LG G Pad 8.3 Android-based tablet has an aluminum back cover, a Snapdragon 600 processor and a handsome 1920 x 1200 display. The 8.3-inch device marks the return of LG to the tablet market, according to The Verge.

Compared to iPad Mini, the LG G Pad is a formidable competitor in terms of hardware. But the iOS environment of ultra numerous apps is a difficult feature to beat in the Apple tablet.

The exterior and hardware of the LG G Pad is impressive. It’s nice, compact and has a rigid build quality that is prettier and tougher than the company’s plastic-heavy handset. The Verge described that the aluminum cover of the LG G Pad wraps around most of the back and sides, with white plastic inserts on the lighter model and black ones on the dark option.

The tablet’s 8.3 size was not a simple technical decision for the company. LG investigated and studied in-depth the average hand size in Korea and came up with a tablet offering that provides the biggest possible screen size for what it sees as a maximum width (127.29mm) for a single-hand device. The bezel on the side of the screen is 7.2 mm and is as thin as LG could make it. The thickness of the new LG G Pad is 8.3mm.

Both the iPad Mini and the LG G Pad 8.3 is easy to hold in one hand, according to Vlad Savov who reviewed the tablet for The Verge. The writer also noted that the HD display on LG’s G Pad is much easier on the eyes than the lower-res screen on the mini.

Although the app-environment for the LG G Pad, which runs on Android falls short with what the iOS-based iPad Mini can offer, LG adds many value on the software side. There’s a feature called the Q Pair, which hooks up the G Pad to any Android smartphone via Bluetooth and enables the user to do things like pick up calls on the tablet.

The LG G Pad is expected to be in stores in Korea by the end of September, with it’s release date in the U.S. still uncertain.