Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1: At First Glance
Three years after the release of Samsung’s 2016 tablet, the South-Korean company decided to upgrade the Tab A 10.1. Instead of giving it a different name, the 2019 model goes with the same “Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1” name.
The only possible way of distinguishing both devices is by their distinct year of release. However, in this review, we are about to find out if there’s more to distinguish than just their year of release.
Also interested in our findings? Do well to read till the end!
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1: Design, Dimensions, and Weight
A metal unibody is what you get on the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1. This is a noticeable upgrade over its predecessor – the 2016 Tab A 10.1 with its plastic body.
For a metal body device, you might expect that the 2019 Tab A 10.1 is heavy in hand. In an actual sense, that’s not the case at all.
This tablet weighs 469 g and that’s heavier than its predecessor that weighs 525 g even with its plastic body. Interestingly, Tab A 10.1 (2019) weighs the same as Apple’s iPad 6 (2018).
Asides from weight, its height, width, and depth are other features that give you an idea of what it’s like holding a device. Having established that, our review unit has a dimension of 245.2 x 149.4 x 7.5 mm which refers to the height, width, and depth respectively.
Notably, this model has a depth of 7.5mm which is slimmer than the 8.5mm depth of its previous model. To be exact, Tab A 10.1 (2016) has a dimension of 254.2 x 155.3 x 8.2 mm.
Comparatively, the iPad 6 shares the same dimensions as Tab A 10.1 (2019). From that comparison, it’s best to describe this 2019 Samsung tablet as a mid-level alternative to the iPad.
Apparently, the weight of the Samsung Tab A 10.1 (2019) wouldn’t burden you. This means that you don’t have to worry about holding this tablet in your hands for a long while working.
Another slim thing about this tablet is the bezels. To be more specific, this model has slimmer bezels than its predecessor.
For a tablet, this Tab A 10.1 (2019) has slim bezels on the sides and thick bezels at the top and lower end of the surface.
Occupying the center of the top bezel is the front-facing camera. Unlike the previous model which had the home, recent and back keys on the lower bezel, this new model doesn’t have physical buttons.
Instead, this new 2019 model has the home, recent and back keys on-screen – not on the lower bezel.
It’s important to note that these bezels are not as slim as what you’ll find in a smartphone. All the same, the bezels are just the right size so you can hold the edges of the screen without touching the screen itself.
On a different note, the aesthetics of this tablet is visible in whichever color variant you purchase. These variants include black, gold or and silver.
Moving on, I’ll be highlighting the components surrounding the body of this tablet. When the tablet is in a portrait position, you’ll see the two bottom-firing speakers.
Comparatively, the sound quality of this tablet cannot be compared to that of the Samsung S5E which has four speakers. Having just two speakers on Tab A 10.1 (2019) means the sound quality changes depending on the position of the tablet.
This means you’ll have to make sure the speakers are not covered up if you must have fairly good sound quality. Another thing you’ll notice around the speaker is the USB Type-C charging port which is between those two speakers.
The inclusion of a USB Type-C is a commendable upgrade on this new model telling us it’s truly a 2019 device. This is because the previous model had the typical micro-USB charging port as expected for a 2016 device.
Still in the tablet’s portrait mode, there’s the volume control, power button, and microSD card slot on the right. Do not bother searching for a SIM card slot because this tablet does not have one.
Notably, the Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019) is a Wi-Fi tablet. This means you can only get a network connection by using a Wi-Fi connection with this device.
With the idea that tablets were created as secondary devices for its users, using only Wi-Fi should not be difficult. Moving on, a headphone jack is not missing in this device because you’ll find it at the top.
When you turn over this tablet, there’s really not much to see. There’s the “Samsung” text logo at the center of the tablet’s back.
Right above that logo is a rear-facing camera lens on the top left part of the tablet.
As a whole, this Samsung tablet is lightweight and also has additional premium features except for its one-sided speakers. These design features make the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 worth an eight out of ten in this review.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1: Display Features
To make this tablet budget-friendly, Samsung had to make some compromises. This is quite noticeable with the display features on the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1.
These include a display resolution of Full HD (1920 x 1080), IPS LCD display type, and 10.1-inch display size. Speaking of compromises, the display resolution and display size are just right for a tablet.
However, the compromise becomes noticeable in the display type. To be precise, Samsung didn’t include the usual AMOLED display type we’re used to seeing from the South Korean company.
What you get instead is an IPS LCD display type. On second thought, it is quite expected that Samsung wouldn’t feature the more expensive AMOLED screen on a tablet at this price point.
All the same, the display quality of this IPS LCD is not unbearable. In fact, color reproduction is great and viewing angles are also great as it retains the clarity of the screen even as you tilt the device.
Back to the resolution, this tablet’s full HD display resolution is clear and legible. You don’t have to worry about seeing visual information in detail.
As regards display size, this 10.1-inch screen is just the right fit for getting the right amount of views. Whether it’s to read in the dark or in bright light environments, this display is on par.
In a word, this tab has an overall good display that lets you see everything legibly. What seemed like a huge compromise is an understandable feature that had to be included.
Considering all that, I will rate the display features of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 an eight in this section of the review.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1: Camera Features
Time and time again, tablets have not proved to be reliable in the camera department as we see in smartphones. The case of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019) is among the bulk of tablets with average cameras.
Focusing on its camera features, the Tab A 10.1 has an 8 MP rear-facing camera with ƒ/2.0 aperture. For the front-facing camera, there’s a 5 MP lens with ƒ/2.2 aperture.
As regards performance, the 8 MP rear-facing camera takes a somewhat clear and pleasing shot in good lighting conditions. Although, expect some blurry details here and there.
Furthermore, the rear-facing camera on Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 has the autofocus feature which is unexpected on such a low-budget tablet. This is unexpected because low-budget tablets are not the best when it comes to camera features commonly found in smartphones.
