Galaxy Tab 3 16GB 4G Review by jonsie

[jonsie]

First off I would like to thank @Toby and @Anonymous for giving us all the chance to borrow and review the latest that O2 have to offer in phone and tablet technology.

Specs

It comes with a 1.6GHz dual core processor running 4.2.2 Jellybean. The 10.1 screen is equipped with 1280 x 800 resolution with a bright clear display. Internal memory is 16GB and can be expanded up to 64GB via micoSD card. Ram is 2GB. I found I could just about get a days normal usage from the 6800 mAh battery. The tablet takes a micro simcard and is very light at 512 gms.

Pros

Impressive display

64GB expandable storage

4G

Phone calls on the go (I used with bluetooth so as not to look an idiot!)

Built in IR for TV etc.

Cons

Camera - Only 3.0MP rear and 1.3MP front with no flash or auto focus.

Plastic back is smooth making handling slippery without a cover.

The menu and return buttons which I will explain later.

Occasional freezing whether on email, browsing or in-app.

My thoughts

The tablet itself is thin, good looking and doesn't feel cheap even considering the plastic back. Set-up was as easy as you would expect from an Android device if you are coming from another Android. Contacts and apps transfer was seamless.

Wifi connection is easy and I had no problems with weak signal as reported on 4.3 versions of Jellybean.. Customisation was very simple. The display (for me) is quite clear and impressive. Unfortunately with this being a loan device I have been using it without a cover and with the plain plastic back cover I found it quite slippery and awkward to hold at times.

The tablet itself is very slim. The top bezel houses the on/off button, volume rocker, micro sim slot and microSD slot. In the centre of the top bezel is the infrared LED. Doldy speakers are housed in the LH and RH bezels whilst the earphone jack is housed in the top LH corner. One problem I envisage is the charging port which, as with most Samsungs, is housed at the centre of the bottom bezel. This isn't ideal and they really need to rethink this. Using a foldable cover in landscape mode means you wouldn't be able to charge the tablet whilst using it.

Another downside is the response areas of the menu and return touch zones. They are far too big and extend to maybe 2 square centimetres each resulting in accidental touching of them just whilst holding the tablet. I would much prefer physical buttons or on-screen touch zones.

I was also disappointed with the camera. Samsung have really scrimped on this with a mere 3.0MP rear camera with no flash or autofocus. Although outsides shots were acceptable, indoor shots were quite poor in low light.

At the price of around £400 sim free Samsung should be using a camera with much better specs.

I was impressed with the Smart Remote app which seems to work on most TVs. I had no problem connecting it to the TV, Sky+HD box and Kodak printer. Very handy and I had great fun when visiting my son who couldn't work out why his TV kept changing channels whilst he was in sole possession of the remote!

Overall, I couldn't help feeling a little disappointed in a tablet that I was thinking of buying for my next overseas trip. Whilst it did most things I would want from a portable 10 inch device I felt a little let down with the camera and maybe if it was a £100 cheaper I would be snapping one up.

Marks out of 10? 6 possibly stretching to 7 but I think I will be having a look at the Nexus 10 before making any decision about the Tab3.

Hope people find this useful as it's my first review of a device and I'm grateful for the opportunity to trial this tablet before deciding whether to purchase one.