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Lackluster Display Tops iPad Mini Complaints

Product testers FixYa compared the top 7-inch tablets to find their strengths and weaknesses, based on consumer reports.

December 18, 2012

With more and more 7-inch tablets hitting the market, it's hard to know which is best. A new report from FixYa examines some of the top complaints about the most popular 7-inch tablets, from the iPad mini to the Nexus 7.

The company's new report covers the Kindle Fire HD, Nexus 7, Nook HD, and the iPad mini (though Apple claims it in the 7-inch category). Android-based tablets have gained significant market share by focusing on smaller devices, FixYa said, but Cupertino is now edging in on that market with that iPad mini, which this fall.

But for all their enhanced features, the latest 7-inch tablets have their drawbacks, from lack of apps to cumbersome updates.

"With 7-inch tablets being this year's must-have gadget, all of the major players have unveiled their own version over the last six months," said FixYa CEO Yaniv Bensadon. "Of course, each one is bound to have both advantages and disadvantages, depending on what you plan to do with your tablet."

FixYa's report breaks down each of the four tablets, offering details on the highs and lows of the separate machines, and providing its own options for DIY fixes (or possible paid options).

The top complaint about the iPad mini, for example, was its lackluster aspect ratio. Users were also not impressed by an easily scratched back plate, the screen quality, and storage space. In a November report, DisplayMate found that the but not oustanding.

Kindle Fire HD users, meanwhile, were most irked by the Special Offers ads that appear on the lock screen; they . Buyers also thought the tablet was slow to multi-task, and wasn't responsive enough to typing.

The Nexus 7 , meanwhile, suffered from system update issues, while the Nook HD had a poor touch-screen experience, users told FixYa.

For more, see PCMag's review of the and the slideshow above. Also, check out our reviews of the , , and .