We are back again with another review for you guys here at TGSB and this time we have the latest in Samsung’s tablet series, the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0. Having reviewed every Android tablet from Samsung, we have seen the many changes added and taken away from the each one. From the original 7inch Tab all the way to the Tab 2 series. With an already-rather large tablet family, Samsung made sure to launch this Tab with Android 4.0 giving it a leg up against its brethren.
Other than the OS upgrade, the newest gets many downgrades as well. Instead of the 1280 x 800 resolution seen on the Tab 7.7, it scales back down to 1024 x 600. The processor went from a 1.4GHz Exynos dual-core to a 1GHz TI OMAP dual-core. Also gone is the brushed aluminum as it is replaced with a plastic rear body. Is the addition of Android 4.0 the missing piece of the puzzle to make Samsung’s Android tablet better? Our complete analysis on the Tab 2 7.0 lies below.
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| ICS does wonders on a tablet |
Let’s just get right into it. Updating the Tab’s software to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich does help it a lot in the software/performance department. ICS helps to keep stutters & lags that have plagued Samsung Tabs to a minimum. The new software needs to be implemented in every tablet Samsung releases and even go back to roll it out to the Tab 7.7, 8.9, & 10.1. Combined with the TouchWiz UX and its apps, this the software users of Android tablets have been waiting for.
The latest in the series of G.Tabs offer a 4,000 mAh battery to keep you going. The battery on this thing performs quite well. The juice will last you several days of moderate usage on a single charge and a little over a day with heavier usage. Samsung aced it in the battery department.
Gotta love how Samsung makes sure to add microSD storage for additional physical storage for the tablet. The card slot expansion pushes your storage up to 32GB of space in case cloud storage isn’t your thing. Samsung latest thing is to add an infrared sensor on these Tabs for the Peel app. The Peel app turns your tablet into an universal remote control that offers access to TV/satellite/cable box, DVD/Blu-Ray player, and AV audio system. Works like a charm.
The optics on the Tab 2 7.0 are pretty terrible at best. Not to say that tablet cameras are supposed to be extraordinary but not quite the grainy mess that the 3MP camera produces. In 2012, the tablet optics need to be at least a good quality 5MP for those who want to take occasional photos with your 7inch slate.
They definitely reduced the physical storage space for the standard 16GB down to 8GB. Most people wouldn’t have an actual problem with this but some still prefer the physical space over cloud space for media & such. Samsung did offer the option of a 50GB Dropbox storage for free for one year. Some consumers are still prefer the soon-to-be old fashioned physical storage as some may not trust the security and reliability of cloud storage.
The Tab 2 7.0 is still a welcomed addition to the Samsung’s Tab family. ICS was just the thing the Galaxy Tabs needed to improve its overall experience. The Tab 2 7.0 still has the sweet spot in regards to screen size but now with an actual price to match. So much that this easily replaces the need to buy a Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet. At $249 for this 8GB Wi-Fi model, Samsung created this to go directly after those in the market of picking up a Fire. The build may not be as premium as some of the Tabs before it but for a tablet on a budget, it has everything you might need.
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| Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 side-by-side w/ the Kindle Fire |
I would definitely go with a buy for the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0. Good to see Samsung lower the price point with their new lineup of Android tablets. For just $50 more than the Kindle Fire, you can something that outperforms it and offers features and access to apps. You can’t go wrong with a $249 price tag for a very capable Android tablet.
