Best Buy might have essentially let the cat out of the bag earlier today in terms of specs and overall design, but the new Nexus 7 is now official!

The latest version of the 7-inch Nexus tablet certainly features a design reminiscent of the original N7, though it brings in a much thinner bezel, a thinner/lighter design and a smooth backing.

Specs and features

Internally, the next-gen Nexus 7 is quite the upgrade, with a faster processor, better graphics, a higher display and much more.

Here’s the actual specs and features, based on what we know so far:

• Profile: 7.62mm (0.3-inch); 2mm thinner, reduced bezel by 3mm on each side
• Weight: 318g (11.2oz)
• 7-inch LCD IPS display with 1920 x 1200 resolution (323ppi)
• 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor (80% faster CPU)
• 30% wider range of colors than original Nexus 7
• Adreno 320 graphics (4x graphics framerate)
• 2GB of DDR3LM memory
• 16/32GB storage
• 5-megapixel camera
• 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera
• dual-stereo speakers
• virtual surround sound technology
• 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth 4.0
• MicroUSB port with SlimPort
• optional 4G LTE model
• 9 hours video playback, 10 hours web and reading
• very first Android 4.3 Jelly Bean device to ship!

While there’s plenty to be excited about here – such as the addition of Android 4.3 – probably one of its most impressive changes for the new Nexus 7 is the 1080p display. Full HD on a 7-inch tablet? Sign me up!

The Nexus 7’s addition of virtual surround technology also sounds very promising (pun intended..). So what does that mean exactly? According to Google, it basically gives you a 5.1 surround sound experience just by using headphones or even the built-in speakers.

Pricing and Availability

So when’s it coming? Starting next Tuesday, July 30th, the device will arrive to both Google Play and several new retailers, including Best Buy and Staples. Pricing will start at $229 for the base 16GB model and $269 for the 32GB version.

If you want to get your hands on one even quicker, you might want to check out your local Staples, as a source reports that shipments have already arrived to the chain (thanks Christopher!). While they aren’t supposed to start selling until the 30th, Staples is notorious for selling ahead of schedule, so it might be worth a shot.

For those more interested in a 4G LTE Nexus experience, the 32GB model is expected launch in the next few weeks – supporting AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon.  The LTE model will set you back just $349.

The Nexus 7 will be available not only in the United States, but in the next few weeks will also arrive to the UK, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Spain, Canada, France and Australia.

What do you think, planning on picking up the new Nexus 7 ASAP?

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