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Samsung is just about the undisputed king of an admittedly fairly patchy Android tablet scene presently, with a variety of forged slates to be had for all budgets.
At the other finish of the size to the ludicrously OTT Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, there’s the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8. Featuring a trendy design, one or two stand-out bells and whistles, and an immensely interesting beginning value of £219/US$229.
It’s a tempting choice in case your financial institution stability received’t stretch to the rest like iPad or Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 territory. Our evaluation pattern used to be kindly equipped by way of Box.
Design & Build
By a ways probably the most spectacular factor in regards to the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 is how nicely it’s constructed. If you have been to have passed this tablet to me in a powered down state, with out a accompanying knowledge, I might have assumed it used to be a mid-range tablet promoting for a minimum of double the fee.
This is a full-sized tablet with a flat-edged but slim 6.9mm frame and slightly minimum bezels across the display. It’s about as tall as an iPad in portrait view, however nowhere close to as large and a weight of 508g is ready par for the route for a 10in slate corresponding to this.
My pattern type is available in an excessively professional-looking Graphite (assume darkish metal gray), but it surely additionally is available in Silver and Pink Gold.
It’s no longer simply the way in which the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 appears to be like that’s spectacular despite the fact that. It feels reassuringly forged within the hand, with a frame that’s basically fabricated from steel.
There’s a plastic strip alongside the threshold that homes the facility and quantity keys, in addition to probably enabling community conversation (there are each Wi-Fi and LTE fashions to be had).
Talking of buttons, some of the greatest omissions here’s a fingerprint reader. You’ll must depend on a clunky passcode access device or an insecure and flaky facial reputation device if you wish to lock your tablet. Neither is especially nice.
Screen & Speakers
- 10.5in LCD
- Full HD
- Quad audio system with Dolby Atmos
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 packs in a ten.5in show with a 1920×1080 solution – the very definition of Full HD or 1080p.
It’s sufficiently sharp for the cheap tablet this measurement, however in going with a TFT LCD panel, it’s no longer in particular colourful or colour-accurate. IPS LCD panels produce higher colors and viewing angles.
Sure sufficient, a gamut protection of 82% sRGB, 60% Adobe RGB, and 63% DCI P3 in point of fact aren’t nice and a median Delta E of four.39 is far off the easiest. Just to make that remaining level transparent, the nearer to at least one the simpler, or even a semi-decent show gets to round 2.
A top brightness of 327 nits is fine however not anything particular. You indisputably would possibly not revel in the usage of the tablet outside in even slightly shiny stipulations.
Elsewhere, a fundamental 60Hz refresh charge implies that it’s no longer particularly fluid both. But then, Apple continues to be sticking with 60Hz for all of its non-Pro iPads, thus far from anticipated in the sort of reasonably-priced tablet.
It’s the standard of that image output that’s the true susceptible level right here, particularly for the reason that Samsung is in point of fact positioning this tablet as an inexpensive media participant. Indeed, it’s long past above and past in equipping the Tab A8 with a quad speaker set-up and Dolby Atmos toughen.
Sure sufficient, audio is loud and transparent, whether or not gazing a movie at the preinstalled Netflix app or TV and podcast content material at the in a similar way preinstalled Samsung Free app.
It’s only a disgrace that Netflix content material doesn’t glance excellent, with flat colors and no HDR toughen.
Specs & Performance
- Unisoc Tiger T618 processor
- 3/4GB RAM
- Up to 128GB garage
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 runs on a Unisoc Tiger T618 processor, along with both 3GB or 4GB RAM. This isn’t probably the most acquainted chip available on the market and you may be expecting Samsung to make use of one in all its personal Exynos chips but it surely runs slightly nicely for the cheap tablet.
In benchmark phrases, a Geekbench 5 multi-core rating of 1250 pitches it simply above the Nokia T20 and about degree with the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite. In GPU phrases, it constantly ratings 1 body or two upper than the Nokia T20, in addition to the older Galaxy Tab S6 Lite and Galaxy Tab S5e.
Check the ratings under in comparison to competitors in addition to the dearer Xiaomi Pad 5 to spotlight the additional efficiency to be had should you did spend extra.
That’s to not say that issues are silky clean usually navigation, with the occasional pause or stutter when shifting round between apps or even domestic monitors and menus. It’s a ways from unusable, however I used to be by no means in any doubt that I used to be the usage of an affordable tablet so some persistence is wanted now and then.
When it involves extra in depth duties like video games, it’ll run Slay the Spire simply positive, aside from for a telltale long pause simply ahead of your persona dies. Indeed, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 is a greater strategy to play such 2D fare (in addition to the likes of Kingdom Rush) than any £1,000 flagship phone.
Don’t be expecting the tablet to accomplish similarly nicely with three-D video games, alternatively. I used to be not able to run my same old Genshin Impact pressure check, as there merely wasn’t sufficient space for storing left over from an preliminary 32GB as soon as Samsung and Google had taken their substantial device slice.
There’s a powerful case for going the 64GB course, despite the fact that there may be the potential of as much as 1TB of microSD enlargement. In the USA, you’ll additionally purchase the Tab A8 in a 128GB capability should you assume you want it.
I used to be in a position to run the well-optimised League of Legends Wild Rift, which ran adequately on low settings. Old warhorse PUBG Mobile, in the meantime, loaded up with HD graphics (the 0.33 lowest of six) and a High body charge, which isn’t unhealthy. The efficiency in-game wasn’t too nice, despite the fact that, particularly with the ones fuzzy textures blown as much as 10.5in, but it surely used to be playable.
