Apple iPad Mini 2 vs Asus Google Nexus 7 – Overview comparing Prices, Specs & Battery Life

Mobiles have a number of features alike, but manufacturers also try to differentiate their own products by implementing additional functions so they are more attractive to consumers. It’s led to great innovation in mobile device development throughout the last Two decades



If you’re in the market for a new tablet, you’ll probably going to stumble upon both the Asus Google Nexus 7 and the iPad Mini 2. While the first runs on Android and the second one obviously utilizes iOS, they are somewhat similar in what you can use them for and ultimately, what they cost. Of course, tastes differ, but if you need to make a choice between the two, make sure to read on.

Although both smart devices have been out on the market for quite a while, the lowered price and the wider availability make the iPad Mini 2 ( or iPad Mini with Retina Display) and the 2013 version of the Asus Google Nexus 7 two of the current hottest 7-inch tablets up for sale. But which one of the two does offer better specifications at the best price?

Design & Specifications

While the iPad Mini 2 with Retina Display is thinner than the Google Nexus 7 (2013) it does seem to be heavier and quite larger as it has a 7.87 x 5.30 x 0.30 inch size with a weight of 12.03 oz. compared to the 7.87 x 4.49 x 0.34 inches with 10.55 oz case of the Nexus tablet.

Although it can be debated whether the Apple A7 with 64-bit architecture featured on the iPad Mini 2 is better than the Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro featured on the Nexus 7 (2013) it is certain that the Nexus Quad Core 1,5 GHz Krait processor backed up by 2 GB of Ram is far more powerful that the Apple’s Dual Core 1,3 MHz one, which is backed up only by 1 GB of DDR 3 RAM memory.

Display & Sound

The Retina Display of the iPad Mini 2 is the selling point of the device, being far superior than the one featured on the Nexus 7 (2013) as it is 7.9 inches with 324 ppi and 2048 x 1536 pixels in size, whereas the Google’s 7-inch tablet features a 7-inch display offering a 1920 x 1080 pixels FullHD picture quality with 323 ppi. Although, the display on the Nexus is quite beautiful to look at and offers a pretty decent color intensity, brightness and contrast, it is quite inferior compared to the iPad Mini with its Retina display.

Battery Life

Both tablets offer pretty decent battery life of up to 10 hours of multimedia use. As the one featured in the Apple’s iPad Mini 2 is irreplaceable by the user, the Google Nexus 7 may seem to win by default in the battery life category. However, as the battery is pretty hard to be removed and replaced by the common user as well, and as the one featured on the iPad mini seems to be pretty sustainable and solid both devices receive equal grades for the battery life.

Camera

Every Apple product is aimed at bringing the perfect multimedia business and the iPad Mini 2 with retina display is no different. The size of the camera featured on the device may be the same as the one featured on the Nexus 7, but the software and additional hardware that back it up are making the pictures on the Apple’s 7-Inch tablet crisp and clear. Just some of the features on the Apple’s iPad Mini 2 camera are the Back-illuminated sensor, the digital zoom and geo tagging, HDR and the Digital image stabilization.

Overall

While the Apple iPad Mini 2 with Retina Display is perfect for multimedia use, if you are planning to play high-quality games or use your phone with apps that require a lot processing power the Google Nexus 7 would be the right pick. As the price of both devices differs, because of retailer availability, it all comes down to which OS you prefer – the Apple iOS or the Google’s Android and if you want to receive a great multimedia experience or a equally decent one backed up by processor and memory power.

Surface Pro 3 review: a truly portable laptop, and an acceptable tablet

Surface Pro 3 UK review: what it is, what it's for

Microsoft markets the Surface Pro 3 as 'the tablet that can replace your laptop'. It's a fair claim: Surface Pro 3 is not an iPad rival, or at least not only an iPad rival. Microsoft has set out to create a device that is both powerful and portable. A laptop and a tablet, and also a desktop PC. (See also: Which laptop to buy: 2014 laptop buying advice, and the best laptops of 2014.)

It's a 12in slate that runs full Windows and has wireless connectivity as well as USB 3.0 and a DisplayPort. For a 12in computer it is thin and light. It is perfectly feasible as a good portable laptop, and an acceptable if heavy tablet. The question is: is that what people want?

I've been carrying around the Surface Pro 3 for a few days now. It is the most portable power laptop I have ever carried, but even despite improvements on previous models it isn't better to use than a laptop. And although it is possible to use the Surface Pro 3 as a tablet for the consumption of movies and e-books, and for social networking, it's a very big and heavy slate.

