This review was done in Collaboration with KLGadgetGuy and KLGadgetGuy YouTube Channel, please Subscribe and you'll find me there.
The article is my first attempt. I'll be writing a different version for KLGadgetGuy. I don't wanna waste this one as I took a few hours writing it. LOL!
Link to video in KLGadgetGuy YouTube coming soon.
Overview and First Impression
I've been a New iPad, also known as iPad 3, user for over 2 years now. I’ve also used and experienced my Aunt’s older Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 as well as my good friend, Agnes Chan’s newer Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1. The new Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 has given me a refreshing experience with improvements from its predecessors from Design, Display Quality, Performance, to User Experience.
It is certainly a good choice for general usage and multimedia entertainment.
Design
I really love the design of this tablet. It looks and feel solid with metal frame. The back cover with leather feel greatly enhances the appearance and touch sensation of the tablet. The screen appears wider with narrower sides compared to its predecessors. It is also slightly thinner.
Hardware Specifications
REVIEWED MODEL :
Samsung SM-T535 (Black), Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 LTE, with support for GSM voice communication, SMS, and MMS.
Note : Non LTE Version = Samsung SM-T530
GENERAL
2G Network : GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network : HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
4G Network : LTE 800 / 850 / 900 / 1800 / 2100 / 2600
SIM : Micro-SIM
Announced : April 2014
Released : June 2014
BODY
Dimensions : 243.4 x 176.4 x 8 mm (9.58 x 6.94 x 0.31 in)
Weight : 487 g (1.07 lb)
DISPLAY
Type : TFT capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Size : 1280 x 800 pixels, 10.1 inches (Approximately 149 PPI pixel density)
Multitouch : Yes - TouchWiz UX UI
SOUND
Alert types : Vibration, MP3 ringtones
Loudspeaker : Yes, with stereo speakers
3.5mm jack : Yes
MEMORY
Card slot : MicroSD, up to 64 GB (Official), up to 128 GB (Unofficial and 3rd Party Tested)
Internal : 16 GB, 1.5 GB RAM
DATA
GPRS : Yes
EDGE : Yes
Speed : HSDPA, 42 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps; LTE, Cat4, 50 Mbps UL, 150 Mbps DL
WLAN : Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot
Bluetooth : v4.0, A2DP
Infrared port : Yes
USB : MicroUSB v2.0
CAMERA
Primary : 3.15 MP, 2048 x 1536 pixels (No Flash, No Autofocus)
Features : Geo-tagging
Video : 720p@30fps
Secondary : 1.3 MP (No Flash, No Autofocus)
FEATURES
OS : Android OS, v4.4.2 (KitKat)
CPU : Quad-core 1.2 GHz
Sensors : Accelerometer
Messaging : SMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Email, IM
Browser : HTML5
Radio : No
GPS : Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS
Java : Yes, via Java MIDP emulator
Colors : White, Black (Reviewed Model)
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
- HDMI port (With Adapter)
- SNS integration
- MP4/H.264/H.263 player
- MP3/WAV/eAAC+/Flac player
- Organizer
- Photo/video editor
- Document viewer
- Google Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Calendar, Google Talk, Picasa
- Voice memo/dial
- Predictive text input
BATTERY
Non-removable Li-Po 6800 mAh battery
Display Quality
I’m quite impressed with the brightness and the colors of the display. Pictures downloaded directly from my Canon DSLR appears wonderful on the display. Colors are vivid, natural, and precise. While if I take the time to observe meticulously on video quality, I do notice some minor jags and pixels when I’m viewing higher definition videos such as HD and 4k. The maximum quality I can set for YouTube videos on this device is 720p, which is reasonably sharp for a tablet.
Contrast wise, side by side comparison to my iPad with Retina Display, the black and white of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 is not as dark or as white. Viewing angle for this tablet is also quite wide. However, I did face some difficulties reading the display under the glare of bright sunlight.
Software Experience / Special Features / Multimedia Capabilities
The experience of using the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 is very much similar to the experience of using my Samsung Galaxy Note 3. Buttons are placed in good strategic locations fully optimizing the screen space as well as user experience. However, I do sometimes accidentally pressed the back or the task buttons while browsing websites.
Browsing and scrolling between pages is smooth. Much better than its predecessors, I believe due to faster processor as well as higher built-in memory. The OS offers a very clean User Interface, it’s easy to find and get what I needed. Personally, I did not set up a lot of widgets, as I love to keep my screen as clean as possible. The overall software experience is very similar to using other Android systems.
I’m very much amazed with the audio quality of the stereo speakers located on both left and right sides of the tablet. Having a quality stereo speakers greatly enhances the multimedia experience of using this tablets such as watching Drama or YouTube videos.
Camera
Rear camera for this tablet is 3 megapixels while front camera is 1.3 megapixels. There is no autofocus and flash, as expected from the Tabs. Rear camera is decent under good lighting, ie outdoor or bright fluorescent lights of my living room. Image appears pixelated, grainy and lack of details, due to low megapixel. Front camera is good for simple Skype calls.
Video recording is also smooth.
Benchmarks / Battery Life
Battery life for this tablet is amazing. It doesn’t require frequent charging even under heavy usage. I was using it to watch Korean Dramas. The 6,800 mAh battery allows me to enjoy the tablet for a pretty long time after each charge.
Verdict
All in all, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 is a solid and reliable tablet at a very affordable price. It is certainly a good choice for general usage and multimedia entertainment.
RSS Feed