Tablet Comparisons: Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 vs. iPad Air 2 vs. Microsoft Surface Pro 4
As the year draws to a close, tech news sites are rounding up their own "the best of" lists for devices and gadgets. Among the most sought-after gadgets this year are tablets and a Tech Times report lists down the best tablets of the year. The list includes the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2, the iPad Air 2 and the Microsoft Surface Pro 4. How do these three devices fare when compared head to head?
When it comes to their build and design, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 and the iPad Air 2 are comparable in most ways. Both devices, according to a report in TabletPC Review, look similar, especially comparing the larger 9.7-inch Galaxy Tab S2 with the iPad Air 2. The report noted that Samsung switched to a 4:3 aspect ratio which is the same as the iPad's, thereby making both tablets look the same in size and shape. The Microsoft Surface Pro 4 is the largest among the three, with a 12.3 inch display. Given the Surface Pro 4's larger size, it is also the heaviest among the three, weighing in at 1.73 lbs or 786 grams. The iPad Air 2 is slightly heavier at 0.96 lbs than the Galaxy Tab S2, which is only 0.86 lbs. This is due to the metal build of the iPad Air 2 compared to the S2's plastic build.
In terms of screen resolution, the Galaxy Tab S2 is said to offer a better display because of its Active Matrix Organic LED display which makes colors more vivid and is better for outdoor use. The LCD display on the iPad Air 2 pales in comparison to the AMOLED screen of Samsung, according to the TabletPC report. On the other hand, the Surface Pro 4 offers a display resolution of 2,736 x 1,834 pixels, which is better than its predecessor, the Surface Pro 3. However, the pixel density of the Galaxy Tab S2 and the Surface Pro 4 are almost the same, with 264 ppi on the former and 267 ppi on the latter.
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Among the three devices, the iPad Air 2 has the lowest RAM on offer at 2 GB, but when paired with its tri-core A8X processor, makes for decent processing power without the battery drain. The Galaxy Tab S2 has a octa-core Exynos processor which is paired with 3 GB of RAM. The Surface Pro 4 is powered by an Intel core m3 processor paired with 4 GB of RAM, which is the best configuration for a 2-in-1 machine.
In terms of operating systems, however, it is difficult to compare the three devices as they each run on operating systems that are totally different from each other, e.g. iOS on the iPad, Android on Galaxy Tab S2 and Windows 10 on the Surface Pro 4.
Lastly, when it comes to connectivity options, the Surface Pro 4 has the least number of options because as a tablet PC, it does not support GSM, 3G or LTE. The iPad Air 2 and the Galaxy Tab S2 beat the Surface Pro 4 in this category.
