Samsung Galaxy Tab S2: the thinnest flagship tablet in the world. Samsung Galaxy Tab S2: the world's thinnest flagship tablet Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device
The world of seven-inch tablets did not exactly shake with Apple's entry into this market, but most likely this event will soon change it. Analysts are trumpeting with might and main the prospects of the segment, foreshadowing its rapid growth. The eternal rival of the apple company, Samsung, mastered the segment much earlier and released more than one seven-inch tablet into the world. Unlike last year's Galaxy Tab 7.7, the hero of today's review, Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, is neither a flagship nor a prestigious model. Nevertheless, its characteristics are worthy of respect and make it worth a closer look for those who need an inexpensive tablet that is convenient to carry with them every day.
| Samsung Galaxy Tab 2.7.0 | |
|---|---|
| Display | 7 inches, PLS, 1024x600 pixels, capacitive, multi-touch 10 fingers |
| Dimensions | 193.7x122.4x10.5 mm |
| Weight | 342 grams |
| operating system | Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich |
| CPU | Texas Instruments OMAP 4430, dual-core, Cortex-A9, 1 GHz |
| Graphic arts | PowerVR SGX540 |
| RAM | 1GB DDR 3 |
| Persistent memory | 8 GB + micro SD card support up to 32 GB |
| Communications | IEEE 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 |
| Connectors | mini-USB, 3.5 mm headphone jack, card reader |
| Camera | 3 MP, front 0.3 MP; |
| Battery | 4000 mAh |
| Additionally | orientation sensor |
Design and connectors
Describing the design of tablets in general is not easy, but the design of Samsung tablets is doubly so. They are too similar to each other. The pictures, in principle, show that this is the child of its eminent Korean parent, but, unlike the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7, the body here is traditionally plastic, quite slippery to the touch. The back, fortunately, is not glossy. Several barely noticeable scratches appeared on it even before my intervention in his life. True, I don’t know how much time the sample I received for testing spent in operation.
From iPhone 4s
The thickness of 10 and a half millimeters does not allow the tablet to be considered very thin, but it still allows it to fit into the pockets of jackets or jeans (not just any, though). Although the book-shaped device weighing 342 grams, in my opinion, is more convenient to carry in a bag than in clothes. But this weight allows you to hold the tablet with one hand for quite a long time.
The top end contains an audio jack, the bottom - a pair of speakers and a charging socket.
On the right are the power and volume control buttons, and on the left side there is a place for a microSD card reader covered with a flap.
It will clearly be appreciated by those who are looking for an inexpensive tablet with a well-known name on the case and at the same time plan to frequently transfer data (the last phrase contains warm greetings to the Galaxy Nexus and its biggest drawback, the lack of memory expandability). The plastic of the case is quite simple, but durable: the tablet is assembled well, the parts are adjusted to each other, squeaks are not heard when pressed.
Screen
1024x600 pixels is not God knows what resolution by today's standards, but it is much more important that the tablet does not have a TN matrix, but a PLS one. Let me remind you that PLS is a technology similar to IPS, only produced by Samsung. It’s similar in that it provides good viewing angles, no matter how you look at it, everything will be visible. However, in terms of clarity, brightness and contrast, it seemed to me that this screen is inferior to its mid-class IPS colleagues. The colors are not calm in an oriental way, somewhat pale, which, for me personally, is preferable to the flashy SuperAmoled colors.
On a sunny day, the screen is difficult to see, but the letters can be distinguished. But it’s better to set the brightness to maximum, and in general it’s better to adjust it manually: auto-correction does not always work correctly. It is convenient to read or watch a movie indoors using a tablet. The Galaxy Tab 2.7.0 reacts to touch quite sensitively and understands up to 10 fingers at the same time.
Comparison with iPhone 4S screen
Performance, functionality and software
The tablet has Android 4.0.4 with the proprietary TouchWiz shell, in a version similar to the Samsung Galaxy SIII. For details, we refer the reader to that review, but here we will briefly mention that this interface is quite close to pure Android, there is a convenient division into applications and widgets. There is a built-in file manager, a simple but convenient “program tracking” widget, which allows you to quickly deal with the eternal problem of Android - applications constantly hanging in memory.
I also liked the cute clock widgets with an alarm clock, a program for writing notes (though only via the keyboard, without the ability to draw), a rather convenient S Planner organizer and, as always, not the most convenient browser.
The Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 also has a “Contacts” item, which pulls up information from your Google account, and also, in the case of the 3G model, from the phone book.
The control keys here are on-screen, and in addition to the three standards, a button has also been added for quickly taking screenshots. This is convenient, but is it really necessary for the vast majority of users?
The multimedia capabilities of the tablet are quite good. Firstly, as always with Samsung devices, the Galaxy Tab 2.7.0 supports a variety of audio and video formats. So, you can listen to MP3, OGG, AAC, AMR-NB, WB, WMA, WAV, MID, IMY and, fortunately, FLAC. The sound from the speakers is of medium volume (at maximum you can watch a movie in a quiet place) and average level. Of course, not a music lover, but it will do for a tablet. In headphones it immediately becomes softer and more pleasant, quite clear, at about 80% volume, then wheezes slightly. True, the sound is flat, there is no special bass here.
A fairly progressive hardware platform - and the Texas Instruments OMAP 4430 chipset with the ARMv7 instruction set and the PowerVR SGX540 graphics accelerator is installed here - has an IVA3 multimedia accelerator, with the help of which video in 1080p resolution is encoded and decoded in hardware. I launched a FullHD video in MKV, it played generally without problems, although the picture began to slow down a couple of times. Overall, TouchWiz, although nice, is not the fastest shell. Sometimes the smooth transition between pages was lost, although I did not observe any critical “brakes.” The tablet demonstrates normal average results both in benchmarks and in games. Let's say Dead Trigger is quite possible to play. For toys and everything else in the device, 400 MB of RAM is available out of a total of 1 GB, and the storage capacity in our case was only 8 GB. However, there is an option with 16 GB, and fortunately there is a slot for microSD here.
