slaytane blog : , Amazing Mobiles ! (slaytane)

Editor's Note (January 12, 2013): The following review has not yet been edited for grammatical errors. A final draft of the review will be released soon.

For the original German review, see here.

At IFA 2012 Samsung officially introduced the new ATIV family. In addition to the already reviewed ATIV Smart PC XE500T1C, the model with Microsoft's Windows RT had its debut. The Samsung ATIV Tab has a 10.1-inch PLS display with a resolution of 1366x768 pixels. The ATIV Tab features an ARM-based Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus system-on-a-chip, running at 1.5 GHz, and an integrated Adreno 225 graphics chip. The hardware list continues with 2 GB RAM, 32 GB flash memory, a 5 MP camera, and the latest wireless technologies.

This sums up the currently available configurations. At the moment, our test model is the only one on sale. An internet connection is only possible via the dual-band WLAN module, because the tablet lacks UMTS and LTE chips. A couch surfer with the latest hardware that is different from the competition? You will find the answer to that and other questions in this review. At a suggested retail price of 750 Euros (~$980) we are excited about the performance of Samsung's ATIV Tab.

Case

The good workmanship and haptics are convincing.

The tablet is also good looking.

The lacquered back in the chic „Metallic Silver“.

The chassis of the Samsung ATIV Tab is made entirely of plastic. But it still makes a good impression. The tablet is well made, is pleasant to the touch, and overall seems of high quality. The only color option so far is „Metallic Silver“. The tablet is not actually made of metal - the light gray back only imitates an aluminum surface. The darker gray display frame fits well in the overall picture. A slight sparkle can be observed in direct sunlight. This color combination is available for the whole ATIV family, which currently includes the Samsung ATIV Smart PC and the ATIV S GT-I8750 Smartphone with 4.8-inch screen.

In addition to the workmanship, quality, and material choice, stability is also an essential factor. Even when using two hands and a lot of force, the tablet can only be twisted slightly. This produces no audible noises. Overall the tablet looks very solid. The covers for the ports are a very good idea. They completely stop any dirt from accumulating. These covers also facilitate quickly finding the needed ports.

The Samsung ATIV Tab measure 266x168x9 mm (WxDxH) and weighs 574 grams, without the additional keyboard dock. The Samsung ATIV Smart PC with the optional keyboard weighs 1.46 kg. The rival Asus Vivo Tab RT TF600 is slightly slimmer and lighter - it is 8.3 mm thick and weighs 525 grams. The Google Nexus 10 and the Apple iPad 4 are heavier, weighing 603 and 652 grams respectively.

Connectivity

The Samsung ATIV Tab is currently available with the only option of 32 GB memory. After the initial installation, in Windows Explorer we see only 14.1 GB free out of 23.6 GB (net capacity: 44%!). The missing 8.4 GB are not displayed in the Explorer (safety feature). Thanks to the integrated micro-SD card reader the internal memory can be increased. The tablet supports up to 64 GB, but no applications can be installed on the memory card.

A definite advantage in this category of tablets is the USB 2.0 port at the top of the device. This allows the use of USB flash drives and other peripherals. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 does not have this port. Our test unit also has a 3.5-mm stereo jack, a compact charging port, a micro-HDMI port (1080p), and a magnetic port for the keyboard docking. The two corresponding docking sockets are protected by two plastic covers.

Top: card reader, micro-HDMI, USB 2.0, volume rocker, power button, audio jack

Bottom: AC port, docking port

Software

The operating system is Microsoft's new Windows RT. Similar to the mobile operating systems of Apple and Google, only applications from the Windows Store can be installed. But the number of apps currently available is very limited. In addition to the standard apps, Samsung has also pre-installed ChatOn, box, doubletwist AirSync, and a photo editor. You can find more information on Windows RT in our previous reviews: Asus Vivo Tab RT TF600, Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11, and Microsoft Surface RT.

Communication & GPS

NFC module is located at the back.

The tablet features the latest wireless technologies. The WLAN connection is possible via the 802.11a/b/g/n standards over 2.4 or 5 GHz (Dual Band). Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC (Near Field Communication) allow the exchange of data between two devices. 3G or LTE modules are not available. The use of an USB dongle is also hardly possible in view of the Windows RT, since most of these require separate software.

