Most of the interests generated lately by the new LG G Pad 8.3 are due to the high possibility that Google will pattern its rumoured Nexus 8 after the Android-based tablet.

But matter of fact, the G Pad can hold water by its own even when pitted with the likes of the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 from Samsung and the king of small tablets - Apple's original iPad Mini.

Most experts agree that there are five key areas that the three slates are battling about and they are discussed in the paragraphs that follow:

Jelly Bean 4.2 vs. iOS 7

Android takes a number of forms when deployed outside of Google's Nexus devices. In the case of both LG and Samsung, both South Korean firms distribute their gadgets standing Android but skinned to push for their fledging ecosystem.

For most experts, Android, whether skinned or native, remain inferior to iOS as Apple's system boasts of nearly 500,000 applications that are optimised for tablet use. So in this respect, the G Pad and the Tab 3 are the laggards and it may take some time for Android slates to really mount a serious challenge against the Apple tablet juggernaut.

Powerhouse CPU

Thankfully for the G Pad it has many things to be proud beyond its JB 4.2 and among them is a quad-core Snapdragon 600 CPU that is paired with 2GB of RAM. Such specs easily overwhelms the Tab 3 8.0's tandem of dual-core processing chip and 1.5GB of RAM and the combo of a 1.0GHz CPU and 512MB of RAM that are deployed with the iPad Mini.

Here, the G Pad is a runaway winner, flexing more muscles compared to its mediocre foes.

8-inch screen extended a bit

Analysts say 8-inch is the new sweet spot for compact tablets as proven by the great success of the iPad Mini. Perhaps to differentiate a little from the 8-inch Tab 3 and the 7.9-inch Mini, LG decided to stretch he G Pad's screen to 8.3-inch for extra display real estate.

And with a 1080p screen resolution that is beamed out in IPS LCD panel, the choice should be crystal clear for consumers who hunt for a tablet that will deliver crisp and bright screen rendition.

Up to 80GB of memory room

Out of the box, the G Pad comes with 16GB of built-in storage but like most Android devices, it offers a microSD card slot that accommodated up to 64GB more of extra space. For users that would mean some 70GB of usable digital locker, enough to store countless applications and move around with loads of movies, music, e-books, audio books and other electronic memory. And these will be stuffed inside of a sleek-looking and thin slate that is accentuated by a classy finish in either white or greyish black.

Cheaper to own

Asking price of the LG G Pad is $350, which is $50 higher than any of the Tab 3 and iPad Mini. But for long term use, the G Pad is cheaper to own. This is especially true when the rival in question is the iPad Mini.

The 16GB Mini variant now sells for $299 but the package itself is limited. For instance, users wanting to use more space have little choice but to access the cloud, which means paying for Internet connection and registering for cloud services. No doubt, they cost lots of money in the long run.

So when shopping for the best-looking and value-filled 8-inch tablet this Christmas, the LG G Pad 8.3 should merit more than a second look.