Tablet Wars: Apple’s New iPad vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1

By Raissa on Apr 24, 2012

The new iPad, as Apple calls it, is one of the most sought after tablets today. No doubt it’s capable but how would it fare when pitted against an equally-capable tablet by Samsung, the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1? Let’s see.

Design

It’s no secret that the new iPad looks a lot like the iPad 2. Even a glimpse of the tablet will tell you exactly that. But if you hold the device, that’s when you’ll know that the new iPad is bit heavier than its predecessor. The new iPad is also heavier at 662g than the Galaxy Tab 2’s 588g weight.

Though it’s a bit heavier, it’s still very attractive to look at nonetheless. Samsung’s new Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 can never be mistaken for the new iPad. This tablet features a larger space below the screen and a smaller gap above it. You’ll also notice that it has a silver grey bezel on the sides.

Display
I think that the winner in this aspect is quite obvious and it’s none other than Apple’s new iPad since it comes with the newest and highly-praised Retina display technology. Its 9.7-inch LED backlit glossy display with IPS technology specifically comes with a super clear 2048 x 1536-pixel resolution. Users can be sure of a crystal-clear screen even when they touch it constantly since it has a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 has a PLS-based display with 1280 x 800-pixel resolution. Obviously it’s paltry compared to the new iPad’s screen. But for users who are after a wider viewing, its 10.1-inch screen is a practical option. Its screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass.

Hardware
The new iPad is powered by a dual-core A5X custom-designed, high-performance, low-power chip with quad-core graphics. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 is equipped with a dual-core 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 processor which is also capable of good performance for demanding applications. But when put side by side with the new iPad, it’s obvious that what the former has is more special. No doubt the winner in this area is the new iPad.

Operating System
It seems like a draw in this aspect for the two tablets because both are equipped with the latest operating systems. The new iPad is equipped with the latest iOS 5.1 while the Galaxy Tab 2 runs on the latest Android Ice Cream sandwich. Both of these systems bring lots of goodies for users’ fun and convenience for example access to unlimited apps in the App Store for the new iPad and the Play Store for the Galaxy Tab 2.

Memory and Storage
Both have 1GB of RAM but the Galaxy Tab is only available in 16GB version while the new iPad is available in 16, 32 and 64GB versions. But unlike the new iPad, the Galaxy Tab 2 has a microSD card slot that supports up to 32GB. This is more advantageous for those who need more space for their files. So, I think in this area, the winner is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1.

Camera
I’m pretty sure the camera is one of the debating points when selecting a tablet. Clearly the new iPad is the true winner with its 5-megapixel iSight camera complete with autofocus, face detection, touch focus, HDR and geo-tagging. All these features combined allow the camera to capture stills with vivid colors. Take note, it’s also capable of video recording HD 1080p of up to 30 frames per second with audio.

On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 only has a 3.2-megapixel main camera and a VGA front camera. Sadly, LED has been eliminated from the main camera; but it does have geo-tagging capability. Video capture is adequate at 720p but compared to the new iPad, it’s obviously feeble.

Battery
The new iPad is integrated with an 11,560 mAH battery that provides 10 hours of juice while the Galaxy Tab 2 only delivers a minimum of 8 hours but if you don’t use it for demanding applications its 7,000 mAh battery can squeeze up to 10 hours as well.

Price
Now the final debating point for these two is the price. The new iPad starts at $499 while the Galaxy Tab 2 is priced at $400. If you’re a bit short on the budget the practical answer is the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1.

In conclusion, the new iPad is still the winner in many vital aspects. But in the end, the deciding factors will still be your needs and your budget!

1. 

   Don W

   May 2, 2012

   A few additional important observations:
   1. If you want 32 GB more memory on the iPAD it will cost an extra $200 compared to ~$35 for the Galaxy Tab 2. I feel that is insulting to the consumer on Apple's part!
   2. The Galaxy Tab2 has a USB port and HDMI port and doesn't require iTune for sync.