Microsoft and Intel really want the Surface Pro 3 to succeed, as it will show the possibilities of the Wintel combination and put Windows 8 into competition with mobile devices such as iPads and Android smartphones. It is indisputably a high-class device, a great feat of engineering. But I have a suspicion that people like having a separate Kindle or iPad for fun things, and a laptop for work. We'll see.

In the meantime, here I have attempted to review the Surface Pro 3 from a technical standpoint. I'll look at build and design, performance and specifications. (See also: New Surface Pro 3 new features.)

Surface Pro 3 UK review: changes from Surface Pro 2

As well as iterative specification upgrades, there are two signficant changes to the Surface Pro 3 when compared to its predecessors. The first thing is the display size. Whereas previous Surface Pro devices were 10in tablets, this is a 12in slate. This fits with the message that the Surface Pro is a laptop replacement, rather than a rival to the iPad or the Nexus 7. It's a subtle change of message, but not a subtle change - Surface Pro 3 really is laptop-size in use, if not in your bag.

The other tweak speaks to the same thing. Microsoft has introduced a new keyboard cover to the Surface Pro 3. Unlike older models there is no Touch Cover: the thicker but more typing-friendly Type Cover has been stretched up to fit. And it has been improved with a wider touchscreen and a better, two-angle setup that allows for a better typing experience in laptop mode.

Similarly, the kickstand integral to the Surface Pro 3 has now got multiple points. The changes to the Surface Pro are all based around it being more of a laptop replacement than an overspecced tablet. And that's significant.

Surface Pro 3 UK review: UK price

In the US the Surface Pro 3 will start at $799 for the Core i3 with 64GB of storage; here in the UK it will cost you £639 for the same base model. There are five configurations that differ in terms of what processor, storage and RAM you want; you can pay up to £1,649 for the Surface Pro 3. Here are full pricing details:

• Core i3, 64GB, 4GB RAM - £639
• Core i5, 128GB, 4GB RAM - £849
• Core i5, 256GB, 8GB RAM - £1,109
• Core i7, 256GB, 8GB RAM - £1,339
• Core i7, 512GB, 8GB - £1,649

As a high-spec, powerful and portable laptop, then, the Surface Pro 3 is actually pretty cheap. (See also: Surface Pro 3 vs iPad Air comparison: Surface Pro is twice the device... but you'll still buy the iPad.)

Surface Pro 3 UK review: build, design

No longer a 10in tablet, the Surface Pro 3 is built around a 12in display. We'll talk about the display in detail in the next section, but the first thing you will notice is that this is a big tablet. It doesn't feel too big, however.

One of the benefits of that bigger display is that there is more space in which to fit the Surface Pro 3's excellent components, and so the more powerful Pro 3 is actually thinner than its predecessor, and indeed any similar full-spec Windows PC. The Surface Pro 3 measures 292 x 201.3 x 9.1mm, although that thickness figure increases to around 16mm with the Type cover included. Either way it's the thinnest Core PC ever made.

Microsoft says the Surface Pro 3 weighs only 800g. We measured our Core i5, 128GB Surface Pro 3 at 813g. Add in the Type Cover and the weight goes up to 1110g on our scales. With the Cover and Pen the weight goes up to 1128g.

This is truly impressive engineering. Microsoft has squeezed into a lightweight slate a powerful PC. For a power laptop the Surface Pro 3 is truly ultraportable. It will slip into your bag or briefcase as easily as any laptop or netbook we have used.

Build quality is universally excellent. Despite the light weight the Surface Pro 3 feels strong. It has a metallic feel, but the texture bears many of the characteristics of plastic. The back is a silver-effect finish, with a simple 'Surface' logo. All the way around the sides is a similar finish, with the thin airvent gap that we have seen on previous Surface devices. It's possible this is required for airflow purposes, but it does tend to be a magnet for bits of filth and dust. Connectivity ports, on/off switch and volume controls live around the edges. The camera aperture is at the top of the back side (in portrait mode).

The Surface Pro 3 is thinner and lighter than previous Surface Pro models, and the larger 12in screen makes for comfortable reading and viewing. The already impressive kickstand can now be secured at any angle rather than the two of the previous model, and the optional Type Cover features a double-fold hinge that allows you to lock it to the display's lower bezel for easier working with the Surface Pro on your lap. We'll talk more about the Type Cover later, but the Surface line's deserved reputation for innovative design continues.

