Mobile Technology

Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 vs. iPad Air

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Gizmag compares the features and specs of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 and Apple iPad Air
Battery capacities
Primary build materials
Camera megapixel counts
Color options
Processors (though the LTE version of the Tab S has a Snapdragon 800 in place of the Exynos Octa)
The Galaxy Tab S is a little longer and wider – but 10 percent thinner – than the iPad Air
The Tab S has higher screen resolution and pixel density
The iPad Air gives you 91 percent as much screen real estate
The Galaxy Tab S is the first high-resolution tablet with a Super AMOLED display
Like the Galaxy S5, the Tab S has a fingerprint scanner
Gizmag compares the features and specs of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 and Apple iPad Air
Both tablets are sold in Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi + LTE flavors
Same starting prices across the board
The Tab S' 3 GB of RAM should help out with multitasking
The Tab S will be launching in July
The Tab S has Samsung's "Multi Window" side-by-side multitasking
SideSync 3.0 lets you view and control your Galaxy S5 on the Tab S' screen
The Tab S runs the latest version of Android (with Samsung's TouchWiz on top) while the iPad Air runs iOS 7
Storage options
Ultra Power Saving Mode can keep the Tab S on the grid when your battery gets low
The Tab S is a little lighter
View gallery - 21 images

A few days ago Samsung announced its first flagship tablet, the Galaxy Tab S. Make no mistake: this slate is designed to eat into some of the iPad's market share. How does the 10.5-in Tab S size up next to the iPad Air? Read on, as we compare the tablets' features and specs.

Size

The Galaxy Tab S is a little longer and wider – but 10 percent thinner – than the iPad Air

If you hold both tablets in landscape mode, the Galaxy Tab S is 4 percent taller and 3 percent wider than the iPad Air. But one of the Tab S' killer features is how incredibly thin it is. It's 12 percent thinner than the already slender iPad.

Weight

The Tab S is a little lighter

The Tab S is only a smidge lighter than the iPad Air, but since it's a bigger tablet, I thought it felt a bit lighter in hand during our hands-on time with it.

Build

Primary build materials

The Galaxy Tab S has a dimpled faux leather (plastic) finish that looks a lot like the Galaxy S5's chassis. But once you get the Tab S in your hand, it has a firmer feel than the GS5's.

Like just about every Apple product you'll come across these days, the iPad Air has an aluminum unibody build.

Colors

Color options

Each device is sold in two different color options.

Display (size)

The iPad Air gives you 91 percent as much screen real estate

The Galaxy Tab S' screen is about 10 percent bigger than the iPad's. When you consider that the Tab S is also a bit lighter and a lot thinner, well, that's a pretty sweet combination.

Display (type)

The Galaxy Tab S is the first high-resolution tablet with a Super AMOLED display

If you ask Samsung, the Galaxy Tab S' Super AMOLED display is a breakthrough feature. Having handled it at Samsung's launch event, though, I'm not sure if its higher contrast, deeper blacks and greater color range are going to be that noticeable in most areas.

The one area where that Super AMOLED did really shine was when watching video. High-res videos look outstanding on this bad boy – much better than they do on the iPad Air, or any other tablet I've used.

Display (resolution)

The Tab S has higher screen resolution and pixel density

The Galaxy Tab S has the same razor-sharp resolution as its six-month old predecessor, the Galaxy Tab Pro. Though it's sharper than the iPad Air, I don't think Apple's gorgeous Retina Display gives you anything to worry about.

Fingerprint scanner

Like the Galaxy S5, the Tab S has a fingerprint scanner

The Tab S has the same swipe-based fingerprint scanner that we saw in the Galaxy S5. It isn't quite as convenient as the touch-based Touch ID sensor that you'll find in the iPhone 5s (and, most likely, the 2014 iPad Air), but it still gives you a great blend of security and convenience.

SideSync

SideSync 3.0 lets you view and control your Galaxy S5 on the Tab S' screen

SideSync 3.0 is a cool new Samsung feature that lets you control a Galaxy S5 with the Galaxy Tab S. After pairing the two devices over Wi-Fi, you can place and receive calls, compose and receive text messages, and control anything else on your GS5. This could let you leave your phone on the charger while you're home, and only bother picking it up when you're heading out the door.

