Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 review: Third time's the charm

Introduction

The Samsung Galaxy Tab family was introduced back in 2011, to at least get a foot in the door swung open by the rising Apple iPad. The Tabs came in a variety of sizes and connectivity options with displays ranging from 7 inches all the way to the massive 10.1 inches, and more combos of screen resolution and processor specs than you can shake a stick at.

Just by comparing Samsung's and Apple's lineup, you can see two very different strategies at play - while Apple relies on the exclusivity of their devices and content to garner interest in their products, Samsung instead hopes to cater to every possible market segment under the sun - and has been immensely successful in the process.

It is exactly tablets though, where Samsung have been struggling to match the kind of impact they've had in phones. The latest Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 is in a way affected by the shifts in Samsung's tablet strategy. In an ideal world, the Galaxy 3 10.1 would've been the Koreans' flagship slate. But that position is already filled by the Note 10.1, with a successor possibly in the pipeline.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 official photos

So, the Galaxy Tab hasn't got top of the line specs and comes across as a routine upgrade, whose single clear-cut advantage is the latest software version available. The latest Android build, 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, comes with arguably the most feature-rich custom UI from Samsung - TouchWiz 5.0. But how does it stack up to the likes of the iPad 4, or a handful of emerging Android tablets? Let's take a look at the key features at a glance:

Key features

• 10.1" 16M-color TFT capacitive touchscreen of 800 x 1280 pixel resolution
• Android OS v4.2.2 with TouchWiz 5.0 launcher
• 1.6 GHz dual-core Atom CPU, PowerVR SXG544MP2 GPU, 1GB of RAM, Intel Atom Z2560 chipset
• 3.15 MP wide-angle lens camera with face detection
• 720p HD video recording at 30fps
• 16/32GB internal storage, microSD slot
• Dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n support
• GPS with A-GPS connectivity; GLONASS support, Digital compass
• Stereo Bluetooth v4.0
• microUSB port with USB host, charging
• Accelerometer, compass
• Infrared port
• Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
• Very slim at only 8mm
• 1.3MP secondary video-call camera
• Document viewer and file manager comes preinstalled
• Extremely rich video and audio codec support
• 6800 mAh battery

Main disadvantages

• Many competitors (including the droids) already offer Full HD screens
• 1GB of RAM tends to run out quickly
• No FM Radio or NFC support
• Questionable still image and video recording quality
• Hardware Home button and capacitive Android keys make little sense at this size
• Speakers are not front-facing

Given the rather modest spec, including a dual-core processor, compared to some quad-core-powered full-HD-screen-flaunting droid tablets, it's more fitting to look at the Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 not as a high end device, but as a midranger with a large screen, aimed at a more price-conscious crowd. This goes in hand with a prominent trend of big screens in the midrange, like the Samsung Galaxy Grand and the 

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 P5200 in our studio

It's clear that while the Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 gives you a large 10.1-inch display, it's not the pinnacle of Samsung's tablet lineup - that honor still belongs to the S-pen capable Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. Nevertheless, the Tab 3 10.1 offers a compelling connectivity package, and could prove to be an enticing offer in its price range.

We'll get this review rolling on the next page with our usual hardware tour. Next up, we'll be curious to see that new generation dual-core Intel Atom in action, which is a first on a tablet.

Design and controls

The design takes after what is typical of today's Samsung mobile devices. Although the nature UX has gone through some changes since its debut on the Galaxy S III, the overall look in terms of hardware has remained the same. Here, you can see the Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 alongside (from bottom left) the Galaxy Tab 3 7.0, Galaxy S4, and Galaxy Tab 3 8.0.

   
Samsung's design strategy is very similar across their recent mobile devices and tablets

The hyperglaze finish is largely the same since its inception, although it features a checkerboard texture that adds a bit of style. Unfortunately, it's not as noticeable on the white paintjob.

