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Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1: A Second-Gen Android Tablet

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The iPad 2 enjoys the benefit of being one generation ahead of everyone else. But what happens when the competition catches up? Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the first second-gen Android-based tablet. Can it hold its own against the iPad 2 in our testing?

Camera Quality

Front-Facing 2.0 MP Camera: Low Light

The Galaxy Tab 10.1's front-facing camera is sufficient for video conferencing, but it really demands decent lighting to avoid streaming grainy video. Poorly-lit environments aren't much of a problem for the rear-facing camera, but quality still falls shy of what we're able to achieve with Motorola's Xoom and Acer's Iconia A500.

Rear-Facing Camera: Flash Off

Enabling the flash yields better shots, but the light seems poorly distributed in close-up pictures (more so than other tablets that have passed through out SoCal lab, at least).

Rear-Facing Camera: Flash On

Outdoors and in full sunlight, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 performs as well as any other point-and-shoot camera. The biggest problem is that Samsung omits a zoom function, which forces you to crop your own pictures after they've been shot.

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25 Comments Comment from the forums
  • killerclick 04 October 2011 12:45
    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 04 October 2011 13:10
    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 04 October 2011 15:37
    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 04 October 2011 18:32
    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
  • 04 October 2011 19:22
    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 04 October 2011 23:35
    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 05 October 2011 11:05
    PowerVR SGX545MP2 (dual-core)
    i think it's supposed to be SGX543MP2?
    Reply
  • tacoslave 05 October 2011 12:40
    call me when Kal-el comes out
    Reply
  • damric 05 October 2011 18:09
    I'll be getting this for $199 with my Sprint upgrade :D
    Reply
  • thrasher32 05 October 2011 21:28
    Wake me up when someone does something innovative.
    Reply