Motorola Xoom tablets compared - what's the difference?

The original Motorola Xoom was the first tablet to feature Android 3.0. Also known as Honeycomb, this OS was designed specifically for tablets. The Xoom wasn’t particularly successful in taking sales away from the iPad, but earlier this year a version 2 was launched.

The Motorola Xoom 2 offers a little bit more style than its predecessor with gently shaped corners. As well as the usual 10.1 form factor, Motorola has added an 8.2-inch version catering for those who fancy something a little smaller and easier to carry around. The 8.2-inch model has the suffix “Media Edition”.

What are the other differences between the original and the new model, and is it worth buying one over the other while the original Xoom is still available?

1) Xoom 2 is more expensive

The original Xoom 32GB cost £480 when it came out in the spring of last year, but you can now get a one for under £300 if you shop around online.

The Xoom 2 16GB can be had for £346 on Amazon, while the Media Edition comes in at £300. We expect a 32GB version of the Xoom 2 to be launched in the coming months.

These prices compare quite favourably with the £399 Apple iPad 3 16GB – although for a limited time you can also buy the iPad 2 for £329.

2) Xoom 2 has an older OS – at the moment

Updates to Ice Cream sandwich (Android 4.0) are currently rolling out to original Xooms, while the Xoom 2 is stuck with Android 3.2 until at least the summer. Android 4.0 offers a range of improvements over Android 3.2, including face recognition security, resizable widgets, a web browser with more tabs and improved camera/gallery options.

The original Motorola Xoom is quite old now, but it scores a couple of points over the Xoom 2

3) Xoom 2 is lighter

The Xoom 2 is over 100 grams lighter than the Xoom. This won’t be a problem if you pick up your tablet only occasionally, though for prolonged sessions it’s a very noticeable difference. The 8.2-inch Xoom 2 Media Edition is another 200 grams lighter still – just 382 grams.

Both Xoom 2 models are a touch thinner than the original.

The Motorola Xoom 2 runs Android 3.2, with an update to Android 4 expected later in the year

4) Xoom 2 has a better processor and camera

The original Xoom has a 1GHz dual-core processor. While this is usually quick enough for most tasks, the Xoom 2 offers 1.2GHz. This is a useful speed increase, handy if you’re multi-tasking or using processor-hungry apps when the tablet might otherwise feel slow.

The Xoom 2 can record Full HD video, while the original Xoom makes do with 720p. Rear still camera shots are taken at 5Mp in each case, though the front facing camera resolution is better on the Xoom 2 – 2Mp versus 1.3Mp. The extra detail here is useful when video calling.

Did these changes add up to Best Buy performance? In our full Motorola Xoom, Motorola Xoom 2 and Motorola Xoom 2 Media Edition reviews, we give the definitive verdict on:

Screen quality – We examine every facet, including the viewing angle, how reflective the screen is, its ability to resist fingermarks, display colour fidelity and the amount of fine detail shown or lost.
Battery life – After first conditioning the battery as per the manufacturer’s instructions, we test the battery life on wi-fi and watching HD video. We also test how long it takes to charge.
Usability – There are so many things that comprise a tablet’s usability. We test the touchscreen response, ease of typing on the virtual keyboard and the accessibility of connections as tablets are often used in conjuction with other devices.

This is just a flavour of the type of testing we do to examine tablet usability. For more, see our how we test tablets page.