On our model the kickstand/Type Cover combination makes for the ultimate in versatility. You can position the Surface in just about every position from flat to the desk to bolt upright. And the keyboard can sit flat or at a slight incline, like a desktop keyboard. Using the Surface Pro 3 on my lap is my most comfortable experience of working on my lap, but I still prefer to use it on a desk. Regular commuter/workers should consider the Surface Pro 3, however.

Around the front, the Surface Pro 3 is a single sheet of virtual end-to-end glass. The Windows symbol sits to the right in landscape mode or at the bottom in portrait. Switch on the screen and you'll see that the bezels are impressively small for such a thin and light PC.

We can't fail but be impressed with the build quality and design of the Surface Pro 3. It is the thinnest and lighest of thin-and-light PCs, a truly portable, powerful PC. A uniquely versatile device. But that doesn't mean it is the one device to rule them all.

The Surface Pro 3 is a perfectly servicable laptop, and a perfectly servicable tablet. It is sufficiently thin-and-light to work as an okay tablet, but the large screen size - critical for laptop use - means I'd always reach for a iPad mini or Nexus 7 for consumption purposes such as reading an e-book or watching a video. I just don't have the arm strength to want to use the Surface Pro 3. And leaving aside occasions when I am required to work without a desk, I'd always choose a full-size laptop for work purposes where possible. It's just that little bit better. 

Surface Pro 3 UK review: display

The Surface Pro 3 is built around a 12in ClearType full-HD Plus multitouch display. It is noticably sharper than the previous generations of Surface Pro, a genuinely impressive display at this size. A native resolution of 2160 x 1440 pixels makes for a decent pixel density of 216ppi.

The extra size makes the Surface Pro 3 a feasible laptop. It's a big difference from a 10in tablet with a keyboard attached. And that isn't the only upgrade. Whereas the aspect ratio was previously 16:9, the Surface Pro 3 is a 3:2 device. Open it in portrait mode and it feels like an A4 pad, but in landscape orientation movies look good.

As, indeed, does everything. Photos are bright and clear, full of colour and detail. And even at this resolution it is difficult to pick out pixels in dense text documents. It's a very good display. The multitouch screen is responsive, too. (See also: The 26 best tablets of 2014 UK.)

Surface Pro 3 UK review: Type Cover, pen

For the uninitiated the Type Cover is a must-have, although not a cheap, addition to the Surface Pro 3. Costing an additional £109 the Type Cover is a screen-protecting cover that attaches to one side of the Surface Pro 3 using a magnet. It snaps into place with a satisfying click, and then works like a book cover to protect your Surface Pro 3's display.

Fold it out and it works as a keyboard. As with other Type Cover accessories for Surface tablets the Pro 3's Type Cover is a fine device. As good a portable keyboard cover as you will find. We love the ability to set it flat against the desk or at a more keyboard-like angle. And the keys have enough travel to make typing feasible. We'd always rather use a full-sized laptop keyboard, but in the absence of that the Type Cover is the very next best thing.

The trackpad has been expanded from previous Type Covers, and is now a reasonably sized 89 x 43mm. It has distinct left- and right-click zones, and supports gesture control as you would expect. Fold the Type Cover around the back of Surface Pro 3 and the keys are no longer active, a nice touch that allows you to use the Type Cover as a cover even when you are in tablet mode.

When closed the Type Cover presents to the world a felt-like finish, which feels nice to the touch but has a nasty habit of picking up fluff. It is available in several different colours.

The other Surface Pro 3 peripheral is the pen, which comes free with every model. This is a nice, silvery metal device. Click it on and your Surface Pro opens OneNote so you can quicky capture and save a note - even if the Surface Pro 3 is locked. You can imagine this being useful in a meeting scenario. The pen works with any app that uses ink and feels accurate when writing or drawing, and as a left-hander I found it a lot easier to use than many similar devices. Double-click the top button on your Surface Pen and sketch an image and it will be captured to a screenshot in OneNote.

For those who like a stylus/pen the Surface Pro 3's is as good as we have used. Unlike previous models it doesn't attach to the Surface Pro 3.

