Samsung has given us some impressive devices which include some nice tablets as well. The Tab 2 became quite popular which was replaced by the Tab 3. Now they have updated the line-up and launched the Tab 4 series. The Tab 4 has been launched in 7, 8 and 10.1 inch sizes. All these tables run powerful hardware as compared to the previous models and they have improved other features as well. Samsung works hard in developing its devices and these devices are no exception.
They have worked on the hardware and design to keep up with the improving technology. They have also improved the software and interface. New features have been added to make use of the available resources properly. These new software features have also simplified device usage as well. It will face competition from the Google Nexus 7 tablet which is quite an impressive one. There are tablets from other manufacturers as well that compete in this category and give it a tough competition. We take a closer look at what this new Tab 4 7.0 is like.
Design
The thing with Samsung characteristic design is carried here as well. They go for the typical Samsung face which includes a rectangle that has been rounded on the edges. Above the display sits the Samsung logo and below it is the elongated physical home key.
This home key is accompanied by two more capacitive keys, one of each side. These keys are for menu and back. They have kept the size down despite a 7 inch display and that has resulted in very slim bezels for a tablet. It tips the scale at 276 Gms which is a not very light but manageable. It is just 9 mm thick which aids handling and gives it a sleek profile. Overall the design and built quality of the tablet doesn’t disappoint.
Display
Just when you were about to think that the tablet is a good one, we reached this section. If there is anything we didn’t like on the tablet, it is the display. The display is a 7 inch capacitive one with a resolution of 1280 x 800. It has a pixel density of 216 pixels per inch. While that is decent for a 5 inch display, it doesn’t look very good here. Not that it is exactly very bad but it just doesn’t go good with the rest of the tablet. The rivals (read Nexus) are offering stunning full HD displays that are way better than this one.
The colors on the tablet are a bit dull. They are a bit dull and seem to have a slightly warm tint. The contrast is dull and even the darkest shades of black are dark grey only. Viewing angles are good but not very impressive. Sunlight readability is okay as the display is not very reflective. Small text looks hazy at times due to low pixel density and you would have to zoom in to read easily.
Hardware
The previous model came with a dual core processor which handled its duties very well. On this version they have gone for a quad core processor instead of a dual core processor. A dual core wouldn’t have done on an updated model with all those resource hungry apps in the play store. The chipset is manufactured by Qualcomm so no quality compromises here. While 1 GB of RAM was good for the previous device, there were times when multitasking lead to freezes and ir-responsive software. That is why they have gone for 1.5 GB RAM which we think is just right. It comes with 16 GB of inbuilt storage and support for micro SD cards. It can take up memory cards up to 64 GB which we think is more than plenty.
For connectivity there is an option to go for the model that supports 3G networks with speeds up to 21 Mbps. It supports Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi direct, Bluetooth 4.0 and micro USB 2.0. These options are not much different from the previous model. It is powered by a 4450mAh battery which gives it very impressive battery life.
Camera
We were expecting an upgrade here but Samsung disappointed us again. It has got a 3.15 megapixel fixed focus camera. The camera can give you some hazy shots at best. Most of the images have noise and it is very much prominent near the corners. It can record videos in semi HD at 30 fps. The front camera meant for video calling has a resolution of 1.3 megapixels.
Software
The tablet comes with Android 4.4.2 Kit Kat with TouchWiz on top of it. They have made various changes to the software which might not be according to everyone’s taste. The stock launcher is replaced with the Samsung app launcher which offers more customization but isn’t as fast. There are other software features which some might love to use while other might find intrusive. The software is something we can’t really draw a verdict on as opinions vary widely. But we would say that they have worked a lot on the software and it does show while using the device.
Verdict
The latest version of Galaxy Tab is an improvement over the previous variant. They have added some extra cores, better software and that is it. There were other areas that needed improvement but they haven’t bothered. They could have used a higher resolution display like the rivals are offering. They could also have put in a better camera so that the users can capture some images. Or maybe they could have removed the rear camera in favour of a better front camera but an improvement was required. Samsung galaxy tab 4 price is okay but not very impressive to make it a very good value for money. There are various other options that would offer better value for the same money and to us they make more sense. For slight extra, you can go for the iPad mini with retina display or for the same price; you can get the Nexus 7 (2013).