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  • Introduction

  • Design & Usability

  • Performance

  • Conclusion

  • Science Introduction

  • Screen Performance

  • Battery Life

  • Introduction
  • Design & Usability
  • Performance
  • Conclusion
  • Science Introduction
  • Screen Performance
  • Battery Life

Introduction

Design & Usability

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Samsung crammed a lot into this 7-inch tablet.

One of the best things about having a tablet that doesn't cater to those who want a 9-inch-plus screen is the fact that it is much lighter and a lot easier to hold in one hand. Another cool feature of the {{product.model}} is that you can actually use motion to control your tablet if you elect to, and the lightness of the unit itself helps facilitate this greatly without making the handling feel weird.

You can actually use motion to control your tablet if you elect to

Aside from the volume and power buttons, all of your interactions with the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus are going to happen through the capacitive touchscreen. The touchscreen is very responsive, and the Galaxy Tab Plus uses the Android 3.2 Honeycomb operating system, which you can explore more in-depth here.

In addition to having an internal 802.11n wireless card and the standard 3.5mm headset jack, the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus also has Bluetooth connectivity, and an IR blaster to control your home theater or other IR-enabled devices. Unfortunately, it does not have any video output ports like a micro-HDMI port, nor does it have a full USB port.

{{photo_gallery "Front Image", "Back Image", "Side Image", "Front Size Comparison", "Packaging Contents Image", "Handling Front Image", "Handling Side Image"}}

Performance

The Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus is loaded with features.

The {{ products(50fa2fa596ab5860160c76ac).name }} is built around a 3.5625 x 6.0625-inch screen, with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. Sure, it's no retina display, but it gets the job done, even for its tiny size. Despite the fact that most tablets use an IPS (in-plane switching) display, the {{products(50fa2fa596ab5860160c76ac).name }} uses a WSVGA plane-to-line switching (PLS) display, which allegedly affords it 10% better screen brightness and a wide viewing angle.

Sure, it's no retina display, but it gets the job done.

Because the screen of the {{ products(50fa2fa596ab5860160c76ac).name }} is so ridiculously reflective, coupled with the fact that the backlight is so weak, it is a very poor option—as far as tablets go—to take out into the world when the screen is subjected to anything close to direct sunlight. Since backlit LCD displays rely on a strong backlight to make their image seen rather than using ambient light (like eReaders), bright external light sources will make the screen of the {{products(50fa2fa596ab5860160c76ac).name }} look washed out.

Recently re-branded as the Play Store, the former Android Market is the second most popular app retailer, and is lauded by many as it rapidly gains ground on Apple's App Store. While it doesn't have the raw numbers to rival Apple's competitive market, it does have some apps that help unlock the full potential of a tablet's hardware that are often blocked in Apple's closed-system.

Conclusion

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If you're in the market for a small tablet, this is an interesting pick.

All things considered, you could do far worse for the money you'd shell out for the {{product.name}}. Not only does it have average performance for a tablet, it does so at a reduced price, and with a greater array of wireless options. While the screen size might deter people, the improved hardware over the last iteration of the Samsung Galaxy Tab should turn some heads.

The battery will not last for a full inter-continental flight

There are a few low points, like the screen performance and poor battery life that should give any prospective tablet buyer pause. Not only will the image on the {{product.name}} be very tough to see on a bright day, but even in a well-lit room you will have issues. On top of that, the battery will not last for a full inter-continental flight, so you may want to look elsewhere if you want a long-lasting battery.

Overall, the {{product.name}} is great if you want an Android 3.2 device that won't break the bank. It isn't terribly awkward to hold, doesn't sacrifice image quality in the performance department, and can function as a universal remote. It has its shortcomings, but what tablet doesn't? If you've read the review and are still enthusiastic about the device, have fun with it.

Science Introduction

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A fairly average performance for a tablet, with a relatively poor battery life.

Screen Performance

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Low contrast and brightness performance, high reflectivity

While the screen size of the {{product.model}} is very small compared to many other tablets (3.5625 x 6.0625 inches), the resolution (1024 x 600 pixels) affords it a higher-than-average dots-per-inch (DPI) of 169. While it's not as huge of an improvement on resolution as say, the new iPad, it's still a nice bump if you're watching movies on this thing. The {{product.name}} reflects a high amount of light, making it a very bad choice to take with you outside, or even in a well-lit area. The situation is also exacerbated by the fact that the reflection pattern is also very sharp and distracting.

With a black level of 0.24 cd/m2 and a peak brightness of 237.51 cd/m2 , the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus has a decent contrast ratio of 990:1, but will disappoint in other areas, specifically when you take it outside. While this performance is okay for a mediocre television set, it's fairly bad for a tablet, which is meant to work well in several different lighting conditions.

Like most tablets, the {{product.name}} has a fairly poor color gamut, with undersaturated reds and greens, and a highly shifted blue value. Compared to an HDTV, this is a poor performance; the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus does an average job compared to other Android tablets.

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Battery Life

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Not too great battery life, and very little you can do to extend it.

In our labs, the {{product.name}} was able to read an eBook continuously for 6 hours and 22 minutes, and play back video continuously for 5 hours and 29 minutes with the Wi-Fi disabled, and all additional processes terminated. While this isn't the greatest result we've ever recorded, it's fairly good for something as small as the {{product.name}}, making it a good fit for a commuter. This is fairly disappointing for anyone looking for more, especially when you consider the fact that the screen is not that bright to begin with, so squeezing more battery life out of the tablet will be difficult at best.

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Meet the tester

Chris Thomas

Chris Thomas

Staff Writer, Imaging

@cthomas8888

A seasoned writer and professional photographer, Chris reviews cameras, headphones, smartphones, laptops, and lenses. Educated in Political Science and Linguistics, Chris can often be found building a robot army, snowboarding, or getting ink.

See all of Chris Thomas's reviews

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