Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 Vs iPad = No Contest
The differences between the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and the iPad (1, 2, and 3 for that matter) are immense – though I'm sure the title of this post will evoke a litany of different interpretations from readers here today. The Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 is the next-generation tablet from Samsung to come with their own suite of Samsung-tuned applications, while the iPad is the best selling tablet-like device of all time as well as one of the best selling devices of all time, bar none. Samsung didn't create the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 to compete with the iPad, but the inevitable question that pops up in the mind of everyone considering a new tablet purchase does end up being that almost no matter what: do I want this, or do I want an iPad instead?
This new Galaxy Tab has a similar sized display, they're both just about as bright as one another, and they're both very light. Compare the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 to the iPad 1 and you'll find very comparable screens indeed. Compare this Samsung tablet to the iPad 3 and you'll never, ever be able to settle for the Galaxy Tab. The iPad 3 has 2048 x 1536 pixels across its 9.7-inch surface while the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 has 1280 x 800 pixels across its 10.1-inch surface – that's 264 pixels per inch for the iPad while the Galaxy Tab has 149 pixels per inch. No contest.
Compared to the iPad 2 though, you've got a much more comparable fight going on. The iPad 2 has 1024 x 768 pixels across its 9.7-inch display, this putting it at 132 pixels per inch, this actually smaller than the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1. The camera on the Galaxy Tab is 3.2 on the back while the iPad 2's camera is less than 1 megapixel (and certainly not impressive, at that.) Both devices have a dual-core processor inside, the Texas Instruments dual-core OMAP4 just about as tested and true (and relatively old) as the Apple A5 processor, both of them working swift as the average user could possibly ask for.
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The real question then, since both devices cost essentially the same in the market right now, is what you want out of the tablets for apps. Apple's iTunes app store is just about as well-tuned as an app store could possibly be at this date in time while the Google Play app store isn't quite as refined in your ability to find winners each and every time for downloads, but its vast. Both stores are vast, both have winning apps when you know what you're looking for, and both Apple and Android are up to speed with how well they interact with other devices, as well.
The Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 has a built-in IR-blaster so you can change channels on your television right from the tablet with no additional hardware while the iPad has so many accessories on the market that your head might explode. Personally, I'd rather have an iPad than a Galaxy Tab, but not because one is better tuned than the other. I like the vastness of the accessories market for the iPad, the app store has the games and apps I want right away, and it still seems as though Apple's support network is the better choice in the end.
Have a peek at our reviews and hands-on with the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, iPad 2, and the rest of the devices they're most closely related to in the timeline we've for below – enjoy!