The Asus Google Nexus 7 Cellular is a 7-inch Android tablet built by Asus under Google’s Nexus program, adding HSPA mobile data to the original 2012 Nexus 7 formula. Announced in October 2012 and released the following month, it paired a clean stock Android experience with pocketable-by-tablet-standards dimensions and an attractive launch price of around 230 EUR, making it a landmark device in the small-tablet category of its era.
Although it now carries a Discontinued status, the Nexus 7 Cellular remains a useful reference point for anyone studying how early HSPA-equipped Nexus tablets balanced screen quality, Nvidia Tegra 3 performance, and all-day battery life. This breakdown focuses on what the hardware actually delivered and where it sat against its contemporaries, rather than rehashing a spec sheet you can read in the table below.
Full Specifications
Network
| Technology |
GSM / HSPA |
| 2G bands |
GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands |
HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 |
|
HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100 |
| Speed |
HSPA 21.1/5.76 Mbps |
Launch
| Announced |
2012, October. Released 2012, November |
| Status |
Discontinued |
Body
| Dimensions |
198.5 x 120 x 10.5 mm (7.81 x 4.72 x 0.41 in) |
| Weight |
347 g (12.24 oz) |
| SIM |
Micro-SIM |
Display
| Type |
LED-backlit IPS LCD |
| Size |
7.0 inches, 142.1 cm2 (~59.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Resolution |
800 x 1280 pixels, 16:10 ratio (~216 ppi density) |
| Protection |
Corning Gorilla Glass |
Platform
| OS |
Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), upgradable to 5.1.1 (Lollipop) |
| Chipset |
Nvidia Tegra 3 |
| CPU |
Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A9 |
| GPU |
ULP GeForce |
Memory
| Card slot |
No |
| Internal |
16GB 1GB RAM, 32GB 1GB RAM |
Main Camera
Selfie camera
Sound
| Loudspeaker |
Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 3.5mm jack |
Yes |
Comms
| WLAN |
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, hotspot |
| Bluetooth |
3.0 |
| Positioning |
GPS |
| NFC |
Yes |
| Radio |
No |
| USB |
microUSB 2.0 |
Features
| Sensors |
Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
|
Google Wallet MP4/H.264 player MP3/WAV/eAAC+/WMA player Photo/video editor Document viewer |
Battery
| Type |
Li-Ion 4325 mAh, non-removable (16 Wh) |
| Stand-by |
Up to 300 h |
| Talk time |
Up to 9 h (multimedia) |
Misc
| Colors |
Black |
| Price |
About 230 EUR |
Our Tests
| Display |
Contrast ratio: 908:1 (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker |
Voice 68dB / Noise 65dB / Ring 75dB |
| Audio quality |
Noise -69.8dB / Crosstalk -72.1dB |
Price and Availability
The Asus Google Nexus 7 Cellular offers a compelling combination of features and performance. While the base price is around €230, the actual cost may vary depending on your location and retailer. Below, you’ll find the approximate price of the Asus Google Nexus 7 Cellular converted into various currencies. Please note that these are estimates based on recent exchange rates as of June 8, 2026 and may not reflect the exact price you’ll find at a retailer.
- United States: $265
- Japan: ¥42,508
- United Kingdom: £199
- Australia: A$376
- Canada: C$370
- Taiwan: NT$8,384
- Denmark: kr1.716
- Saudi Arabia: ﷼995
- South Korea: ₩412,789
- Germany: €230
- Brazil: R$1.360
- Vietnam: ₫6.920.413
- Kenya: KSh 34,487
- India: ₹25,241
- Indonesia: Rp 4.791.742
- Nigeria: ₦362,157
- Pakistan: ₨73,912
- Philippines: ₱16,330
- Bangladesh: ৳৩২,৬১৮
Value: What 230 EUR Bought in 2012
At roughly 230 EUR, the Nexus 7 Cellular positioned itself as an affordable gateway into Google’s ecosystem with the bonus of on-the-go connectivity. The price covered a Gorilla Glass-protected IPS display, a quad-core chipset, and HSPA data without a contract, which undercut many competing connected tablets of the period. For buyers who wanted a Nexus device that could browse, stream, and navigate away from Wi-Fi, the cellular premium over the Wi-Fi-only model was modest, and the storage choices of 16GB or 32GB (both with 1GB RAM) gave a little flexibility at checkout.
Design and Build Quality
Measuring 198.5 x 120 x 10.5 mm and weighing 347 g, the Nexus 7 Cellular was designed to be held one-handed for reading and browsing. The 10.5 mm thickness and dimpled back gave it a secure grip, while Corning Gorilla Glass protected the front against everyday scuffs. A Micro-SIM slot handled the cellular duties, and the single black colorway kept the look understated. By modern standards it is chunky and heavy for a 7-inch device, but in 2012 the compact footprint was a genuine selling point against bulkier 10-inch tablets.
