The rivalry between Apple and Samsung is age old. It all started with the release of Apple iPhone and Apple iPad. At that time, there was no competition for Apple; but then Android was surfaced and Samsung was quick to adapt to the new trend. They tested at their will and came up with a lot of different configurations for the same operating system. At the start; Android wasn’t as matured as Apple iOS; however, it caught up very quickly. That is when the rivalry between Apple and Samsung started. In 2012, Samsung was able to surpass the iPhone sales count which was a significant achievement for both Samsung and Android as a community. There may be various allegations towards Android and iOS, but we need to accept it as a fact that both these operating systems offer awesome functionality. As such, the image of the OS would primarily depend on the devices they are ported on. Apple of course has a tight control over to which device they port iOS, as opposed to the Android’s bazaar model where anyone can take the OS and make a device. However, Samsung is one of the few manufacturers who truly inspire the Android fans, and we are seeing one of those products yet again. This is specifically created against the new iPad Mini it seems. Let us check how these two devices would complement each other on a head on review.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 Review
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 is a product that has made enough ripples in the tablet market prior to it been revealed. Leaked pictures and specs were available in the internet since six months, but the details were only confirmed when Samsung revealed Galaxy Note 8.0 at the World Mobile Congress 2013. You may have guessed right from the form factor of 8.0 inches that this is going to compete with Apple iPad Mini. The question is whether the tablet will live up to its expectation. Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 is powered by 1.6GHz Quad Core processor and runs on top of Android OS v4.1.2 Jelly Bean. The chipset is assumed to be Samsung Exynos 4412 in which case the GPU will be Mali 400MP. It also sports an extravagant 2GB RAM which has plenty of space even for the biggest apps. It comes in two editions as per storage; 16 GB and 32 GB. Fortunately Note 8.0 also has a microSD extension slot enabling you to extend the memory up to 64GB.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 has 8.0 inch TFT Capacitive display featuring a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels at a pixel density of 189 ppi. We are certainly going to miss the superior AMOLED display panel that we have grown fond of. The version released in USA will strictly have Wi-Fi only capabilities featuring Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n connectivity with Wi-Fi direct and Wi-Fi hotspot. The international version will have 3G connectivity as well as 2G connectivity making this usable as a huge smartphone, as well. This method of usage seems to have a particular market in Asia which justifies Samsung’s release of it in the International arena. The device uses a micro SIM like many of the modern mobile computing platforms. It also sports the usual S-Pen Stylus with improved sensitivity that enables you to scribble on your phablet ever more easily.
The device comes with 5MP camera in the back with autofocus that can capture 1080p HD videos @ 30 frames per second. The 1.3MP front camera can be used for video conferencing at your convenience. It comes with the usual perks offered by a tablet and looks considerably solid. However, it doesn’t quite have that expensive look Samsung Galaxy Note devices usually have. This might be because of the different form factor it’s offered with. The device we saw comes in White, but Samsung offers the tablet in Black and Silver, as well. It has 4600mAh battery which may offer juice enough to last more than 8 hours.
Apple iPad Mini Review
Apple iPad Mini that was released in November 2012 hosts a 7.9 inch IPS capacitive touchscreen display that features a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels at a pixel density of 163ppi. It is smaller, lighter and thinner than Apple new iPad. However, this no way compromises the look and feel Apple’s premium grants you. iPad Mini comes in several versions. There is also a 4G LTE version which can cost as much as $660. Let us look at what Apple has included in this mini version of their all-time favorite Apple iPad.
Apple iPad Mini is powered by Dual Core A5 processor clocked at 1GHz along with PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU and 512MB of RAM. This is the first reason that worries us about purchasing the iPad Mini given that it features a last generation processor of Apple A5, which went out in circulation two generations before with the introduction of Apple A6X. However, we shouldn’t forget that Apple can now modify their processors in-house. It works seamlessly at light tasks, but games seem to take some time to initialize which can be an indication of the performance it can offer.
This miniature version of iPad has dimensions of 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.28 inches that can fit in to your hand very well. Especially the keyboard feels way more comfortable compared to the Apple iPhone line. The basic version only has Wi-Fi connectivity whereas the more expensive and higher end ones offer 4G LTE connectivity as an addition. It comes in different sizes ranging from 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. Apple has included a 5MP camera at the back of this miniature version that can capture 1080p HD videos which is a good improvement. The 1.2MP from facing camera can be used with Facetime for video conferencing. As speculated, it uses the new lightning connector and comes in either Black or White.
A Brief Comparison Between Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 and Apple iPad Mini
• Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 is powered by 1.6GHz Quad Core processor with 2GB of RAM while Apple iPad Mini is powered by 1GHz Dual Core A5 processor with PowerVR SGX543 GPU and 512MB of RAM.
• Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 runs on Android OS v4.1.2 Jelly Bean while Apple iPad Mini runs on Apple iOS 6.
• Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 sports 8.0 TFT Capacitive touchscreen display featuring a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels at a pixel density of 189ppi while Apple iPad Mini has 7.9 inch IPS capacitive touchscreen featuring a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels at a pixel density of 163ppi.
• Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 has 5MP camera that can capture 1080p HD videos @ 30 fps while Apple iPad Mini has 5MP camera that can capture 1080p HD videos @ 30 fps.
• Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 doesn’t offer 4G LTE connectivity while Apple iPad Mini offers a version with 4G LTE connectivity.
• Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 is bigger, thicker and heftier (210.8 x 135.9 mm / 8 mm / 338g) than Apple iPad Mini (200 x 134.7 mm / 7.2 mm / 308g).
Conclusion
The comparison between these two tablets is incomplete without the respective pricing information. As such we can only compare the specs on paper and leave the decision up to you, when the pricing information is released. Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 is obviously faster and better than Apple iPad Mini comparing the specs. It also offers a better display panel with a better aspect ratio which would make your life easier. Apple iPad Mini is relatively avant-grade compared to their signature product Apple iPad. In contrast, Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 offers almost the same functionality as their signature product line although the display panel is an exception. However, we have a doubt with the battery capacity and how long can one survive with that 4600mAh battery with a power hungry quad core processor. In any case, we’ll know soon enough and then with the information about pricing, you can make your decision on which product you need to lay your hands on.