Samsung galaxy tab 2 10.1 review 2013
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Samsung is changing its approach to tablets. Rather than compete at the highest end with the iPad or the Transformer Prime, Samsung's aiming for a happy medium: all the features we've come to expect from an Android tablet, without necessarily top-notch performance or specs, for an appealing price. The tactic worked really well with the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, a $249.99 7-inch tablet that outpaces the Kindle Fire, Nook Tablet, or BlackBerry PlayBook. Show The bigger brother in the Tab 2 line is now upon us in the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1. Like the 7.0, it has solid but unspectacular specs (a 1GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 1280 x 800 TFT display, 16GB or 32GB of internal storage, dual cameras), plus Android 4.0, all for a very reasonable $399.99. Of course, even at that price there's competition from the still-on-sale iPad 2, the Transformer Pad TF300, and a handful of others. Does the 10-inch Galaxy Tab 2 find the same balance its 7-inch sibling did, or is your $400 better spent elsewhere? Read on to find out.
 A $100 price advantage only buys you so much leeway Samsung does a number of things right with the Galaxy Tab 2 – the pricing makes more sense, and most of the sacrifices Samsung made to hit that number are ones I'm willing to accept (though I'd love to have that AMOLED display). Android 4.0 is a huge improvement, too, even though its tablet app ecosystem isn't up to par yet. There's also some nice tweaks in TouchWiz, and Peel's excellent universal remote capabilities are definitely worth paying for. There are some real problems with the device's performance, though — enough that I enjoyed my time with the Tab 2 7.0 far better than the 10.1, and have trouble recommending the 10.1 for power users or gamers. At $299 or $349, the Tab 2 10.1 could be an incredibly compelling 10-inch tablet, but at $399 it has some solid competition. I'd still recommend the iPad 2 over the Tab 2, because Apple's tablet app selection is so superior to Android's, and if you're leaning that way anyway it's worth spending $100 more to get the latest-generation iPad, with the gorgeous display and improved performance. Samsung's on the right track, but the price might still be a bit too high. Compare this: Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 vs. Transformer Prime, iPad, Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, and more! User opinions and reviews
AnonD-209094, 14 Jan 20144.2.2 update is quite good, for some reason this unit never... moreupdate is awsome ...but i lost screenshot icon frm task bar....
im using galaxy tab2 5113.. so shame that the screen shot icon now is gone in the new version of android 4.2.2.
flash, 16 May 2014how to connect this samsung tab 2 to TV? what are the neces... moreyes via Hdmi tv connector..somtines by infrared ..lens presented at top..via peel
this tab is just awsome nyvuncke bout this to me.... i wad waiting for its OS update..finally i got it by today... updated to orignal 4.2.2....
Tab2 10.1 5110 _ tab 5113 mothrbord same
how to connect this samsung tab 2 to TV? what are the necessary connectors needed? please reply
Overall tab is very good but some time restart issue facing even this tab is upgraded to 4.2.2. please guide some body... Thanks in advance
Buyer, 29 Oct 2013Does this tab has a sim option Cau i use sim
When will be update 4.2 available in Croatia?
Buyer, 29 Oct 2013Does this tab has a sim option no this one does not support GSM facility. its a wi-fi tab
i recently updated my tab2 from ICS to 4.2.2 jelly bean and i must say the changes are awesome. newly designed home page,changes in user interface whole new level of performance upgrades and many more. i totally love the new update and loving it. i am not sure if the tab 2 will get anymore further updates like 4.3 and 4.4kitkat but i sure am happy with the recent update.thank you samsung!
4.2.2 update is quite good, for some reason this unit never received 4.1 and was stuck on Android 4.0.3, then imagine how much better it became when going directly to 4.2.2. 10 times better now, can even scroll on webpages now, before with ICS we could not even type on this due to lag problems, it was so laggy that it could not even register key presses (Samsung bloatware is to blame of course)
AMT, 14 Jul 2013samsung tab p5100 have camera zooming...? pls reply me a... moreThe camera does have zoon, electronic zoom only, NOT Optical, do it is not the best.