Surface Pro 3 UK review: specifications, performance

The Surface Pro 3's specifications are truly impressive. Each model comes with a fourth-generation Intel Core processor, either i3, i5, or i7. This is paired with either 4GB or 8GB RAM, and storage options range from a 64GB SSD through 128GB, 256GB to 512GB. Our test model is a Core i5 model with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage. And, of course, it runs the full Intel version of Windows 8.1 Pro.

Sensors inlude ambient light sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer. There's also a digital compass.

In use the Surface Pro 3 is zippy and fast. Even under load and attempting multiple processes it feels exactly as fast and capable as should a PC with this powerful specification. And the benchmarks bear this out.

In the PCMark7 benchmark the Surface Pro 3 managed a score of 4864. This is a very healthy score, a full 200 points ahead of the 13in MacBook Air with which the Surface Pro 3 will be most closely compared. It's definitely in the top echelon of portable PCs. (See also: Inside the Surface Pro 3: What the specs don't tell you.)

Surface Pro 3 UK review: connectivity

Connectivity options abound. There is a full-size USB 3.0 port, as well as a microSD card reader that allows you to expand the Surface Pro 3's storage by 128GB. A Mini DisplayPort allows you to use a larger display with your Surface Pro 3. This is important: although there is a bespoke docking station you can buy to turn your Surface Pro 3 into a desktop PC, you could use it with any keyboard and display. So your Surface Pro 3 could be laptop, tablet and desktop PC. There's also a cover port and a headset jack.

If you wanted to use Bluetooth peripherals you could, as the Surface Pro 3 comes with Bluetooth 4.0. You get 802.11ac/802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi via a two-stream 11ac wireless adaptor. This is a Marvell Avastar 88W8897, to be exact, with a top theoretical wireless sync speed of 867 Mb/s.

It's the first non-Broadcom 11ac wireless chipset we've come across, although perhaps not without its teething problems. Some forum threads would suggest from when it first appeared in this tablet people had problems connecting to Wi-Fi. Happily this seems to have fixed, and we can confirm that we had absolutely no problems with Wi-Fi connectivity on the Surface Pro 3.

Surface Pro 3 UK review: battery life

Microsoft claims up to nine hours of web browsing use. It's a bold claim, putting the Surface Pro 3 firmly in the MacBook Air class of all-day battery life. We've not yet benchmarked the Surface Pro 3's battery life, but we can say that after a full day in the office web browsing, downloading and writing this review the Surface Pro 3 is still going strong and telling us half the battery capacity remains.

Whether or not the nine hours is realistic, the Surface Pro 3 is part of the new breed of ultraportable workstations that allow you to step away from the mains for a significant period of time.

UPDATE: more than 24 hours after we started using the Surface Pro 3, during which time we have used it on and off for more than one day's work, 43 percent of battery life remains. It really is a great performance. (See also: Surface Pro 3 release date, price and specs UK: Windows 8 tablet goes on sale this month.)

Surface Pro 3 UK review: cameras

The Surface Pro 3 comes with two 5Mp cameras - hardly high-end, but about what you'd expect from a laptop rather than a smartphone or tablet. A quick glance at the Microsoft forums shows that some people are unhappy with this. So let's be clear: the Surface Pro 3 is not a great camera. It is perfectly feasible to use as a conference calling, Skype machine. But it is not going to replace your DSLR or even your smartphone when it comes to capturing photos. We've included some test shots below.

As to video, both cameras can capture 1080p video. So for video calls the combination of great screen and 1080p camera is a good one.

Surface Pro 3 test shots

Tablet Review - Acer Iconia A3 review

The Acer Iconia A3 is a 10.1in tablet with an entry-level price to match its rather basic design. At 560g, it's pretty hefty for a 10in tablet, and and this is something you really feel when holding it in one hand.

As the tablet is a chunky 10.2mm thick, we're not surprised it's heavy. As it's a budget Android tablet, we were also unsurprised to find the Iconia A3’s chassis is almost entirely plastic, which disappointingly has some flex when you exert any pressure to the back of the tablet. Still, you wouldn’t expect premium materials at this price, and the Iconia A3's weight and girth does at least make it feel robust.

Acer Iconia A3 thickness
The Iconia A3 is powered by a quad-core 1.2GHz MediaTek MT8125T system-on-a-chip (SoC) paired with 1GB RAM. This chipset has slightly lower performance than the Nvidia Tegra 3 we often see in similarly-priced tablets. In our SunSpider JavaScript benchmark, which is a good indicator of web browsing performance, it managed to complete the test in a rather slow 1,503ms. The tablet could be slow to render web pages and had some hesitation when scrolling around, but web browsing performance was generally acceptable.

