Recently, Samsung sent me their new Galaxy Tab S 10.5-inch tablet computer. Meanwhile, I also managed to get my hands on a brand new iPad Air. My immediate reaction was the necessity to compare the two and see how each one ranks against the other. The comparison is generally a fair one because they are both the premiere tablets on each company’s lines, they are similarly sized, and offer similar perks to purchase. Each comparison will have a different weight to you, the reader, so the final verdict I will leave to you! In the ultimate tech battle, we bring you the Galaxy Tab S 10.5-inch vs. the iPad Air…
Construction and Price
Right off the top, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S and the iPad Air are priced the same at $519.99 in Canada, so do not look to price to be any indication of which one to buy. Size and weight are a different story. The Galaxy Tab S is both wider and taller, but remarkably thinner and weighs less. However, construction-wise, the back plate on both devices is different. Additionally, it should be noted that the natural aspect of both devices differs: The Galaxy Tab S is designed naturally to be in landscape, while the iPad Air is designed for a vertical position.
Galaxy Tab S | iPad Air | |
Height | 177mm | 170mm |
Width | 247mm | 240mm |
Depth | 6.6mm | 7.5mm |
Weight | 465g | 469g |
Construction | Dimpled Faux Leather Plastic | Aluminum |
Display
The display on both devices is similar, but tilts into the hands of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S. The iPad Air is 9.7-inches, while the Galaxy Tab S is 10 percent larger at 10.5-inches. The iPad Air has an IPS LCD screen that offers 2048 x 1536 resolution (264ppi), while the Galaxy Tab S has a Super AMOLED screen with 2560 x 1600 resolution (288ppi). The vibrancy of the Galaxy Tab S is highly apparent. Side by side, the colours, whites and blacks on the Galaxy Tab S pop and are much more vibrant than on the iPad Air. Without the comparison, you probably would not notice, but, side by side, the check-mark for Samsung is absolute.
ADVERTISEMENT |
Sound
Both of these tablets have two speakers, however, the placement is completely different. On the iPad Air, both speakers are placed at the bottom of the device (by the Lightning Cable Port). While I suppose it does come out in stereo, it feels a lot more like mono sound – despite being rich, clear, and even having a decent bass line. On the Galaxy Tab S, the speakers are placed on opposite sides of the tablet, and they get loud! The sound quality may be a tiny bit less, but it is almost unnoticeable. Factor in where the sound is coming from and how loud it can get and there is no doubt – the Galaxy Tab S wins the battle of the decibels.
Performance + Features
Both base models come with 16GB of flash memory, with higher tier units running up to 128GB on the iPad Air, and 32GB on the Galaxy Tab S. The Galaxy Tab S has one additional memory perk in that it has a microSD slot. The processor on the Galaxy Tab S is a Samsung Exynos 5 Octa (1.9GHz Quad-Core + 1.3 GHz Quad-Core). On the iPad Air, the device runs an Apple A7 Dual Core processor (1.4 GHz). RAM on the Tab S is 3GB, while only 1GB is present on the iPad Air. Both devices run quickly, but the Tab S responds quicker, loads similar apps faster, and has nearly no stutters. It also has true multitasking, allowing you to split your screen to run completely independent apps at the same time.
Camera
When it comes to the camera, Apple still has this thing figured out. The Galaxy Tab S comes with an 8MP back, and a 2.1MP front camera, compared to the 5MP back camera on the iPad Air and 1.2MP front-facing camera. Despite the variation, the iPad’s image processor works better on most pictures than that of the Tab S.
ADVERTISEMENT |
Battery Life
The Galaxy Tab S comes with a larger battery than the iPad Air, but it also comes with more to operate. As such, the battery life was about 20 minutes less than the iPad Air was when left on side-by-side. That said, the Galaxy Tab S does come with a built-in option to manage the battery, which enables significant improvements to the longevity of the battery life at the expense of brightness/behind the scenes apps.
Perks
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S comes with a set of perks and unique apps built in. SideSync 3 allows you to mirror your Galaxy smartphone on the tablet, drag and drop files flawlessly, and even use the tablet as your phone. It also comes with a slew of free (normally paid) apps through its Galaxy Gifts, including 50GB of storage on Dropbox for 2 years. It also has a neat WatchOn program that lets you control your TV and other devices from the Tab S. The Samsung Assistant, S Voice, is a tad slow when compared to Apple’s Siri, and is not nearly as accurate.
User Interface
Everyone knows the Apple OS and most know the Android OS at this point – so when it comes to user interface, it is really a pick’em. Instead of trying to discuss the merits of either, I handed both devices to someone who has never owned a tablet or smartphone (a 77-year-old) and asked for simple tasks like searching for something online, loading up email, and finding the calculator. The edge on this ended up going to Apple. The calculator was not found on either, searching for something online was pseudo-successful (a browser was opened!), and, for email, only the icon was found on the iPad Air.
Overall, both devices are fantastic! Personally, I am going to stick with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S, as the display is truly amazing, the sound was solid (better than my laptop), and the Android operating system allows for a lot more customization, which I like. For you the reader, though, make you own decision on which one you want most. After all, it is your money.
ADVERTISEMENT |
In the comments below, let us know whether you’re more of an Android or an iOS type of person, or tweet us @ViewTheVibe.