Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 review

When we met with Samsung in late May, company representatives didn't seem entirely sure that the company would meet the rumored June 8th ship date here in the US, but lo and behold, it's done just that. The tablet's launching at noon today at the Best Buy in New York City's Union Square, and if you can't make it up to the Big Apple, it'll hit the rest of the nation on June 17th. But here's the real question: is it worth making an effort to snag it on either date? The Galaxy Tab 10.1, much like its Limited Edition sibling that we reviewed last month, is ever-so-slightly thinner than the iPad 2, a slate that most sane individuals (and competitors, for that matter) would confess is the market leader today.

Naturally, everyone and their sister is gunning for Apple in this space, and Honeycomb's the first mobile OS we've seen that has the potential to put any sort of damper on Cupertino's ongoing rave. By and large, the consumer version of the Tab 10.1 is the same as the device launched at Google I/O, but there's two key differences that we'll focus on here: the tamed design, and the thoroughly different OS version (v3.1 here versus v3.0 before). Head on past the break for an in-depth look into both of those, but be sure to first take a gander at our Limited Edition review to wrap your noodle around the basics.

Hardware and design
You're going to hear this a lot throughout the review, but every opinion we drew from using the Tab 10.1 Limited Edition applies here. Every. single. one. Why? The consumer model is is a spitting image of the LE variant, save for the motif on the rear; the one you'll pick up this month has a glossy white plastic rear, while the LE model had a glossy white plastic rear... with an Android army adorning it. Weight's the same, size is the same, build quality is the same. It's a tremendous thing to hold, and it truly oozes quality from corner to corner.


Outside of the color scheme on the rear, nothing is different this go 'round. We promise.


Performance and battery life
While the internals remain the same here as on the Limited Edition build (1GHz Tegra 2, 1280 x 800 resolution display, front- and rear-facing cameras), something's changed with Android 3.1. Google claimed that the newest build of Honeycomb would perform even faster than 3.0, and in practice, thingsdid seem to operate at a subtly brisker pace. Animations were a pinch quicker, and transitions were ever-so-slightly faster. Web browser performance was noticeably better, although we did see a few videos load up in a smaller window while the same video expanded out to fill the screen within Android 3.0.


But that said, we're having a difficult time aligning our real-world experience and our benchmarks. The Tab 10.1 Limited Edition (which shipped with an admittedly wonky version of Android 3.0) managed to hit an average of 1,970 within Quadrant benchmark -- a standard benching tool that was also used in ourG-Slate and Xoom review. You'd expect the streamlined Android 3.1 sibling to perform better, but alas, that wasn't at all the case. After running the same test five times on the Tab 10.1, we hit an average score of 1,540. The highest we saw was 1,546. That's off of a fresh reboot with nothing spinning in the background aside from the occasional widget update. It's as baffling to us as it likely is to you; we're guessing that Quadrant just reacts dramatically different to v3.1 than v3.0, and we're obviously eager to see if future Android 3.1 slates score lower across the board than the 3.0 devices that came before.


When we sat down to our video loop test, with WiFi on and display brightness at about 65 percent, we scored just under ten hours (again!). That's second only to the iPad 2, and by merely half an hour. Jack that brightness down a bit, and you could probably squeeze 11 hours out. The upside is that Android 3.1 doesn't seem to have a negative impact on battery life; the downside is that Android 3.1 doesn't seem to be any more power efficient than Android 3.0.

As for audio and video playback? It's what you'd expect; Music Beta streamed our cloud library sans issue over a home WiFi network, and the audio output is on par with every iDevice you've ever tested. It's not quite up there with Cowon or anything, but then again, neither is anything else in this field. Flash, DivX, MPEG4 and H.264 files all played back exceptionally well. Even 720p content seemed to cause no strain whatsoever on the system, though we'd still probably recommend transcoding any of those files you've got sitting around in esoteric containers. Again, this isn't a Cowon, so it ain't going to support everything you throw at it.

Software

At long last, the primary differentiator between the Tab 10.1 LE and the far-less-limited Tab 10.1: 0.1.Android 3.1 brings along widgets that can be resized vertically and horizontally, access to the newfangled Movies section of the Android Market, improved overall performance and support for a host of USB accessories. Unfortunately, the Movies department is only open for Android 3.1 tablets with 3G radios, hence, our 16GB WiFi test unit still showed it as unavailable. That said, we've already tested that particular aspect with a Motorola Xoom, which can be seen here.


The performance improvements, however, are here. They're subtle, sure, but you won't find us kvetching about extra speed, regardless of how minor it is. Granted, we didn't have any real qualms with performance on the Tab 10.1 Limited Edition, but it's safe to say we've even fewer qualms here. Resizing widgets worked, and worked well, but it's mildly annoying that it only supports a smattering of 'em right now -- we're hoping to see more apps updated soon to take advantage, and when that happens, homepane tweakers will no doubt find these remarkably useful. It enables each pane to be full of useful, glanceable information -- a sizable calendar prevents you from having to load the app each time, for example.


