Ainol Novo 7 Aurora II Performance Review: The Ultimate Budget Tablet Challenger?

The budget tablet market has always been a crowded space, often filled with devices that promise much but deliver little. However, the Ainol Novo 7 Aurora II emerged as a significant disruptor, offering high-end performance at a fraction of the cost of mainstream competitors. Priced between £60 and £80, this tablet aims to compete with devices that cost over £200, boasting a price-to-performance ratio that could potentially make it a “Nexus 7 killer”.

In this comprehensive review, we dive deep into the performance, build quality, and user experience of the Ainol Novo 7 Aurora II to see if it truly lives up to the hype.

Design and Build Quality: Surprisingly Solid

At first glance, the Ainol Novo 7 Aurora II might be dismissed due to its plastic construction, but holding the device tells a different story. Despite the material, the tablet feels like a quality machine that is very solid in the hand. Unlike many other average tablets from Chinese manufacturers, the Aurora II feels polished and well-constructed, giving the impression of a much more expensive device.

One minor design quirk is the placement of the speakers on the back. While this can lead to muffled sound when the tablet is lying flat on a surface, the actual sound quality is surprisingly high once the device is turned over.

The Display: A Visual Standout

The crown jewel of the Aurora II is undoubtedly its 7-inch IPS screen. For a tablet in this price range, the display quality is nothing short of “awesome”.

• Brightness and Clarity: Even at its lowest brightness setting, the screen remains clear and usable. However, when pushed to full brightness, the display truly shines, offering an amazing visual experience with punchy colors and incredible detail.
• Resolution: The high-resolution display makes photos look sharp and gorgeous, rivaling the visual fidelity of premium tablets.
• Viewing Experience: Whether you are looking at wallpapers or browsing the web, the IPS technology ensures that images remain vivid and sharp from various angles.

Performance and Gaming: Dual-Core Power

Equipped with a dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM, the Aurora II is built for speed. In real-world testing, it has been shown to “blow away” older high-end smartphones in terms of raw performance.

Gaming Capabilities

The tablet handles popular titles like Temple Run with ease, running them at high resolutions with a very smooth frame rate. It also supports more intensive 3D games, such as boxing titles, demonstrating its capability as a decent gaming device.

CPU Performance Modes

A unique feature of the Aurora II is the ability to toggle the CPU between “Normal” and “Performance” modes within the settings.

• Performance Mode: This mode increases scrolling speed and game smoothness significantly.
• Trade-offs: Users should be aware that using performance mode can cause the back of the tablet to get hot and will likely reduce battery life.

GPU and Compatibility

The tablet utilizes the Mali 400 GPU. While powerful, there are some compatibility issues with certain apps on the market because the GPU is not as widely supported as mainstream alternatives. While most major games will work, some older or niche apps may fail to run.

Software and User Experience

The Ainol Novo 7 Aurora II runs on Android 4.0, providing access to modern multitasking features and the Google Play Store.

The Play Store and Apps

Having the official Play Store pre-installed is a major advantage for a tablet at this price point. The interface is generally smooth, though users may encounter a few early-stage bugs. Ainol has a history of releasing updates to smooth out flaws, such as previous issues with Wi-Fi connectivity that have since been resolved.

Multitasking

While the 1GB of RAM is generous for the price, the tablet can start to slow down or stutter if you attempt to do too many things at once. For example, downloading a file while simultaneously listening to music and playing a heavy game may push the hardware to its limits.

Touchscreen Accuracy

One of the more notable drawbacks is occasional touchscreen inaccuracy. When scrolling through lists or web pages, the screen may sometimes detect a “click” when the user is simply trying to scroll, which can be frustrating during extended browsing sessions.

Web Browsing and Connectivity

For many users, a tablet is primarily an internet-browsing tool, and the Aurora II excels here.

• Browsing Speed: Using sites like Apple.com as a benchmark, the tablet handles heavy images and flash content very smoothly. Features like pinch-to-zoom work well, though there is a brief second of blur before the image sharpens up.
• Search and Tabs: Searching via Google is quick, and the tablet supports multiple tabs without significant lag, making it a highly functional device for research and casual browsing.
• Keyboard: The stock keyboard may initially be set to a Chinese layout, but it is easily switched to a UK layout, which is reported to be very nice to type on.

Connectivity Options

The device includes an HDMI output, allowing you to watch 720p or 1080p videos on a TV. However, there is a catch: when connected via HDMI, the tablet screen goes black, forcing the user to use the tablet as a blind touchpad to navigate the UI on the TV screen.

Camera and Multimedia

If there is one area where the Aurora II falls short, it is the camera. The tablet features a front-facing camera only, and the quality is described as very poor—barely sufficient for a low-quality Skype call. There is no back camera, which is a significant limitation for those looking to take photos with their tablet.

However, for media consumption, the tablet performs well. Despite the speaker placement issues, the audio is surprisingly high-quality. Furthermore, Google Maps is functional and can be used similarly to a sat-nav, although it may not be as perfectly smooth as on high-end devices.

Final Verdict: Is it Worth It?

The Ainol Novo 7 Aurora II is a remarkable achievement in the budget tablet space. While it has its flaws—such as the poor camera, occasional touchscreen glitches, and HDMI navigation issues—the overall package is hard to beat for under £80.

Pros:

• Incredible price-to-performance ratio.
• Stunning IPS display with great brightness and color.
• Solid, high-quality build.
• Powerful dual-core performance with a dedicated performance mode.
• Official Google Play Store support.

Cons:

• Front camera is almost unusable.
• Occasional touchscreen inaccuracies during scrolling.
• Mali 400 GPU compatibility issues with some apps.
• HDMI output turns off the tablet screen, making navigation difficult.

Conclusion: If you are looking for a tablet and cannot justify the cost of a Nexus 7 or an iPad, the Ainol Novo 7 Aurora II is arguably the best alternative available. It offers a “slick and polished” experience that makes it easy to forget you paid such a small amount of money. For anyone prioritizing a great screen and strong gaming/browsing performance on a budget, this is the way to go.