The Iconia A3's graphics are handled by a PowerVR SGX 544 GPU. In our 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited test, the tablet scored 2,553 and 1,539 in Ice Storm Extreme. This is considerably less than the Google Nexus 7 managed, with its score of 7,154. The Acer Iconia A3 handles less graphics-intensive games, such as Angry Birds, fine, but it will struggle to run more taxing titles such as Real Racing 3 at decent graphics settings.

The Iconia A3 has 16GB of built-in storage, which is expandable through a microSD slot located on the left of the tablet. In fact, the left side is where you'll find most of the controls and ports, such as the power button, Micro USB charging port, headphone jack and Mini HDMI socket. The right side of the tablet only has the volume controls.

Acer Iconia A3 tablet back
It's a shame the connections aren’t better balanced, as it can make the tablet a bit fiddly to use; for example, the charging port is located so close to the power button that unlocking the device is tricky when the tablet is plugged in to charge.

There are stereo speakers on the bottom-left and right of the tablet, but these are placed in such a way that it’s easy to cover them with your hands when holding the device, muffling the sound. The speakers are at least quite loud, so you might not always need headphones for Skype calls or YouTube videos.

The Iconia A3 also supports Dolby Digital Plus, which can create virtualised 5.1-channel surround from normal headphones. We found it created a wider soundstage for music and generally preferred to leave it switched on. It made music sound a bit warmer than we would have liked, but when we turned it off our test tracks suddenly sounded flat and lifeless.

When watching films, Dolby Digital Plus also made dialogue clearer and dialled up the overall punch of sound effects and explosions. It also increased overall volume, both when using the built-in speakers and with headphones. This isn’t the ideal tablet to use to watch films on a long journey, however, as we saw just 7h 20m of continuous video playback in our video battery rundown test.

One of the Iconia A3's weaker aspects is its screen, and this certainly feels like an area where Acer has made compromises to keep the cost down. While it would always be difficult for the A3 to compete with more expensive tablets in terms of screen quality, we still found the display underwhelming.

The panel has a fairly low 1,280x800 resolution, which when paired with a 10.1in screen size makes for a pixel density of only 149ppi, so you won’t get the smooth text you see on tablets such as the Google Nexus 7 and iPad Air. Disappointingly, there is also no ambient light sensor, meaning you’ll need to adjust the brightness manually. At the display's maximum brightness setting, it was also difficult to see the screen in bright sunlight. We measured the screen's contrast ratio as 781:1, and our tests showed it could cover 66.4% of the sRGB colour gamut; neither of these are spectacular results. It's a fair screen for an inexpensive tablet, but is generally underwhelming.

The tablet runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, which is no longer the latest version of Android, but is common among cheaper models. It's not as pretty as 4.4 and you'll miss out on some fancy features such as Google Now integration, but 4.2 is still a perfectly fine operating system. Acer has not strayed far from the standard Android experience, aside from pre-installing a number of apps, some of which are more useful than others. It comes with a free version of McAfee Mobile Security which frustratingly you can’t uninstall and regularly prompts you to upgrade to a premium version; as you'd expect, this is deeply annoying. Even third-party uninstallers weren't able to touch it, at least not without root access.

Acer has included some of its own handy tweaks, however. Acer IntelliSpin detects when the tablet is lying flat, such as on a table, and can still detects when you rotate the device to adjust from portrait to landscape. With standard Android, you have to pick the tablet up from the table to make the screen rotate. You also get the Acer Remote Files and PicStream apps. The former lets you access files on your computer remotely, and the latter automatically backs up photos and syncs them with your home PC.

It may be low in price, but the Acer Iconia A3 feels cheap and has a mediocre screen. However, if you really want a 10in tablet for well under £200 than you'll be hard pushed to find much on offer. At this price you'll have to make sacrifices and the Iconia A3 isn't a bad tablet, although it's also worth considering the smarter-looking Lenovo Yoga Tablet 10, which has a great design but is saddled with an unusual Android interface. While you can still get the excellent Asus MemoPad FHD 10 for as little as £200 from Expansys.

