Note: We may earn commissions (at no cost to you) if you buy through links on our site. Learn more.
NOTE: This model is discontinued and may no longer be available to purchase new. See the latest cell phones or compare used prices.

NOOK HD review

7.8/10 AVG.
RATING
Compare Compare  
Compare Compare  

NOOK HD
NOOK HD
NOOK HD
NOOK HD
NOOK HD
NOOK HD
NOOK HD
...


7.8/10
Informr score
The NOOK HD currently has an Informr score of 7.8 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 19 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

E-book readers these days are made for more than just reading e-books on the go. This is true especially for the high-end device segment. Something like the Barnes & Noble Nook HD is kind of in a league of its own already. And in some ways, it is. For starters, it comes with one of the highest resolution 7-inch displays ever released, with a native resolution of 1440x900 pixels. Also, its default operating system is Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. In other words, a good modern operating system with which you can download apps galore.

The default amount of on-device RAM on the Nook HD is 1GB. And as for the internal storage space, you get either 8GB or 16GB depending on your configuration of choice. In the end, though, it doesn’t really matter since you can easily add extra storage through microSD cards. It’s really more than just another e-book reader; B&N knows what kind of stuff consumers like to spend their time on nowadays, and the Nook HD is equipped to support all kinds of multimedia content: books, music, movies, games, and so on.

Users are sure to find the 10-hour battery life for reading e-books very useful. It also lasts 9 hours for video playback, almost enough to get through the Lord of The Rings trilogy. Speaking of which, there’s an HDMI-out port that can be used to connect to external monitors and enjoy whatever type of media content on a much bigger screen.

Overall, the Nook HD is pretty well-equipped. However, it does have a few missing features, such as a built-in camera, NFC, and 4G LTE. It can also cost much more than many other models available in the 7-inch market segment.

For those who would like an e-reader with the added bonus of an entire content ecosystem, it’s an excellent choice. But it should be noted that more affordable alternatives exist.

Need to Know: Barnes & Noble Nook HD

1. Comes with a 7-inch 1440x900 touchscreen display. (The Good)

2. Default OS is Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. (The Good)

3. Battery life could be longer, especially for reading e-books. (The Bad)

4. No cameras. (The Bad)


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
1.3 GHz
Processor
Processor
1.3 GHz
7"
Screen Size
Screen Size
7"
No
Camera
Camera
No
Unknown
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


PC Pro
PC Pro

Aside from those obvious weaknesses, however, the Nook HD still represents a fantastic buy. It has a great screen, decent performance, very good battery life and a good all-round design, yet it costs a mere £99. The Fonepad's smartphone features and 3G capability keep it on top, but if you don...

- Jonathan Bray, PC Pro
Tech Advisor
Tech Advisor

We can hardly find fault with the hardware, but UK-specific content - including magazines, newspapers, books and apps - is sorely lacking. Much is promised, but you're taking a risk if you jump in and buy a Nook HD right now. As with the Kindle Fire HD, the Nook HD will be good option for anyone wan...

- Jim Martin, Tech Advisor
Digital Trends
Digital Trends

The Nook HD is still a worthy tablet contender, even though there are now many more Android tablets that match its low price. Cost isn’t everything, and the Nook’s features are compelling, especially for people who love to read and use their tablet mostly for that purpose. We like that t...

- K. T. Bradford, Digital Trends
Know Your Mobile
Know Your Mobile

If we had someone else’s credit card, we’d absolutely love the Nook HD. It doesn’t have the best design out there and it uses a proprietary charger, but its a powerful tablet with a gorgeous screen and expandable memory. That you can have profiles and child locked content also makes it a perfect sha...

- Basil Kronfli, Know Your Mobile
Know Your Mobile
Know Your Mobile

If we had someone else’s credit card, we’d absolutely love the Nook HD. It doesn’t have the best design out there and it uses a proprietary charger, but its a powerful tablet with a gorgeous screen and expandable memory. That you can have profiles and child locked content also mak...

- Basil Kronfli, Know Your Mobile


Prices (Where to Buy)




Ask the Community



Resources


Manuals / User Guides Helpful Links Share / Embed

Maybe one of your friends will find this review helpful? Please help us spread the word.


Quick view

Screen Size
7"

The NOOK HD's screen size is 7 inches with x pixels resolution.

Processor
1.3 GHz

There is a Cortex A9 1.3 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The tablet runs on proprietary operating system firmware.

Camera
No
This model has no built-in camera. Sorry, no selfies.
Storage
8/16 GB

Internal memory is 8/16 GB. An external, MicroSD, MicroSDHC (up to 32 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
Unknown
Barnes & Noble's performance ratings are 3 days standby time, 9 hours Wi-Fi surfing.

NOOK HD Specs

Overview
Release Date November 8, 2012
Regions Available USA
Operating System No

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor Cortex A9 1.3 GHz
Internal Storage 8/16 GB
RAM 1 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible No
TTY/TDD No
SAR Body: 1.3 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included AC Charger, Data Cable, Manual
Cellular
Networks
Mobile / Cellular Data
No (Option available)
Wi-Fi Calling No
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) No
SIM card size
No
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB Yes
USB OTG Support No
Infrared No
Bluetooth 2.0
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, HID
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD, MicroSDHC (up to 32 GB)
NFC No
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
Zoom
Yes
Flash
No
Additional Main Camera Info
No
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, MPEG-4, AVI
Video Recording Parameters
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
Additional Front Camera Info
No
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (TFT)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution x pixels
Pixel density Unknown
Size 7 inches
Sensors Motion / Accelerometer
Backlit Illumination Yes
Zoom / Magnification Yes
Screen Orientation Lock Yes
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen
Power & Battery
Battery Capacity No
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging No
Battery Charge Time 4 hours
Video Playback Time Up to 9 hours
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 9 hours
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Standby Time Up to 3 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Material Plastic
Colors Snow, Smoke
Dimensions [H x W x D] 19.4 x 12.7 x 1.1 cm (7.6 x 5 x 0.4 in)
Weight 315 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Unknown
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Touchscreen Yes
Sleep / Wake Key No
Home Key No
Physical keyboard No
Text-to-Speech No
Screen Reader No
Keypad/Screen Lock Yes
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor No
More
Additional Information Graphics: Yes
Backlit Illumination: Yes
Zoom / Magnification: Yes
Screen Orientation Lock: Yes
Predictive Text Entry: No
Keypad/Screen Lock: Yes
Multiple Numbers Per Contact: Email address, Other fields
Contact Groups: Yes
Web Browser: Yes
Email Client: Yes
Email Protocols: POP3, IMAP, SMTP, Microsoft Exchange
PC Synchronization: Yes
TV Out Info: HDMI
Audio Formats: MP3, MP4, AAC, AMR, WAV, M4A, OGG
Video Playback Formats: 3GP / 3GPP, MPEG-4, AVI
Streaming Video: Yes
Custom Ringtones: No
Viewable document types: BMP, DOC, DOCX, EPUB, GIF, JPG, PDF, PPT, PPTX, RTF, TXT, XLS
Games: Downloadable
Apps: Downloadable
Included Software / Apps: -
Calendar, World Clock, Alarm, Calculator, NotePad, Voice Memos / Recorder

Other Names (AKA):
Related Links Quick Start Guide (PDF)
Manual (PDF)
NOOK HD Reviews
Where to buy NOOK HD
Suggest a correction