Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Comparison Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 Vs Toshiba Excite 10 AT305


We have already compared the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 against the Motorola Xoom 2 10.1 and Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. Now, it’s time for us to compare the specs and features of the tablet against the specs and features of the Toshiba Excite 10 AT305. As you can see, the Toshiba Excite 10 is currently being dubbed as the world’s thinnest tablet. Thus, we certainly think that it deserves to be compared to one of today’s most awaited slates. As a matter of fact, we are quite eager to know the outcome of this smackdown. That’s because both slates are packed with revolutionary features that you can use for education, business and entertainment purposes. But before we put these two slates on a head-to-head smackdown, it would be best for you to have a brief overview of what this comparison will be all about.


As we’ve said, we’re going to compare the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 (P5100) against the Toshiba Excite 10 AT305. Both are very powerful and packed with reliable features and specs. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 is the successor of the original Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. It flaunts its 10.1 inch display with Gorilla Glass coating and it is powered by Google’s latest Android OS and that is Android 4.0 ICS. On the other hand, the Toshiba Excite 10 AT305 is a very slim tablet that can pride of its 10.1 inch display and SRS sound enhancement. Similarly, the tablet also runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

If we base our verdict on specs and features, we can definitely say that this will be a close fight because the two slates are equipped with comparable specs. Even so, we can’t give you a full comparison that would be based on the actual performance of these two tablets. That’s because these slates are yet to be made available in the market. Nonetheless, you’ll be able to have your initial impression that could serve as your basis before you make your final decision.

APPEARANCE

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 flaunts its minimalistic design. It does look a whole lot like the original Galaxy Tab 10.1 but you can certainly note a bunch of changes related to its design. Take for example, its speakers have been moved to its upper left and upper right side bezel (that’s if you place the slate on landscape mode) while it retains the usual placements of its buttons and ports. Apparently, there’s not much to expect when it comes to the slate’s form factor. As a matter of fact, it became a bit heavier and it’s also a bit fatter. Still, we do think that the increase in depth and weight doesn’t really matter because you won’t even notice the difference by the time that you get a good grip of the slate. But if you are really that curious to know about the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1’s specific body measurement, you should know that its body won’t go any thicker than 9.7mm with an average weight of 588 grams.

Now let’s move on to the design of the Toshiba Excite 10 AT305. Similar to the Galaxy Tab 2, the tablet flaunts its premium and refined design. It highlights its trimmed edges, pure black bezel and silver rear coat. But if there’s one thing that the tablet can truly take pride of, it’s the fact that it is enclosed in its ultra slim casing that won’t go any thicker than 8.9mm. It is obviously thinner than the second generation Samsung Galaxy Tab tablet but it weighs heavier. The slate weighs around 636 grams.

If we base our impression on looks, we can say that we prefer the design of both slates. Also, it would depend on your personal preference. If you’re not into smooth and refined slates, you probably won’t be interested to get these two tablets. But if you are and you like the fact of having a tablet that’s smooth enough to be gripped by your delicate hands, you can either choose the Galaxy Tab 2 or have the Toshiba Excite 10 AT305. The choice is yours of course.

DISPLAY

When it comes to display quality, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 can take pride of its 10.1 inch PLS TFT capacitive touchscreen with 16M colors and 800 x 1280 pixels of full screen resolution. The slate’s display has been set at 149 ppi and can withstand dusts and scratches thanks to its Corning Gorilla Glass Protection. Similarly, the Toshiba Excite 10 AT305 also highlights its 10.1 inch display with 16M colors and 1280 x 800 pixels of full screen resolution. Its display has also been set at 149 ppi. But unlike the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, the Toshiba tablet does not have a PLS TFT display. Instead, it makes use of its LED-backlit LCD display. The slate can also withstand dusts and scratches courtesy of its Gorilla Glass protection.

In this aspect, we would opt for the Excite 10 because the photos and videos in the slate will look more vivid than the photos and videos on the second generation Galaxy Tab slate.

OPERATING SYSTEM

When it comes to the version of OS, both of the tablets are powered by Android Ice Cream Sandwich. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 runs on Android 4.0.3 ICS while the Toshiba Excite 10 AT305 runs on Android 4.0 ICS. It’s just that you won’t be able to get the stock UI with the Samsung tablet. Instead, you’ll make use of Samsung’s custom user interface and that is none other than TouchWiz UX. If you are not that fond of TouchWiz, you can freely opt for the Toshiba tablet.

PROCESSOR, MEMORY AND STORAGE

At first, it was announced that the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 will have a 1GHz Dual Core Cortex A9 TI OMAP 4430 processor. But from what we have recently heard, Samsung ceased the current production of the slate in order for the company to upgrade its processor to quad core. We are not really sure if it would be Exynos 4412 but we certainly hope so. As for the Toshiba Excite 10, it will be relying on its 1.5GHz quad core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor.

Both slates will be packed with 1GB of RAM and 16GB – 32GB of storage options. There will also be a reserved slot for 32GB of external storage that will be made via micro SD card. But despite of these similarities, those who are still not contented with the allotted storage spaces will most likely opt for the 64GB version of the Toshiba Excite 10 since the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 does not offer such option.

CAMERA

In this aspect, we will definitely go for the Toshiba Excite 10 AT305. That’s because the slate is packed with a 5 mega pixel rear facing camera with auto focus, geo-tagging and LED flash. But that’s not all. The tablet can also take pride of its 2 mega pixel front facing camera that can be readily used for video chats.

On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 showcases its 3.15 mega pixel camera with geo-tagging (no LED Flash). It is also packed with a front facing VGA camera that you can use for video chats. The front and rear cameras of the slate are good but not as good as the ones that you can get from the Excite 10 AT305.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

As of now, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 is yet to be made available in the market. It will be sold for a cheaper price than its predecessor. Thus, you don’t need to save a lot. Just make sure that your budget won’t go any lower than 400 US Dollars. The same goes for the Toshiba Excite 10 AT305. It’s not yet out in the market but will eventually be put on sale sometime within next month. The price of the tablet is yet to be revealed but we did hear that it will be sold for a starting price of 410 US Dollars.

As you can see, the price difference between the two slates is just 10 Dollars. We can’t really state the exact prices but if we consider the estimated costs, the Excite 10 is way cheaper. You may wonder why it’s cheaper when it costs more than the price of the second generation Galaxy Tab. You will eventually know the reason why we have said so.

CONCLUSION

Given the specs of the Toshiba Excite 10 AT305, it is very apparent that its features are better than the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1. And, for a very decent price, you will be able to get all these features. That’s why we can say that there’s a chance for the tablet to do good in the market. We just hope that it would stay true to its features and specs and that its actual performance will be free from errors and glitches.

As for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, there’s a reason why Samsung ceased its production. Yes, the company did say that it would make the slate faster and better. But doesn’t that also imply the possibility for the tablet to fail beyond its expected sales? Who knows? As for us, we certainly think that the tablet’s price is quite expensive for its given features and specifications. We’d definitely buy it if would be sold for less – maybe around 350 US Dollars. But for $400, we’d go for the Toshiba Excite 10 AT305 or better yet, take the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1.

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