S-GPS and Glonass provide the tablet with location-based services. There is a pre-installed maps application, but it does not feature any navigation functionality. We tested the positioning and a lock on was established in a couple of seconds. None of the usual navigation apps are available in the Windows Store. Some of these include Google Maps and the costly Navigon and TomTom.

Cameras

For photos, the tablet has a main camera with 5 megapixels (2592x1944) and an LED flash. Contrary to the trend, only videos in 720p (1280x720, autofocus) can be recorded. The front camera of the ATIV Tab has a resolution of 1.2 megapixels (1280x720, 720p). Perfectly acceptable compared to other devices, if it was not for Windows RT.

The system offers almost no settings when taking photos and videos. The camera application only allows you to change the resolution and set a timer. No pinch-to-zoom and no video recording in Full HD (1080p, 1920x1080). This is very disappointing compared to Google's Android and Apple's iOS. Somewhat of a consolation is the „Camera Extra Settings“ app by Samsung, which can be downloaded for free. This extra does not come pre-installed. It allows additional options to be set (white balance, image effects, exposure, AF mode, flash).

The camera performed very well in our field test. Compared to the Apple iPad 4 the images look natural and sharp. Light coming at an angle was also not a challenge. The front camera is designed for video chats. Its quality suffices for its application, but leaves room for improvement. The iPad 4 does not perform better in this test either. Overall a good basis, which is limited by the operating system. The extra software by Samsung is a must.

Samsung ATIV Tab: 5 megapixels

Apple iPad 4: 5 megapixels

Sony NEX-5R: 16.1 megapixels

Samsung ATIV Tab: 1.2 megapixel front camera

Apple iPad 4: 1.2 megapixel front camera

Accessories

Optional keyboard dock (image: Samsung).

In addition to the tablet itself, Samsung has included only the absolute necessary accessories. Next to the device we find some printed documents and a 45 W adapter with cable, which is something we expect of a subnotebook, not a table. It is a modular USB adapter and it requires a micro-USB port. The USB 2.0 port on the tablet can be used only for data transfer or connecting peripherals. A carrying sleeve and other goodies must be purchased separately.

Samsung is holding back on optional accessories. Currently there are no products specifically for the ATIV Tab on the company's website. The keyboard dock is shown attached to the bottom side of the tablet via the dock connector. There is no detailed information about this accessory though.

Warranty

Samsung delivers the tablet with a warranty period of 24 months. Additional accessories and the internal battery are covered only for 12 months.

Input Devices & Controls

The device is controlled via the capacitative touchscreen. Under Windows RT it can recognize up to five fingers simultaneously. Actions are registered quickly and the overall use of the screen is smooth. The optimized user interface of Windows RT also helps with usability.

Text input is done via the virtual keyboard, which pops up automatically. Only when using the normal desktop does it require a manual access via a small icon on the task bar. The layout leaves a good impression, although the Shift could have been a bit bigger. The keys shrink in portrait mode. With a bit of practice typing becomes quick and pleasant.

One criticism in portrait mode is the tablet's height. When typing, it must be held far down. But the center of gravity is above that point and thus the user has to hold the tablet tightly. Unfortunately the position of the "thumb typing" keyboard cannot be changed.

Display

10.1-inch screen with 1366x768 pixels (16:9).

The Samsung ATIV Tab has a glossy 10.1-inch display, which works at the Windows RT standard 1366x768 pixels in 16:9 format. It is based on the Samsung PLS technology with small LEDs. The Plane-to-Line Switching (PLS) is an advanced version of the popular IPS technology, but requires less power.

Samsung does not offer a higher resolution display for the ATIV Tab. The rivals Asus Transformer Pad Infinity TF700T, Google Nexus 10, and Apple's iPad 4 can display native 1920x1080 content without any problems. Another weakness of the display is the low pixel density of 155 DPI. Google's Nexus 10 has almost twice as many pixels (300 DPI) on the same area.

With the help of the tool Gossen Mavo Monitor we have tested the brightness of the LED display. The average value of the nine measurement points is 369 cd/m². Thus the tablet is on par with ATIV Smart PC and Microsoft Surface RT. The illumination variance is also very low. With a maximum difference of 24 cd/m² we determined a sound level of 90 percent distribution. The Asus Vivo Tab RT TF600 is a bit brighter, although the illumination is a little worse. The Apple iPad 4 with its 300 cd/m² is easily surpassed.


