Apple iPad 2 Vs Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 – Tablet Wars

The second iteration of Apple’s tablet PC, the iPad 2 faces different competition than its big brother. The success enjoyed by the iPad 1 has prompted competitors to develop their own tablets in hopes of grabbing a piece of the growing tablet market. Let’s go back and take a look at one of the iPad 2’s formidable competitors, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1.

Initially introduced with a 7-inch screen, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is more than just a size upgrade. It also features several improvements. Below is a direct comparison between Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Apple Ipad 2.

1.Processor

iPad 2 is powered by Apple’s dual-core 1GHz A5 processor, a significant improvement over the previous iPad’s A4. The A5 chip boasts ten times the graphics performance of the previous tablet. As of this review, there is no report yet on the RAM size of the iPad 2, but 512MB is expected.

The Samsung Galaxy 10.1 is powered by the 1GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core processor. Like the iPad 2, figures for the Galaxy Tab 10.1’s available RAM have not yet been released, making comparison difficult.

For this category, we give a tie.
Advantage: Tie

2. Screen

The iPad 2 screen is a carryover from the original iPad. This is not a bad thing because we still consider the 9.7-inch LED-backlit IPS display to be the best in its class.

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 has a 10.1-inch 1280 x 800 pixel display. This is about half an inch larger than the iPad 2.

Still, we give the iPad 2 an edge in this category.
Advantage: Apple iPad 2

3. Build and design

Apple’s build quality and design are quite exquisite. iPad 2 is a perfect representation of the company’s commitment to those ideals.

The iPad 2 is thinner and lighter than its big brother, but we didn’t feel a sacrifice in build quality and use of materials. It’s more comfortable to wear now because it feels solid.

The Samsung Galaxy 10.1 has a size and weight of 246.2 x 170.4 x 10.9 mm, 599 g. The tab looks longer and the iPad 2 looks shorter and thinner. The weight difference is negligible.

There is no doubt that iPad is winning this category.
Advantage: Apple iPad 2

4. Operating system

The iPad 2 runs iOS 4.3. While it has improvements over the previous OS in terms of web browsing and apps, the improvements feel like a minor overhaul.

On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1’s Android 3.0 feels like it was built to take multitasking to another level. This “Honeycomb” operating system also feels easier to use.

Advantage: Samsung Galaxy 10.1

5. Camera

The iPad 2 cameras are a 0.7 megapixel main camera capable of 720P HD capture. It also has a secondary VGA camera for video conferencing.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 has an impressive 8-megapixel dual LED flash, Full HD 1080p video, 24fps camera on the rear, and a 2-megapixel camera on the front.

Advantage: Samsung Galaxy 10.1

6.Connectivity

EDR and A2DP support and Bluetooth 2.1 are built into the iPad 2. It also has Wi-Fi a, b, g & n, and an HDMI output. However, it lacks a MicroSD slot, a USB port, and a card reader. Its 3G connectivity is data only.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 has Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 3G connectivity. But it also does not have an SD card slot. So I guess a tie score would be fair for this category.

Advantage: Tie

Samsung has not revealed how much the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will cost. Until that is announced, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 has a slight edge over the Apple iPad 2.