Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1: A Second-Gen Android Tablet

Display Quality: Color Gamut

Most tablet vendors don't have the resources needed to manufacture their own LCD panels. This is not the case with Samsung, which is in the display business.

Its Galaxy Tab 10.1 features the company's home-grown 1280x800 Super Plane to Line Switching (PLS) panel. Under a microscope, the subpixel structure looks similar to S-IPS, but that's where the similarities end. This is easily the best display we've seen on a tablet, and you're about to see why.

Even though mobile operating systems don't honor ICC color profiles, native color management does occur at the hardware level. When a GPU sends 10 different hues of blue to an LCD only capable of displaying three, the subpixels display the closest matching color. So, in a way, smartphones and tablets behave as if they’re using relative colorimetric rendering. For more information, read Tom's Hardware Benchmarks Inkjet Printer Paper!

Most tablets still deliver less color quality than the cheap TN panels we see on the desktop. Not so on the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Overall, color quality is pretty close to what you'd expect from a decent desktop monitor, thanks to Samsung's Super PLS technology. Without going into too much detail, Super PLS is a minor evolution of IPS that offers better viewing angles, color quality, and higher brightness.

Compared to IPS-based tablets, maximum white luminance is roughly the same. However, Super PLS seems to be capable of achieving a deeper black, which results in a higher contrast ratio.

These gamut measurements are accompanied by a couple of caveats. First, we're disabling dynamic brightness because it doesn’t allow us to get an accurate (or reproducible) measurement of the display’s potential. Second, brightness is set to the highest value. If you don't use the same settings, your color gamut is going to look smaller than what we're showing here.

If the Galaxy Tab 10.1’s Super PLS display has one weakness, it’s color temperature. At 8900 K, the colors appear far too cool, which is particularly evident as white backgrounds appear with a slightly bluish tint. The low gamma helps mask the problem with other colors.

Understand that gamma doesn't affect black or white performance, but it does affect midtones. If gamma is set too high, the midtones appear too dark. If it's set too low, they're too pale. Adobe, Apple, and Microsoft all recommend a gamma of 2.2. It's an arbitrary value carried over from the NTSC standard, but it was originally chosen because it allows colors to appear more natural in slightly dim environments.

  • killerclick
    No surprises here, iPad 2 is still on top, being the engineering masterpiece that it is. Take a look at side-by-side comparisons of iPad 2 and Galaxy Tab 10.1 on YouTube and you'll see how much smoother animations and video recording are on the iPad 2.
    Reply
  • Martell77
    I'm going to be in the market to buy about 150 tablets soon and from this article it appears that the ASUS 3.2 is the best all around for price/performance/recharge. While it doesn't win alot, it appears to be a consistant performer and has a relativly short recharge time.

    Or am I missing something here?
    Reply
  • dthx
    The reason why Samsung doesn't want to lower it's price is easy to understand: there are many (stupid) persons who are convinced that the iPad is superior to any other tablet just because it's priced higher... Samsung wants to make sure they capture that part of the market.
    But the author is right: if there is one reason Apple should sue Samsung, it's for copying the price structure of the iPad!
    Reply
  • Haserath
    Samsung Galaxy Tab needs a split keyboard feature in portrait mode; it isn't comfortable enough to have to stretch to hit the virtual keys.

    The 10.1 is still too slow for certain browsing. Flash is good as long as you don't want to rewind or fast forward through it. It sometimes slows down when I try typing also.

    Since Apple produces both hardware and software, they can optimize their OS for the exact hardware they put out.

    After trying the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, I would say it's just a little too immature still. A good year or two and tablets will be perfect for browsing, gaming, and some other tasks while also being lightweight and easy to use even compared to laptops.
    Reply
  • Hmmm, many talk about iPad dominance but don't know all the facts. Just looking at a device in the store doesn't cut it folks. Android tablets are going to start cutting into market share, like it or not. For an IT person or true techie, most would choose an Android tablet. 4 core coming soon and they are going to rock the scene. Example: my Acer Iconia costs quite a bit less than iPad2.
    -Full USB port for mouse, keyboard, portable hard disks/thumb drives, cameras
    -Overclocked and stable dual core CPU @ 1.504 Ghz (big change in performance)
    -Customizable and open operating system (and it's going to get better with ICS)
    -Honeycomb 3.2
    -Netflix and Hulu working
    -Mount drives from Linux, Windows, and OSX
    -Websites with Flash that look the same as on a PC browser (now theres a concept)
    -Wide screen 16:9
    -5MP rear camera + front facing camera.
    -HDMI out
    -Charges back up in 1hr
    Reply
  • dennisburke
    Price, proprietary cable management, and lack of expandable storage all lead me to want to wait to see what happens after Windows 8 becomes available.
    Reply
  • iceman1992
    PowerVR SGX545MP2 (dual-core)
    i think it's supposed to be SGX543MP2?
    Reply
  • tacoslave
    call me when Kal-el comes out
    Reply
  • damric
    I'll be getting this for $199 with my Sprint upgrade :D
    Reply
  • thrasher32
    Wake me up when someone does something innovative.
    Reply