Specifications:

Hardware
Processor	Quad-core 1.2GHz MediaTek MT8125T
RAM	1GB
Screen size	10.1in
Screen resolution	1,280x800
Screen type	IPS
Front camera	0.3 megapixels
Rear camera	5 megapixels
Flash	No
GPS	Yes
Compass	Yes
Storage	16GB
Memory card slot (supplied)	microSD
Wi-Fi	802.11n
Bluetooth	4
NFC	No
Wireless data	No
Size	260x175x10mm
Weight	560g
Features
Operating system	Android 4.2.2
Battery size	7300mAh
Buying information
Warranty	one-year RTB
Price	£180
Supplier	www.argos.co.uk
Details	www.acer.co.uk
Part code	A3-A10

iPad Air vs LG Pad 8.3 – Which Tablet is the Better?

iPad Air vs LG Pad 8.3

When looking for a new smart device to purchase, things can get a little bit difficult when trying to pick the right choice. Why? Because the market is bundled with hundreds of worthy devices, all filled with features and most at an affordable price. Today we were thinking about tablets and the hard process customers have to go through to pick the right one to fit their criteria. We’re willing to make it a little bit easier on our readers that are looking for a tablet as we chose two of the most talked about tablets at the moment to comment on and see what exactly both have to offer. We’re talking about LG’s Pad 8.3 and Apple’s iPad Air.

The device comes with a very nice design: a color combination between white and silver. The tablet sells at a price around $450.00. Regarding specs, we can see that the iPad Air is powered by a M7 motion processor paired with the Apple A7 chipset (64-bit). It holds a display of 9.7 inches which has a light sensor and oleophobic coating for added protection. The main camera has 5 MP (iSight model) with a resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels and 1080p video shooting. The device comes with 128 GB of internal storage capacity and is estimated to last around 10 hours.

LG releases the Pad 8.3 with two color options: black and white. This tablet can be bought at a smaller price than the iPad Air ($280.00), but it is also a smaller device: it comes with an 8.3 inches display. The display comes with a light sensor and a screen resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. The processor that powers the device is paired up with the Snapdragon 600 chipset from Qualcomm. The battery unit that is housed by the LG Pad 8.3 has a capacity of 4600 mAh. The internal memory sits at only 16 GB. The main camera has 1.3 MP. While Apple’s iPad Air is quite light, the LG Pad 8.3 is actually lighter (it weighs less than a pound).

After reviewing these two, we can say that both come with some pretty nice specs and features. But overall, we have to give it to the iPad Air for bringing more to the table than the LG Pad 8.3 can. If we’re going to recommend one of these tablets, it would be Apple’s device – but you have to keep in mind that the price is almost doubled with this tablet. 

Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 review: The Android tablet to beat this year

With the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 and 10.5, Samsung has pushed limits with the super-sharp display and ultra thin body. Both tablets come with the best hardware we’ve seen on a tablet and, unsurprisingly, are steeply priced. It’s a bold move considering the tablet market is currently dominated by cheaper Android tablets. Even Apple, feeling the heat, has been forced to bring down iPad prices as more people opt for low-end tablets or large-screen smartphones. It’s up to time to tell whether Samsung will turn the game around with its Tab S line, and if the tablets are worth the premium. We have the 8.4-inch version for the review.

Design and build quality

The Tab S may lack the metallic finish of the iPad, though nothing about the device looks or feels cheap. It sports a dimpled rubber back (previously spotted on Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S5 smartphone) which coupled with a metallic rim provides a comfortable grip and feels solid.

At 125.6mm, the Tab S is narrower than the iPad mini in the portrait mode despite the larger screen, so it’s easier to use the tablet one handed. You can easily hold the device with one hand and type with the other as it’s also very thin and lightweight. The Tab S 8.4 is 37g lighter and 0.9mm thinner than the iPad mini.

Two buttons on the back cover to support docking of the tablet on a keyboard

Features

The Tab S lets you create multiple users for the device. You can also restrict what other users can see, plus a Kids Mode that provides fun, educational content for children. The fingerprint scanner is a handy way to quickly unlock the tablet or make PayPal payments. Each user can save up to three fingerprints. It’s mostly accurate, though you can type in an alternate password if it fails to detect your fingerprints.

Each user can save up to three fingerprints

The tablet features the Magazine UX, which comes with the latest version of Samsung’s TouchWiz interface to provide content from various online magazines or email accounts in a tile-based format. Each tile gets updated in real-time and is also useful for gaining quick access to your mailbox, Hancom Office for working on office documents and the calendar app.