Cameras
- 8Mp rear digital camera
- 5Mp selfie digital camera
The digital camera doesn’t have a tendency to be the point of interest of any tablet, and nor will have to it ever be. That is going doubly for inexpensive tablets. So, I received’t waste an excessive amount of time speaking in regards to the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8’s digital camera providing, aside from to mention that it isn’t excellent in any respect.
You’re getting only a unmarried 8Mp rear digital camera right here, with out a flash, and with out a ultra-wide or telephoto back-ups, after all. That solitary sensor takes photographs which might be filled with noise, missing intensity and dynamic differ and frequently woefully overexposed.
The 5Mp selfie digital camera proved borderline unusable at the morning of my check photographs, seeming utterly not able to maintain the fairly shiny stipulations of the day. You can see the hideously blown-out effects for your self within the gallery. Still, it’ll serve its supposed serve as as a Zoom digital camera completely adequately.
Nine occasions out of ten, should you’re browsing to take photographs with any tablet, I’d recommend you re-examine your lifestyles alternatives. But should you insist on pointing and capturing along with your 10in software, then know that even a super-cheap smartphone will end up higher effects than the Galaxy Tab A8.
Battery Life & Charging
- 7040mAh
- 15W charging
- 7.8W charger provided
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 packs in a decent-sized 7040mAh battery, which is able to remaining you days of sunshine utilization.
Step issues up with plenty of intense duties and that determine will drop relatively dramatically. In our same old PCMark World 3.0 battery lifestyles check, the Galaxy Tab A8 scored a middling 8 hours 49 mins.
That’s significantly better than fresh finances rival the Nokia T20 (6 hours 39 mins), however simply beats its older brother, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, on 8 hours and 35 mins.
While it helps 15W charging, Samsung has best bundled its finances tablet with a 7.8W charger within the field. That’s greater than it does with even its costliest smartphone, however given the dimensions of that battery, it takes an absolute age to get to complete.
In my checking out, half-hour were given it from 0 to ten%, whilst after 3 hours and quarter-hour it hit 80%. Not that rapid charging is as large a maintain a tablet as it’s with smartphone, after all, however nonetheless that is very gradual when the Lenovo Yoga Tab 11 will get to 43% in half-hour.
Software
Samsung’s newest finances tablet runs at the now out-of-date Android 11 OS, with Samsung’s personal One UI dealing with entrance of area tasks.
Samsung’s tool appears to be an actual adore it or hate it affair. It’s no longer my explicit cup of tea, because of its overly fussy nature, relatively gauche menus, slow animations and abundance of home-brewed and third-party apps. But I’m nicely conscious numerous other folks view it because the quintessential tackle Android, much more so than inventory Android.
Whatever your view, it could actually’t be denied that One UI has been slightly nicely optimised for tablets. Using two apps concurrently in split-screen works nicely specifically, in spite of the restricted {hardware} underlying all of it.
The new Screen recorder serve as, accessed in the course of the drag-down shortcut settings menu, permits you to document no matter’s for your show, along with observation should you so want. This has possible advantages for the Galaxy Tab A8 as a educating and finding out device.
There’s no S Pen compatibility right here, alternatively, not like with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite. I needless to say budgets have been tight, but it surely appears like a overlooked alternative given the Galaxy Tab A8’s most probably target audience.
Price & Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 landed in the USA and right here in the United Kingdom on January 4, 2022.
Pricing begins from £219 for the 32GB Wi-Fi type. You can upload LTE to that for £259, or double your garage and up the RAM to 4GB for £249. The best type will provide you with 64GB of garage, 4GB of RAM, and LTE for £289.
You can purchase it almost about anyplace together with Samsung, Box, Amazon, John Lewis, Argos, Very, AO, Currys, Ebuyer and Laptops Direct.
As discussed previous, the USA additionally has a 128GB type will have to you need that a lot garage. Here’s the fee breakdown (RRPs) for all fashions by means of the Samsung retailer:
- 32GB Wi-Fi – £219/$229.99
- 64GB Wi-Fi – £249$279.99
- 128GB Wi-Fi – $329.99
- 32GB LTE – £259
- 64GB LTE – £289
In the States, you’ll purchase it from Samsung in addition to Amazon, BestBuy or even Dell.
In phrases of another, the Nokia T20 will provide you with a fair less expensive full-sized Android enjoy from £180, and with cleaner tool and a awesome IPS display in addition. Its efficiency isn’t excellent in any respect, alternatively.
See extra choices in our charts of the most efficient finances tablet, very best android tablet and very best total tablet.
Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 is every other forged finances effort from the king of Android tablets. Its top class design and loud, transparent sound are surprisingly completed for an excessively inexpensive value – if 32GB is sufficient garage for you this is.
However, the tablet’s TFT show is disappointingly flat and washed out, compromising its possible as an inexpensive media participant. The loss of dependable biometric authentication is every other downer however no longer crucial and the Tab A8 has a shockingly very good sound device.
Performance, whilst a ways from impressive, is completely ok for a tablet of this value, and battery lifestyles is excellent. It’ll take you an age to get again as much as 100% from empty with the bundled charger, however that’s no longer the sort of urgent factor within the tablet global.
Specs
Samsung Galaxy Tab A8: Specs
- Android 11
- 10.5in, FHD, TFT, 60Hz, flat show
- No fingerprint sensor
- Unisoc Tiger T618
- 3GB/4GB LPDDR4 RAM
- 32GB/64GB garage
- 8Mp primary digital camera
- Up to 8K @ 30fps rear video
- 5Mp front-facing digital camera
- Quad Dolby Atmos audio system
- Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
- Bluetooth 5.0
- 7040mAh battery
- 15W charging toughen, 7.8W in field
- 246.8 x 161.9 x 6.9 mm
- 508g
- Launch colors: Graphite, Silver, Pink Gold
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