The tablet marketplace is really heating up right now. Apple essentially popularised the market back in 2010 when it launched with its typically sleek iPad. Since then a lot of competing brands have entered with tablets of their own. Google has their Nexus 7 and Amazon has their Kindle Fire HD. Both of these offer 7 inch screens compared to the iPad’s larger 9.7 inch screen. Now Apple has decided to join the smaller tablet game with the iPad Mini. This 7.9 inch tablet operates just like the iPad but is, as the name suggests, smaller. However, how does it compare to one of the most popular tablets on the market, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2?
First up is the storage. The Galaxy Tab comes in 8 GB and 16 GB capacities and the iPad Mini comes in 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB. However, although the Tab doesn’t offer as much storage off the bat, the Tab is upgradable with microSD. The iPad Mini, on the other hand, has no method of external storage. You can pick up microSD cards pretty cheap nowadays, so the Tab is definitely the superior of the two when it comes to quantity of data.
Next up is the operating system. The Tab uses Android 4 (Ice Cream Sandwich) while the iPad Mini runs on iOS 6. The iOS ecosystem is one that many are fond off due to its attractive design and huge amounts of apps available for download. However, Android has the benefit of being really customisable. Although it doesn’t have some apps that the Apple store offers, the majority of them are available on Android too. Those looking to modify their tablets will find Android the better OS choice.
In terms of portability, the Tab measures 193.7x122.4x105.mm compared to the iPad Mini’s 200x134.7x7.2 mm. The former weighs 341 g and the latter is 308 g. Overall the differences are marginal here. The Tab is smaller, but thicker, than the iPad Mini.
The Galaxy Tab has a fairly decent screen resolution of 1024x600 pixels and a pixel density of 169. The iPad Mini is slightly sharper at 1024x768 pixels and a pixel density of 162. The Tab has a smaller display, but everything will be that bit clearer thanks to the higher pixel density.
If you want a tablet that takes good snaps then the better choice is going to be the iPad Mini. It has both a front and rear camera. The back is a 5 MP snapper with a five element autofocus lens capable of capturing 1080p video. The front camera is 1.2 MP and captures 720p video. The Galaxy Tab 2 also has two cameras, but neither of them is as good as the iPad Mini’s. The rear camera is 3 MP and captures 720p video while the front camera is VGA. Whether or not a tablet is really the best device for capturing photos is debatable, but the iPad Mini is definitely the superior here.
Both of these are decent tablets. Your choice will ultimately depend on what operating system you prefer, how much storage you need and whether or not a camera is important.