

But the number does not refer to just the screen size, as the tablet is also a mere 8.3mm thin.

Rather than compete in the full-sized tablet space, which it tried and failed with its Optimus Pad, LG is gunning for the space contested by the iPad mini, Nexus 7, Galaxy Note 8 and Amazon Kindle. Modelled after the latest LG G2 smartphone, the G Pad sports the same design aesthetics and sits somewhere between the iPad mini and the Galaxy Note 8 in the looks department.

Boasting a 1,920 x 1,200 full high-definition IPS display, with 273 pixels per inch, LG is not merely fighting on the numbers. On display at its IFA booth were two competing tablets placed under a magnifier, to show the lack of jagged pixels on LG's tablet when compared with the other two.

While G Pad's image sharpness is commendable, LG is also pushing some nifty software features. The Slide Aside feature allows users to place three apps in the background by swiping across the screen with three fingers; the same gesture brings them back up again.

The Q Pair mode lets users pair the tablet with an Android smartphone, including non-LG ones, to move files and documents between them with ease.

While I did not manage to test these features at IFA, the implementation seems sound.

The unit is powered by a 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor, with 2GB of RAM, housed in an aluminium unibody shell.

This puts it only slightly below the 2.26GHz of the LG G2, which uses the faster Snapdragon 800 chipset.

It also uses a 5-megapixel rear camera and a 1.3-megapixel front camera.

However, the success or failure of the G Pad may not lie with the device itself. The Optimus Pad was never launched locally, which means it was never given a chance to succeed. Given that there are even more competing devices now, LG Singapore needs to launch the device here as a sign that it has faith in its own products.

Especially if it wants consumers to have greater faith in them.

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