The Samsung ATIVsmart Tab is a lightweight
tablet which is great for work and play
Samsung has emerged as a huge player in the
mobile market in the last year, so it's no surprise that the Korean company is
one of the first to release an Windows RT tablet. We got an advanced exclusive
preview of the Samsung ATIVsmart Tab before our full review next month.
Samsung
has emerged as a huge player in the mobile market in the last year, so it's no
surprise that the Korean company is one of the first to release an Windows RT
tablet.
Like the Asus Vivo Tab RT (page 30) the
Samsung ATIVsmart Tab runs on a different type of technology that allows for
longer battery life and portability, which is a first for Windows devices. The
low-power technology means that the 10-inch ATIVsmart Tab is extremely
lightweight, weighing in at around 600g. That puts it on par with the iPad in
terms of size and weight, except it comes with a detachable keyboard, meaning
it can double as a Windows laptop for work and email, as well as a media device
for apps, games and video.
The build quality isn't quite as solid as
Apple's ubiquitous tablet, especially with a plasticky back, but it sheds
valuable grams and has much improved connectivity. There's a full USB port, so
that removable storage, such as USB sticks and hard drives can be attached:
HDMI for attaching to HDTVs and monitors, and MicroSD, which can double the
built-in storage.
On par power
Elsewhere, there's a dual-core Snapdragon
S4 1.5GHz processor, 2GB of RAM and a 32GB SSD drive. In terms of power, that
puts this on par with any Android tablet, and with the diversity of the Windows
platform, makes it an exciting prospect, even if the screen has a low
resolution of just 1,366 x 768 and the drop in quality shows.
The
Samsung ATIVsmart Tab is a lightweight tablet which is great for work and play.
Windows RT can't run classic Windows apps,
unless compatible versions are released via the Windows Store. However,
Microsoft is pre-loading all RT devices with a touch- friendly version of
Microsoft Office 2013, which makes the ATIVsmart Tab great for work and play.
Samsung's early RT tablet is exactly the
kind of device we were hoping Windows 8 would introduce. The lightweight form
factor and long battery life make it an attractive proposition and we're
looking forward to reviewing it next month.
