Google's new tablet for the holidays is now available for purchase, and while it will certainly grab the eyes of many shoppers this fall, is it worth the purchase? Reviewers seem torn, stating it's a nice taste of the new Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system, but lacks any real punch.

With a 9-inch screen and a $399 price tag, the Nexus 9 tablet manufactured by HTC has put itself squarely in the sights of the Apple iPad Air series, which sports a similar size and price tag. The iPad Air is slightly larger and more expensive, but it seems that the Nexus 9 only wins out if you're an Android junkie.

"It's an outstanding piece of hardware, and the best all-around Android experience available on a tablet," reads a Wall Street Journal Nexus 9 review, "... A Powerful Tablet...for Android Die-Hards Only."

"But if you care about apps, you're still going to lean towards an iPad, and if you care about productivity, you may well aim towards the Galaxy Tab S or even a Surface Pro 3 instead. And if you just want to curl up on the couch with a good book or movie, well, go to eBay and find yourself a Nexus 7."

CNET agrees in its review, saying the Nexus 9 falls short in many respects because the Android ecosystem isn't tight enough to pull the entire experience together. In fact, the piece is titled "The Nexus 9 is great, but give me an iPad Air 2."

"Beating the iPad is hard. Many have tried, many have failed. The Nexus 9 is Google's closest shot yet, but it still misses the mark," writes The Verge.

It's not for a lack of trying. The Nexus 9 has all the ingredients for a great tablet: solid performance, a killer operating system, a design that does more good than bad. Still, it seems to lack the necessary oomph needed. A lot of that seems to stem from the fact it is now compared to the iPad Air series, even though it wasn't designed as a direct competitor.  

"Yes, yes, it's been made clear that the Nexus 9 isn't meant to be an iPad killer, but I still can't help but wish Google and HTC pushed the envelope a bit more here," reads Engadget's review. "Your mileage might vary, but over the days I've been testing it, the 9 feels just a little too dense, too large to grasp with a single hand for long periods of time, while full-on two-hand typing on that screen can be a little precarious."

All in all, it seems that if you're looking to purchase an Android tablet that can deliver a great Android experience with a large screen and solid build, the Nexus 9 is your bet. Updates will be timely in the future as well, meaning you'll always be on the cusp of new Google software developments.

Still, if you're in the general market for a tablet and don't mind which operating system you use, Apple's iPad Air 2 might be able to offer you more bang for your buck. 

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