On the downside though, Samsung excluded an LED flash at the rear of this camera. This is disappointing because the flash would have aided in taking good pictures in low-light situations.
Speaking of which, shots in low light are blurry, underexposed, and not as usable as shots taken in good lighting.
Moving on, the front-facing camera doesn’t perform so differently from the rear-facing camera.
To be exact, this 5 MP camera lens takes decent photos in good lighting conditions, but it equally struggles in low light. In essence, both cameras produce good-looking pictures for a tablet at this price point.
In the aspect of video recording, both cameras can record videos well up to 1080p. However, there’s no image stabilization to make those videos clear, so you’ll have to keep your hands very steady as you record.
In brief, the cameras on tablets don’t perform anything close to recent smartphones, which is expected. This in turn makes the camera features of this tablet just right.
On that note, the camera features of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 are deserving of an eight in this review section.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1: Battery Life and Talk Time
Powering the Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019) is a 6150 mAh non-removable battery. For some funny reason, this model has a smaller battery compared to the 7300 mAh battery of its previous model.
We’re not sure why Samsung would reduce battery size for a tablet that’s supposed to exceed its predecessor. Regardless, battery life will tell just what this 2019 model can do.
Speaking of which, expect the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019) to last 12 hours on continuous web browsing with Wi-Fi. The 2016 model on the other hand performs better spanning as long as almost 14 hours on continuous web browsing.
Such a difference in battery life is not a surprise with the fact that the older model has a larger battery size than its more recent model. Still in comparison, the Apple iPad 6 (2018) performs the same as the Tab A 10.1 (2019) lasting up to 12 hours on continuous web browsing.
Surprisingly, the more expensive Samsung S5E despite its larger 7040 mAh battery, doesn’t beat the Tab A 10.1 (2019). To be precise, the S5E lasts up to 9 hours on continuous web browsing.
One major reason why the larger battery of the S5E would underperform as compared to Tab A 10.1 is the difference in display. This is because the AMOLED display type of the S5E consumes more battery than the IPS display of the Galaxy Tab A 10.1.
Apparently, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019) is not the strongest in battery life. Irrespective of that, it’s realistic to say that this tablet can last a day on average use.
After a full day of use, when you need to charge this tablet, however, forget about a fast charging feature. The Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019) takes about 5 hours in getting a full charge.
Such a long time in charging this device is a result of the absence of a fast-charging feature. The battery life of this tablet is adequate however, waiting a whole 5 hours to get a full charge is just too much.
Having highlighted the battery features of Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1, the battery features of this tablet are best rated with a seven in this review section.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1: Storage Options and Performance
In the aspect of storage, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019) comes with 3 storage options you can choose from. These choices include the 32 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB variants of this tablet.
As you may have guessed, all three variants do not come at the same price. The cheapest of all three is the smallest size which is 32 GB, while the 64 GB and 128 GB would cost you a little more cash.
The advantage of having different storage options for this tablet means you get the opportunity to purchase the storage size most relevant to you. Fortunately, irrespective of whatever storage size you go for, there’s room for expandable storage.
In simple terms, you can expand the storage size of the Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019) with the use of a microSD card. According to Samsung, this tablet can take up to 512 GB more storage.
For the most part, the storage size and capacity of this tablet are well enough and expected. Ultimately, the storage features of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 are worth an eight in this review.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1: Security Features and Sensors
Sensors are very much expected in smartphones and tablets, after all, that’s what makes them smart devices. Unfortunately, there’s nothing much to say about the sensors on the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019).
To be exact, there’s just one sensor on this device which is the accelerometer sensor. To provide clarity, the accelerometer is one common sensor in both smartphones and tablets.
As for its function, this sensor is responsible for how autorotation is made possible. By measuring velocity, the accelerometer communicates to the tablet screen when to rotate and in what direction.
Despite the important function of the accelerometer sensor, it is not the only sensor out there. Some other relevant sensors should have been added to this tablet.
A good example of such a sensor is the hall sensor. This hall sensor is one common sensor in tablets because you get to see it at work when using a flip case on a tablet.
For clarity, the hall sensor is responsible for how a tablet’s screen wakes when you open a flip case. When you close this case, the tablet screen equally goes to sleep.
Such a missing feature makes the Samsung Tab A 10.1 (2019) less interesting to use with a flip case.
Interestingly, the previous model also had just the accelerometer sensor to its sensors features. It appears Samsung didn’t see the need to upgrade the tablet’s sensors features.
All in all, the sensor features of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 are worth a seven in this review section. My reason for giving that rating is that there’s nothing remarkable about the sensors of this tablet.
Frequently Asked Questions
This tablet comes with only 2 GB of RAM.
Yes. This tablet is worth buying if you are on a budget and you need a cheaper alternative to the iPad.
No. This is a Wi-Fi tablet which means it relies on Wi-Fi connectivity, not a SIM card.
The battery life of this tablet can last a whole day of moderate use.
Yes. Despite coming with Android 9 out of the box, this tablet can be upgraded to android 10.
Conclusion
To sum up, the big question is, should you consider buying the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019)? In response to that, this is a very decent and well-priced gadget that can be a good alternative to the iPad 6.
If you are on a budget and you need a tablet with good battery life, lightweight feel to your hands, then do well to get the Samsung Tab A 10.1. Comparatively, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S5E is another Samsung product you can consider if you’re really particular about display quality.
To add to that, it’s worth noting that the S5E has four speakers, but doesn’t have a headphone jack so have that in mind.
Fortunately, the S5E has all the necessary sensor features the Tab A 10.1 lacks. If you’re a fan of the fingerprint, face unlock, and hall sensors, you might want to extend your budget and get the S5E instead.
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