Reports came out this week that Google is pushing out the upgraded Nexus 7 2 in July but with a slightly higher asking price - $US229 coming from last year's $US199.

New details provided by DigiTimes pinned the blame on the surprise price hike with Google's deliberate efforts of remodelling its stock Android tablet as a mid-range device following its introduction as an entry-level slate.

With the supposed higher price, will the Nexus 7 2 lose some of its glitter in light of the flood of Android alternatives that sport irresistible specs and prices? For instance, Acer, HP and even Nexus-assembler Asus are coming up with 7-inch rivals that are priced below the $US160 mark.

Such prospect is unlikely and there are three compelling reasons to believe that the vanilla Android tablet will fly off the shelves in big numbers come its reported July D-Day.

Nexus 7 2 is the top iPad Mini Killer candidate

The specs attributed so far to Nexus 7 2 are branded as rumours but the likelihood of the powers becoming real is high considering the first Nexus serving fashioned out by Google late last year.

The tech giant wields the clout to convince its Nexus partners, Asus for Nexus 7 2, to pool together the best components possible for the tablet and what are being brandished is nothing short of spectacular - a quad-core Snapdragon 800 CPU that will draw its energy juice from battery with a massive 4000mAh rating.

Also, the screen resolution is reportedly bumped up to 1920 x 1200, near enough to the Retina display prowess of the iPad Mini 2. The basic configuration, DigiTimes said, comes with a 16GB storage capacity and a decent 5MP main shooter.

Regardless the price hike, the Nexus 7 2 sticker price is solid

It is a bargain, actually, according to experts. The power packed with the Google-centric tablet easily achieves two things - equal the purported iPad Mini 2 might and surpass that of the first Mini.

Granted that Apple will offer huge discounts on the original Mini shortly after its replacement's arrival, it is not expected to go really dirt cheap and best the Nexus 7 2's $US230. To date, the iPad Mini still retails at around $US300 many months after its debut price of $US329 and there is no sign at all that the price point will slide significantly.

This is vanilla Android tablet experience at its best

The best part about the Nexus brand is the native Google environment it brings to million of consumers, tussling head-on with Apple's iOS platform. This is raw but not wanting in energy plus the assurance of getting the latest Android version, directly served by Google.

The hope is high for Google to deploy Jelly Bean 4.3 or even Key Lime Pie (Android 5.0) with the Nexus 7 2 but even if it comes out of the box with Jelly Bean 4.2.2, the Nexus edge is not lost at all. The assurance is always there that once 4.3 or KLP is ready for the ride, Nexus 7 2 owners get the fist ticket for the magical roll.

And to match the beauty of its inner Android, buyers can expect the Nexus 7 2 to sport pretty, slim and light build on release date with less bezel surrounding its crystal-clear tablet screen.