The first generation Samsung Galaxy Tab
10.1 made waves when it was launched in 2011. Looking at its specs back then,
it was very competitive, premier and definitely one of the most sought after
tablets. As a follow up, Samsung released the second generation Galaxy Tab this
year. Both have almost near-identical specs, which inspired our curiosity
towards this new tablet and how it will perform when put to the test.
Samsung
Galaxy Tab 2 10.1
1. Uninspiring Design
When it comes to second generation
products, I always expect it to be thinner, lighter and look really great.
Therefore, I am slightly disappointed when the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 is seemingly
rounder than its predecessor. Worse still is the fact that it is also feels
heavier and looks thicker. There is certainly nothing wrong with the design but
I believe a second generation product should be more revolutionary. The only
praise I have for the Tab 2 10.1 is how Samsung relocated the speakers - it is
in the front! That means no more muffled noise when placing it on the table!
2. Pretty Display
As for the LCD display, Samsung decides to
use the 1280 x 800 PLS panel, the very same screen its predecessor used. While
it may not be Retina Display or even 1920 x 1200 screens, it does get the job
done. I love the fact that Samsung somehow managed to make the screen brighter,
ensuring that the Tab 10.1 2 is able to be used properly outdoors. There is one
minor flaw: while the bright colours look great on the display, darker shades
is slightly washed out due to the bright tones used in the display.
3. With ICS
Always ready to be out at the front,
Samsung releases the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 with the latest Android operating system
on it, Android 4.0 aka Ice-cream Sandwich (ICS). The TouchWiz UX skin is
included and comes with Samsung’s latest versions of Music Hub, Media Hub and
Game Hub. The new TouchWiz added its own extra shortcuts on top of the basic
design of ICS, providing what Samsung believes enhances the user experience. It
does seem to work as described on paper as it offers me just enough usability
tweaks and does not overwhelm me with additional random things. The best part
of the improvements is having Samsung enhance its task manager, which allows me
to kill any running app instantly.
4. Satisfactory Multimedia
Thanks to the new speakers’ placement,
watching shows with this tablet is a great experience. There is very little
motion blur when watching action movies. The brightness and colour issues show
up in movies as well and have become more telling when it cannot produce deep
blacks like other higher end tablets. Even shadows in movies show hints of
pixilation. As a movie-buff who prefers watching anything and everything on the
tablet though, I am very satisfied with its performance.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1
·
Price: $399
·
Dimensions: 256.7
x 175.3 x 9.7 mm
·
Weight: 583 g
·
Processor: 1 GHz
dual-core
·
OS: Android 4.0
Ice Cream Sandwich
·
Battery: 7,000
mAh, li-ion
·
Battery: 2560
(Quadrant Standard)
V: 9/10
F: 8/10
P: 7/10
D: 6/10
U: 8/10
Verdict:
Hardly any upgrade, it falls from premium to midrange tablet.
Total Score:
7.6/10