Outside of that, the software's largely unchanged from where Honeycomb began. Those anticipating a significant overhaul will be sorely disappointed, but we're thrilled to say that Google's polished up an already excellent foundation. Unfortunately, the Android Market still isn't home to many tablet applications; Apple just announced at WWDC that the App Store is home to some 95,000 tablet programs. El Goog hasn't shared its numbers in this regard, but it doesn't take an awful lot of poking around to see that it's nowhere near. Honeycomb still has a lot to prove, and it's up to developers to prove it. For now, those looking for a wealth of options will have better luck wading through the App Store, but hopefully things will be drastically different as the year churns on.


We'd also like to point out a huge, huge issue with using the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in conjunction with OS X. For whatever reason, Android File Transfer still hasn't been updated to support this slate, which means that you cannot (easily) use your Mac to transfer files onto your device. We have to wonder what Google was thinking when it fundamentally changed how Macs could interface with Android; our Nexus One (Android 2.3) simply pops up as an external drive on the desktop of a MacBook Pro, while Honeycomb devices require a dedicated piece of software that may or may not work. Blech. We're hoping Google updates AFT in the hours ahead; otherwise, you can expect the forums to come alive as Mac owners struggle to make contact with the $500+ slate they just bit on.

Camera

No shocker here -- the 3MP rear camera on the Tab 10.1 impressed us just as much as the camera on the Tab 10.1 Limited Edition. We still aren't sold on using a slate to take photos, and we still aren't overly impressed with the image quality here. It's hard to knock something that most folks aren't going to take advantage of, though, so we'll just let the below sample shot gallery speak for itself.

Wrap-up
The conclusion we came to after using the Tab 10.1 Limited Edition mimics the conclusion we've drawn here: this is the best Honeycomb tablet to date, and lucky for you, this one's available to purchase! Only time will tell if the Android Market will prove to be as well-stocked as the App Store, and if you're willing to wait, this here slate provides a world-class Gmail experience, better handling than the iPad 2 (in our humble opinion, anyway) and a higher resolution display.


The 16GB WiFi model will hit for $499 -- exactly in line with the iPad -- while the 32GB variant will demand $100 more (we're still awaiting word on 3G prices). If you're sold on Android, and you aren't too concerned with having an LTE radio in your tablet, there's really no need to look elsewhere. Of course, the impending release of iOS 5 makes it awfully hard to ignore just how good the iPad 2 will be this fall, but who's living in the future, right?


We'd still prefer Music Beta to be more more like iTunes in the Cloud, and we'd love a microSD slot, but we can't help but applaud Samsung for pushing Android tablets to a level they've never reached prior to now.
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Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 review

What is the optimal size for a modern-day tablet? Is it 10 inches? Is it seven? Or, is it something smaller, like the economy-sized smartphone that is the Galaxy Note? We can't say for sure, but we surely can say that Samsung is as much in the dark as we are. Like a gadgety Goldilocks traipsing between an endless sea of options, that company seems completely unable to make up its mind, splitting niches into sub-niches and then cleaving those in twain again with a seemingly endless array of fractionally different tablets.

Today we're looking at the Galaxy Tab 8.9. This powerful slate exists because, apparently, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is too big and the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus is too small. Is the $449 8.9 just right, then? Read on to find out.

Hardware


If you're familiar with the Gal Tab 10.1 you'll find the slightly svelter 8.9 a particularly comfortable beast. Where many companies are struggling to find a corporate image and common style to apply to all their devices, Samsung here had no problem simply shrinking down the elder tablet's overall design by about 12 percent. It's only when they're side-by-side that you can see a few subtle differences -- most notable being the repositioning of the speakers from the sides to the bottom where they now flank Samsung's proprietary connector.

The 8.9 uses a plastic backing with a faux brushed metal texture. It matches what's currently applied to the 10.1's rear end and definitely has a nicer feel than the smooth plastic we got on some of the earlier 10-inchers. It's given a dark, bluish hue Samsung calls Metallic Gray, though we're not seeing much in the way metal flake. With that as your only color choice your only options for customization lie on the capacity front: 16 or 32GB, neither of which can be expanded through microSD.


Dimensionally the 8.9 is only slightly smaller than its big brother. It measures 9.1 x 6.2 x .34 inches and weighs in at .99 pounds (230.9 x 157.8 x 8.6mm and 447g, if those are your units of choice). That compares to 10.1 x 6.9 x 0.34 inches and 1.24 pounds, making it only moderately more svelte and a hair less heavy. (Our calipers measured it as being thinner, too, but only by a few fractions of a millimeter.) This compares favorably to another 8-inch option, the Archos 80 G9, which is 3mm thicker and 18g heftier.


That difference between this and the 10.1 doesn't sound like much on paper, and if you stack them up it doesn't look like much either. But, in the hand, you notice it. It just feels slightly more balanced, slightly more palmable than the bigger one. It isn't as nice to walk around with as a 7-inch tablet -- still our favorite size for tableting while strolling between gates at the airport -- but it is a noticeable improvement in the hand compared to the 10.1.


