Just by comparing Samsung's and Apple's lineup, you can see two very different strategies at play - while Apple relies on the exclusivity of their devices and content to garner interest in their products, Samsung instead hopes to cater to every possible market segment under the sun - and has been immensely successful in the process.
It is exactly tablets though, where Samsung have been struggling to match the kind of impact they've had in phones. The latest Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 is in a way affected by the shifts in Samsung's tablet strategy. In an ideal world, the Galaxy 3 10.1 would've been the Koreans' flagship slate. But that position is already filled by the Note 10.1, with a successor possibly in the pipeline
So, the Galaxy Tab hasn't got top of the line specs and comes across as a routine upgrade, whose single clear-cut advantage is the latest software version available. The latest Android build, 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, comes with arguably the most feature-rich custom UI from Samsung - TouchWiz 5.0. But how does it stack up to the likes of the iPad 4, or a handful of emerging Android tablets? Let's take a look at the key features at a glance:
Key features
10.1" 16M-color TFT capacitive touchscreen of 800 x 1280 pixel resolution
Android OS v4.2.2 with TouchWiz 5.0 launcher
1.6 GHz dual-core Atom CPU, PowerVR SXG544MP2 GPU, 1GB of RAM, Intel Atom Z2560 chipset
3.15 MP wide-angle lens camera with face detection
720p HD video recording at 30fps
16/32GB internal storage, microSD slot
Dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n support
GPS with A-GPS connectivity; GLONASS support, Digital compass
Stereo Bluetooth v4.0
microUSB port with USB host, charging
Accelerometer, compass
Infrared port
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
Very slim at only 8mm
1.3MP secondary video-call camera
Document viewer and file manager comes preinstalled
Extremely rich video and audio codec support
6800 mAh battery
Main disadvantages
Many competitors (including the droids) already offer Full HD screens
1GB of RAM tends to run out quickly
No FM Radio or NFC support
Questionable still image and video recording quality
Hardware Home button and capacitive Android keys make little sense at this size
Speakers are not front-facing
Given the rather modest spec, including a dual-core processor, compared to some quad-core-powered full-HD-screen-flaunting droid tablets, it's more fitting to look at the Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 not as a high end device, but as a midranger with a large screen, aimed at a more price-conscious crowd. This goes in hand with a prominent trend of big screens in the midrange, like the Samsung Galaxy Grand and the Samsung Galaxy Mega.
It's clear that while the Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 gives you a large 10.1-inch display, it's not the pinnacle of Samsung's tablet lineup - that honor still belongs to the S-pen capable Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. Nevertheless, the Tab 3 10.1 offers a compelling connectivity package, and could prove to be an enticing offer in its price range.
Source: GSMArena
Source: GSMArena
