today added Google’s (GOOG) Nexus 7 to its tablet rankings and concluded that while it’s probably the best cheap tablet on the market, it still can’t match the overall quality of the Apple (AAPL) iPad. Overall, the Nexus 7 scored a 79 out of 100 and did particularly well in Consumer Reports’s ratings for both touch response and portability. This gives the Nexus 7 vastly superior scores than similarly-priced tablets such as the Amazon (AMZN) Kindle Fire and the Barnes & Noble (BKS) Nook Tablet, which scored 66 and 65 respectively.
All that said, Consumer Reports said that the iPad remains the best option for users who value having the best overall tablet experience regardless of price.
“With its bigger, excellent Retina display and a still-unmatched app store, the iPad still has the edge over the Nexus 7,” wrote Consumer Reports’s Donna L. Tapellini in a blog post. “But if you want a tablet in a smaller package for a lot less money, the Nexus 7 is worth thinking about. “