365 cd/m²	382 cd/m²	379 cd/m²
366 cd/m²	380 cd/m²	345 cd/m²
373 cd/m²	370 cd/m²	358 cd/m²

Information

Gossen Mavo-Monitor

Maximum: 382 cd/m²
Average: 368.7 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 90 %
Center on Battery: 380 cd/m²
Black: 0.46 cd/m²
Contrast: 826:1

Distribution of brightness

The other measurements also leave a good impression. The black level of 0.48 cd/m² is relatively low. In combination with the good illumination we determined a contrast ratio of 826:1. Overall the colors seem natural and consistent. Images look sharp for a display with 155 DPI. Samsung offers no information on the color fastness of the panel. Last but not least, we have to again mention the LED illumination. In dark surrounding, there are small bright patches on the right edge of the display. These can be especially disturbing when watching a movie.

Outdoor

The glossy screen and the finger prints make outdoor use troublesome. But thanks to the high brightness and contrast, the tablet can be used in most situations. You might need to adjust your seating position in direct sunlight, because reflections cannot be avoided completely. A possible solution is a matte screen protector.

Viewing angles

Thanks to the PLS panel, the display content can easily be read even at very flat angles. Theoretically, up to 178 degrees should be possible. The reality is somewhere between 130 and 150 degrees. Watching a movie with several people is thus not a problem. The image on the left shows the good performance. The bright patches at the edges are caused only by the sensitive camera. In everyday use, the two lines are completely black.

Ads by Google

Performance

Inside: Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus SoC.

The heart of the Samsung ATIV Tab is a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus SoC, Typ APQ8060A. This system-on-a-chip has two cores, runs at 1.5 GHz, and is home to the Adreno 225 graphics chip. The Krait processor is manufactured in 28 nm technology. Despite the fewer cores compared to the Nvidia Tegra 3 SoC, the integrated solution can still perform on par. Our American colleagues at Notebookcheck.net have already reviewed the Lenovo IdeaTab S2110A with the Qualcomm chip and Google's Android.

Currently, there are no popular benchmarks in the Windows Store of Windows RT. Thus we have to resort to three browser benchmarks, in which the pre-installed Internet Explorer 10 by Microsoft must prove itself. The opponents in these tests are Google's Chrome and Apple's Safari. Subjectively, we have nothing to complain about. The system runs extremely smoothly and with low loading times.

In Browsermark 2.0 Samsung's ATIV Tab scored 1459 points in the overall rankings. The Asus Vivo Tab RT TF600 was 29% slower with 1043 points. The Google Nexus 10 and the Apple iPad 4 on the other hand were more than 50% faster. Interesting is the performance of the Samsung ATIV Smart PC with Windows 8 and Intel SoC. Scoring 2373 points, it is 63% quicker. This tablet was marginally slower than the iPad 4.

The second benchmark comes from Google. To nobody's surprise, the Google Nexus 10 took the first place in the Google V8. The comparison table also shows that Windows RT tablets with Internet Explorer 10 perform poorly. Our test unit scored 785 points. Apple's iPad 4 was twice as good with a score of 1661 points.

With 895.3 milliseconds, the Apple iPad 4 wins the last test. In the Java Script benchmark Sunspider 0.9.1 lower means better. Samsung's ATIV Tab is right behind Cupertino's tablet, scoring 997.3 milliseconds (9% difference). The Google Nexus 10 is the loser in this test (1345.7 milliseconds).

Browsermark 2.0

Samsung ATIV Tab GT-P8510	1459 points∼25%
Asus Vivo Tab RT TF600	1043 points∼18% -29%
Google Nexus 10	2254 points∼39% +54%
Apple iPad 4	2495 points∼44% +71%
Samsung ATIV Smart PC XE500T1C-A02DE	2373 points∼41% +63%
Google V8 Ver. 7
Google V8 Ver. 7 Score
Samsung ATIV Tab GT-P8510	785 Points∼16%
Asus Vivo Tab RT TF600	745 Points∼15% -5%
Microsoft Surface RT	796 Points∼17% +1%
Google Nexus 10	2964 Points∼62% +278%
Apple iPad 4	1661 Points∼35% +112%
Sunspider 0.9.1

