Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 most awaited review

Samsung's success in the tablet arena hasn't been helped by it seemingly confusing range of devices. 'Tab' and 'Note' run in parallel, offering similar and at the same time differing screen sizes, specifications and features.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTwhfClyNTs

The bottom line is if you want a 7in Samsung tablet, then the not-so-snappily-named Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is your only option. In the flesh, it's as uninspiring to look at and hold as the Note 10.1. It certainly lacks the clean lines, sharp edges and wow factor of its closest rivals.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0: Tech specs
Layout of controls (volume and power) and cameras (one front, one back) are similar to the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, although you don't get a stylus as part of the Tab package. The 3.5mm headphone jack sits just off-centre on the top when the tablet is held in portrait orientation.

Until an impending update, you have to make do with Android's Ice Cream Sandwich operating system running behind Samsung's Touchwiz user interface. This makes for a relatively pleasing user experience, although the Tab's reaction times are a split second behind the top tabs in this screen size.

Part of the problem lies with the Samsung's power, or rather lack of it. The 1GHz dual-core processor can't match the speed achieved by the quad-core of the Google Nexus 7. The Tab doesn't react to swiping and pinching gestures as quickly or as smoothly as some rivals.



Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0: Media hub
Samsung's Hub is home for various widgets, including dedicated icons for music and movie players. Files can be transferred to the Tab using drag-and-drop, although there's always Samsung's own Kies software (for PC and Mac).

Kies is a decent way of organising and converting your music, video and photos for use on the Tab, but the integration and execution still lags behind Apple's iTunes. File compatibility is good: the Tab can handle a wide range of audio and video codecs, including WAV, FLAC, MPEG4, H.264 and DivX among others.

There's an SD card slot to expand the memory if you wish, and the Tab hosts a 3MP camera on the back capable of recording 720p video at 30fps (frames per second). Picture quality is passable but fine details and textures don't shine through as clearly as they should.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTwhfClyNTs

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 review

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiA2o472TBk
Battery and storage
The Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is powered by a 4,000mAh battery and is available in WiFi models with 8GB and 16GB of internal storage. The tablet also features a microSD card slot, meaning users can upgrade its expandable storage with a maximum of 32GB.
The inclusion of the microSD card slot is a positive factor differentiating the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 from the Nexus 7, where a lack of upgradable storage space is a problem given the device's media focus.
Testing the battery, we found that the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 managed to last around nine hours on one charge while continuously playing movies, which is about what we'd expect from a 7in tablet.
Camera
The Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 comes with a 3MP rear-facing camera. Sadly, it isn't a pleasant camera to use and the results are underwhelming. We found that photos taken on the tablet were dull and blurry.

Video taken on the tablet is slightly better, with it being able to record HD 720p at 30fps, though again the video suffers from poor colour levels, generally looking fairly washed out and lifeless.
Because of this we really wouldn't recommend using the camera on the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 at all.
In Short
Overall, for £200 the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is a decent tablet. It boasts a sturdy, visually pleasing design and decent battery life. The big problem, however, is that the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 isn't as good as Google's Nexus 7, which retails for the same price yet features a more powerful processor and a more up-to-date operating system. µ
The Good
Solid build quality, decent battery.
The Bad
Slow performance, screen isn't great.
The Ugly
Touchwiz user interface.