Last weekend LG took the wraps off a brand new tablet, the aptly named G Pad 8.3. Judging solely by on-paper specs, the new tablet looked pretty good. Of course, specs alone can be deceiving.

Here at Android Authority, we were more than curious to see how LG’s re-entry into the tablet market would actually perform. Luckily, we’ve now had the chance to check the device out in person!

Before we show you our first look and impressions, let’s briefly run through the specs.

The G Pad 8.3 packs a 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 CPU and is accompanied by 2GB of RAM. The device also has a beautiful 8.3-inch 1920 x 1200 display, 16GB storage, microSD, a 5MP rear cam, 1.3MP front cam and a 4,600 mAh battery. As for the OS, the G Pad will arrive with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.

Size wise, the G Pad is 216.8 x 126.5 x 8.3mm and 338 grams.

The G Pad is the first tablet from LG since the less-than-successful G Slate, so how does it fare? Surprisingly well. The G Pad feels comfortable in your hands, isn’t sluggish and has a vibrant, beautiful display. From a design standpoint, the LG G Pad might not do anything crazy or different to stand out, but we do get a premium aluminum back as opposed to plastic.

Enough talk, let’s dive into the video:

LG G Pad Hands-on Gallery

LG has never been a major force in the tablet world, and the G Pad probably isn’t going to change that. Still, LG’s new tablet is a solid starting place.

The LG G Pad doesn’t rely on software or hardware gimmicks, and instead is simply a solid looking tablet with decent overall specs. The G Pad’s Snapdragon 600 processor won’t blow anyone away like a Snapdragon 800 might, but it is still easily one of the most powerful tablets in its class.

Until we are able to do a full review, we can’t yet pass full judgement on the G Pad, but based on our initial time with the device, it sure looks like a winner.

Curious to see how the tablet handles when compared against other similar devices in its class? As the day progresses we will be bringing you more LG G Pad-related news, vids and comparisons, so stayed tuned!