The Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 is Samsung's attempt at a 10-inch high-end Android tablet, similarly the Nexus 10 is Google's equivalent. So it would make perfect sense to compare the two, right? That's just what we've done. Here's our Google Nexus 10 vs Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 comparison review.
Nexus 10 vs Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1: Price
Both the Nexus 10 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 come with 16GB and 32GB storage options. The cheapest version of of each tablet are the 16GB models, which are priced at £238 for the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and £319 for the Nexus 10. See also Google Nexus 10 vs Apple iPad 2 comparison review
When you move up to the 32 GB tablets, the price gap shortens a little to £339 for the Samsung tablet and £389 for the Google tablet. See also What's the best tablet PC?
Samsung also offers the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 with 3G connectivity. You can expect to pay £349 for the 16GB 3G model and £439 for the 32GB 3G Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1's. The Google Nexus 10 is not 3G compatible.
It's worth nothing that the Nexus 10's price is subsidised by Google in an attempt to lock customers into spending money in it's Play store, so you really are getting a bargain in terms of its build/spec.
Nexus 10 vs Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1: Dimensions
There's not an awful lot of difference between the Nexus 10 and Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 in terms of size and weight, to the naked eye it would be pretty hard to say which one is bigger/smaller for definite. We can tell you that the the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 is in fact slightly smaller in terms of height and width than Google's tablet, but the Nexus 10 is significantly thinner. The Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 is also 22g lighter.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 measures in at 256.7 x 175.3 x 9.7mm and weighs 581g. The Google Nexus 10 is 263.9 x 177.6 x 8.9mm and weighs 603g.
Nexus 10 vs Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1: Screen
Perhaps the biggest difference between these two tablets is the screens, in this round the Nexus 10 wins hands down.
Both screens are jet over the 10-inch mark, but the real difference can be found by comparing the two's pixels per inch (ppi). The Nexus 10 has just over double the number of pixels, coming in at 300ppi next to the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1's comparatively puny 149ppi.
For the screen nerds out there, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 has a 10.1" WXGA (1280x800) PLS TFT screen, and the Google Nexus 10 has a 10.05" (2560x1600) WQXGA Corning Gorilla Glass 2 screen. To be fair to the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, it looked pretty good during use too, but if it's pimple-showing clarity you're after then the Google Nexus 10 is the tablet for you here.
Nexus 10 vs Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1: Processor and memory
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 has a a dual-core processor running at 1GHz, with 1GB RAM, yet the The Google Nexus 10 comes out on top here again, as it features a 1.7GHz Exynos 5250, a dual-core processor based on the ARM Cortex-A15 architecture, it also has 2GB of RAM.
When we put the two tablets through the GeekBench 2 test the results were as you'd expect with the Nexus 10's better processor enabling it to post the much better score of 2505 compared to the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1's 908. It is worth pointing out that the Nexus 10's GeekBench 2 score is the best we have seen from a tablet to date, even beating the iPad 4.
Nexus 10 vs Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1: Storage
As mentioned above, both tablet are available to buy with 16GB or 32GB of storage. The only difference is that the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 has a SD card which allows you to add an extra 32GB of expandable memory.
Nexus 10 vs Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1: Camera
Using a tablet to take pictures is still a bit of a weird concept to us, nevertheless if your tablet has a camera you're going to want it to be a gooden. In the camera stakes it is yet another round for the more expensive Google Nexus 10, with it's 5Mp rear facing camera and 1.9Mp front facing camera, it also has a flash. The Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 however has no flash and an inferior 3Mp rear facing camera and a VGA front facing camera.
Nexus 10 vs Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1: Connectivity
Both tablets come with 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity as standard. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 can be bought with 3G connectivity too for a little more money, whereas the Nexus 10 doesn't offer this option. The Nexus 10 offers NFC (near field connectivity), while the The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 doesn't.
Nexus 10 vs Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1: Software
Part of the reason Nexus hardware exists is so Google can sell Android devices that are free from manufacturers' clutter/bloatware, and that's exactly what the Nexus 10 and Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 demonstrate. The Nexus 10 is a slick experience, running the latest Android OS, Jelly Bean. The Galaxy Tab is running the previous version of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich, and comes preinstalled with a whole host of what Samsung describes as "Value-added feasts" such as Samsung All Share Play and Samsung Kies. From our time with the two tablets, we can safely say that we prefer the Nexus' experience.