New 4.2.2 update out now (nordic) really huge performance boost! Love the uptate.
P5110 has received official Android 4.2.2 upgrade. Is being rolled out over air in the Nordics last week of November 2013 by Samsung. (It's great news and works perfectly!)
Buyer, 29 Oct 2013Does this tab has a sim option Have**** and if you look in the specs up the top it says no
why is this tablet can not be given a modem?
Does this tab has a sim option
owner, 04 Jul 2013Upgrade to jillybean from kies via usb cablegalaxy tab2 10.1 swftoer
I use thus tab ,, sim use better..
Back in February 2012, a Samsung executive was quoted as saying: "Honestly, we’re not doing very well in the tablet market." Despite this rather frank admission, the company appears to have done little to change that with its latest release. The poorly named Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 is a largely similar device to its predecessor and has no killer feature. This is a reasonably well designed tablet, but it offers little to get excited about and provides no compelling reason to choose it over alternatives. Much more of the same TabThe Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 is a replacement for the original Galaxy Tab 10.1, which only released in Australia late in 2011 following a long and well publicised legal battle with Apple. Side by side, you'd be pretty hard pressed to tell the difference between these two models. Samsung has opted for a very similar look and feel with only a few minor changes. The Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 feels like a well constructed device despite being manufactured from plastic. It's slightly thicker (9.7mm) than its predecessor (8.6mm) but the difference isn't enough to make a huge impact during day-to-day use. At 588g, the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 is thicker than the original Galaxy Tab 10.1, though it remains lighter than the new iPad. Its light weight is a positive but we aren't a fan of the glossy plastic on the back of the device. It makes the tablet slippery to hold and attracts way too many fingerprints. The speakers aren't covered or muffled when you hold the tablet. The biggest change on the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 is the speaker placement and silver bezel. In a forced move to make the device look less like the iPad following that lengthy legal battle, Samsung has added a silver bezel on the left and right of the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1. The bezel makes the tablet slightly longer and doesn't look particularly attractive but it houses two speakers, one on either side of the screen. The speaker positioning is ideal as they aren't covered or muffled when you hold the tablet in its natural position. On the top edge of the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 you'll find a power/lock button, a volume rocker, a headphone jack and a microSD card slot which wasn't included on the original Galaxy Tab 10.1. On the 3G model, you'll find a SIM card slot that's covered by a relatively sturdy plastic flap. The buttons fit in well with the rest of the tablets design: they feel sturdy, are well positioned and provide good tactility. The bottom of the device houses Samsung's proprietary dock connection. This connector looks remarkably similar to Apple's 30-pin connector port used on both the iPhone 4S and the new iPad. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 has the same 10.1in PLS TFT screen as its predecessor. The standard resolution of 1280x800 gives it a pixels per inch rating of 149ppi, significantly less than the new iPad and far less than the ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity and the Acer Iconia Tab A700, just to name two examples. It's certainly not a bad screen by any means. Viewing angles are impressive, it displays bright and clear images and colour is vibrant without being oversaturated. However, we can't help but feel Samsung has missed a chance to fit a higher definition screen on the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1. The higher resolution panels of some competitors immediately make them more appealing than the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, which can't display the same crisp, super smooth text. A below average slice of Ice Cream SandwichThe Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 runs the Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 version of Google's Android operating system and comes skinned with Samsung's TouchWIZ UI overlay on top. The latter doesn't tie into Google's holo ICS theme but adds plenty of new features, some of which are welcomed and others which we would rather do without. We like the "quick panel" toggles in the notifications pop-up which adds toggles for Wi-Fi, GPS, sound, mobile data, screen rotation, Bluetooth, notifications and flight mode, making it very easy and direct to access these settings. Samsung has also added a screen capture button next to the standard back, home and recent apps keys: tapping this button will immediately capture a screenshot of the device. Samsung includes a number of "mini apps" on the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, accessible by tapping a small up arrow at the bottom of the screen. The alarm, calculator, email, messaging, music player, phone and S-Planner apps can be opened as overlay on top of the screen, allowing you to continue using any other open applications. The concept is notable, but the mini app tray can't be customised and there's only a limited selection. