Samsung announces Galaxy Tab 3, fails to unseat Nexus 7

[Bateluer]

http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/0...udget-grade-specs-in-a-giant-smartphone-body/

The Galaxy Tab 3 continues Samsung's positioning of the 7-inch size as a budget device, with hardware specs that are barely a bump over the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 (P3100 model). The power, such as it is, comes from a dual-core 1.2Ghz processor of unknown design. Now that Texas Instruments (the provider for the P3100's 1Ghz processor) is all but gone from the mobile market, it will probably be one of the cheaper Exynos or Snapdragon chipsets. A disappointing 1GB of RAM is standard, with 8GB and 16GB storage capacities plus Samsung's usual MicroSD card slot. Cameras are a lukewarm 3MP rear and 1.3MP front-facing. Perhaps most disappointing is the fact that the Galaxy Tab 3 will have the same 1024x600 resolution that the original Froyo-powered Galaxy Tab had way back in 2010.

I was half expecting the Tab 3 lineup to follow the same design language as the GS3, GS4, Note 2, and Note 8, but I admit, I was expecting something a little beefier than that. Unless you absolutely have to have the MicroSD slot, the Nexus 7 is a better buy all on aspects.

Jeebus, Samsung, you have the resources to make better devices than this junk.

 

[Dari]

Maybe it'll break the $100 barrier...

 

[Puddle Jumper]

No comment until we know the SoC, Exynos 5250 did show up in the Mega after all.

 

[Red Storm]

I do not understand why this product exists.

 

[Bateluer]

No comment until we know the SoC, Exynos 5250 did show up in the Mega after all.

That would be an improvement, but if it did have the Exynos 5250, why hide it? Unless US versions sport different SoCs then International models, which also doesn't make sense for WiFi tablets.

I do not understand why this product exists.

Because low priced tablets sell well. Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HDs.

 

[Red Storm]

This is doubly confusing considering we're less than a month away from a new Nexus tablet.

 

[Bateluer]

This is doubly confusing considering we're less than a month away from a new Nexus tablet.

This too. If I recall the time frames right, Samsung launched the Tab 2s right before the original Nexus 7 launch.

 

[s44]

Jeebus, Samsung, you have the resources to make better devices than this junk.

Well yeah, and you own one.

Not changing the panel is the big problem here.

 

[Bateluer]

Well yeah, and you own one.

Not changing the panel is the big problem here.

I don't own a Tab 3.
I own a Note 8, different animal.

 

[dagamer34]

1024x600. That's all anyone needs to know.

 

[Oyeve]

Really Samsung? REALLY? Ug, I am disappointed.Unless this thing is $75 its DOA.

 

[s44]

I don't own a Tab 3.
I own a Note 8, different animal.

No kidding. You mentioned "better devices". Note is higher end, Tab lower.

 

[Red Storm]

1024x600. That's all anyone needs to know.

*barf*

 

[lopri]

Is this going to be ~$100? It looks like Samsung is clearing left-over inventories of parts.

 

[Ravynmagi]

No comment until we know the SoC, Exynos 5250 did show up in the Mega after all.

It has a 1024x600 resolution display... Something tells me the SoC won't be an Exynos 5.

 

[lopri]

Really Samsung? REALLY? Ug, I am disappointed.Unless this thing is $75 its DOA.

Yah that's what I'm thinking. I'd buy one for $75 but not for much more.

 

[Ravynmagi]

Android manufactures have tossed in the towel in the tablet market. They are waving the white flag.

They are just going to yield the $500+ market to the iPad, the $330 area to the iPad mini, and even the $200-250 are to the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD.

ASUS, Samsung, and the rest have tucked tail between the legs and are going to literally drown us in POS sub $200 tablets.

And I'm so ****ing disappointed, tears are dripping on my iPad 4 now. I so want a really great 7 or 10 inch Android tablet and it just is not happening.

 

[Oyeve]

I guess I will continue using my tab 2 7" until a real device comes out in the 7" area. Sad.

 

[bearxor]

Android manufactures have tossed in the towel in the tablet market. They are waving the white flag.

They are just going to yield the $500+ market to the iPad, the $330 area to the iPad mini, and even the $200-250 are to the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD.

ASUS, Samsung, and the rest have tucked tail between the legs and are going to literally drown us in POS sub $200 tablets.

And I'm so ****ing disappointed, tears are dripping on my iPad 4 now. I so want a really great 7 or 10 inch Android tablet and it just is not happening.

This is kind of what I was thinking. HTC barely even existed in the tablet market. Motorola got a strong start but fizzled quickly. Samsung looks like it's just throwing whatever is at the top of it's surplus parts bin out there. Asus and Acer cater to the more techie crowd, but I don't believe either made a splash in the market. Meanwhile, the N7 and Kindle Fire series seem like runaway hits, relatively speaking.

Obviously, the high-end market belongs to Apple. But that's kind of where Apple's always thrived anyways.

I'd imagine there'd be plenty of competition in the sub $300 market, but I think Apple could probably destroy it by introducing a iPad Mini 2 @ $329 and sliding the iPad Mini down to $229.

 

[lopri]

Whatever the heck happened to Xperia Z Tablet? MIA?

 

[Mr. Pedantic]

Sounds like one of those cheap, crappy no-name tablets that break a week in. The only thing going for it from what I've read is the name Samsung.

 

[Oyeve]

Sounds like one of those cheap, crappy no-name tablets that break a week in. The only thing going for it from what I've read is the name Samsung.

Shh, dont tell Dari!

 

[QueBert]

1024x600. That's all anyone needs to know.

Imho for 7" that's good, you don't need 1080p on a screen of that size. 720p on a 13" laptop's great.

I scratch my head at people who need a pocket-able or close to it device that has the same resolution as their 52" TV. I'll take a good quality 1024x600 SLCD screen over a 1080p AMOLED.

 

[Red Storm]

Imho for 7" that's good, you don't need 1080p on a screen of that size. 720p on a 13" laptop's great.

I scratch my head at people who need a pocket-able or close to it device that has the same resolution as their 52" TV. I'll take a good quality 1024x600 SLCD screen over a 1080p AMOLED.

LOL

 

[Ravynmagi]

Imho for 7" that's good, you don't need 1080p on a screen of that size. 720p on a 13" laptop's great.

I scratch my head at people who need a pocket-able or close to it device that has the same resolution as their 52" TV. I'll take a good quality 1024x600 SLCD screen over a 1080p AMOLED.

I've used a Nook Color and Nexus 7 side by side. And 1024x600 was good enough in 2011, it's pretty much crap in 2013. I agree I don't need 1920x1080, but 1280x800 really is a minimum for an acceptable viewing experience on a 7 inch screen.