Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 – Camera

The Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 has two cameras, the norm for any high-quality tablet. It seems to use the same 8-megapixel rear camera and 2-megapixel front camera array as the other top-end Samsung tabs like the Note Pro 12.2.

While not up with Samsung’s best phones in terms of image quality, they’re much better than the tablet average. Here’s a sample of what it’s capable of in terms of detail:

1:1 Pixel Crop Comparison

Yep, it certainly looks like these three use the same camera sensor/lens. Interestingly, the difference in white balance may be down in part to the different image signal processor of the Tab Pro 8.4. Then again, it might just be slightly different weather conditions.

We think a tablet like this is much too big to be used as an everyday camera, but otherwise it offers pretty good shooting. There’s very little shutter lag, focusing is snappy and you get a few additional modes. There’s HDR, panorama and Beauty Face, as well a bunch of burst modes that let you do things like remove objects, and pick from a whole load of rapid shots for shooting fast action.

The Tab Pro 10.1 also has an LED flash, which some tablets lack. The Tab Pro 10.1’s front camera isn’t too bad either – you don’t need more for standard video chat, much as some phones are starting to use higher-resolution 5-megapixel front cameras for better selfies.

Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 – Battery Life and Speakers

The Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 has a non-removable 8220mAh battery. It lasts for around 10 hours of video playback, which is pretty standard for a tablet of this size. The Xperia Z2 Tablet, for instance, puts in a similar performance.

However, it is a way off what you get with an iPad Air, which will last for a solid 13 hours off a charge when playing video. Part of this is down to the efficiency of iOS, part down to processor power optimisation. Still, the Tab Pro 10.1 doesn’t do badly.

Its internal speakers are a little disappointing, though. Like the Note 10.1 2014 Edition, it uses stereo speakers that fire out of each side of the tablet. Having stereo sound is good for games and films, but the sound is a little thin, and gets harsh at top volume. We hope to see this improved in the next generation of Samsung tablets.

Anything Else to Consider?

We’re looking at the £325 Wi-Fi only version of the Tab Pro 10.1, but there is also a 4G version of the tablet, which costs a fair bit more. At the time of writing, you have to pay around £449-499 for that, which is a much poorer deal than the £330 of the Wi-Fi edition.

It’s also worth shopping around for the Wi-Fi edition, as prices for the tablet vary significantly online.

Should I buy the Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1?

Now that tablets offer high pixel densities at just about all sizes, the old idea that 10 inches is the ‘normal’ size for a tablet is out of date. Many of you may be happier with a smaller tablet, especially given that at least in this case there’s no provision for using a keyboard, beyond a standard Bluetooth one.

However, if you’re sure about the 10-inch size, the Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 is a solid, and fairly-priced option. Screen sharpness and colour accuracy is better than in the Xperia Z2 Tablet, and the Tab Pro 10.1 costs a solid £70 less. That’s a significant saving.

The Tab Pro 10.1 isn’t terribly cool, and it’s not quite as much of a bargain as something like the LG G Pad or the Nexus 7, but it is a good tablet. Especially if you’re willing to fiddle with Android a bit to get the interface optimised.

Verdict

The Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 isn’t a tablet that will instill gadget lust the way an iPad Air might, but a good screen and reasonable size make it a solid option. However, we wouldn’t rely on it as a laptop-replacement.

Next, look at our round-up of the best tablets

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