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 feels sluggish in real world use, even when performing basic tasks. Samsung pre-loads the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 with a number of apps above and beyond what Google provides, but many of them are best removed and simply clutter the app drawer. We like the Allshare DLNA app, allowing you to beam content between the tablet and DLNA devices like TVs, while the file manager, Polaris Office and photo editor apps do add some value. However, the likes of ChatON, Game Hub and S-Suggest add little and are best removed. Australian models of the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 also come with the Channel Ten, Good Food Guide 2012, Magshop, Mathletics, Quickflix ReadingEggs and StoryCloud apps. Unfortunately, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 feels sluggish in real world use, even when performing basic tasks. Transitions between screens and menus are often jerky and slow. We didn't experience any apps crashing or force closing but most apps we tested didn't open and close as quickly as we'd expect. There's also noticeable lag in 3D games, such as the excellent Dead Trigger. It's not enough to completely ruin the gameplay experience but it can often be jerky when trying to move around the screen. In addition to these problems, most of Android's common issues are apparent on the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 as well. The browser lags when scrolling or zooming in on pages, especially image-heavy sites. The screen takes too long to rotate when you change the orientation. There aren't enough Android apps optimised for the larger, 10.1in screen size, too. A good example is the Spotify app, which ridiculously only works in portrait mode because it was designed to be used on a smartphone and not a tablet. Apps like Facebook, Twitter and Dropbox are other examples of smartphone apps simply blown up to fit the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1's larger screen and this has a negative impact on the overall user experience. Mediocre camera, average battery lifeThe Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 has a 3.2-megapixel rear camera for still photos and video recording and a front-facing VGA camera for video calling. The camera is a downgrade from its predecessor since it lacks the LED flash of the original Galaxy Tab 10.1, so forget about taking photos in low light conditions. The lack of flash isn't the biggest issue on the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, however. You can't touch the screen to focus like you can on most other tablet or smartphone cameras, so it's hard to choose what you want to be in focus. Almost all of the photos we captured with the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 were out of focus, plagued with image noise and lacking in detail. The Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 sold in Australia does not have an infrared port. The VGA camera is also poor, though it's at least useful for video call apps like Skype and Tango. Any photos or video captured with the camera can be stored on the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1's 16GB or 32GB of internal memory, depending on what model you choose, or the microSD card (not included). Sadly, the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 sold in Australia does not have an infrared port or a pre-loaded remote control app. Both are inclusions on variants of the device sold in the US and other markets. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 has reasonable but not outstanding battery life. In our tests, it lasted for around eight hours before needing a recharge, a couple of hours less than the new iPad. How much juice you can squeeze out of the battery will depend on your usage patterns, but with around two hours of use per day we were charging the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 every second night, a fair but not outstanding result. Samsung sells various models of the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 in Australia, some Wi-Fi only and others Wi-Fi and quad-band 3G. Optus is selling the 3G model, while retail outlets like Dick Smith, Officeworks and The Good Guys are selling one or more variants of the device. The 16GB 3G version of the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 is available through Optus stores and the Optus online store on a range of Optus data plans starting from $39.95 per month for 2GB of data. This same model can purchased for $629 outright, while the 16GB Wi-Fi only ($479), 32GB Wi-Fi only with added 32GB microSD card ($649) and 32GB 3G + Wi-Fi with added 32GB microSD card ($799) are other variants sold in Australia. Related content• Optus first with second Galaxy Tab
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