The tablet found WiFi points quickly enough and did not lose them, but the GPS is not always stable: without the Internet, when driving in a car, it sometimes takes a very long time to find a location.
Camera
The main camera has a resolution of 3 MP, which, of course, is quite a bit. But its biggest problem is not the number of megapixels, but simple optics, lack of autofocus and flash. More or less decent pictures are obtained only with ideal lighting. However, tablets, even seven-inch ones, are not the most convenient tools for capturing the world around us. However, if really necessary, poor pictures can be taken, as well as videos in a resolution of 1280x720 pixels at 30 frames per second. The front camera works for video calls. Tested: it works, you can recognize a person, however, if you are not in the twilight of a rainy day.
Autonomy
Under normal load (Internet, movies, music, reading - periodically throughout the day) with screen brightness varying from 70 to 100%, the tablet lasts about 2.5-3 days without recharging. The FullHD video with maximum screen brightness and sound volume, and WiFi turned on, Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 played for 4 hours 23 minutes. Decent performance, although somewhat behind the Nexus 7.
Competitors
Obviously, in the budget segment of 7-inch tablets, Nexus 7 is one of the main leaders, and it is the main competitor of the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0. At the same price, Google/ASUS Nexus 7 has a higher resolution screen and is somewhat faster. However, the lack of support for external media is a reason for many not to buy the brainchild of Google and ASUS, as is sometimes the lack of a 3G module. We received a version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 without 3G for review, which costs about $200, while the 3G module adds another hundred to it. However, we have already released this very module, let’s see how quickly and at what price it will be available to us. Also worth mentioning is the Amazon Kindle Fire HD, which is slightly heavier and larger than standard 7-inch tablets, but has a 16:10 aspect ratio screen, which may be more acceptable for some users than the generally accepted 16:9 standard.
Bottom line
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 may be a good choice for those who are looking for a fairly powerful, inexpensive 7-inch tablet with a decent screen for surfing, reading and watching videos, for those who need GPS and memory cards, as well as a 3G module. 4 reasons to buy Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0:
- Price/quality ratio
- Good performance in games and videos
- Supports a wide range of audio and video formats
- Good build
2 reasons not to buy Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0:
- Slowdown in the TouchWiz shell.
- Weak camera.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 tablet - review
I liked the first ten-inch tablet from Samsung - Galaxy Tab 10.1. In my opinion, it was the best Android tablet at that time - simply because it was as close as possible to the then tablet ideal - the iPad, but at the same time, due to the operating system, it did not have the terribly annoying restrictions of iOS. As time passed, Samsung decided that it was time to release a new version of this tablet - it didn’t matter whether it had something new to say or not: after all, Apple’s second and third iPad were not fundamentally too different from the first, but users need to spend their money on something - so tablets came in a magnificent line. Well, Samsung has released the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 tablet. Of course, I was wondering if there were any fundamental differences in it from the Tab 10.1 model, so now we’ll study this tablet, fortunately it came to me for testing, for which many thanks to the Yulmart online store. Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1
operating system- Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
Display- 10.1 inches, 1280x800 (WXGA), PLS TFT, capacitive sensor, multi-touch, tempered glass
RAM- 1 GB DDR2
Built-in storage- 16 GB (options - 32 and 64 GB)
Ports- headphones 3.5 mm, 1x30pin universal
Networks- Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n)
Mobile Internet- GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, 3G 850/900/1900/2100 MHz, HSPA+ 21 Mbit/s, HSUPA 5.76 Mbit/s
SIM card- miniSIM (regular)
Card reader- microSDHC up to 32 GB
GPS- yes (A-GPS)
Webcam- above the VGA screen, on the back cover 3 megapixels without flash and autofocus
Sensors- gyroscope, accelerometer, light sensor, compass
Battery- 7000 mAh, non-removable
Size- 256.6 x 175.3 x 9.7 mm
Weight- 587 g Well, what do we see here in comparison with the first model? The processor was changed from NVidia Tegra to Texas Instruments OMAP 4 - this is the right decision: in some cases it is superior to Tegra, and in addition, it allows you to decode 1080p video in hardware. The memory has not changed, but support for a microSD card has been added - thank God, finally Samsung has realized that the iPad does not need to be copied in all aspects! Mobile Internet is still supported on a regular mini-SIM card - this can only be welcomed. Compared to the previous model, the tablet has become a little thicker and slightly heavier (by 22 grams). Display has not changed - the same PLS-TFT matrix (this is a type of IPS matrix, the abbreviation stands for Plane-to-Line Switching) with the same resolution. In general, the changes, of course, are very small, but support for memory cards is very important. But is it generally a good idea: release a tablet without a memory card, and then release the next version, which is almost the same, but it has support for memory cards. A business decision worthy of Apple's marketing department! Equipment Supplied all in white.
Contents: tablet, dedicated USB cable, power adapter, brochure. 
Appearance and features
The appearance has changed in some way - speakers have been added on the left and right, which is why the edging has noticeably thickened, and now the tablet does not look as much like an iPad as before. The edging is made of silver-plated plastic and looks, let's say, very average and cheap. 
In the previous model, let me remind you, the speakers were located right at the ends - left and right. Speakers of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 model
The back cover is made of glossy plastic. It doesn't feel particularly good in the hands. 
At the top end there are: a power button, a volume rocker, a slot for a SIM card and a microSD card, as well as a headphone output. 
The power button is not very convenient and rather vague, the slots for memory cards and SIM cards are closed with retractable covers. The location of the volume rocker is very unfortunate and really inconvenient to use. However, there was a similar problem with the previous model. On the bottom panel: a universal output (USB, audio, etc.), which requires a special cable; microphone. 