Display: Compact and Sharp Enough
The 7.0-inch LED-backlit IPS LCD ran at 800 x 1280 pixels in a 16:10 ratio, yielding roughly 216 ppi. That density was respectable for the price and time, and the IPS panel delivered the wide viewing angles expected of the technology. Independent testing recorded a nominal contrast ratio of 908:1, which is solid for an LCD of this generation. With about 59.6% screen-to-body ratio, the bezels are generous by today’s standards, but the panel was well suited to ebooks, web pages, and video at the resolutions common in 2012.
Performance: Nvidia Tegra 3 and Tegra Power
Under the hood sat an Nvidia Tegra 3 chipset with a quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A9 CPU and ULP GeForce graphics. This was a capable mobile platform for its day, handling the smooth, lightweight stock Android interface and a wide range of Play Store games with the help of Nvidia’s GPU. The single 1GB of RAM is the main constraint when revisiting the device now, as heavier apps and modern web pages will tax it, but for the software era it shipped with, the Tegra 3 kept the experience fluid.
Software and Updates
The Nexus 7 Cellular launched on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and was officially upgradable to Android 5.1.1 (Lollipop). As a Nexus device, it received timely, unskinned Google updates directly, which was a major advantage over manufacturer-customized tablets of the time. Buyers looking to confirm the software history can consult Google’s official factory image archive and Nexus specifications pages. That clean update path is a big part of why Nexus hardware retained enthusiast value well beyond its commercial life.
Camera and Multimedia
Cameras were never the focus here. The Nexus 7 Cellular carried a single 1.2 MP camera capable of 720p video and no dedicated selfie shooter, reflecting its identity as a content-consumption tablet rather than a photography tool. Where it did invest was audio and playback: stereo loudspeakers, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and broad codec support across MP4/H.264 video and MP3/WAV/eAAC+/WMA audio made it a comfortable media companion. Lab tests measured loudspeaker output at 75dB for ringtones and good audio quality with low noise and crosstalk figures.
Battery Life
A non-removable Li-Ion 4325 mAh battery (16 Wh) powered the tablet, rated for up to 300 hours of stand-by and around 9 hours of multimedia talk time. For a 7-inch device with a modest-resolution display and an efficient Tegra 3 platform, this translated into comfortable all-day use for reading, browsing, and video. Charging was handled over microUSB 2.0, which is slow by current standards but standard for the period.
Connectivity
Connectivity was the headline upgrade over the Wi-Fi-only Nexus 7. The Cellular model added GSM and HSPA mobile data with HSPA speeds up to 21.1/5.76 Mbps, alongside Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n with hotspot sharing, Bluetooth 3.0, GPS, and NFC for Google Wallet. There is no FM radio, but the full sensor suite—accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity, and compass—covered navigation and gaming needs. The device’s regulatory filings and FCC ID can be verified through the FCC equipment authorization database for those researching its radio hardware.
Who Should Consider It Today
As a discontinued device, the Nexus 7 Cellular is now of interest mainly to collectors, retro-Android enthusiasts, and anyone documenting the evolution of compact tablets. It is not a recommendation for daily modern use given the 1GB RAM ceiling and the Android 5.1.1 software limit. For its original audience, however, it was an excellent value pick for a connected, update-friendly 7-inch Android tablet.
Conclusion
The Asus Google Nexus 7 Cellular remains a memorable example of Google and Asus delivering a well-rounded, affordable 7-inch tablet with added HSPA connectivity and a clean, frequently updated Android experience. Its IPS display, Tegra 3 performance, and dependable 4325 mAh battery made it a strong value at around 230 EUR. Today it is best viewed as a historical reference or collector’s piece rather than a current daily driver; if you need a usable tablet now, a modern Android device is the sensible choice, but the Nexus 7 Cellular still earns respect for what it offered in its time.
Official references
- Google Nexus Help – Nexus tech specs – Official Google specifications page listing Nexus 7 (2012) 32 GB + Mobile data hardware, battery, wireless, memory, OS, CPU, and network bands.
- ASUS Nexus 7 Official Support – Official ASUS support page for the Nexus 7, useful for manufacturer support context, manuals, warranty, and model confirmation.
- FCC Equipment Authorization Search – Primary U.S. regulator database for verifying the device authorization, SAR/radio filings, and FCC ID MSQME370TG associated with the Nexus 7 mobile data model.
- Google Android Factory Images for Nexus and Pixel Devices – Official Google firmware image archive for Nexus devices, useful to confirm device variants and official Android software support history.
