With Google releasing the Nexus 9 on Nov. 3, many tech enthusiasts have been comparing the device with other similar handsets in the market, especially the Samsung Galaxy Tab S.

A comparison between the two devices should shed some light on which device would be better for an interested tablet consumer.

Design

As far as the design is concerned, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S is similar to that of most other Samsung tablets, but definitely resembles the Galaxy S5 more closely, as both have perforated back, gold aluminum bezels and a centered back camera. Galaxy Tab S measures 247.3 × 177.3 × 6.6 mm - its slender body is somewhat akin to that of Apple's iPad Air 2.

On the other hand, the Nexus 9 sports a soft plastic rear panel having a matte effect and with brushed aluminum bezels bordering the display. The Google device measures 228.2 × 153.7 × 7.9mm and weighs 425 grams. The front panel of the Nexus 9 incorporates the dual HTC Boomsound speakers offering excellent sound quality.

Hardware and OS

In terms of the hardware and operating system, the Nexus 9 is powered by an NVIDIA Tegra K1 64-bit processor and has 2GB of RAM. Under the hood, the device comes in two variants of internal storage -16GB and 32GB, but they are not expandable. The Nexus 9 uses the impending Android 5.0 Lollipop. In fact, it will be the first device to operate on the new OS.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S, on the other hand, is powered by the company's own Exynos 8-core processor clocked at 1.9GHz and hosts 3GB of RAM. It comes with an internal memory of 16GB that can be expanded up to 128GB. Currently, the tablet runs on the Android 4.4.2 KitKat, which will soon be upgraded to Android 5.0 Lollipop.

Battery and Camera

The primary camera specs of both tablets are similar - packed with 8MP rear cameras having LED flash and autofocus. On the other hand, the Nexus 9 comes with a 1.6 MP secondary camera, while the Samsung Galaxy Tab S boasts a 2.1MP secondary camera. As far as the batteries are concerned, the Nexus device has a smaller battery of 6,700 mAh allowing up to 9 hours and a half of multimedia usage. The battery of the Samsung tablet is packed with a built-in memory of 7900 mAh with 11 hours of multimedia usage.

Price

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S has a price tag of $480, while the 8.4 inches variant costs $396. On the other hand, the Nexus 9 will be available starting Monday, Nov. 3 and will cost around $400.