Above the display, you'll find the 3MP front-facing shooter alongside the ambient light sensor.

On the front there is the front-facing camera and ambient light sensor

As in other recent devices, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 allows users to control the display brightness without disabling automatic mode. Once you define an offset, your Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 screen will always be slightly brighter or dimmer than the automatically selected level.

Below the screen is the classic arrangement of physical hardware Home key, flanked by the capacitive Menu and Back keys. This layout has been in use since the early days of the Galaxy line and Samsung has stayed with its decision not to put the Android keys on-screen (as Google dictates), even on a screen this big.

This, by the way, makes Samsung tablets among the few Android-powered tablets with a hardware Home key, which puts it in the same bracket with no other than the Apple iPad. To be honest, we don't think this works particularly well on ten-inchers. Sure, this size is mostly meant for landscape use, and the layout of controls acknowledges that, but unwanted key presses are likely in portrait hold.

The familiar set of keys at the bottom

The sides of the Tab 3 10.1 are about as uneventful as it gets, with only a 3.5mm audio jack on the left and a speaker port on each side.

This speaker placement is far more logical than Galaxy tablets with speakers along the bottom, where you're more prone to muffle the sound. Still, it's not as good though as the front-facing speakers of the previous generation and the 10" Note.

   
The sides only have 3.5mm audio jack and a pair of speakers and

The top of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 gets to see most of the action in terms of controls. You have a power/lock button on the far left, followed by a volume rocker, microSD card slot, IR-port, and microSIM card slot.

 
Most of the connectivity ports and buttons are located on the top

The bottom is also fairly uninhabited, save for the microUSB port used for charging and connectivity (USB Host is also supported), and a microphone pinhole.

 
The USB port and microphone pinhole at the bottom

There's little of note at the back of the tablet. The 3MP camera lens is centrally placed at the top, slightly protruding so the Tab 3 10.1 rests on it when placed on a level surface, but its hardened glass is not too easy to scratch.

 
The back features the 5MP camera lens

In terms of handling, holding the device in one hand across the back is possible - but the hyperglaze finish doesn't provide much grip. Otherwise, the ample screen bezel means it can be comfortably used with two hands in landscape mode.

Display is nothing special

The Tab 3 10.1 has a standard LCD - Samsung has given up AMOLED in tablets for the time being, with the Galaxy Tab 7.7 remaining its only attempt so far. AMOLED screens are now reserved for the Note phablets, while tablets have to make do with regular LCDs. Nevertheless, the one in the Tab 3 10.1 gets the job done with a 1280 x 800 pixel resolution, which results in 149ppi and a 16:10 aspect ratio.

The Tab 3 10.1's display

While the blacks aren't as dark as some other comparable devices, the whites are adequately bright, and the resulting contrast ratio is good for its class.

Display test	50% brightness			100% brightness
	Black, cd/m2	White, cd/m2	Contrast ratio	Black, cd/m2	White, cd/m2	Contrast ratio
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1	0.29	266	906	0.56	515	917
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0	0.29	266	912	0.47	464	989
Google Nexus 10	0.26	223	859	0.50	443	878
Sony Xperia Tablet Z	-	-	-	0.53	531	996
Sony Xperia Tablet S	0.35	334	947	0.67	526	783
Apple iPad mini	0.25	208	838	0.51	458	812
Apple iPad 3	0.21	167	809	0.6	477	779
Apple iPad 4	0.21	163	797	0.63	476	762
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7	0	200	∞	0	328	∞
Asus Google Nexus 7	0.25	244	954	0.36	327	908
Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1	0.27	223	832	0.49	406	821
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1	0.31	257	826	0.55	502	915
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus	0.17	196	1141	0.34	424	1236

While the display quality is perfectly fine for this price range, we wished we could see a higher-resolution panel on this one. The display is clearly not one of the tablet's main selling points - it's the same resolution and display technology found on the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 - however, the compromises made are easy to live with.