It is believed that a wide choice is great, but what to do if you have to choose between strong iPad competitors Apple and Samsung. Here we will talk about tablet models from two giant manufacturers, compare their characteristics and help users make their choice. One head, as they say, is good, but two are better.
Undoubtedly, tablets from both brands Apple iPad or Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 have high characteristics regarding their performance, memory, multimedia capabilities, photo quality, page loading speed, battery and other things. But still I would like to have more thorough information regarding the pros and cons of both devices. So which tablet to choose and which is better: iPad Apple vs Samsung Galaxy Tab?
An important, and for some, almost the main role is played by the appearance of tablets. What do we have with Samsung and iPad? The iPad case is made of durable monolithic metal - aluminum with a matte surface, which aesthetically fits into the modern lifestyle, is less dirty and undoubtedly reliably protects the inside of the device from external influences and accidental falls. The front panel is glass, fits perfectly into the style of the tablets and does not disturb the harmony. Surface care is carried out using soft flannel fabric.
In turn, the Samsung Galaxy Tab has an ergonomic plastic, leather-like external design of the case, and fingerprints are not noticeable at all on an uneven surface. Plus, there are no scratches like on an aluminum surface. However, not everyone can be seduced by inexpensive plastic imitation leather, because this design, as they say, is “not for everybody.” Cleaning the surface on the plastic panel is not difficult, but the durability of the Apple iPad case is unlikely to be comparable to the plastic surface.
Both devices are assembled to perfection: technologically verified, no squeaks or slips, both tablets leave no visible fingerprints on the surface, all the buttons are “live” and easy to respond, located conveniently and practically.
Among the visible advantages, the Samsung tablet can give odds, since its appearance is more original than that of a standard iPad. In addition, Galaxy has positioned the tablet's speakers at the front of the panel, which naturally adds to the listening experience for its users. However, some will say that the speakers on the front panel can easily become clogged or spoil the appearance. And some will argue that any case that is put on a Samsung tablet will not spoil the sound level.
External buttons for adjusting sound, brightness, backlight, on/off are well located on both devices, are understandable and have no complaints.
Comparison by display quality
Regarding the quality of the display module, the Galaxy Tab tablet is still in the lead, as it has a slightly larger diagonal and a higher screen resolution. Samsung did not skimp and used the latest Super Amoled HD technology in the manufacture of the matrix, which is why the number of pixels is higher. After all, the most important thing in a tablet is undoubtedly the display, and the better the technology is used, the higher the picture quality. Apple remains at the same standard level of display quality, using the IPS matrix, which has made the quality of iPad display modules famous.
The difference in display modules affected the brightness and legibility of the image on the screen. Samsung's is a little brighter. Since the aspect ratio of the Galaxy tablet is 16:10, it is more comfortable to watch videos on the Samsung screen than on the Apple iPad. And due to the enlarged screen, almost all records are visible and do not overlap. The aspect ratio of the Apple tablet is 4:3, so the screen shows dark bars at the top and bottom.
As for the additional brightness of iPads or Samsung tablets, this can be treated differently. On the one hand, Samsung is brighter, on the other hand, the iPad will be more economical in spending the charge required to watch videos. Thus, the duration of video viewing can be increased. Therefore, Apple set the standard brightness, or the iPad did not need additional brightness and therefore was not equipped with an additional coprocessor that allows it to analyze the degree of illumination and automatically adjust the desired illumination depending on the level of illumination in the room or street. Therefore, here a plus can be given to Samsung for advanced technologies, and a separate plus can be given to Apple for efficiency.
Production capacity
As for the performance of both tablets, their level is supposedly equal to each other. Apple equipped the tablet with a 4-core Cortex processor operating at a frequency of 1.4 Gigahertz.
The Samsung tablet has 2 GB of RAM, unlike the iPad, which only has 1 GB of RAM. Accordingly, Galaxy should have higher performance on the Android system. However, Samsung's operating system is equipped with a 2-core processor, which is lower than that of the iPad. Therefore, in terms of productivity, both giants are in the same place.
In terms of device memory capacity, Samsung is again ahead, with memory expansion available in the form of microSD, which allows the owner to install mini or maximum capacity memory. And Apple iPad manufacturers have provided the ability to install drives with capacities from mini 16 to max 64 GB in their devices.
The rest of the functions in both types of tablets received a standard set: it is possible to connect to Bluetooth, WI-FI, 3G Internet, calling cards and much more. Although it can be noted that the Apple iPad, in comparison with its competitor, supports LTE communications.