The biggest downside to SideSync is that it only works with the GS5. If you own any other phone, you won't be able to use this feature.

Storage

Storage options

Apple offers a wider variety of internal storage options for the iPad Air, though the Galaxy Tab S' microSD slot can help to balance those scales.

LTE

Both tablets are sold in Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi + LTE flavors

Both tablets are sold in both Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi with cellular data (LTE) models.

Processor

Processors (though the LTE version of the Tab S has a Snapdragon 800 in place of the Exynos Octa)

The Wi-Fi only version of the Tab S ships with a Samsung Exynos octa-core processor. Owners of the LTE variant will get a Snapdragon 800 in its place.

RAM

The Tab S' 3 GB of RAM should help out with multitasking

The Tab S triples the iPad Air's mere 1 GB of RAM. As zippy as the iPad Air is, its limited RAM is the one area where its performance is due for an upgrade. Multitasking on the iPad too often requires app or browser tab reloads.

Side-by-side multitasking

The Tab S has Samsung's "Multi Window" side-by-side multitasking

Speaking of multitasking, the Galaxy Tab S has another big advantage there. Samsung's Multi Window lets you run two apps simultaneously, in side-by-side windows. Apple was rumored to announce a similar feature for iOS 8, but it wasn't among the features that the company announced for the upcoming software update.

Battery

Battery capacities

It's too early to say much about the Galaxy Tab S' battery life, other than that Samsung estimates 11 hours of video playback.

Ultra Power Saving Mode

Ultra Power Saving Mode can keep the Tab S on the grid when your battery gets low

The Tab S also gets one of Samsung's most innovative software features, Ultra Power Saving Mode. If your battery is running low, you can kick in UPS Mode, which turns your display black & white and severely limits available apps. Though the tablets' capabilities will be limited, it can keep you on the grid. This makes a lot more sense in a phone, but I suppose it can't hurt to have it in a tablet.

Cameras

Camera megapixel counts

The Galaxy Tab's rear camera takes higher-resolution photos, but that also doesn't necessarily mean a whole lot. We'll have to wait for some extended hands-on time with the Tab S before jumping to any conclusions about its camera quality.

Software

The Tab S runs the latest version of Android (with Samsung's TouchWiz on top) while the iPad Air runs iOS 7

The Tab S ships with Android 4.4 KitKat, with Samsung's TouchWiz UI living on top. The iPad runs iOS 7, with the iOS 8 update coming this (Northern hemisphere) Fall.

App selection is still a big advantage for the iPad. Android's tablet app library has improved a lot – and should continue in that direction as Samsung releases more quality tablets – but the App Store's selection of tablet apps is still in a league of its own.

Release

The Tab S will be launching in July

Samsung says that the Galaxy Tab S will start shipping in July. We'll likely see an updated iPad Air model launching sometime around this November.

Starting price

Same starting prices across the board

Each tablet starts at US$500, for a 16 GB Wi-Fi only version.

Gizmag will have more on the Galaxy Tab S, as we move closer to its launch. In the meantime, you can check out our hands-on from Samsung's launch event for some early impressions. And for more on the iPad Air, you can check out our review from late last year.

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2 comments
Rann Xeroxx
The Note version of this tablet allows you to run up to 4 apps at a time, is that not the case with this one? Also to note is that its a limited number of pre-defined apps that can be snapped (unlike Windows Metro where any Metro app can be snapped, including the desktop).
What if really boils down to is what OS and ecosystem you like batter as these devices are on par with one another (the Samsung is currently better but its also newer).
Michael Rosenberg
I guess you didn't hear about the iOS feature continuity? it allows you to pick up phone calls send and receive SMS and iMessage as well as continue on emails, texts, and other document types started on the iPhone or even a Mac. There is also a new gray scale mode which, besides making it easier for people with visual impairments to operate the device, quite possibly and probably will allow for an "ultra-powersaving" mode in and of itself (Note I am fully aware it is more than just a color change in Samsung's case). Also, all rumors in the Apple rumor mill point to a Touch ID sensor into all iDevices this fall. Also found in the iOS 8 beta code is the ability to split screen multitask making a future iteration of the iOS environment will have split screen.