We pit the two most sought after premium tablets - Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 vs iPad Air against each other and see how they fare
Tablets are being churned out by a slew of manufacturers at a rapid rate but it is the premium tablets that still dictate a considerable chunk of the tablet market share. These premium tablets are aimed at the corporates or working professionals for whom the portability factor plays a huge role in choosing the tablet. Apple have been charming consumers with their well-built and elegant tablets but Samsung and other manufacturers are catching up- proof being the latest Galaxy Tab S. We put the two together, to see if Samsung tablet can ideed rival the Apple beast.
Design and Build
Well we would have directly vouched for the iPad Air and snubbed the Galaxy when it comes to styling but this time Samsung has come up with a very neat design. They have typically done away with the cheap bits and added bold lines which make the Galaxy Tab S reek of elegance. The iPad Air embibes the traditional iPad design but when it comes to dimensions then it is much thinner and lighter than its predecessors.
The Galaxy Tab S looks brilliant from the front and the Samsung’s Signature physical key is shrunk and yet it looks extremely proportionate. The boundaries are wrapped with finely chiseled chrome strip that are less pronounced yet make their point. The rear has the same puckered texture that we find in the Galaxy S5. No odd bits or shiny plastics this time!
iPad Air looks extremely sleek with seldom touches of Metal and the simplistic design approach. The best thing about this Tablet is its drastically reduced Weight and Form factor. The Rear is finished in metallic color and the center houses the seemingly large Apple Logo. The rear looks a tad too bland with nothing but no man’s land.
Screen
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 has an 8.4 inch Super Amoled screen set to display at 1600 x 2560 pixels translating into a superlative pixel density of 359 ppi. The touch is super responsive and the color reproduction is something we still can’t stop drooling over. Viewing angles are perfect with no sorry bits.
Apple has always ensured that it fits the idevices with the best display and the iPad Air is no different. iPad Air has an enormous 9.7 inch screen that has a resolution of 1536 x 2048 translating into a modest pixel density of 264ppi. The viewing angles are good and the screen looks lucid but somehow the depth and the reality we see in the Galaxy Tab S are missing from the Air. The Screen has an oleo phobic scratch resistant coating as well.
Camera
Cameras have been becoming equally important in Tablets as well and having said that the Galaxy Tab S comes with a 8megapixel primary camera along with LED flash and a 2.1 megapixel secondary camera. The image quality is impeccable and something we previously didn’t witness in the Samsung Tablets.
iPad Air sports a 5Megapixel primary camera along with an precise Autofocus mechanism that is extremely fast. The iSight camera ensures that the pictures are well lit without over exposing them. Secondary camera is a mediocre 2.1Megapixel sensor which is still sufficient for occasional selfies and Facetime. The only qualm is the missing LED flash.
Under the Hood
Samsung Galaxy Tab S is fitted with a powerful Snapdragon 800 processor that is fine tuned to produce 2.3GHz. The mighty processor is coupled with a 3GB RAM which is responsible for the Tab S beastly performance characteristics. The UI flow is butter smooth and everything about this Tablet just feels so good.
The iPad Air sports a 1.3GHz Dual Core A7 processor and a GB of DDR3 RAM. Although specification wise the Air might look puny but it isn’t as its one of the fastest tablets that we have ever laid our hands upon, Courtesy the frugality of the iOS. Gaming is excellent with no lags or choppy frame shifts.
Connectivity and Battery
When it comes to connectivity both the Tablets are equally well equipped with all the connectivity options you will need. Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.7 comes equipped with 4G LTE, 3G, Wifi, Bluetooth and GPS.
The Air comes with similar options and an extremely impressive 8600 mAh battery that lasts for more than 10 hours. This is the best part of the Air.
Pricing and Verdict
Apple iPad Air is currently retailing at Rs 32,299 for the 16GB version on the other hand the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 retails at Rs 36,023. The Samsung has done an excellent job in churning out a high end tablet. It has an excellent screen, one of the best build and design and extremely efficient camera units. If your family is in need of a simple and easy to use premium tablets then go for the Tab S.
The iPad Air has a certain dash of elegance and an unparalleled brand value. The compact form factor ensures that it won’t be a task carrying it around. The screen and the touch responsiveness is one of the best in the tablet industry. The only setback is the absence of the flash otherwise if you desire an extremely thin tablet that can be your daily driver then go for the iPad Air.
Source From http://www.knowyourmobile.in
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