Camera Features
As for the camera, the differences are small. So the Galaxy and iPad have a 5 megapixel rear camera, and the front cameras are slightly different: Samsung has 1.9 megapixels, while the iPad shows only 1.2 megapixels on the front camera. Although in practice these differences are practically invisible.
Battery capacity
Regarding the autonomy of tablets, the iPad has surpassed its competitor and is distinguished by a mega-capacity lithium-polymer battery of 11560 mAh; believe me, this is a rather rare indicator among tablet devices. This battery capacity allows the user to work on the tablet for up to 13.5 hours. In turn, the Samsung battery produces 7000 mAh and allows you to work on the device for up to 10 hours. Therefore, in terms of battery capacity and autonomy, the Apple iPad undoubtedly wins.
Operating system differences
Many users have noted the quality of the iOS operating system on the iPad, which is characterized by stability, high performance and a wide selection of various branded system applications developed specifically for it. Therefore, experts say that a well-thought-out iOS system will last much longer than a good Android.
Some, on the contrary, are used to it and claim that the Android system is no worse, quite flexible and capacious, and at the same time easily finds a common language with various applications, and is quite easy to update. A distinctive feature of the Galaxy was the appearance of a light pen in the tablet, with the help of which it is possible to draw, draw, draw something. For young users, this is undoubtedly a gift for their favorite tablet, an opportunity for new creativity. For those involved in architecture, design, and fine arts, this is an opportunity to combine a tablet and a graphics tablet. Also note that the light pen program has the ability to customize different types of fonts, different color modes, and photographic capabilities.
Technology improvements
It is impossible not to notice the advantages of the Samsung Galaxy in terms of usability. After all, what technology has come to: programs can be operated even with gloves. Agree that in many ways this is very convenient, but constantly reconfiguring the tablet for a different sensitivity is not always useful. Plus, the Galaxy boasts pressure responsiveness, unlike its iPad competitor, and the pressure can be specifically adjusted from light to hard depending on the user's needs.
So, in general, both devices succeeded in quality and technology. However, the choice is yours who to give preference to: the energy-intensive, stylish Apple iPad tablet, which has proven itself to be of high iOS standards, or choose the Galaxy tablet of a custom design, with a large, bright, highly sensitive super-touch screen, complemented by new light pen technology from Samsung. Each user will make their own choice based on their internal needs. Our task is to introduce you to the differences between the iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab tablets. We hope that this task has been completed.
Which is better: iPad or tablet? The question seems pointless, because... These two devices are included in the group of tablet computers. Essentially, it's the same thing. But! The iPad, the brainchild of Apple, stands alone. In general, the first tablets were from Apple. They have remained recognized leaders in the line of similar products. Other keyboardless mobile devices are only trying to get closer to the standard.
For this reason, it is clear in the minds of consumers: an Apple device is an iPad, and the products of all other manufacturers are a tablet. And it turns out there is a difference between them. Both in compatibility with third-party devices and in the installed OS and functionality. So which is better: iPad or tablet?
iPad or tablet: what to choose?
Fundamentally, these tablets are no different. It's a matter of nuances. Important nuances.
The heart of the device is the operating system
The convenience of our communication with the tablet, the availability of programs, applications, and the understandability of the interface depend on the operating system. Tablet manufacturers install three operating systems: on iPads – iOS, on all others – Android and Windows. Let's deal with them.
IOS. It was specially developed by Apple for iPads. Accordingly, it is available in all mobile devices from this manufacturer.
+: intuitive interface (the main feature of this OS), wide selection of applications in a specialized store (about 300,000).
-: the lion's share of quality applications is available for a fee; You cannot download a third party product.
Android. An operating system developed based on Linux technologies. The corporate badge is a green robot.
+: the user can completely change the interface; most applications in the specialized Android Market store are provided free of charge; The OS is fully compatible with popular Google applications, is highly customizable, has excellent notification systems, etc.
-: there are not enough applications, and even fewer high-quality ones.
Windows. This OS cannot be called top-end. It appeared not very long ago and is more intended for PC.
+: familiar interface, strong multitasking, Office suite.
-: intuitively heavy OS, which still takes some getting used to.
Which operating system is better, iPads or tablets? Basically, to each his own. If you like this OS and it’s convenient to work with, you’re welcome.
Important detail. Apple, while improving its operating system, is also improving its iPads. This is done regularly and constantly. Android tablets lag behind in this regard. Operating system versions are being improved. And devices are updated much later and only partially.
