Inexpensive tablets are not a bad thing at all. Sure, they are not exactly the most technologically advanced gadgets but they serve the due purpose as being a necessary extra screen, be it for productivity or just having fun.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 is one such device but it still has a high quality, weighted form factor you would expect on a premium tablet, proving Samsung will not skimp on the design even here.
Solid build
The 10.4-inch display is accompanied by a thin-film-transistor (TFT) with a 2000 x 1200 widescreen ultra extended graphics array display. True to the Galaxy series, Samsung has made sure the display here is crystal clear and comfortable, with not too much contrast. The bezels are quite large which is not a let-down, given you’ll be holding the device with both hands to avoid touching the display by mistake. However, you will have to look at this device straight on while using it, otherwise, it is not too clear. Other tablets such as the premium Galaxy Tab S7 do not have this issue, but this is a small compromise.
Unlocking the device is standard with a PIN and fingerprint sensor, both of which work quite well but I decided to go ahead with facial recognition on this one – and it works impressively well, with no lags whatever the angle or distance; I tested the facial recognition at three feet away and it worked! I am not sure if I should be too worried about that, though, this is ideal for someone who is not as comfortable with tech and wants a lockable device without the hassle of PIN re-entry.
To the test
I wanted to avoid the temptation of infinite scroll or productivity on this tablet so I did not install the usual suspects: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google Docs, and the likes. I wanted this device to have a single purpose: entertainment. I wanted to put the battery, speakers and display to the test here; and the Galaxy Tab A7 passes with flying colours.
- Dimensions: 247.6 x 157.4 x 7 mm (9.75 x 6.20 x 0.28 in)
- Weight: 476 g (Wi-Fi); 477 g (LTE) (1.05 lb)
- Size: 10.4 inches, 307.9 cm2 (~79.0% screen-to-body ratio)
- Resolution: 1200 x 2000 pixels, 5:3 ratio (~224 ppi density)
- Platform: Chipset Qualcomm SM6115 Snapdragon 662 (11 nm) ; CPU Octa-core (4x2.0 GHz Kryo 260 Gold & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 260 Silver) ; GPU Adreno 610
- Cameras: Main: Single 8 MP, AF , Video 1080p@30fps ; Front: Single 5 MP, Video 1080p@30fps
While watching an episode of Chernobyl , I was impressed by the true-tone colours: greys that are unique to the series’ settings were not choppy while the occasional bursts of bright colour were not an unpleasant pixelation. Oftentimes, there are tablet displays that do not compute these tone shifts but the Galaxy Tab A7 does this well. Also, the screen ratio lends to better use of display real estate; there were no annoying black bars when watching films and videos. After watching all of Chernobyl and some YouTube videos, I noticed there was no need to charge up, proving there is a lot of pull power with the 7,040mAh battery along with the Octa-core processor.
The Galaxy Tab A7 can be used in vertical orientation but since that was not my intention, I did not find any need for it. However, you will notice there is a split-second lag from when you switch orientation, which I appreciated as the otherwise ‘with movement’ switches can be dizzying and annoying if your auto-rotate is on.
The quad-speaker setup offered a comfortable pseudo-surround sound experience without any shrillness. Even just for playing music, it’s a great device without needing to connect to an external speaker. Plus, there is a – thank goodness – AUX headphone jack for those wanting a less disturbing bingeing session.
Other features
Those who want to turn their Galaxy Tab A7 into a graphics tablet can spend a little extra on an S-Pen or even a standard stylus. The screen is fairly responsive but do not expect the latency you would get with an iPad or the higher-end Samsung Galaxy tablets.
I did not pay much attention to the cameras — I rarely do with tablets, unless I’m using an Augmented Reality feature. The Galaxy Tab A7’s cameras are nothing to write home about, and I used my primary laptop and phone for video calls instead of this so the quality (though not great) was not something by which I was too bothered.
Full impressions? For those not wanting to splurge on a posh tablet but still wanting a high-performing one, the Galaxy Tab A7 is one I’d be recommending to anyone, whatever ecosystem they are comfortable with. Currently retailing for ₹21,999, it is a steal – one for the long haul.