If you’ve got $300 to spend on a tablet, and you’re considering the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 or the entry-level iPad 9, what should you buy?
| Samsung Tab A8 | Apple iPad 9 |
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| Samsung Tab A8 Review | iPad 9 Review |
DESIGN
There are some significant differences immediately apparent when taking a look at the design. With a Home button and larger bezels on the top and bottom, the iPad 9 retains the look of the iPad 8.
However, the Tab 8 has a more modern design with smaller bezels around the entire device, which gives it a cleaner appearance.
It also means that the Tab A8 will have a larger 10.5-inch display than the iPad 9, even though both tablets are about the same size.
Power, volume, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack are all present on both tablets. The iPad 9 still has the older Lightning port for charging and accessories, whereas the Tab A8 has a USB-C port.
A microSD card slot on the Tab A8 gives you the option to increase the device’s internal storage by up to one terabyte. So if you want to store a lot of photos and videos on your tablet, this is a great option. However, keep in mind that this storage space is primarily used to store files, not apps.
In terms of overall design, I’ll give the Tab A8 the nod. I’m going to call it a tie in terms of portability.
Unlike the iPad 9, the Tab A8 uses face recognition with its front-facing camera, whereas Touch ID is used on the iPad 9. In the end, it all comes down to personal preference and how you intend to use your tablet. In the end, if I had the choice, I’d prefer to have both options available, as we do with the Tab S7.
DISPLAY
Now, probably one of the most important aspects of any tablet is the display.
With the Tab A8, we’re getting a 10.5-inch display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200, a 16:10 aspect ratio, and a pixel density of 216 pixels per inch.
The iPad 9 has a smaller display at 10.2 inches but a higher resolution of 2160 x 1620, an aspect ratio of 4:3, and a higher pixel density of 265 PPI.
And the Tab A8 gives you a slightly wider display when you’re watching content. The aspect ratio is closer to the 16:9 that you get from a lot of videos, so there are smaller black bars on the top and the bottom.
The iPad 9’s higher resolution means that you can fit more information on the display at once. Additionally, the aspect ratio of 4:3 is very useful when you’re taking notes or drawing with the Apple Pencil in Portrait Mode because we’re getting a wider canvas.
Both have 60-hertz displays, but the types of displays on each tablet are fundamentally different.
Because the iPad 9’s display is not fully laminated, there is an air gap. The display, touch layer, and cover glass are all fused into a single display assembly on the Tab A8. You’re unlikely to notice the difference when gaming, surfing the web, using various productivity apps, or watching videos.
However, I prefer a fully laminated display because the image appears to be painted directly on the glass. When using a stylus, a fully laminated display is usually preferable because the tip of the pencil appears to be touching the content being created.
The iPad 9 works with the first-generation Apple Pencil, but the Samsung S Pen isn’t compatible with the Tab A8. As a result, you won’t be able to use the Bluetooth-enabled S Pen that comes standard with the Tab S7 or S7 Plus, or even the basic S Pen that comes standard with the Tab S7 FE.
Both displays now work perfectly for everything I do, from watching videos to playing games, surfing the web, and using apps. If you don’t mind the larger black bars when watching videos, the Tab A8 is a better choice.
PERFORMANCE AND SOFTWARE
When we look at processing power, we’ve got benchmarks, and then we have real-life use. For single-core performance, the Tab A8 scored 364 versus 1330 on the iPad 9. And for multi-core performance, we’re looking at 1250 versus 3376. So we’re getting substantially better performance on the iPad 9 for pretty much any type of task.
But the real question is, does this have any kind of real-life implications for the majority of users? And the answer is YES. The iPad 9 is extremely responsive, whether you’re opening and closing apps, switching between opened apps or tabs in your browser, or simply navigating around the UI. The Tab A8, in comparison, feels sluggish, laggy, and underpowered for a current device. That isn’t to say you can’t do the same things; it’s just that the user experience isn’t as pleasant.