Samsung ATIV Tab GT-P8510	997.3 ms * ∼9%
Asus Vivo Tab RT TF600	1012.9 ms * ∼10% -2%
Microsoft Surface RT	997.5 ms * ∼9% -0%
Google Nexus 10	1345.7 ms * ∼13% -35%
Apple iPad 4	895.3 ms * ∼8% +10%
Legend
Samsung ATIV Tab GT-P8510 Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus APQ8060A, Qualcomm Adreno 225, 32 GB SSD Asus Vivo Tab RT TF600 NVIDIA Tegra 3, NVIDIA GeForce ULP (Tegra 3), 32 GB SSD Microsoft Surface RT NVIDIA Tegra 3, NVIDIA GeForce ULP (Tegra 3), 32 GB SSD Google Nexus 10 Samsung Exynos 5250 Dual, ARM Mali-T604, 32 GB SSD Apple iPad 4 Apple A6x, PowerVR SGX554MP4, 32 GB SSD Samsung ATIV Smart PC XE500T1C-A02DE Intel Atom Z2760, PowerVR SGX545, 64 GB SSD * ... smaller is better

Emissions

Temperature

Cool minded. Although the cooling of the hardware is only passive, the external temperatures are all in the green. In idle, with a maximum of 33.3°C, the ATIV Tab remains cool to lukewarm depending on usage and ambient temperature.

Under load the temperatures rise slightly. The maximum of 37.1°C was measured in the middle of the back side. This is where the system-on-a-chip (SoC) by Qualcomm is located. Our test unit fared very well in comparison to its rivals. Most of the other tablets reach temperatures of around 40°C under load.

Max. Load

Idle


30.9 °C	35 °C	33.1 °C
31 °C	32.5 °C	33.1 °C
32 °C	33.3 °C	32.5 °C

31 °C

32.5 °C

32.6 °C

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SIII mini

19/01/2013 19:19

SIII mini

C'est la trêve de Noël. Aux États-Unis, Apple abandonne ses poursuites à l'encontre de Samsung, du moins pour le Galaxy S3 mini. Ce smartphone n'est pas commercialisé sur le sol américain.

Petite accalmie dans la guerre que se livrent Apple et Samsung sur le front de la violation de brevets. Aux États-Unis, la firme à la pomme renonce à ses poursuites à l'encontre du Galaxy S3 mini.

Le dernier modèle de Samsung aurait dû rejoindre la liste des terminaux litigieux établie par Apple. Sans demander de dommages-intérêts, Apple a pourtant décidé de ne pas l'intégrer à cette liste.

La raison de ce changement de décision est toute bête, dans la mesure où le fabricant sud-coréen a indiqué qu'il ne commercialisera pas le Galaxy S3 mini sur le marché américain. Concurrent de l'iPhone 5, ce smartphone est disponible en Europe depuis le mois d'octobre.

Aux États-Unis, Samsung a été condamné à une amende de près de 1,05 milliard de dollars pour violation de brevets à verser à Apple qui vient d'être débouté de sa demande d'interdire à la vente de nouveaux appareils de son concurrent.

Dans la guerre des brevets, Samsung doit aussi faire face aux accusations de LG Display qui demande l'interdiction à la vente de la tablette Galaxy Note 10.1 pour la violation de brevets portant sur la technologie OLED.

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Note III

21/12/2012 21:20

Note III

Erica Yusim sent us pictures of what seems to be a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 render, a pretty well thought device, that evolves from the idea of the two predecessors. First of all, it seems to have an edge to edge screen, then a more elegant Home button and then a bigger diagonal.

It also has a more squared format, leaving behind the rounded design of the Galaxy S III and Note II. Samsung Galaxy Note 3 features a 5.8 inch FHD Super AMOLED screen, a bigLITTLE processor, which means we have both a 2 GHz quad core processor (Cortex A15) and a quad core Cortex A7 1.4 GHz CPU. Basically, we’re dealing with an 8 core phablet, with 3GB of RAM, 32 to 128 GB of ROM and a microSDXC storage of up to 128 GB as well.

Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie is chosen here and a 4000 mAh battery powers up the device. At the back there’s a 13 megapixel camera, while upfront we use a 3 MP webcam. The whole thing measures 8.9 mm in thickness and obviously involves a brand new S Pen generation. From the comparison pics in this article, you can see that the Note 3 combines elements from the Note 1 and Note II, taking more from the first generation, if you ask me. I actually prefer a more rectangular design compared to the rounded one…