About processors
Android tablets can boast a faster processor (4 cores) and a better camera. They make it easier to flip through pages in the browser, because... These tablets support Adobe Flash.
Almost all iPads have dual-core processors and do not support Adobe Flash. To share files, you need iTunes. Wireless transmission requires specialized software. But the interface is perfect. It's also a shame to complain about the quality of the camera. In addition, iPads are better at shooting in low-light conditions.
Tablet screen
Size and resolution are important to us. A seven-inch screen is considered small for tablets. Ten inches is big. All manufacturers have tablets with screens in this range. That is, both small and large.
Greater variety can be seen in Samsung: from 10.1 to 5.5 (a hybrid phone with a tablet - Galaxy Note). And you don’t have to worry: what to choose – a tablet or a smartphone?
The higher the screen resolution, the more comfortable it is for the eyes. After all, we use tablets for surfing, playing games, and reading books. The leaders in display clarity are the Google Nexus 10 with a resolution of 2560x1600 and the fifth generation iPad with a Retina display of 2048x1536. 2G mini iPads with a pixel density of 326 pixels/inch have recently appeared on the market (the fourth generation of iPads is 264 pixels/inch).
Inner memory
The bigger it is, the better. Music, videos, photos weigh a lot and require space. Tablets have two types of memory:
- operational (the operating system uses it, commands are stored there);
- flash memory (consumers use it).
Memory cannot be increased. That is, what we bought is what we have. Until recently, the largest flash memory was 64 GB. However, Apple again pleased its customers by releasing iPads with 128 GB. Very appropriate, because There is nowhere else to store information.
Many Android tablets have the ability to insert a MicroSD and thus expand the storage capacity.
We've covered the main points. For additional features, see each specific model. And decide for yourself: what is better – an iPad or a tablet?
It's been a while since we've had a comparison of something top-end. But it just so happened that the editorial office had the new iPad Pro 10.5 and Samsung Tab S3 at the same time. Since both devices are similar in many ways (both in price and in features), I decided to compare them and choose the “Best Tablet of 2017”.
Appearance
This is a very subjective parameter. But it is worth saying that both tablets look great. These are expensive, beautiful and very high quality devices that are a pleasure to use. It is very difficult to find fault with them, but there are still a few little things that I would mention.
Samsung will not decide on the location of USB Type-C. Sometimes it shifts a little in height, sometimes it’s simply not in the center, as in this case. It is very difficult to understand what exactly is going on in the heads of the company’s engineers when they choose the next location for the connector. But everything else does not raise questions.
Something wonderful is happening at Apple too. The iPad Pro has four speakers on the bottom and top edges, but the placement of the cutouts is slightly different. In addition, even the size of these cutouts is different. I understand that this is already too “nerdy”, but from this company you expect attention to even the most insignificant details, but here there is such an asymmetry.
The tablets weigh almost the same, but the iPad has a noticeably larger screen and smaller bezels around the display. The latter is not particularly important for such a device, but it’s still nice. There is no clear favorite in terms of design. Both tablets turned out to be stylish and laconic.
Display
It seemed to me that in a comparison of displays the Tab S3 would be the clear favorite. See for yourself: 9.7-inch Super AMOLED matrix with a resolution of 2048 by 1536 pixels, “real” black color, excellent color rendition and support for HDR content. It seems that the iPad with its IPS screen is clearly losing out. But no.
Apple didn't come up with anything new, they just took existing technology and applied it to their tablet. The so-called Promotion is responsible for dynamically changing the screen refresh rate. The frequency directly depends on the type of content being displayed (for example, 120 Hz will be when using Safari). When you pick up the tablet for the first time, you are surprised at how smooth everything is.
Even when simply reading the news or browsing your Instagram feed, you notice that consuming content on the iPad screen is much more enjoyable.
The installed matrix supports displaying a wider DCI-P3 color gamut, and this will allow, for example, to convey all the colors and shades of a photograph with the same accuracy as on a professional monitor. So in terms of screen quality, the iPad has an undeniable advantage.
We didn’t have any branded styluses, so we couldn’t compare them. But the logic of operation and their capabilities are approximately the same. So the advantage of one solution over another will depend directly on the programs used and individual needs.
Performance
On this point, the iPad Pro is clearly ahead. The six-core A10X processor and the new PowerVR graphics accelerator are capable of running all modern projects at maximum settings. No problems or delays – pure pleasure.