There are traditionally no system control keys - in Android 4 they are on-screen. Purely externally, the tablet leaves an average impression. I don’t know what’s to blame for this - most likely, the silver-plated plastic of the edging and those speakers on the front panel, which slightly spoil the look. Screen
The display here, as already mentioned, is on a PLS matrix. There is a reserve in brightness, but nothing special - when you set the brightness to full, the screen does not seem too bright even with average lighting around. Viewing angles are not bad: when you change the angle, either vertically or horizontally, the contrast drops very slightly. But at the same time, the angles are worse than those of the iPad, which has an IPS matrix.
Device operation 
Android version 4.0.4 is installed here. The loaded tablet screen looks like this.
There are also two desktops on the left and right, but they are practically empty. One of the specific features of Samsung tablets is the central arrow in the bottom panel, clicking which causes a panel with so-called mini-applications to appear. When you click on the icon of such an application, not a full-fledged program appears on the screen, but a small application in the form of a window. You can open as many of these windows as you like and switch between them.
Widget icons
Running widgets
The set of mini-application icons can be edited - there are quite a few of them there.
First set of pictograms
Second set of pictograms 
Programs installed on the system. 
Well, and the widgets installed in the system. Also from purely Samsung additions - here, in addition to the standard three on-screen keys “Return”, “Home” and “List of running tasks”, a fourth, customizable key is also added. We'll talk about how it's configured in the section on settings. Keyboard 
The standard Samsung tablet keyboard is, in general, quite comfortable, although not very beautiful. There is no swype mode.Settings. 
Latin layout. 
Russian layout. 
Character layout. 
Handwritten text recognition mode. It recognizes tolerably, but in order to quickly enter text this way, you need to have a stylus. Now let's see what some specific and/or important programs look like there. Play 
There are also elements of integration with social networks - films can be shared and discussed, and received recommendations. 
For each film there is a description, rating, and you can see reviews. 
Polaris Office Set of office applications. Not bad. But I've looked at it more than once - I won't repeat it. S Suggest Recommendation service for various categories. 
When you select an application, it redirects to Google Play. Alarm
Not a bad app for watching videos. In thumbnail mode, all videos are animated - it looks great. 
List view. 
Browse by folder. 
With hardware video decoding up to 1080p, there are, of course, no problems with viewing. Any videos are played back without any brakes or delays. Image gallery 
Samsung gallery. Preview. 
Processing a specific photo. The gallery is quite decent - it solves all the main problems. However, I personally miss one important feature - to display only images, and not images and videos. Notes 
Simple sticky notes. Something like notes in older versions of MS Office. They are just as pathetic and it is unclear why they are needed as a separate application. They have a widget, but the widget works with its own notes - and its sticker can be attached to the desktop. But a sticker from the Notes application is not allowed. It's kind of stupid. 
Browser 
Regular Android browser. In general, it’s convenient to use, but I prefer full-fledged mobile Google Chrome. 
Browser menu. 
Cards Android users don't have the luxury of working with Apple's great maps (gee-gee), but they have the full ability to work with good old Google maps, which Apple users are deprived of. And Google's maps for Android are simply excellent. (By the way, their versions for iOS were somewhat cut down, which is not surprising.) 
And FBReader is a very so-so reader, in my opinion. Noticeably below average. For a phone it’s maybe still a little off, but for a tablet it’s generally below par. Not being able to create a two-page mode for landscape orientation - who even thought of putting it here? 
However, it is clear that you can download the excellent CoolReader and solve this problem, but still. What prevented you from installing CoolReader right away? World time I was surprised many times that the tablet version of Android 4 does not have a normal, full-fledged application with a clock, alarm clock, world time and stopwatch. For a phone it is, but not for a tablet. That’s why companies are getting rid of it as best they can. Samsung puts a separate alarm clock here (poor) and a separate application with world time. 
And if you suddenly want another timer and stopwatch, download from Google Play, tea, not small ones. My files Standard Samsung application for working with files. 
Music Samsung application for listening to audio. 
Very decent, an order of magnitude better than the terrible android one. All types of selection and sorting, various playback modes, equalizer and so on are available. Very well made, it doesn’t really make you want to install something else. Video editor 
Also a Samsung application - for simple video editing on a tablet. By the way, it’s very good: a video shot directly on a tablet can be quickly and conveniently turned into a home movie. Photo editor 
Your own photo editing application. Provides a good set of tools, I liked it.
Settings 
The standard settings of Android 4 are side by side with Samsung’s specific ones. I’ll try to show what’s here and how. Wireless networks. Samsung's Kies program can synchronize via Wi-Fi, but I don't know who even uses it - it's very crooked. 
There is no "Keep on" option in the screen timeout settings. This makes the task of testing battery life somewhat non-trivial. 
Here in the settings there is an option related to the special “Quick Launch” control key. You can attach a screenshot to it, call up the list of applications, search and camera. Or you can turn it off altogether. 
Language and input. The Russian localization is especially interesting here in terms of “voice-poshuk”. 
Games
Game Hub is installed and offers a variety of games sorted by category. 
By default, two simple toys are installed: Shaolin Jump and Yumsters. 
Shaolin Jump
Yumsters
There is also a pre-installed NFS Shift - you need to download it, it’s about a gigabyte. I downloaded it and installed it. 
Camera
The graphics are not bad, the movements are smooth, there are no brakes or delays when playing. 
A camera for a tablet is not a particularly important thing, but it was still necessary to test it. Here is its interface - the same as that of Samsung smartphones. 
Camera settings. 
The camera does not have a flash (and it is not particularly needed) or autofocus, but, in my opinion, it takes decent pictures - for a tablet, of course. That is, in a situation where you just need to click on something for reporting and send it, it is quite enough. By the way, he rarely misses focusing. And “shaking” in poor lighting is rare - apparently because the tablet, which is not so light, lies quite steadily in the hands. Here are a few pictures - practically without selection and without processing (clickable). I shot in conditions of poor lighting in the room, average lighting in the room, and outside in not particularly sunny weather.
