Battle of compact tablets: Apple iPad mini 4- 7.9 inches Vs Samsung Tab S2-8 inches

Tablet market is expanding on yearly basis and it has slowly taken away market share of PC sales as well. Currently, there are compact tablets (7.0-8.0 inch tablets), standard tablets (10.0 inch tablets) and large tablets (12 inch or more in size). Both Apple iPad mini 4 and Samsung Tab S2 fall into the category of compact tablets.

Apple has always focused on uncompromising performance and every device it brings out is better than the previous model. iPad mini 4 has raised the bar once again for competitors. There are limitless possibilities, which one can do with this device. Now iPad mini 4 is thinner and lighter than ever before, yet it is powerful enough to help users to reach their creative potential and make their dreams into reality.

iPad mini 4 is an incremental upgrade from previous model: iPad mini 3. The iPad mini 4 is facing stiff competition from its old rival Samsung, which has launched Galaxy Tab S2 8.0; to compete in compact tablet market. Samsung has also revamped its device and it is successor to popular Tabs S-8.0 inches. The new device incorporates 3 GB of RAM whereas Apple iPad mini 4 has only 2 GB of RAM.

Design:

Samsung has placed a lot of effort in making an absolute sleek and portable design. Samsung Tablet weighs only 9.59 oz (272 g) whereas Apple iPad mini 4 weighs more at 12.03 oz (341 g). Samsung has shed weight off from Samsung tablet but has not compromised on its performance. Distinct feature of Apple iPad mini 4 is Touch ID technology that turns your fingerprint into a perfect unforgettable password. Samsung Tab S2 8.0 though, lack this feature but it has SD storage to give you additional storage for Photos and Videos.

Software:

Software may be the deciding factor for only those people who are accustomed to specific software. Both devices now support latest releases of software. The iPad Mini 4 comes pre-loaded with Apple’s iOS 9, while the Samsung Galaxy Tab S20-8.0 inches comes with Android’s 5.0.2 Lollipop O. Both are solid releases and it will allow tablets to run smoother than ever before. Mobile OS is not an issue but it all depends upon the specific app. If any app works specifically for one mobile platform (Android/ Apple OS) then surely customers will opt for that specific platform.

Weight

The iPad Mini 4 is slightly heavier, as compared to Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 inches. The iPad Mini 4 is 10.4-ounces while the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 is 9.3-ounces. Though iPad mini 4 is heavier but at the same time it does have a bigger battery-5124-mAh as compared to Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 battery- 4000-mAh.

Processor

Internally, the iPad mini 4 and the Galaxy Tab S2 have received major upgrades. Both should be blazing fast and they work seamlessly well while performing processor- intensive tasks. Even during multi-tasking there are no anomalies seen in performance. Multitasking is a big part of both Samsung's and Apple's tablets.

Apple iPad mini 4 has an A8 processor that runs at about 1.5 gigahertz and Samsung Tab S2 clocks at Quad-core 1.9 GHz. Both of the processors are fully capable in editing a video, browsing photos, and providing a smooth performance.

Camera

Both of these tablets support high quality 8MP rear camera without LED flash, but the iPad Mini 4 has advanced image capturing technology that captures vibrant and clearer images. However, the Tab S2 is able to shoot 4K videos effortlessly.

Samsung Tab S2 – 8 inches

Apple iPad mini 4

Comparison

Device type	Apple iPad mini 4	Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0
Design
OS	iOS (9.x, 8.x, 7.x)	Android (5.0)
Dimensions	7.87 x 5.30 x 0.30 inches (200 x 134.7 x 7.5 mm)	7.82 x 5.31 x 0.22 inches (198.6 x 134.8 x 5.6 mm)
Weight	12.03 oz (341 g)	9.59 oz (272 g)
Materials	Main body: Aluminum	Main body: Metal
Display
Physical size	7.9 inches	8.0 inches
Resolution	2048 x 1536 pixels	1536 x 2048 pixels
Pixel density	324 ppi	320 ppi
Technology	IPS LCD	Super AMOLED
Colors	16 777 216	16 777 216
Touchscreen	Multi-touch	Multi-touch
Features	Light sensor, Oleophobic coating	Light sensor, Scratch-resistant glass
Camera
Camera	5 megapixels	8 megapixels
Aperture size	F2.4
Focal length (35mm equivalent)	33 mm
Features	Face detection, Digital zoom, Self-timer, Digital image stabilization, Back-illuminated sensor (BSI), Autofocus, Touch to focus, Geo tagging	Face detection, Self-timer, Autofocus, Geo tagging
Settings	Exposure compensation	Exposure compensation, ISO control, White balance presets
Shooting Modes	High Dynamic Range mode (HDR)	High Dynamic Range mode (HDR), Panorama, Effects
Camcorder	1920x1080 (1080p HD) (30 fps)	2560x1440 (QHD), 1920x1080 (1080p HD), 1280x720 (720p HD), 640x480 (VGA)
Features	Time-lapse video, Digital image stabilization, Video calling	Digital image stabilization, Video sharing
Front-facing camera	1.2 megapixels	2.1 megapixels
Hardware
System chip	Apple A7	Exynos 7 Octa 5433
Processor	Dual-core, 1300 MHz, Cyclone, 64-bit	Octa-core, 1900 MHz, ARM Cortex-A57 and ARM Cortex-A53, 64-bit
Graphics processor	PowerVR G6430	Mali-T760 MP6
System memory	1024 MB RAM	3072 MB RAM
Built-in storage	128 GB	64 GB
Storage expansion		microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC up to 128 GB
Connectivity
Bluetooth	4.0	4.1
Wi-Fi	802.11 a, b, g, n, n 5GHz	802.11 a, b, g, n, n 5GHz, ac
Sensors	Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass	Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass, Hall, Fingerprint (touch)
Battery
Capacity	6471 mAh	4000 mAh

 

Samsung Tab S2-8.0 is available in the following prices at Thesouq.com

 

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0
Product	Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 - Wifi	Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 - 3G/LTE
Color	Golden / White / Black	Golden / White / Black
Price	AED 1,599.00	AED 1,799.00

Apple iPad Mini 4 is available in the following prices at Thesouq.com

 

		Apple iPad Mini 4
Product	Apple iPad Mini 4 WiFi 7.9 inch	Apple iPad Mini 4 WiFi 7.9 inch 16GB	Apple iPad Mini 4 WiFi Cellular 7.9inch	Apple iPad Mini 4 WiFi Cellular 7.9inch 16 GB
Color	Golden /Silver/ Space Grey	Golden /Silver/ Space Grey	Golden /Silver/ Space Grey	Golden /Silver/ Space Grey
Price	AED 1,968.00	AED 1,499.00	AED 2,498.00	AED 1,999.00

 

Conclusion:

As both devices are momentous upgrades over previous models and so it is very difficult to indicate a clear winner. Both are flagship devices of Apple and Samsung.   The battery of the iPad Mini 4 is much bigger at 5124 mAh (19.1 Wh), supporting 10 hours of multimedia usage, while the Tab S2 has a modest 4000 mAh battery which provides around 27 hours of talk time. Clearly, if a person is looking for a device that gives ample battery time he should surely go for iPad min 4 and if a person is looking for solid built, faster processor and larger RAM, he should seriously consider Samsung Tab S2-8 inches.