The Tab S3 has a Snapdragon 820 installed, which is still quite good, but it’s hard for it to compete with a newcomer. This becomes noticeable both in games and when actively using the same multitasking. The tablet sometimes takes a couple of seconds to load the application, but on the iPad the switching occurs instantly.
It is worth saying that some manufacturers are trying “a little” harder and better optimizing their projects for iOS. The main problem with the Tab S3 is Android. The tablet is capable of running literally everything at high settings, but not all games can correctly detect the screen resolution and aspect ratio, which is why the image turns out to be either pixelated or with minor distortions. Telltale's Batman is a great example of this.
There are no problems with RAM in the devices. They have 4GB installed, which is enough for all tasks. But Samsung has a little less built-in memory in the minimum configuration - only 32 GB. But this can be compensated for by microSD cards.
There is no point in comparing the two operating systems in 2017. Everyone already knows about everything. Only in terms of music software is iOS still superior to Android. It will be interesting to make a comparison after the release of new firmware for the iPad. It will have a file manager and a full-fledged dock. So we'll leave that for later.
The battery life of the tablets is approximately the same - from 8 to 10 hours in mixed mode. But Samsung charges a little faster.
Sound quality and connectors
Both tablets are equipped with four speakers. In the Tab S3, the manufacturer used solutions from AKG, and in the iPad Pro they were developed in-house. There is enough volume for both, but the iPad has much more low frequencies. Watching movies and YouTube videos on it is a real pleasure. The sound is like from a good external speaker. It’s hard to believe that they managed to fit such cool speakers into such a compact body.
Samsung doesn’t provide that “wow” effect. Yes, the sound is spacious, but the quality that is in the iPad is simply not there.
USB Type-C, for all its modernity and versatility, is still very young. Those accessories that appear are not always compatible with a specific model. For example, the 3.5 mm adapter simply refused to work with the Tab S3.
And Lightning has been on the market for several years now; there are a huge number of accessories with this connector, all of them will work with the iPad Pro.
Camera
The title of the article may be questionable. After all, the iPad is a tablet with a special brand. But this is where the whole “salt” lies.
iPad is a popular Apple product that has embodied many users' dreams. And everything seems to be fine... But!Is it worth paying a hefty sum for just the brand? Maybe you should take a closer look at other tablets?
To answer these questions, let's consider the pros and cons of iPads and the advantages and disadvantages of tablets from other companies (Samsung, Acer, Asus, etc.)
iPad Features
pros
As you know, the iPad is based on the iOS operating system, which meets all the criteria flexibility And efficiency. In addition, the iPad supports a 3G network, which provides fast Internet access. By the way, some iPads are produced without a 3G module, so you need to take care of its availability in advance.
Image quality delights users. Moreover, the iPad 3 pleased Apple fans with an improved video and photo camera.
Installation of applications occurs in the most convenient mode for the user.
Minuses
Future iPad owners will be faced with the impossibility of changing the tablet interface.
Also, the creators of the iPad have established a ban on the use of third-party applications. That is, the user can only launch applications from the Apple store, and the lion's share of these applications cost a lot of money. So the costs will not end with the purchase of the long-awaited tablet.
Many people complain about the lack of Flash support. But most of the videos and games on the Internet are based on this player.
But despite numerous complaints, Apple refuses to make concessions and is not going to launch Flash in the near future.
Features of Acer, Asus, Samsung tablets
prosThe Android operating system provides the ability to completely change the interface.
Users can download a variety of applications, run flash games, and much more. etc.
Separately, it is worth noting the design of the tablets. The same Samsung Galaxy Note is much thinner than the iPad and has an interesting, multifunctional design. Front speakers located on the front panel provide good sound quality. And it weighs 600 grams less than the iPad.
Some argue that due to the lack of many bells and whistles, Acer and Samsung tablets work faster and better than the iPad. But this is a subjective opinion.
Minuses
In terms of image quality, tablet computers are significantly inferior to iPads.
Only the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 can match the iPad's image performance. And even then, in terms of the number of pixels, it still lost to the iPad4. Users note the imperfection of video and photography, as well as the lack of interesting functions and applications that can be found on the iPad.
Conclusion:
The article discussed the main advantages and disadvantages of iPads and tablets from other companies so that you can understand what you need and make the final decision.
You may decide to save money and buy a tablet from Asus or Samsung, or, conversely, make sure that there is nothing better than the iPad.