Well, here’s an example of a video shot on a tablet. Performance
The chipset has become faster and more powerful compared to the first model. However, the same Quadrant Pro index of the device did not increase so much compared to the first Tab - it was 2600, now it is 3014. Moreover, the old ASUS Transformer Prime TF201 is over 4050, and the HTC One X smartphone is under 5000 (although this test has my HTC One X gave as much as 5833). But, however, tests are tests, but it’s interesting how it all looks in operation. In operation, the tablet does not leave the impression of being very fast. No, its performance is normal, it doesn’t seem to slow down, but the smoothness and fluidity of the same iOS is clearly lacking. The battery here has become somewhat more powerful - 7000 mAh versus 6860 mAh. I carried out testing according to my usual scheme - the brightness was set to a comfortable 60% in this case, the built-in energy saving system was turned on (which, as practice has shown, has practically no effect). A separate application with a primitive alarm clock.. The first thing I tested was video display. All wireless networks were disabled, and unnecessary sensors like screen rotation were also disabled. A regular TV series was played from a memory card via MX Player with hardware decoding. I set the screen brightness to, let’s say, sufficient for viewing (that is, normal, pale). And then the tablet hit me - exactly 11 (!) hours! I've only seen this on an iPad before! After 11 hours the battery was almost empty - there was 2% left. But he pulled it out! However, when I increased the brightness to full in the player settings (well, so that it would be completely comfortable to watch), the operating time immediately dropped to 8 hours. Internet . Normal comfortable brightness, Wi-Fi is on, the browser page reloads once a minute. Approximately 9 o'clock. Which is strange, because the first model lasted up to 10 hours. But you need to understand that testing can be influenced by a variety of factors. When connected to a computer, the tablet does not charge at all. It is, of course, understandable that such a battery will need to be charged from a computer USB port for a day, but I would still like the charge to flow somehow. From scratch, the adapter can be fully charged in about 3 hours. Price Let's be honest, I didn't like the tablet much, unlike the first one. But the first one appeared when I was looking for “something like an iPad, but on Android” - and it completely solved this problem, and the second one was released in the context of a rather large selection on the market, and the main problem here is that it showed minimal improvements compared to the first model. Is the display still old?
As we all know, the line of mobile devices from Samsung has dozens of models. This includes, for example, both smartphones and tablets developed in the Galaxy class.
The device discussed in this article also falls into this category, as evidenced by its name. We'll talk about the Tab 2, a seven-inch tablet released back in 2012 that was once one of the most powerful devices in the line. The article will provide characteristics of the device, a description of some of its modules, as well as customer reviews.
General information
Today the device, of course, is outdated - you can judge this at least from the technical description of the device. If at the time of its release the tablet could be called a fairly strong player on the market (due to its high-quality build and fairly advanced equipment), now even in the budget price class there are sometimes more powerful versions available. Nevertheless, this is the peculiarity of the device - at the time of its release it was in demand and had current technical parameters. In addition to them, we can note the ergonomic, stylish design and high-quality materials from which the model’s body is assembled. And all this - for 15 thousand rubles in the version without a 3G module and for 20 thousand - with one.
However, let's start talking about everything in more detail so that you can understand why this device is so good.
Equipment
The device is presented from the moment of purchase in the most classic set. This includes the tablet itself and the charger, which consists of two parts - a USB cord and an adapter for connecting it to the power supply. There is no film on the tablet screen, but there is one on the adapter. The equipment is meager when compared with Chinese devices, but quite familiar for such well-known companies as Samsung.
Design
Externally, perhaps, the Tab 2 is not much different from some modern devices. This is gray plastic, painted to look like metal, smoothed edges, no right angles. For Samsung, this design at one time formed the basis for further models - just when the company abandoned the “proven” (at that time) copying of Apple devices. Thus, we can say that this is one of the earliest design solutions from the Korean holding. However, due to its prevalence, this appearance certainly cannot be called unique.
Due to the smooth edges, holding the tablet is quite comfortable. Judging by the placement of the logo on the front bottom of the device, the manufacturer expects to work in a vertical variation, classic for 7-inch tablets.
On the right side of the case there is all the navigation - these are the volume control buttons and the key for unlocking the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 screen.
The opposite, left side of the device has holes for a memory card, which allows you to significantly expand the capacity of the device, as well as for a SIM card (if we are talking about a version of the tablet that supports 3G networks). These sockets are hidden under a special latch, which makes working with them convenient and provides some protection for the functional holes from dust and moisture.
On the bottom edge of the device you can see a socket for charging a tablet (which also serves as a connector for connecting to a PC), as well as speakers under a special mesh. They are located in such a way that when working in a horizontal position with the tablet, the speakers will not be covered.
Screen
Manufacturers installed a display operating on a PLS matrix on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 tablet. At its core, this is a competitor to IPS screens, which Samsung brought to the market. She uses her development on different models, and all are characterized by special, soft colors, which are somewhat more difficult to distinguish in sunlight. Therefore, be prepared for the fact that working with the tablet in bright weather will be somewhat problematic - only the maximum brightness will save you.
The resolution here is at the level of 2012 - it reaches only 1024 by 600 pixels, so you shouldn’t count on high image density (it will be at the level of 170 pixels per inch). But the display works with the multi-touch function, which recognizes up to 10 touches.
Also, if you look at the characteristics of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, you will notice the presence of a light sensor. As tests show, it does not work entirely accurately, so it is more comfortable (reviews confirm this) to switch the tablet to manual mode for determining the screen brightness and setting it yourself.
