Samsung Galaxy Tab for the U.S. Review

This is an overview of the Samsung Galaxy Tab for the U.S. market. For an in-depth look at the device, see our review of the European version, since it's almost identical.

Introduction and Design:

We took an in-depth look at the European version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab just a few weeks back, and now it has landed in the States. While the device remains mostly unchanged we’ll take a brief look at the Sprint offering of this Android 2.2 tablet to see if it’s worth your hard earned money and name on the dotted line. While the radios in this device are different from other US offerings, the overall experience remains the same across the carriers.

The biggest change the Samsung Galaxy Tab underwent while making its way across the pond is the loss of a voice radio (at least officially.) We really can’t see many people using a device this large as a phone; tablets are internet devices and smartphones are phones, so we can’t say we’re too disappointed by this. For those who absolutely must use this as a phone, you can download Skype, though Verizon users will find this application is actively blocked by Big Red.


The Samsung Galaxy Tab is immediately going to get compared with the iPad and the first thing that jumps out at you is the comparative size of the Tab. The iPad's display clocks in at 9.7” and is much more squared off. The Galaxy Tab, on the other hand, has a 7” screen and is a very long device. It’s light and thin and fits very well in your hand, much better than the iPad. The Galaxy Tab is more similar to the Amazon Kindle in terms of size, and that is something we like. The decreased size of course means a smaller screen, but for what we do on this 7” is sufficient for our needs whereas 10” is a bit large. You, of course, will have your own opinion on this subject, but the Galaxy Tab can easily share a hand with your morning cup of coffee which isn’t something we can say about the iPad. We wish the 1024x600 display was Super AMOLED, but the LCD used by Samsung is still quite nice. Viewing angles, brightness and color were all quite good. Ebooks and newspaper articles were quite easy to read, and the widescreen resolution is better suited to video content.

Software and Features:

There are a few other small changes as well compared to the European edition, such as the inclusion of Media Hub on this version versus the broken down Hub segments we found on the EU version. Sprint and Samsung are sweetening the deal by throwing in a $50 credit towards “select content” in the Media Hub. Otherwise the software is nearly identical to the European Tab. The user can customize up to 9 pages, each supporting a 5x5 grid of apps. Like HTC Sense, this iteration of TouchWiz allows the user to pinch in to see all pages at once. It should be noted that Sprint has said their Galaxy Tab will feature their new Sprint ID interface, though they have not given a time frame for this. Beyond this we will see some mild carrier customizations, such as Verizon’s VCast service.



As with the European version, our biggest gripe with the Tab is browser performance. It’s not bad, but at times it feels like it should be quicker. Even over Wi-Fi pages sometimes took longer to load than we would expect, and we have a feeling it has to do with software rather than hardware as the Galaxy Tab is generously spec’d. We downloaded some alternate browsers such as Dolphin Browser HD and Firefox Beta and experienced the same issues. Flash content loaded and played well, and once a page loaded pinch to zoom was smooth. All of the Tab versions offer 3G, either CDMA or GSM, and as mentioned they all have Wi-Fi. We were disappointed to see no 4G from Sprint, especially at the price the Tab is selling at.



In terms of overall performance the Galaxy Tab did well, scoring in the mid 1000s on the Quadrant benchmark test. Of course since this is not a phone we could not test that aspect of the Tab, but it should be noted that text messaging is supported. The stock keyboard is inevitably smaller and more cramped than the one on the iPad, but Swype is also preloaded. The 4000mAh battery is rated to give a user 13 hours of usage and we were easily able to get through two days of casual web browsing, gaming and general playing with the Galaxy Tab.



Conclusion:

Sprint, T-Mobile and U.S. Cellular do or will offer the tab subsidized at $399 with a two year contract. Both Sprint and T-Mobile offer two price points, but they vary greatly. T-Mobile offers a $25 plan for a paltry 200MB of data, or 5GB for the bargain price of $50. Sprint’s 5GB plan matches their aircards at $60/month, but we have a feeling most users will be okay with the $30 2GB plan. Sprint throws in unlimited messaging on their plans as well. U.S. Cellular offers 200MB for $14.99 and 5GB for $54.99. As we mentioned earlier Verizon does not require a contract, though this will drive the price of the Tab up to $600. Their plan is $20 for 1GB of data with a relatively reasonable $10/GB overage charge. AT&T has the highest pricing at $650, sans contract. Data plans match their phones: $15 for 250MB and $25 for 2GB.

In the end we like many things about the Samsung Galaxy Tab, most notably the size and portability, but feel very much the same way we did with the iPad, which is to say it’s an expensive toy. It’s nice to browse the web in bed and watch videos on the train and play Angry Birds on a 7” screen, but in the end a tablet like the Galaxy Tab doesn’t offer anything a modern smartphone doesn’t, except a larger screen. There is definitely a market for these devices, but with prices ranging from $400-650 and data plans setting you back $15-60, the price of ownership is huge.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab is just the second in what looks to be a long line of quality tablet offerings, but for now they are cost-prohibitive. If you need one now the Galaxy Tab is a fine choice, especially for those who love Android and want a more compact solution.  The Apple iPad is of course a great alternative, which is noticeably bulkier but can offer you a lot more quality software content. However, we can’t help but feel that we will see better, cheaper tablets soon enough.

This is was an overview of the Samsung Galaxy Tab for the U.S. market. For an in-depth look at the device, see our review of the European version, since it's almost identical.

Samsung Galaxy Tab for the U.S. Video Review: