Nexus 9 tablet is a serious contender to iPad's throne

Unlike in some other product categories, finding the best tablet is often less about having the fastest hardware than about the experience the software provides. It's the reason why Apple has kept churning out iPads that sometimes lose the spec sheet war, but continue to win customers anyway.

Google's new Nexus 9 proves this point well. It's one of the fastest tablets on the market, but what makes it special isn't how it works on paper—it's how well it works in your hands.

The Android market —especially for tablets — has long been a Wild West of sizes, shapes, specs, and software, with every manufacturer heading in different directions and rarely getting anywhere.

With the Nexus 9, Google has settled on a 4:3 aspect ratio (the same as the iPad) which feels much more natural for reading, enjoying photos, and browsing the web, in both landscape and portrait mode. It's not ideal for watching video, but it more naturally conforms to the way you'd hold a book or a magazine.

The Nexus 9's physical design is also enjoyable, with a soft-touch rubber backing that is easy on the hands and provides plenty of grip. It isn't as eye-catching as the aluminum-backed iPad, but at least you won't notice it for the wrong reasons, either.

The real crown jewel? Google's new operating system. With Android 5 — codename Lollipop — Google has finally brought a primetime-ready operating system with an incredible mix of stunning design and intuitive code.

For starters, Android has undergone a complete aesthetic redesign with Lollipop — what Google calls "Material Design" — that permeates every system app, Google app, and even the Play Store. Material design is meant to evoke the tactile feeling of using physical objects, while still adhering to the more attractive and minimalist flat design principles that have become popular recently.

Google didn't just give Android a fresh coat of paint and call it a day, though. Under the hood, Lollipop is a faster, leaner operating system that better handles itself behind the scenes. That should improve some of the performance issues that have dogged older Android devices, including battery life.

Of course, a number of Android phones and tablets will get upgraded with Lollipop for free. What sets the Nexus 9 apart is how well the hardware complements Google's ambition. The Tegra K1 processor inside the Nexus 9 tears through everyday tasks, effortlessly multitasking whether you're into playing games, getting work done, or simply watching a movie on a plane.

It's generally accepted wisdom, however, that faster processors suck up more power. The Nexus 9 cuts against this trend, offering some of the best battery life we've seen this year while powering through everything we threw at it. In our labs, the Nexus 9 was able to play videos for nearly 9 hours straight before cutting out.

If there's one area where the Nexus 9 disappointed us, it's value. While the smaller $200 Nexus 7 was both powerful and affordable, the $400 Nexus 9 lands very close to Apple territory.

The cheaper price made it easier to forgive some of the Nexus 7's design issues, such as flimsy buttons and a lack of premium materials. Those problems are still present on the Nexus 9, and they're magnified given that the price has doubled.

And for everything we love about the Nexus 9, it's easy to see customers already used to Apple's ecosystem opting for the iPad Air 2 for just $100 more. That's a relatively small price gap, one that has long scared off manufacturers who assume they stand no chance against Apple's flagship tablet.

Admirably, the Nexus 9 dares to do what most Android tablets have avoided for years: stand toe-to-toe with Apple's premier tablet. It doesn't beat out the iPad Air 2 in every category, but with Lollipop in tow it represents a reasonable alternative for the right buyer.

It's a lightweight, incredibly fast tablet that's perfect for everything from consuming content to getting work done. It's a fantastic showcase for the best version of Android yet, and one you absolutely must check out if you're shopping for a high-end tablet.