Battery
As we all know, the problem of autonomy is relevant for many mobile devices, especially those with small screens and overall dimensions. As for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, user reviews speak of it as a fairly autonomous device with a strong, durable battery. At least the technical description talks about a battery capacity of 4000 mAh. Due to optimized energy consumption, the device can last in the most intensive use mode (playing HD video with maximum volume in headphones) for up to 5 hours. Of course, with a more moderate charge consumption, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 tablet will be able to please the user with longer work.
Let us immediately note that you won’t be able to replace the battery yourself here - the back cover of the tablet is closed, and the holes in the left side of the case are used to work with the SIM card and microSD.
CPU
In terms of performance, there can be no complaints about the device - the tablet, according to the owners, works perfectly even under load. This is facilitated by the TI OMAP 4430 processor stated in the characteristics of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, which has a clock frequency of 1 GHz and operates on two cores. The device operates with 1 GB of RAM, which, in principle, is enough to perform standard tasks. Although, of course, there are reviews in which people expressed wishes that the manufacturer increase this figure to at least 2 GB.
According to tests, the web browser on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (to which we devoted a review) works faster than other tablets with a 7-inch screen released in 2012. The developers achieved this precisely due to more productive filling.
Camera
We all understand that using a tablet computer to take pictures and shoot videos is not very convenient. Nevertheless, manufacturers continue to equip their devices with cameras. The same applies to the Galaxy Tab 2.
According to the technical specifications, the tablet has a 3-megapixel main camera that allows you to take pictures in a resolution of 2048 by 1536 pixels. In addition, the video creation function is supported (720 p format). In addition to it, there is also a front camera for taking “selfies”; traditionally it has a lower resolution (only 0.3 megapixels).
As customer reviews indicate, pictures on the device are quite acceptable (using the main camera), while working with the front camera can only be discussed in the context of conversations on Skype and other instant messengers.
operating system
Of course, traditionally the device from the Korean company Samsung runs on Android OS version 4.0.3. This firmware has been on the device since it entered the market. As for the updates, they probably reached modification 4.2.2, after which the company refused to adapt the following parts of the operating system. That's why you won't see version 5.1 here.
Included with this version of the system is a graphical shell called TouchWiz, which is known for its special design and operating logic. It could also be seen on other devices from Samsung, in particular, on the Samsung Galaxy S3.
Multimedia
With support for multimedia files on the tablet, things are excellent. It's all about pre-installed software from Samsung, which allows you to recognize most of the formats available today. Problems such as “video (or audio) won’t turn on on Samsung Galaxy Tab 2” are extremely rare. You can combat this by simply installing additional players (for example, MX Player would be an ideal solution for this). This applies in particular to the MKV format. However, if you do not take this into account, you can also work with standard applications - they have all the functionality necessary for this.
Connection
In terms of communication capabilities, the tablet we are describing is not much different from most gadgets on the market. If you go into the settings presented on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, you will notice that there is Bluetooth support for sending and receiving files, there is WiFi for working with wireless landline networks, and a GSM module is installed, which allows you to make calls and send messages as if from a phone. In addition, the buyer can choose a package that will include a module for 3G - then the device will gain even greater mobility, having the ability to work in networks.
What I didn't like
It hangs, resets Wi-Fi, the camera is terrible, and the microphone....it’s impossible to talk on Skype! Nobody can hear me!!! at all. Charging from below, a very short cord, discharges extremely quickly... you can continue indefinitely. This is a breakdown of the nervous system!!!
What I liked
Normal color rendition.
What I didn't like
1) It was not possible to create an account on the tablet itself for downloading programs... it simply did not allow me to enter an email. address.
2) The thieves from MTS wrote off ALL the money from the SIM card, specifically money is written off from short numbers 5013, 5014, 4481, 7015, 6151 - although I didn’t subscribe to any crap from MTS.
3) On the second day, when typing in the Google search bar, this tablet completely hung and did not respond to touch or buttons.
4) The screen is much weaker compared to the iPad-New!
5) The camera takes pictures that suck!
6) I also didn’t find any interesting games and programs on the Samsung Apps manufacturer’s website... maybe I wasn’t looking in the right place?
What I liked
Price - but that's where it ends.
What I didn't like
The main drawback is the poor 3 megapixel camera. And lack of focus, so you won't be able to read barcodes with this tablet.
What I liked
All the advantages of this tablet are perfectly described in all the reviews, I think I completely agree with them.
What I didn't like
Does not understand NTFS i.e. A file larger than 2 gigs will not fit, i.e. if you want to download movies on the road, then no more than described above, on the one hand, you don’t need to download Blu-ray onto it, but of course you could still eliminate this misunderstanding, it formats itself in FAT32 orchaism, after 2 minutes of use with the screen off It’s disgusting to look at him - the whole monitor is covered. There are a lot of applications installed, how to remove them, I haven’t figured it out yet, it’s not clear why all this rubbish, only 11 gigs of memory are available.
by and large, all these are little things EXCEPT NTFS.
but it’s not trifles, I use it and also the top-end smart gnusmas - it’s GLITCHED, namely the screen does not go off, i.e. you are sleeping, a message arrives or it is charged - the screen lights up and... does not go out, respectively, if it is charging, the screen dies (harmful for the entire LCD, plasma equipment does not change the picture (crystals burn out), and if not, you will find out by morning dead, discharged device.
The reason is clear, I also use a smartphone, there is the same problem: you cannot block the phone or tablet while in the maps navigator, game, etc., if you go to the main menu the problem disappears, it’s a pity that technical support knows nothing about this.
What I liked
Not a stub, I stuck it into the computer and immediately threw the photos and videos onto a flash drive.
What I didn't like
camera, only 2 cores, price
What I liked
Android, super amaled display, 16 GB although this is not enough..
What I didn't like
No flash drive
-screen
-camera
-Not optimized android
-frame
-if you bought a tablet, be prepared for constant departures from the 3g network and sometimes wi-fi
-weight
-not comfortable to hold with one hand
-the screen is not visible in the sun
-few accessories
What I liked
Powerful - design - price That's all
What I didn't like
Freezes does not respond to any actions at all, you have to wait for it to run out of charge, it’s especially offensive when it’s just run out
Well, it’s a bad camera, but I didn’t buy it for filming.
