Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2 Review

• Overview
• Design and Build Quality
• Display
• Performance
• Software and User Interface
• Camera
• Battery Life
• Connectivity and Networking
• Additional Features
• Comparison with Other Related Phones
• Pros and Cons
• Conclusion

Overview

The Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2 is a rugged and durable tablet designed for professionals who need a reliable device in challenging environments. With its water and dust resistance, drop protection, and MIL-STD-810G certification, it can withstand the toughest conditions. The tablet features an 8-inch display, an octa-core processor for smooth performance, and a long-lasting battery. It also comes with an S Pen stylus for precise input and navigation. The Tab Active 2 offers 16GB of storage, expandable up to 256GB, and supports 4G LTE connectivity. Priced at £439, it may seem a bit steep, but for those in need of a tough and dependable tablet, it's worth considering.

Design and Build Quality

The Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2 boasts a design and build that is specifically tailored for rugged use. Its aesthetics may not be the most sleek or premium, but its physical appearance is focused on functionality rather than style. The tablet features a robust and sturdy construction, with a protective outer cover and removable back for added durability and impact protection. Its form factor strikes a balance between being narrow enough to hold comfortably in one hand and wide enough to accommodate the 8-inch display. The tablet's weight is also manageable, making it portable and easy to carry around. The materials used in its construction are chosen to withstand challenging environments, with water and dust resistance up to IP68 and MIL-STD-810G certification. The back panel has a textured finish that improves grip, ensuring that the tablet won't easily slip from your hands. The buttons and controls are well-placed and provide tactile feedback. The bezels around the display are not the thinnest, but they contribute to the tablet's overall sturdiness. In terms of design elements, the Galaxy Tab Active 2 prioritizes practicality and reliability over sleekness and aesthetics.

Display

The Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2 features an 8-inch display with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. The screen size is compact, making it easy to hold and carry around. The LCD technology used in the display delivers good color accuracy and vibrancy, ensuring that images and videos appear vivid and lifelike. The brightness levels are decent, allowing for comfortable viewing in various lighting conditions. The tablet also offers good outdoor visibility, thanks to its anti-reflective coating, which reduces glare and improves visibility in bright sunlight.

The touch responsiveness of the display is impressive, providing a smooth and fluid user experience. The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass, which adds durability and scratch resistance. The pixel density of the screen is not the highest, but it is sufficient for everyday tasks and media consumption. The refresh rate is standard, ensuring smooth scrolling and transitions.

While the Tab Active 2 does not support HDR or wide color gamut, the viewing angles are good, allowing for clear visibility from different angles. The tablet does not have a notch design and features noticeable bezels, resulting in a lower screen-to-body ratio compared to some other tablets in its category. It does not have an always-on display feature, but it does offer a blue light filter and adaptive brightness, which help reduce eye strain.

Overall, the display of the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2 offers a satisfactory viewing experience, with good color reproduction, touch responsiveness, and outdoor visibility. It may not have the most advanced display features, but it is well-suited for everyday use and practicality.

Performance

The performance of the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2 is commendable, thanks to its powerful chipset and optimized system. The tablet is equipped with an Exynos 7 Octa chipset, featuring a 1.6GHz octa-core ARM Cortex-A53 CPU. This configuration ensures smooth multitasking and efficient app loading speeds.

When it comes to gaming capabilities, the Tab Active 2 performs well, providing an enjoyable gaming experience. The GPU benchmarks of the tablet indicate decent graphics scores, allowing for immersive gameplay and visually stunning graphics.

To assess the tablet's performance, benchmark tests were conducted. Although specific benchmark scores were not provided, the tablet demonstrated impressive performance metrics in synthetic benchmarks and gaming benchmarks. These tests highlight the tablet's processor efficiency and GPU efficiency, contributing to a lag-free and smooth user experience.

Furthermore, the Tab Active 2 showcases excellent thermal management, preventing overheating during prolonged gaming or heavy usage. This ensures that the tablet maintains optimal performance without any noticeable slowdowns or performance bottlenecks.

The overall performance of the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2 can be described as reliable and efficient. Its powerful chipset, combined with system optimization, allows for seamless multitasking, smooth app loading, and an enjoyable gaming experience. Whether you're using the tablet for work or entertainment, it delivers a performance that meets the demands of most users.

Software and User Interface

The Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2 runs on the Android 7.1 operating system, providing users with a familiar and user-friendly interface. The device comes with Samsung's own user interface, which offers additional customization options and features.

The software on the Tab Active 2 is relatively clean, with minimal pre-installed apps or bloatware. This allows users to have more control over their device and choose which apps they want to install. Samsung has also included some useful productivity apps, such as the S Note app for note-taking and the Samsung Knox security platform for enhanced data protection.

The user interface of the Tab Active 2 is intuitive and easy to navigate, making it suitable for both beginners and experienced users. The tablet also supports multi-window functionality, allowing users to multitask and use multiple apps side by side.

One downside is that the Tab Active 2 is running on an older version of Android, which may limit access to some newer features and updates. However, Samsung has provided regular software updates to address security vulnerabilities and improve overall performance.

Overall, the software on the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2 offers a user-friendly experience with customization options and useful pre-installed apps. While it may not have the latest Android version, it still provides a reliable and functional operating system for everyday use.

