LG announces G Pad II 10.1 tablet

LG is slowly refreshing its Android tablet line, announcing today the successor to last year's G Pad 10.1. The new G Pad II 10.1, as it is called, is generally better across the board, featuring a higher-quality screen, faster internals and a price tag that is just as attractive.

There are a couple of standout features on G Pad II 10.1. It comes with Android 5.1.1 Lollipop out-of-the-box, which is the latest version of the operating system available at this time. LG has teamed up with Microsoft, pre-loading the latter's Office suite on the tablet. Also part of the partnership is 100 GB of OneDrive storage offered for free to users of G Pad II 10.1 for two years. And, for those who want to use a G Pad II 10.1 hooked up to a mobile network, there is a 4G LTE model.

"Customers asked for a large display, bigger battery and faster performance all without raising the price. The G Pad II delivers on all counts", says LG Mobile's Chris Yie. Last year's G Pad 10.1 can be had for $223.99 on Amazon, down $50 from its original $279.99 asking price, and it looks like G Pad II 10.1 is likely to cost sub-$300 when it goes on sale. For the money, it's very well equipped.

G Pad II 10.1 comes with a 10.1-inch display with a resolution of 1,920 by 1,200, and is powered by a 2.26 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, backed by 2 GB of RAM and a 7,400 mAh battery. None of those specs are going to impress those who shop in the premium segment, but they are still more than adequate for a high-end tablet.

The tablet offers 16 GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot to extend the capacity. On the back, it features a 5 MP camera, while a 2 MP shooter is on the front. There is Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac support, and the 4G LTE model supports Cat. 4 networks which means download speeds of up to 150 Mbps over mobile operator networks.

It measures 254.3 x 161.1 x 7.8 mm and 489 grams. There is only one color option, and that is Brilliant Bronze. G Pad II 10.1 will be available in "key markets" across North America, Europe and Asia. There is no word yet on its release date, as this information will be revealed at its "official" unveiling at IFA 2015, in Berlin, early next month.