Tiled interface of the Magazine UX

Multi window is one of the Tab S’s more usable features, which lets you work on two apps at a time. For example you can access the phonebook while writing an email or watch a video while reading the lyrics on the web browser.

The SIM slot on our edition of the Tab S means you can use it as a primary phone. Knowing well that holding a tablet to your face will make you look ridiculous, Samsung has introduced SideSync, which transfers phone calls to your smartphone. However, the feature can currently be used only with the Galaxy S5.

The Tab S comes with 16GB of built-in storage, of which 10GB is available for use. You can boost the storage up to 128GB with an external micro SD card. The tablet is also available in the 32GB storage option.

Performance

The Tab S is one responsive device. After spending hours on the tablet, I found my iPhone slow in comparison. It reacts to the slightest touch and switching between apps is extremely smooth.

Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC with four Krait 400 CPU cores and running at 2.3GHz, this slate excelled in all our benchmark tests. It’s a champ at handling everyday tasks such as watching videos and web browsing as well as intensive gaming and handling demanding apps.

To test how well the tablet can multitask, it was used for browsing the web while keeping other processes such as an eBook download and a Dropbox photo upload running in the background, and the Tab S had no problems coping up. However, the speed and responsiveness are not always consistent. The tablet stutters when there are many apps updating in the background and there were instances when the screen would freeze for a few seconds if the battery was running low.

Everyday use

The 8.4-inch Galaxy Tab S is best for on-the-go reading, even though Samsung has positioned it as a tab for professional use. In the landscape mode, the keyboard covers half the screen, while in the portrait mode text appears too small to get work done quickly. For professional use, you might be better off with the 10.5-inch version.

The TouchWiz interface is simple and easy to get used to, whether you’re used to Samsung devices or not. You can add or remove home screens, create folders and disable or uninstall apps directly from the App Drawer.

Dull outdoor shot

The 8MP rear camera is underwhelming. It’s slow to capture shots, while pictures appear dim in well-lit conditions. Picture quality of the 2MP front-facing camera, however, came as a pleasant surprise. It works really well for video calls and self-shots. It has a ‘Beauty Face’ option which detects your face to make the skin look smoother and blurs out any spots.

Display

The display is the Tab S’s key strength. The 2560×1600 resolution Super AMOLED screen renders sharp images and text and holds up well in bright outdoors, while optimizing the tablet’s battery use. The Adapt Display adjusts the screen brightness according to how you’re using the tablet. For example, it automatically dims the screen in a dark room or increases the screen sharpness while watching photos and videos.

The sharp screen is excellent for reading on the device

The screen is a big plus for reading and surfing the web on the Tab S. The screen is very pixel-dense, which means you can’t see the individual pixels even when you’ve zoomed way into the page.

Sound

Tablets are known for underwhelming speakers, but the Tab S tries to break this evil spell. It has stereo speakers on the top and bottom edges of the device that provide surprisingly fuller sound in comparison with some of Samsung’s older tabs.

Speech is clear and detailed enough for watching videos and listening to music. Unlike Samsung’s earlier tabs, speakers are on the edges rather than on the back, which keep you from accidentally blocking them with your hands.

The Galaxy Tab S does not supply earphones, which is shame for a tablet this expensive.

Battery life

The Tab S showed mixed results with its battery performance. When in the Adaptive Display mode, it provided an impressive battery life of nearly nine hours of web browsing. In the basic mode, the battery life drops significantly, providing just a little more than six hours of web browsing. We recommend keeping the Adaptive Display switched on not just for the sharpness, but also for the battery optimization.

Verdict and price in India

After several attempts at dethroning the iPad, looks like Samsung has finally got it right with the Galaxy Tab S. With an excellent display, powerful processing and great speaker quality, there’s little going against the Galaxy Tab S. It might not provide the 10 hour battery life that the iPad does, but it’s pretty close and adequate to get you through a day’s work.

Priced at Rs 43,090, the 8.4-inch Tab S is on the steeper side, which could be a deal-breaker for those on a budget. But if you can afford it, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 is well worth the money, and the Android tablet to beat right now.

Dell Venue 8 Pro : Review

What is it?

A slew of Windows 8 mini-tablets hit the market recently while the Windows 8.1 update also added some features and capabilities that lend very well to the small form factor. Dell's maiden Windows tablet, the Dell Venue 8 Pro, gets most of the things right and competes well with many of the Android tablets in the market. But it is not without a few miscues that come along the way.