What I liked
Good battery life, good Android 4.0.1, 3 cores, excellent processor, good sensor, good for gaming
What I didn't like
There are a lot of shortcomings, at first I didn’t log anywhere for the first month, it worked fine, but after 150-200 days the horror began
The music itself turns off when it plays, the keyboard types the text much later than you click on the letters, when you click on the house (exit to the main screen), all icons open after 2-3 seconds, very sluggish
The camera is not very good, you can't even zoom
When installing a photo on the screensaver, the borders are very small and the photo on the screensaver turns out to be of terrible quality, in general the tablet is not very good, I don’t recommend it, I feel that in 3-4 months it will die completely
What I liked
Lightweight, easy to take wherever you want, convenient for playing games and watching videos, many free games, no hassles with connecting to a computer
What I didn't like
1) slows down
2)heat up
3) the battery does not hold a charge, etc.
What I liked
What I didn't like
There are a lot of them, but I’ll start with the price. For that price you can take another cooler tablet and also save money, disgusting, heavily laggy touch visa, it’s better not to take it for games, ANTUTU gave results at the level of a budget smartphone (7306) Well, as always, no metal
What I liked
large bright screen, thin, loud, beautiful.
What I didn't like
But there are quite a lot of shortcomings.
1) The battery dies quite quickly.
2) The screen is very easy to scratch.
3) After some time of use, very noticeable abrasions appear on the body.
4) constantly crashes from applications and the Internet.
5) And the screenshot button is really annoying.
6) Applications take a long time to open.
7) It’s quite inconvenient to type and work in the Polaris office.
8) The charger gets very hot.
9) No headphones.
10) Very often does not copy text.
11) The upper left part of the tablet is heating up.
What I liked
Its only advantage is the screen.
There has been a revolution in the tablet market. How did you not notice her? This is normal, because it hasn’t really reached Russia. They don’t sell Amazon Kindle Fire for 200 dollars or Nook Tablet for 250 in the vast expanses of our Motherland. They are only transported “in gray”, distributed only through online stores - and this, unfortunately, does not have much impact on the overall picture. And when in the West everyone is frantically reducing prices for 7-inch tablets to $200-300 in order to at least sell something, in Russia no one will even move and the HTC Flyer from a year and a half ago is still collecting dust in retail for 16-17 thousand rubles.
Samsung, it seems, has decided to change this situation: the new Galaxy Tab 2 tablets on the American market should compete with the Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet, and on the Russian market they will come with an inflated, but still quite decent price. For example, the younger Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 without a 3G module is recommended to be sold at a price of 9,990 rubles (overseas this amount turns into an even more tempting 200 dollars, but flying across the ocean will obviously be more expensive). Actual prices, naturally, will be somewhat lower.
⇡ Appearance: what you were is how you remain
Both tablets look quite recognizable, despite the changed color scheme. It is because of this that the predecessors looked a little thinner: the white color is “slimming,” while the combination of gray and black used in the Galaxy Tab 2 family, on the contrary, is “plumping.”
The front panel of the tablet is difficult to make special: a black frame, a camera eye, a gray edging. The 7-inch Galaxy Tab also has a voice speaker (hello to those who like to make calls on tablets), and the 10-inch has two chrome meshes behind which the stereo speakers are hidden.
The latest design element is borrowed from a special German version of the 10-inch Galaxy Tab, released after a long showdown with Apple. Apparently, Samsung no longer wants to develop different versions of tablets for different countries - and they are doing the right thing. And Apple won’t find fault.
With the sides, everything is also standard, except that for the description you will have to decide where the top of the tablet is and where the sides are. We are guided by the Samsung inscription. The Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 (aka P3100) has a Samsung-style power button located on the right side, next to the volume controls; the left side is occupied by slots for MicroSD and SIM cards. Full-fledged SIM cards are installed here, no MicroSIM. There is a microphone on the top and bottom, a 3.5 mm mini-jack still fits on the top edge, and a pair of stereo speakers and a proprietary multi-pin connector on the bottom. On the “back” there is only a camera with a chrome edging. By the way, the “seven” is slightly thicker than the “ten”.
Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 (P5100) has an identical set of connectors and buttons. All of them, except one microphone and a multi-pin connector, are located on the top edge. The second microphone could not be found.
The back sides use the same plastic: silver-gray, matte, quite durable and scratch-resistant. On both tablets, when you press hard, it bends a little and comes into contact with something inside, most likely the battery, with a soft knock. Perhaps this is a feature of the samples - Samsung does not distribute commercial versions for testing.
Our Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 sample had a problem with the assembly: in the upper corners the glass moved away from the body by almost a millimeter (company representatives assured us that this applies only to the very first pre-production samples). We took a closer look at this problem and found another: the dark gray glossy plastic of the edging is still scratched. Over time, lighter abrasions will appear on the corners, which did not happen with the previous generation. But on the top ten, the glossy white back cover was scratched and dirty, while the Galaxy Tab 2 is not susceptible to this disease.
Galaxy Tab 10.1 first generation (left) and Galaxy Tab 2 10.1
From an ergonomic point of view, the second generation is no different from the first: everything remains as it was.
⇡ Screen: PLS - this is rather good
In both displays, Samsung used PLS matrices of its own production. They differ not only in diagonal, but also in resolution: the 7-inch model has a standard resolution of 1024x600 for such sizes, while the 10-inch model has 1280x800 pixels. The pixel density of the “smaller” one is slightly higher: 169 ppi versus 149 for the 10-inch model. I must say that after the new iPad, the ill-fated ladder of pixels is visible both here and there. But for those who have not encountered high-resolution displays, the screens of the new Galaxy Tab will seem completely normal in this regard.