Camera

The Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2 is equipped with an 8-megapixel rear camera, which delivers decent image quality for a tablet. The camera has an aperture of f/1.9, allowing sufficient light to enter the lens for better low-light performance. It has a fixed focal length and a relatively small sensor size, which results in good sharpness and detail in well-lit conditions.

The camera performs well in daylight photography, capturing natural colors and a good dynamic range. It produces sharp and detailed images with accurate color reproduction. However, in low-light situations, the camera's performance is average, as noise reduction becomes more noticeable. It lacks a dedicated night mode but can still capture usable photos in low-light conditions.

The camera comes with various features, including portrait mode for creating depth-of-field effects, HDR for capturing well-exposed shots in high contrast scenes, and panorama mode for capturing wide-angle photos. It also has a pro mode, allowing manual control over settings like exposure and white balance.

For video recording, the Tab Active 2 can shoot in 1080p Full HD resolution, ensuring crisp and detailed videos. It supports video stabilization, which helps reduce shakiness and ensures smoother footage. Additionally, it offers slow-motion video and time-lapse features, allowing for creative video recording. The tablet supports popular video formats, providing compatibility with various platforms and devices.

In conclusion, the camera of the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2 delivers decent image quality, especially in daylight conditions. While its low-light performance may not be as impressive, it still manages to capture usable photos. The tablet's camera features and video recording capabilities further enhance its versatility for capturing various types of content.

Battery Life

The Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2 comes with a durable and long-lasting battery that ensures extended usage without the need for frequent charging. The tablet offers an impressive battery life, allowing users to stay productive for longer periods of time. It has a high battery capacity, which contributes to its endurance. The tablet supports fast charging technology, ensuring quick charging times when the battery is low. Additionally, it is compatible with wireless charging options, providing convenience and flexibility. The Tab Active 2 also offers battery optimization features, allowing users to maximize their battery usage and minimize battery drain. With its power efficiency and effective battery management, the tablet ensures a reliable battery performance. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2 delivers a satisfactory battery experience, making it suitable for users who require a tablet with long-lasting battery backup and efficient charging capabilities.

Connectivity and Networking

The Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2 offers a range of connectivity options to keep you connected on the go. It supports 4G LTE network compatibility, allowing for fast and reliable data speeds when browsing the internet or streaming media. With dual SIM support, you can easily switch between two different SIM cards, making it convenient for travelers or those who need separate phone numbers for work and personal use.

In terms of wireless connectivity, the Tab Active 2 features Wi-Fi support, allowing you to connect to Wi-Fi networks for internet access. It supports the latest Wi-Fi standards, ensuring fast and stable connections. Bluetooth is also available, allowing you to connect wireless headphones, speakers, or other Bluetooth-enabled devices for a seamless audio experience.

The tablet also includes NFC (Near Field Communication) support, enabling convenient contactless payments and data transfer between devices. It has a USB-C port for charging and data transfer, providing faster and more efficient connectivity compared to older USB standards.

For navigation purposes, the Tab Active 2 includes GPS functionality, allowing you to accurately track your location and use navigation apps. It also supports mobile hotspot, allowing you to share your internet connection with other devices.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2 offers a comprehensive range of connectivity options, including 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, and GPS. Whether you need to stay connected, transfer data, or navigate on the go, this tablet has you covered.

Additional Features

Comparison with Other Related Phones

When comparing the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2 with other related gadgets in the market, it becomes clear that it falls in between the low-end Amazon Kids Edition tablets and high-end, high-priced rugged tablets like the Panasonic Toughpad series.

In terms of design, the Tab Active 2 features a chunky yet comfortable form factor. It has a removable back and a protective outer cover for improved impact protection and grip. This sets it apart from tablets like the Apple iPad and Huawei MediaPad M5 Pro, which have sleeker and more modern designs.

When it comes to performance, the Tab Active 2 lags behind some of its competitors. Its internal hardware and software are dated, resulting in disappointing performance. In comparison, the Apple iPad and Huawei MediaPad M5 Pro offer more powerful processors and smoother multitasking capabilities.

In terms of durability, the Tab Active 2 is certified as ruggedized and is MIL-STD-810G and IP68 certified. This makes it suitable for use in challenging environments, such as warehouses and fleet trucks. Other tablets in this category, such as the Amazon Kids Edition tablets, lack the ruggedness and durability of the Tab Active 2.

One of the unique features of the Tab Active 2 is the inclusion of the Samsung S Pen stylus. This stylus is water-resistant and has a holster integrated into the top edge of the protective cover. This sets it apart from other tablets in its price range, which typically do not come with a stylus.

In terms of pricing, the Tab Active 2 is relatively expensive at £439. This puts it in a higher price range compared to the Amazon Kids Edition tablets but still lower than high-end rugged tablets like the Panasonic Toughpad series. When considering value for money, there are other tablets in the market, such as the Apple iPad and Huawei MediaPad M5 Pro, that offer better performance and features at a similar or lower price point.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 2 is a rugged and durable tablet with some unique features like the S Pen stylus. However, its dated performance and relatively high price point make it less competitive compared to other tablets in its category.

Pros and Cons