Design

The 8 inch Dell Venue 8 Pro is pretty well designed with an impressive build quality for a budget device. It's thin, light, and easy to hold in one hand. The latter is actually true for most 8 inch tablets and a validation of the form factor over 10/11 inch devices.
The micro-patterned back feels good in the hand and the rubbery finish gives it a solid grip. Of course, it is not the lightest tablet in the market but feels, for a lack of better word, dense rather than heavy.
One of the awkward design choices in the Venue 8 Pro is the start button. Instead of a physical or capacitive button as expected on the bezel, the start button sits on the right end of the top edge if held in the portrait mode.
When you are using it for the first time, it definitely feels awkward. In most cases, I chose to use the Windows button via the Charms bar, rather than the physical button. But once you get the hang of it, it won't really matter. The position is well-thought-of and works well in the landscape mode.

Hardware

From a hardware perspective, Dell gets most things right. Powered by Intel Atom Z3740D with 2 GB RAM, the tablet comes in two storage editions - 32 GB and 64 GB. The quad-core Bay Trail processor is a great improvement over the predecessor, Clover Trail series, and gives a snappy performance overall, as well as a good battery life.
The tablet packs in a 5 MP rear camera and a 1.2 MP front camera. I am not a big fan of taking snapshots with a tablet, but the results are decent. The front camera also works well for video chats and web meetings. But the front camera is off-center - so you will have to position the tablet consciously instead of just facing it straight.

The tablet features a beautiful 1,280x800 IPS display and the colors are vibrant, without being over-saturated. The viewing angles are great, too. The non-full HD displays don't look good on the specifications sheet these days but honestly, that's more of a marketing pitch than practicality.

Out of the box, the screen brightness of the Venue 8 Pro is set to auto. The colors are dim and the details are difficult to view. But don't dismiss it right away. After the launch, Dell had issued a firmware update that corrects the issue with the ambient light sensor. The display now defaults to a better, readable setting that does justice to the true beauty of the screen.

I was actually quite surprised to learn that the Venue 8 Pro is packed with an active digitizer, a rarity in budget tablets of any size. You would need to buy the Dell Active Stylus separately, though. It is a better stylus than those useless capacitive pens, but still lacks in performance or accuracy. There has been a firmware fix for the stylus as well.

The addition of digitizer doesn't make up for some disappointing omissions. There's no micro-HDMI port, which is a shame if you are like me and prefer pushing your experience to a larger display. There's support for the Miracast, but the wireless streaming standard is not as ubiquitous as HDMI. Then there is the missing USB port. There is micro-USB but that just isn't the same thing, and you would need an adapter for most things.

Most tablet users spend a lot of time watching videos and playing games. And the Venue 8 Pro offers a glorious speaker, louder than most mobile devices. Granted that the sound gets a little distorted when pushed to maximum, but you won't complain.

Experience

Performance wise, the Venue 8 Pro is impressive. Apps get downloaded very quickly and can compete with an average PC in terms of speed. The animations and transitions in the modern UI fly though and the Bay Trail processor doesn't disappoint with lightweight desktop programs. Web browsing is a breeze and the pages load quick. Switching between tabs is a breeze as well.

But the tablet stutters while playing graphic-intensive games. When pushed hard, it also tends to get a little hot. For average user, however, these won't pose much problem.

Since the tablet runs on Windows 8, instead of Windows RT, you have access to full power of the desktop environment. But most desktop applications are not actually designed for an 8 inch touch screen. In most cases, you would misfire a lot and unless you are using a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, it is practically unusable and frustrating. Microsoft Office, with its optimizations for touch screens, works fine here and the tablet comes bundled with Office 2013 Home & Student Edition.

The battery life is quite decent for an Intel-powered device of this form factor. We could manage more than eight hours in most cases, which is pretty good. For modest usage, you can even push it to 10 hours, we reckon.

Best Part

• Great display
• Pen input
• Build quality, at the price point
• Loudspeaker

Tragic flaws

• No micro-HDMI port
• Lack of capacitive start button and the position of the physical button

Should you buy it?

If you are looking for a Windows tablet, Dell Venue 8 Pro checks all the boxes. It is good value for money and the benefits ultimately outweigh the quirks of the tablet. A few issues have been ironed out in subsequent firmware updates.
However, there's a wider pool of devices if you have to choose from an Android tablet, the iPad Mini, and a Dell Venue 8 Pro. This one is a pretty good device, but not the best in class.