Though smaller, the 8.9 still packs 1,280 x 800 pixels in its 16:9 PLS TFT LCD, so you're giving up size but gaining pixel density. You are, however, gaining both compared to the 8-inch Archos 80 G9, which makes do with just 1,024 x 768. The three megapixel camera around the back and two megapixel unit up front appear to be the same as the one that came before, while the power button and volume rocker are positioned in their familiar locations -- the upper-left.

That 8.9-inch display impresses, not with the stunning contrast of Samsung's Super AMOLED Plus displays but still managing to look quite good. As mentioned above the pixel density is slightly higher than on the 10.1, which does give text and other high-contrast shapes a slightly smoother appearance. Viewing angles are good and, overall, this is definitely a top-notch panel in here. Still, we have to wonder why Samsung stuck this with a TFT screen while reserving its especially stunning Super AMOLED Plus display for that mythical no-show, the Galaxy Tab 7.7.

Performance and battery life


The 8.9 features the same 1GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM as its 10.1 inch predecessor, so no surprise, then, that performance here is similar to what we saw on the 10.1 -- though not necessarily identical. Quadrant gave us an average of 2,341, which is surprisingly higher than the 1,800 or so the 10.1 puts down. Linpack Single 26.846, though Linpack Multi wouldn't give us consistent enough scores to warrant inclusion, and Neocore also refused to cooperate. Nenamark netted 38.1, Nenamark2 18.1 and Sunspider clocked in at 2,295, just a tick slower than the 10.1's 2,200. It boots from cold in 35 seconds.

Real-world impressions back up the benchmark findings. The 8.9 feels exactly the same to use as the 10.1. In back-to-back testing of the two occasionally the 10.1 would load an app slightly more quickly, sometimes the 8.9, but neither had a conclusive advantage over the other. Unless you had them both sitting side-by-side you'd never tell any difference, and even when we did we had to be really paying attention.

When it comes to longevity the 8.9 does not disappoint -- though it doesn't quite live up to its predecessor. The 10.1 (with a 7,000mAh battery) scored a very impressive 9:55 on our intensive video rundown test, almost matching the 10:26 of the iPad 2. The 8.9, with its 6,100mAh battery, managed 9:21. That's well more than the seven hours managed by the Archos, and plenty enough for all but the most punishing of flights.

Tablet
Battery Life
Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.99:21
Apple iPad 210:26
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.19:55
Apple iPad9:33
HP TouchPad8:33
Lenovo IdeaPad K18:20
Motorola Xoom8:20
T-Mobile G-Slate8:18
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet8:00
Archos 1017:20
Archos 80 G97:06
RIM BlackBerry PlayBook7:01
Acer Iconia Tab A5006:55
Toshiba Thrive6:25
Samsung Galaxy Tab6:09
Velocity Micro Cruz T4085:10
Acer Iconia Tab A1004:54

Camera


Not to sound like a broken record, but the camera assemblies here appear to be identical to what we saw on the 10.1 -- that is to say, it takes acceptable shots, but you won't be retiring your DSLR. Nor your compact, for that matter. See for yourself in the pics below.

Software


The Galaxy Tab 8.9 runs Honeycomb 3.1, featuring the same TouchWiz customizations found on the bigger 10.1. We already detailed them quite comprehensively before, so we won't waste too much time doing so here again. But, we will say that the additions to the OS here are generally welcome, and the easy to access utilities for taking notes and calendar make this a rather more useful machine than it might be otherwise.

Beyond that, the Honeycomb build here has the same quirks as any other build of Google's OS. It's still something of a mixed bag of an OS that we find occasionally clunky and unintuitive to navigate, but again that hasn't changed significantly since before -- and it won't change until these devices are updated to Ice Cream Sandwich. When will that happen? Samsung isn't saying.

The competition
There aren't a huge number of contenders in this, the greater-than-seven-but-smaller-than-nine-inch department. Currently it's really this or the Archos 80 G9, which has a .9-inch smaller screen, a lower resolution, worse battery life and a chunkier construction. But, it is considerably cheaper ($300 for 8GB, $320 for 16GB) and seems to offer slightly improved performance. The strongest competition, though, comes in at 1.9-inches smaller -- in the form of the $430 T-Mobile Springboard (which offers shorter battery life but a nicer display), the $400 Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, or the compellingly cheap Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet. We'll have full reviews of those last two soon but, at just $200, Amazon's offering is going to be tough to beat.

Wrap-up


The Galaxy Tab 8.9 exists in a gadget niche so small we weren't convinced it needed to exist. Despite that, the thing fills it admirably well. Given the choice between taking along this guy or its bigger sibling we'd almost universally take the 8.9. The loss in screen size is barely noticeable since the resolution is kept the same but the difference in handheld usability is tangible.

That said, those of you buying a tablet exclusively for couch surfing would likely be a bit more comfortable with the slightly larger display. Whichever you choose, cost won't be much of a factor. The 16GB version here is $449 and 32GB $549. Each is just $50 less than its 10.1-inch counterpart. Is a 10 percent price reduction fair for a 10 percent size reduction? Ultimately that decision lies with you.
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