Nexus 10 vs Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1: Battery
The Nexus 10 has the better battery here too, with it's 9000mAh battery giving it the ability to run for a few days of moderate use. That said the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2's 7000mAh battery is no chump either and will easily last well over a day of similar use.
Comments
simon brown said: Regarding printing not true my samsung tablet happily wirelessly prints to an hp photosmart printer
ed said: With expandable memory I can have movies comics books photos music on my memory cards instead of limiting my mobile experience because of the grossly higher prices charged for limited internal storage and subscription plans for cloud services Such scams are designed to make great profits at our expense And I dont need to have my ipad erased because Im loading files from another computer either And I dont have to jump through hoops to transfer filesMy first tablet was an ipad And for the above reasons it will be my last Its not a matter of preference when it comes to getting screwed as it trains the corporations to give us even less for more bucks whilst training us to expect less and do less whilst mobile
Beverly Kurtin said: Fifty gigs of Dropbox comes with the Galaxy making swapping files as easy as anything else Ive ever used Since the Galaxy does not print to anything other than a Samsung printer how stupid can they get Shades of Apple a few years ago I just save a document to Dropbox grab it on my Samsung laptop or show it in my Samsung Galaxy cell phone yeah I like Samsung products and print to my HP Net printerOh course I could do it the easy way by going to Googles Play Store and bring down the appropriate driver but there are times Id rather do thing the hard way
Beverly Kurtin said: As a professional writer when I see a typo I recognize it as such and just go on A plaque on my wall read Accuracy is my mistake I never make a mottoIve been a writer for over 50 years and I still make misnakes from time-to-time which is why I hire an editor to over my work Keep in mind that like you writers are only human
db said: gooden or goodun is an English term A combinedportmanteauof good oneHe only mis-typed the single word what
Alan Eatough said: Bought a Samsung Galaxy Tab2 101 on 12th December last year that promised a 50 Cashback Despite providing the correct purchase and personal info 3 times I am still waiting for the cashback 75 days later So Galaxy Tab 9 out of 10 but Samsung Customer service 0 out of ten Im beginning to think that the cashback offer was a scam I would certainly avoid any future Samsung product that came with a cashback offer
Alan Eatough said: Bought a Samsung Galaxy Tab2 101 on 12th December last year that promised a 50 Cashback Despite providing the correct purchase and personal info 3 times I am still waiting for the cashback 75 days later So Galaxy Tab 9 out of 10 but Samsung Customer service 0 out of ten Im beginning to think that the cashback offer was a scam I would certainly avoid any future Samsung product that came with a cashback offer
Drblodski said: Terrible grammar use of english and style No proof reading Is the writer a journalist
Geoffrey Jackson said: Clearly someone who expects professionalism from an expert You dont have to be a dick about it
Ellsy66 said: It doesnt matter you can get stickmount on Google play once you root which allows you to connect whatever USB drive size to the nexus 10 via small USB to large USB adaptor Nexus 10 wins
Momo said: Clearly a typo You dont have to be a dick about it
Jacob said: The Galaxy Tab 2 101 is Samsungs attempt at a 10-inch high-endAndroid tablet No it isnt That would be the Samsung Galaxy Note 101 which is Samsungs flagship 101 tablet The GT 2 101 is a midrange model designed to be at a lower price point as its predecessor
Dbennettfec said: Also with the Samsung 50 cashback now finished it was a bargain at 188
Marie Brewis said: You can read it nowhttpwwwpcadvisorcoukrev
Reubot said: The Nexus 10 supports USB hosting
Matt Egan said: drum roll About three inchesSerious answer principally the display size and resolotion but also the design build and hardware specification Youve made a good point and we will do a comparison review in a few days
Dee4711 said: what is the diffrence between the nexus 7 and the nexus 10
Kevinwatt1234 said: Either way the nexus 10 is better than the note as well
Kevinwatt1234 said: All a matter of opinion Martin If you are pleased with the display fair enough but the specs however show a clear victory for the nexus 10 in regards to resolution processor and software Yes the nexus 10 has no capability for external storage but that does not make the storage for the nexus 10 insufficient With the 16GB amp 32GB storage availability the nexus 10 is still capable of storing a rather large amount Nowadays we tend to underestimate the amount of storage this really is We always ask for more and more storage which is important for computers but for mobile devices like tablets simple download management allows 1632GB to go a long way
Martin said: I know this is not the right place to ask this but is there an adaptor for the IPad to enable the use of USB sticks amp SD cards as I do with my Galaxy Tab 101