Apple iPad Mini vs Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0)
It is surprising how quick the digital world is transforming and morphing itself to different dimensions. The average life expectancy of a human being is around 60 years. Within the last 10 years which is 1/6 of your life, the technology has changed so fast that nobody can keep track of everything that is taking place even with the rapid advancement of communication channels. This is partly why some people are reluctant to embrace technological innovations. But this doesn’t stop manufacturers from innovating and inventing new markets to attract new or existing customers. As you are well aware of, Apple was at the center of the revolution in mobile computing platforms. Their past CEO Steve Jobs used to say that a 7 inch tablet was a good for nothing tablet which is uncomfortable to carry and use compared to a smartphone and useless compared to a 10 inch tablet. However, yesterday we saw Apple going against their CEO’s statement by introducing a 7.9 inch tablet which is called Apple iPad Mini. This shows us how rapidly even the opinions decay and change takes place. As such, Apple must have had strong reasons to come up with this debutant product and we will try to investigate and check whether we can figure them out. In order to do that, we will compare this tablet with another prominent tablet in the market manufactured by Samsung; Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0.
Apple iPad Mini Review
As predicted, Apple iPad Mini hosts a 7.9 inch IPS capacitive touchscreen display that features a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels at a pixel density of 163ppi. It is smaller, lighter and thinner than Apple new iPad. However, this no way compromises the look and feel Apple’s premium grants you. It will come in several versions which will be released throughout November. There is also a 4G LTE version which can cost as much as $660. Let us look at what Apple has included in this mini version of their all-time favorite Apple iPad.
Apple iPad Mini is powered by Dual Core A5 processor clocked at 1GHz along with preferably PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU and 512MB of RAM. This is the first reason that worries us about purchasing the iPad Mini given that it features a last generation processors of Apple A5 which went out in circulation two generations before with the introduction of Apple A6X. However, we can’t predict the performance without taking it for a lengthy test run given that Apple can now modify their processors in-house. It seemed to work seamlessly at light tasks, but games seem to take some time to initialize which can be an indication of the performance it can offer.
This miniature version of iPad has dimensions of 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.28 inches that can fit in to your hand very well. Especially the keyboard feels way more comfortable compared to the Apple iPhone line. The basic version only has Wi-Fi connectivity whereas the more expensive and higher end ones offer 4G LTE connectivity as an addition. It will come in different sizes ranging from 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. Apple seems to have included a 5MP camera at the back of this miniature version that can capture 1080p HD videos which is a good improvement. The 1.2MP from facing camera can be used with Facetime for video conferencing. As speculated, it uses the new lightening connector and comes in either Black or White.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) Review
This sleek slate is the second generation of the 7.0 inch tablet range which has created a unique market for itself with the introduction of Galaxy Tab 7.0. It has 7.0 inch PLS LCD capacitive touchscreen featuring a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels at a pixel density of 170ppi. The slate comes in either Black or White and has a pleasing touch. It is powered by 1GHz dual core processor and 1GB of RAM and runs on Android OS v4.0 ICS. The processor seems somewhat mediocre; nonetheless, it would serve well for this slate. It has three variants with 8GB, 16GB and 32GB of internal storage with the option to expand using a microSD card up to 64GB.
Galaxy Tab 2 stays connected with HSDPA reaching a maximum speed of 21Mbps. The Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n ensures the constant connectivity, and it can also act as a Wi-Fi hotspot enabling you to share your fast internet connection generously. The built-in DLNA functions as a wireless streaming bridge that enables you to stream rich media content to your Smart TV. Samsung has been miser with the camera they include for tablets, and Galaxy Tab 2 is no exception. It has 3.15MP camera with Geo Tagging and fortunately it can capture 1080p HD videos @ 30 frames per second. The front facing camera is VGA quality, but that suffices for the purpose of video conferencing. Unlike Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, Tab 2 comes with attractive TouchWiz UX UI and additional components from the ICS operating system. Samsung also boasts smooth web browsing and full compatibility with HTML 5 and flash rich contents. Another addition in Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is the support for GLONASS as well as GPS. In layman’s terms, GLONASS; GLObal Navigation Satellite System; is another navigation system with worldwide coverage, and it is the only current alternative for USA’s GPS. With the 4000mAh standard battery, we are expecting Galaxy Tab 2 to work well for 7-8 hours.
A Brief Comparison Between Apple iPad Mini and Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0
• Apple iPad Mini is powered by 1GHz Dual Core A5 processor with PowerVR SGX543 GPU and 512MB of RAM while Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is powered by 1GHz dual core processor and 1GB of RAM.
• Apple iPad Mini has 7.9 inch IPS capacitive touchscreen featuring a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels at a pixel density of 163ppi while Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 has 7.0 inch PLS LCD capacitive touchscreen featuring a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels at a pixel density at 170ppi.
• Apple iPad Mini runs on Apple iOS 6 while Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 runs on Android OS v 4.0.3 ICS.
• Apple iPad Mini has 5MP camera that can capture 1080p HD videos @ 30 fps while Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 has 3.15MP camera on the back and VGA camera on the front for video conferencing.
• Apple iPad Mini is bigger but thinner and lighter (200 x 134.7 mm / 7.2 mm / 308g) than Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 (193.7 x 122.4 mm / 10.5 mm / 345g).
Conclusion
As of now, no benchmarking tests have been carried out against Apple iPad Mini which makes us impossible to determine which tablet is better in this scenario. However, looking at the crude performance levels, we can theorize that both would have the same performance matrices with only little differences. Both of these tablets have the same processor and almost similar display panels. The same goes with the other features while Apple iPad Mini excels in GPU. That been said, another factor to consider is the price these tablets are offered. Even to compare that, we need a way to compromise. This is because Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 comes with HSDPA connectivity and Apple iPad Mini comes with 4G LTE connectivity. If we compare those two, Apple iPad Mini has a higher price point. However, it also feels really elegant and has the same look and feel of an original iPad. So if you are an ardent enthusiast for Apple products, you may well settle down for Apple iPad Mini. Otherwise, our recommendation is to wait for the results of the benchmarking tests and compare the performances and make your decision.