By the numbers: Samsung Galaxy Tab S versus other high-end tablets

The Galaxy Tab S is Samsung’s latest pride and joy boasting a high resolution tablet display and top-of-the-line internals. So how does it compare with today’s flagship tablets? We compare its vital specs and dimensions against the likes of the iPad Air, iPad mini with Retina Display, Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet, Microsoft Surface 2, Nokia Lumia 2520, ASUS Memo Pad 8, Huawei MediaPad X1, Nexus 7 and even Xiaomi’s upcoming Mi Pad. You can click on the image above for the full picture.

For display resolution, the Galaxy Tab S and its NotePRO line up has the highest screen resolution at 2560×1600 which is higher than the Quad HD smart phones that’s coming up. In terms of pixel density, the Tab S 8.4 win hands down with a high 359 pixels per inch, which packs more pixels than the iPad mini with Retina display. On the plus side, the AMOLED display on the Tab S promises better colours and power efficiency as each pixels are lit individually compared to conventional LCD panels.

In terms of processing power, the Galaxy Tab S runs on an uprated 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 processor with 3GB of RAM, however the Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet uses a newer Snapdragon 801 unit which is similar to its Xperia Z2 Smart Phone. It is common to see Snapdragon processors on tablets these days but for those serious about gaming should check out the Xiaomi Mi Pad. This 7.9″ tablet is running on Nvidia’s next generation Tegra K1 processor which promises desktop-class gaming performance.

Dimension wise, the Galaxy Tab S is Samsung’s thinnest full sized tablet yet at just 6.6mm and weighing just 467 grams for the LTE edition. When compared to the rest, it isn’t the thinnest as the Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet boast an even slimmer 6.4mm thin and weighs just 426 grams for WiFi and 439 grams for the LTE unit. If you plan on taking your tablet to the bath tub or the pool, the Xperia Z2 is the only option to consider with its water and dust proof capabilities rated at IP58.

For those who are concerned about camera pixel count, the compact 7″ Huawei MediaPad X1 comes with a high 13MP Sony Exmor R main camera and a front facing 5MP unit. The rest of the tablets are typically rocking 5MP to 8MP cameras and we don’t recommend taking pictures with a full sized tablet. If you need something that’s really small, powerful and yet compact, the MediaPad X1 is the smallest on this list and it weighs just 239 grams. That’s 100 grams lighter than the iPad mini and Xiaomi Mi Pad.

So which tablet should you go for? Looking beyond the specs, one should also consider the overall experience and the library of apps available. For the best all round experience especially if you’re using it mainly for gaming and entertainment use, the iPad is still the popular choice. However for those intending to do work while on the go might want to consider the Microsoft Surface 2. It offers a full Microsoft Office experience that lets you work on MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint with no compromises.

For Android, it offers more possibilities than iOS like the ability to use microSD, USB on the go, torrent and ease of sharing. However in terms of apps, most popular titles on iOS are also available on Android but there’s still room to improve. Samsung also tried to give its tablets more productivity features as well like its multiview, side sync and remote PC accessibility. Considering the tablet is a shared device used in the family, the new Galaxy Tab S offers multi-user profiles up to 8 which can be identified using the fingerprint scanner.

If the current tablet experience isn’t appealing to you, Xiaomi is expected to do something better with its new Mi Pad. Apart from having new hardware, the Mi Pad revamps the tablet software experience and puts the best apps up front for easy discovery. At the moment the Mi Pad is still in the testing phase but do expect it to be available in Malaysia within this year.