In both cases, the PLS matrix produces a characteristic slight “bluish” black color even at viewing angles close to right, especially in the 10-inch model. In most situations this is not noticeable, but when watching dark scenes in movies it catches your eye.
In terms of characteristics, both screens turn out to be very good. The 7-inch Galaxy Tab 2 has a maximum white field brightness of 370 cd/m2, while the black field remains almost black at 0.52 cd/m2, giving a resulting contrast ratio of 711.5:1. Not bad, although it doesn’t smell like records. The brightness of the “ten” is a little higher - 375 candelas per square meter, but black is also not so saturated - 0.66 cd/m2. So the contrast ratio of the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 is lower - 568:1. The color gamut of the matrices, which is logical, is also almost the same and falls slightly short of sRGB.
sRGB color space (white curve), Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 color gamut (gray curve) and Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 color gamut (black curve)
In general, there is no particular difference between IPS and PLS - both types of matrices give an equally good picture, so the Galaxy Tab 2 screens differ little from the displays in previous generation tablets.
⇡ Performance: sudden downshift
Let's take a quick look into history: the first 7-inch Galaxy Tab was based on a single-core Hummingbird processor with a PowerVR SGX540 graphics core. Its successor, Galaxy Tab 7.0+, has already received much more powerful hardware: dual-core Exynos with a frequency of 1.2 GHz and Mali-400MP graphics. Until recently, Samsung had only one 10-inch tablet - the Galaxy Tab 10.1 on the NVIDIA Tegra 2 platform: with a dual-core processor operating at 1 GHz and GeForce ULP graphics.
Galaxy Tab 10.1 (bottom), Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 (middle) and Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 (top)
The balance of power for the above-mentioned hardware is approximately as follows: at the very bottom is the Hummingbird + PowerVR combination, then Tegra 2, and the first of three places goes to the fairly productive Exynos 4210 (aka Exynos 4 Dual 45 nm) and Mali-400MP. It would be logical in its own way if the Galaxy Tab 2 tablets received even more powerful hardware, overtaking the Galaxy Tab 7.0+. But, to our surprise, both Galaxy Tab 2 have the same average filling: a dual-core TI OMAP 4430 processor, known from the Blackberry Playbook, Amazon Kindle Fire, LG Prada 3.0 and many other gadgets, as well as our old friend - the PowerVR SGX540 graphics chip. which has been tirelessly riveted since 2007. All this comes with a gigabyte of RAM.
| Technical characteristics of Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 tablets | ||
|---|---|---|
| Model | Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 | Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 |
| CPU | TI OMAP 4430, 1 GHz, dual cores (ARM Cortex A9) | |
| Graphics core | PowerVR SGX 540, 304 MHz, LPDDR2 memory | |
| Screen | 7 inches, 1024x600, PLS technology | 10.1 inches, 1280x800, PLS technology |
| RAM | 1 GB | |
| Flash memory | 8 GB (16 in tested sample) | 16 GB (8 in tested sample) |
| Interfaces | 1 x SIM | |
| 1 x MicroSD | ||
| 1 x 30 pin | ||
| 1 x headphone output/microphone input 3.5mm | ||
| Wireless connection | Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n | |
| Bluetooth 3.0 + A2DP | ||
| GSM 850/900/1800/1900, HSPA+850/900/1900/2100 (up to 21 Mbit/s) | ||
| Sound | Two speakers, two microphones | Two speakers, one microphone |
| Nutrition | Li-Pol battery n.a. Wh (n.d. B, 4000 mAh) | Li-Pol battery n.a. Wh (n.d. B, 7000 mAh) |
| Other | Front webcam 2 MP, rear camera 3.2 MP, rotation sensor, light sensor, GPS module, ability to work as a phone | |
| Size, mm | 193.7x122.4x10.5 | 256.6x175.3x9.7 |
| Weight, g | 349 | 588 |
| Recommended price, rub. | 9,990 (without 3G) / 13,990 (3G) | 14,990 (without 3G) / 19,990 (3G) |
Naturally, before, say, the more expensive Galaxy Tab 7.7, both new “Tabs” are like the moon. Moreover, in the graphics disciplines, the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 shows exactly the same results as its predecessor on the Tegra 2, and the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is ahead of it only due to its lower screen resolution. In processor tests, the OMAP 4430 performs better than the Tegra, but only slightly. Quadrant results for ICS cannot be compared with the results obtained in other versions of this benchmark, so we have nothing to compare them with yet. In general, tablets have not become faster, so even the Galaxy Tab 7.0+ remains the preferable option for games. True, it is more expensive, but we will return to this later.
The internal memory capacity of tablets is different: Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 will be imported into Russia only with 8 GB of ROM (regardless of the presence of a 3G module), and Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 - only with 16 GB. However, we received somewhat specific samples: we got the “seven” with 16 GB, and the “ten” - on the contrary, with 8 GB. Of these, 11.5 and 5 GB are available to the user, respectively. There’s no need to be sad about the small capacity: MicroSD cards are cheap these days, so you can expand the memory without any problems.
⇡ Battery: how much it costs, how much it works
After getting acquainted with the Galaxy Tab 7.7, we were somehow determined to expect a long operating time from Samsung tablets. And the Galaxy Tab 8.9 also performed well in its time... The Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 has a 4000 mAh battery (voltage unknown), and the new “top ten” has a 7000 mAh battery. Since the models differ only in screens, the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 should live at least a little longer than its brother with a smaller diagonal. We set up the traditional trailer for the third Fallout at maximum brightness and minimum volume, turned on Wi-Fi and decided to see who could last how long.
In fact, everything turned out as we expected: the “seven” was discharged to 5% in 4 hours 45 minutes, the “ten” lasted exactly an hour longer. The result is average, and for Samsung tablets it is completely low. When the charge remains less than 5%, the Galaxy Tab 2, regardless of the diagonal, automatically lowers the brightness and begins to act up: the camera is not allowed, this is not allowed, that is not allowed. True, it plays video and music correctly.
