The Google Nexus 9 is aiming to sway tablet buyers away from Apple's iPad Air 2. Both tablets are very comparable in features, but there are some differences that can sway buyers toward purchasing one over the other.

The main difference between the two is actually the screen size, according to ITPro. The Google Nexus 9 is actually not quite nine inches, instead it has an 8.9-inch display. The iPad Air 2 has a screen that is actually closer to 10 inches, with a 9.7-inch display. Both screens display the same 2048 x 1356 display. The Nexus 9 actually has a better brightness rating than the iPad Air 2, but the Nexus 9 has a backlight bleed issue. The iPad Air 2 is more responsive than the Nexus 9 and does not suffer the backlight issue. Because of this, the iPad Air 2 has the better display.

Battery life is always something to be aware of when in the market for a tablet. Apple quotes the iPad Air 2 as having a 10-hour battery life. Meanwhile, the Nexus 9 is given a quote of 9.5 hours of battery life from Google. Depending on which features are enabled, such as Wi-Fi and how much brightness is used, the iPad Air 2's battery life can be up to two hours longer than the Nexus 9.

The Nexus 9 is actually a gram lighter than the iPad Air 2. The Nexus 9 weighs in at 436g, while the iPad Air 2 is 437g. The Nexus 9 is the narrower device, but it is noticeably thicker than the iPad Air 2.

The two tablets each have their own easy-unlock feature. The Nexus 9 will allow users to double-tap the screen to unlock the device and the iPad Air 2 added the TouchID sensor which allows users to simply place their finger on the sensor to unlock the device.

The Nexus 9 and iPad Air 2 both use advanced processors to run their systems. The Nexus 9 uses a dual-core processor running at 2.3 GHz. While the iPad Air 2 has a processor that only runs at 1.5 GHz, it is a tri-core processor that is very capable of running the iOS operating system. Both tablets have 2 GB of RAM that allow for data-intensive tasks to be run successfully. The Nexus 9 is the faster device though.

The price of the entry level Nexus 9 is $399, according to Forbes. This tablet will come with 16 GB of internal storage. The same 16 GB iPad Air 2 will cost $499. Upgrade to the 32 GB model of the Nexus 9 for that same price of $499. The Nexus 9 is the better value here. However, the Nexus 9 stops at 32 GB while the iPad Air 2 offers 16, 64 and 128 GB storage choices.

The iPad Air 2 has a sturdier build to it and great specs, but the Nexus 9 offers almost the exact same specs for a cheaper price.