Tablet Comparison: nabi Elev-8 vs. Contixo Kids Q102

The nabi Elev-8 and the Contixo Kids Q102 are both Android tablets designed for children, so how do the two compare? Each tablet is larger than the normal 7″; the Elev-8 is an 8″ tablet whilst the Q102 is a much larger 10.1″. The resolution of the nabi tablet’s touchscreen is better, though, at 1280×800 pixels compared to 1024×600 for the Contixo. Both tablets come with a protective bumper which is intended to reduce the chances of damage if the tablet is dropped; that of the nabi only comes in their signature red whilst that of the Q102 comes in a wide range of colours.

Both tablets are Android tablets and both have access to app stores such as Google Play. The Q102 runs 4.4 KitKat whilst the Elev-8 runs the newer 5.1 Lollipop. In addition, the Elev-8 comes with nabi’s Blue Morpho OS overlay, an addition to the Android platform with a host of additions intended to make the tablet more suitable for children.

The Q102 comes with a respectable 16 gigabytes (GB) of internal memory but the nabi comes with double that, 32 GB. Both tablets have a memory card slot which allows the available storage to be expanded using memory cards up to 32 GB in size. The Contixo has a quad core processor whilst the nabi has an octo core.

Each tablet has stereo speakers, an integral microphone and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Both tablets come with WiFi and Bluetooth, so they can connect to other Bluetooth-enabled devices, but the Elev-8 also comes with Near Field Communication. The Q102 has two micro USB ports for charging and connecting to other devices and an HDMI port as well, the latter allowing connection to suitable televisions. The Elev-8 just has the custom nabi Connector, which fulfils the capabilities of both, but it does require a custom cable.

Each tablet comes with both a front facing and a rear facing camera. Those on the Q102 are both 2.0 megapixels (MP) in resolution. The front facing camera on the nabi tablet is also 2.0 MP but the rear facing camera is 5.0 MP.

Each tablet comes with parental controls; those on the Q102 provided through the Zoodles app and those on the Elev-8 by nabi themselves. Each can be used for educational purposes but the Q102 is limited to apps downloaded from such as Google Play, as well as any in Zoodles, and websites whilst the nabi comes with the Wings Learning System. The Q102 does come with a one year “worry-free” guarantee.

The Elev-8 has superior screen and rear camera resolution, as well as a more powerful processor and greater internal memory. The Q102 is bigger, which may or may not be desired, and has the guarantee. Perhaps the biggest problem with the Elev-8 is the nabi Connector; should a cable break or become damaged, it is not possible to simply substitute another micro USB cable that may be lying around; a new custom cable will need buying. The nabi Elev-8 is, generally, a better tablet than the Q102.