THE SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 10.1 is the latest device to try to pinch some of Apple's share of the tablet market. Samsung is clearly hoping that its tablet with an included stylus and several pre-loaded productivity apps will be able to woo creative types away from the latest Apple Ipad, but will they really be able to resist that gorgeous Retina display?
DesignThe two tablets, besides their suspiciously similar rectangular shapes with rounded corners and identical black and white colour options, couldn't be any more different in terms of design. The new Apple Ipad is crafted from weighty aluminium, while the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 is built entirely from lightweight plastic.
While we much prefer holding Samsung's tablet, which weighs 600g compared to the Ipad's 652g, the latest Apple Ipad exudes luxury, and feels worth its £400 price tag. Apple is famous for creating devices with an expensive, high-end feel, and the new Apple Ipad is no exception.
The Galaxy Note 10.1, on the other hand, although seemingly resistant to scratches and dents, doesn't feel worth its £400 pricing. The tablet's glossy white casing means, unlike the Ipad, the tablet doesn't feel like it deserves Samsung's 'flagship' title.
Winner: Apple Ipad.
Screen
On paper, the new Apple Ipad touts a 9.7in IPS LED backlit 2048x1536 resolution Retina display, while the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 features a larger 10.1in 1290x800 resolution PLS TFT display.
The Ipad's display is famously unequaled for image clarity and sharpness. As pointed out in our new Apple Ipad review, the screen boasts an overwhelming fineness of detail, as well as great video playback, good viewing angles and rich colour contrast.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1's display impressed us too during our hands-on testing. While it might not sound all that great on paper, we found the screen plenty bright enough and vibrantly colourful, and it also boasts great viewing angles.
However, it's impossible to award this point to any tablet other than the Apple Ipad. Although Samsung has built its tablet with a decent enough screen, the Ipad's Retina display blows all competition, including the Galaxy Note 10.1, out of the water.The Ipad wins on responsiveness too, as we found a couple of issues with the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. The Samsung tablet's main selling point is its included stylus, which while excellent for fans of doodling, highlights that the handset isn't fully optimised for touch. On a few occasions, we found switching from using the stylus to our finger meant the screen took a few seconds to respond. That said, for those who are fond of using a stylus, switch this point to a Samsung win.
Operating system and software
Comparing IOS and Android is always tricky, because most people already know which operating system (OS) they prefer. Still, for those looking to buy their first tablet with no preference for either OS, it's interesting to note that these two tablets offer different experiences. Really, really different experiences.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) skinned with Samsung's Touchwiz user interface and offers a very lively, customisable home screen, but one that can be a little tricky to get your head around. However, some users might be won over by the fact that, thanks to the included stylus, the tablet's software enables users to draw on the screen.
The new Apple Ipad, on the other hand, runs IOS 5, offering a very simple user interface that's easy to use and thousands of tablet optimised apps. IOS is also great for those who already own an Iphone or a Macbook, as Apple's Icloud service can sync content seamlessly across Apple devices.
If you're looking for an easy to use, nice to look at tablet with plenty of apps, we'd recommend opting for the Apple Ipad, but for those who love to tweak and be creative, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 is a surefire winner.
Winner: Draw.
Performance
Apple's new Ipad comes with a dual-core A5X Apple designed chip paired with a quad-core graphics processor. The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 certainly sounds more impressive on paper, however, with Samsung's 1.4GHz quad-core Exynos chipset.
It might sound faster on paper, but we did notice some performance issues with the Galaxy Note 10.1. Not only does its touchscreen struggle to switch between stylus and finger input, we often found the device slow to open applications, and Google's Chrome web browser was often slow to load media heavy webpages.
We didn't notice any performance issues with the new Ipad during our hands-on testing, as unlike on Android, all apps have been optimised to work specifically on that device - hence why Apple opted against configuring its tablet with a quad-core chipset.
Accessories
Samsung has bundled the tablet with an included S Pen, worth £70 if purchased separately. You don't need to worry about losing it either, as it slots into a handy compartment built into the device. Although we had some issues with touch input, the stylus did prove excellent for taking notes, annotating websites and drawing the occasional doodle - even if the bundled graphics software application is not all that great for graphics professionals.
The Apple Ipad, on the other hand, doesn't ship with any accessories, although we did test one out with an Apple Smart Cover, which set us back £30. The Smart Cover is a good add-on, acting as both a cover and a stand. Still, you can't beat a freebie.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1.
Battery life and storage
The two tablets are fairly well matched when it comes to battery life. The new Apple Ipad easily lasts two days with moderate to heavy usage, and the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 manages to match it.
However, there's a clear winner when it comes to storage. We tested both the 16GB Apple Ipad and the 16GB Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. As is well publicised, the Ipad doesn't come with the option of expanding its storage via microSD, which means that 16GB is your lot. Samsung's tablet, on the other hand, comes with an included microSD slot, allowing you to expand its internal storage up to an additional 64GB. Thanks to Samsung's partnership with Dropbox, users can also take advantage of 50GB of free cloud storage.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1.
Overall winner: Apple Ipad.A battle between the Apple Ipad and Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 is a fair match, as both tablets retail for £400 and both claim to be able to carry out the same tasks to a high standard. However, although Samsung managed to snatch the last two points, the Apple Ipad way outshone the Samsung tablet, boasting a better screen, a more luxurious design and better performance.
Saying that, we can't help but think that the Galaxy Note 10.1 is a great tablet for creative types. Although its software isn't quite up to scratch for graphics professionals, we couldn't get enough of doodling on its screen.
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