I’m going to give the iPad 9 the edge when it comes to multitasking. Both tablets have similar features, but again, the iPad 9 feels more responsive. Working with multiple apps is also a breeze. With a feature called Sidecar, the iPad 9 can also be used as an additional display for your Mac, iMac, or MacBook. Samsung now has a feature called Second Screen that is similar to this, but it is not available on the Tab A8.
When it comes to app selections, both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store have plenty of options for almost anything you want to do. Some popular creative apps are only available on the iPad, such as LumaFusion, Procreate, and Affinity Photo.
Samsung promises three generations of OS updates in terms of operating system support. Apple, on the other hand, now offers much more extensive support.
CAMERA AND SPEAKERS
Another area where there is a split decision is this one. Both rear-facing cameras have eight megapixels, but the iPad 9 camera simply outperforms them. It’s more accurate in terms of color. It has a more expansive dynamic range. In terms of features, frame rates, and image stabilization, it’s also more versatile.
Because the cameras on my phones are so much better, I rarely use the rear-facing cameras on my tablets. So, for me, the front-facing camera on a tablet is more important, as I use it for video calls.
With a 12-megapixel camera versus 5-megapixels on the Tab A8, the iPad 9 wins yet again. It’s also an Ultra Wide camera with Center Stage, a feature that employs artificial intelligence to recognize and track a subject as it moves across the frame. The image can then be cropped to make it appear as if the camera is following the subject. So, if you’re looking for a better camera system in either case, the iPad 9 is the way to go.
Things start to shift in favor of the Tab A8 when we get to the speakers. The iPad 9 has only bottom-mounted speakers. As a result, when you hold it in Landscape Mode, the audio only plays from one side. It does a decent job of projecting sound, but it can’t match the Tab A8. The audio quality of the four-speaker Dolby Atmos system is superior. It provides a more immersive and full-bodied stereo experience. It’s also better for games where you need to figure out where footsteps or other sounds are coming from.
GAMING AND BATTERY LIFE
I can play all of my games on both tablets when it comes to gaming. Less demanding games will run on almost any current tablet, so this isn’t an issue. Even more demanding games, such as “PUBG” and “COD Mobile,” performed admirably on both platforms.
On Tab A8, I could set the graphics to smooth or balanced, then the frame rate to ultra for “PUBG.” I could also change the graphics to HD and then increase the frame rate. With the graphic set to smooth on the iPad 9, I could get up to 90 frames per second. With balanced graphics, I could go all the way up to extreme frame rate, or up to ultra HD with frame rate set to ultra.
Switching to “COD Mobile,” the Tab A8 reaches a maximum graphic quality and frame rate of medium, whereas the iPad 9 can reach a maximum graphic quality and frame rate of very high or very high graphic quality and very high frame rate.
In both games, the iPad 9 offers superior options.
When it comes to battery life, both tablets perform admirably. And, for the most part, I can get by with both for an entire day. Of course, I can’t sit and play “PUBG” for eight hours without having to recharge either of them. But, for the most part, I get through a full day doing what I do every day.
PRICING
I’ll be using the prices from the Samsung and Apple Stores, but you can usually find better prices on Amazon.
The Tab A8 is available with 32 gigabytes of storage and 3GB of RAM for $230, then 64 gigabytes for $280, and 128 gigabytes of storage for $330. Both of those models come with 4GB of RAM.
The iPad 9 comes with either 64GB for $329 or 256GB for $459. Both of them come with 3GB of RAM. So both tablets are also available on cellular models.
WHICH TABLET IS THE BETTER OPTION?
So which one of these tablets is a better option for you?
The Tab A8 starts at $230 for 32GB of storage. However, I would only recommend it to someone who only intends to use it to stream content, surf the web, use a few basic apps, and play a few small games. When comparing the $330 models, the Tab A8 has 120GB of internal storage, as well as a microSD card slot that can expand the internal storage by up to 1TB. It has a more modern design, facial recognition, a nice display, and a better speaker system than the previous model.
The iPad 9 has a 64GB internal storage capacity. It has a better display, Touch ID, Apple Pencil support, and a better camera system, and can be upgraded to 256GB for an extra $130. It is noticeably faster and more responsive, with improved graphic performance for gaming.
Now, you should read which are the Best Accessories for iPad 9.