The tablets are successfully charged from the computer’s USB ports, although they “swear” and deceive the user by showing an icon with a crossed out battery. By the way, the Mac OS X system still does not see the Galaxy Tab family of devices, so Macs are only suitable for leisurely charging these gadgets. But USB OTG is supported by both Galaxy Tab 2 - with the appropriate adapter.
⇡ Communication: normal flight
When testing the connection, we had to deal with one minor problem: it was not clear which side to insert the SIM card into the tablet. It makes a characteristic click in three out of four possible positions, but the plug does not close and the net does not catch. In the last position, the SIM card simply does not fit into the tablet. It turned out that the last position is just right, you just need to grow long nails - without them it will be difficult to manage and put the SIM card in its rightful place.
When we tried to look at the speed of cellular communications, we received suspiciously low results, which, it seems to us, should be attributed to operator problems: it is very strange when the download speed is lower than the upload speed from the tablet to the Internet. So we won’t bring them here. Otherwise, everything works well: Wi-Fi is received reliably, GPS found as many as 14 satellites in 5 minutes. You can make calls on the tablet, you can hear the interlocutor normally.
⇡ Camera: what did you want?
The main cameras in both tablets are the same and quite sad even in terms of characteristics: 3.15 megapixels, no autofocus, no flash. They take appropriate photos: soapy and noisy - the noise canceler only copes with its job with a C grade. If something is brightly lit, it will appear white in the photo. On the other hand, what else can we expect if even the flagship Galaxy Tab 7.7 has a camera module that is not much better?
General gallery of images for Galaxy Tab 2
Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 and 10.1 also shoot approximately the same video, its maximum resolution is 1280x720 pixels. As for quality... there are worse things on Youtube. Both tablets have front cameras, so they are suitable for Skype.
⇡ Software: Welcome to the world of ICS
Both tablets run Android Icecream Sandwich 4.0.3, but you won’t find any significant differences from the interface of the Galaxy Tab 7.7 with its Honeycomb 3.2 - Samsung tried to carefully cover everything with a thick layer of TouchWiz.
A nice bonus that ICS still left behind is stretchable widgets - however, only a part of both Samsung and Google ones. For example, Notes and Task Manager allow resizing, while Analog Clock and, say, S Planner do not.
All the “delights” of TouchWiz have not gone anywhere: hubs and all kinds of S-services along with the Samsung branded application store. As before, they are of very little use.
It was also not possible to get rid of a decent amount of useless third-party software: here you have demo versions of games, and somewhat more relevant Yandex services, and the Yota Play store.
There are also useful programs: Polaris Office, which Samsung installs on all its devices, as well as a simple video editor and photo editor. But in general, the idea of pre-installed software on a “smart” device consistently smells of intrusiveness and advertising - even useful programs make you want to hide somewhere, because they were handed to you without asking.
The Phone app looks fun on a 10-inch tablet. A 10-inch tablet next to your ear is even more fun. But from both Galaxy Tab 2 you can make calls and send SMS messages - in some situations this can be useful, and there are also those who seriously consider a tablet with a headset as a replacement for a phone.
In the comments to the previous review of the Samsung tablet, readers were indignant that, they say, you can’t write large files on it and, accordingly, you can’t watch movies in decent quality. We checked: the 4.37 GB film fit perfectly into the small Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, so writing the review was interrupted by an almost two-hour session of Kevin Smith's creativity. The file system does not set any restrictions.
In general, there are no special complaints about the software, with the exception of one traditional one: TouchWiz is slow. And no upgrade to ICS can save it. Apparently, Samsung was too lazy to rewrite the crooked code: the shell reliably “started up” under the fourth “Android” - and that’s enough. Moreover, the hardware may not be top-end, but it is quite decent - the same ADW Launcher literally “flies”. We wish Samsung success in the search for sane programmers and move on to conclusions.
⇡ Conclusion: price is everything
So, what we ended up with seemed to be mediocre tablets: with decent screens and a modern OS, but not very modern hardware and relatively short battery life. However, it is logical to evaluate devices in terms of price-quality ratio.
Tab 2 7.0 with 8 GB ROM and without 3G costs, as we have already said, 9,990 rubles, adding a 3G module raises the price to 13,990. For the “ten” with 16 GB without a cellular module they officially ask for 14,990 rubles, and with 3G - already 19,990 rubles.
Nook Tablet and Kindle Fire, with almost the same price as the “seven”, are not equipped with cameras, one of them does not have a slot for MicroSD, the other has less built-in memory. It’s better not to think about Acer Iconia and tablets from lesser-known brands at all: they last even shorter, are heavier, and are generally inferior in almost all respects. There are no normal tablets with 3G for the right price either.
But the “ten” has a serious problem - and its name is iPad 2, which in the lower configuration (16 GB, Wi-Fi) has fallen in price to 14,990 rubles, and with 3G - to 21,490. Which is better - decide for yourself, but we We are leaning towards the Apple tablet. As a result: Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 can be safely recommended to almost anyone who has decided to buy a 7-inch tablet. And we don’t recommend buying the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 without carefully weighing everything, although it has few competitors among Android tablets.
Well, one last thing: we do not advise owners of older Galaxy Tab to upgrade under any circumstances - you will change the awl for soap, and if you had a Galaxy Tab 7.0+, then you will get not an upgrade, but a downgrade. It’s just a pity that the Galaxy Tab 8.9 wasn’t updated: it would also be a little cheaper, and everything would be great.
Advantages:
- Adequate price
- Decent screens
- Good body materials
- Availability of two cameras
- Relatively light weight
- Ability to use your tablet as a phone
Flaws:
- Low battery capacity of Galaxy Tab 2 7.0
- Laggy TouchWiz
