Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 Review
If you need fast internet, a large display, easy portability and a whole load of other amazing features, then you should check out the 2013 8 inch Samsung Galaxy Tab T311.The device is quite light far a tablet (only 314 grams) but it gives you more options to fill your life with incredible fun at far much less than you can imagine.
Firstly, the design is quite appealing. For instance, it is slim and not so wide which makes it fit in one hand as the other hand does the operation. The edge is lined with an aluminum band which makes it appear as though it is gold rimmed thus giving the Galaxy Tab T311 a superior look.
The obverse side of the Galaxy T311 is dominated by an 8-inch multitouch screen with 16 million colours. However, the resolution of the screen is only 800 x 1280 pixels, which culminates into a pixel density of 189 ppi (pixels per inch). Though this may not provide crisp and clear cut viewing for text and images alike, nothing seemed blurry and un-seeable by the eye. It should be taken into consideration that Samsung really worked on reducing the bezels. The screen is enclosed by thin strips on the sides which are only thick enough to make sure that the fingers do not block out anything on the screen while holding up the tab.
The spaces at the top and bottom are also not worth complaining about. For instance, that at the top is only wide enough to hold the earpiece, 1.3MP secondary camera, proximity sensor and the Samsung brand name. At the base is the hardware home button bordered by the back and menu keys.
The device comes in two forms according to internal storage space available. You can go for one with 16GB or that with 32GB. There is however a card slot that allows expansion of the storage memory up to 64GB via a microSD card.
Despite the slimness and lightness in weight, the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 is a powerful device. It is run by a 1.5 GHz Dual core processor with Exynos 4212 chipset; whose fast performance is enhanced by the unstinting 1.5GB of RAM. With regard to software, Samsung settled on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.
For those who seek to utilize the device for entertainment, you will end up in a little heaven down here. Even though the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 does not support radio signal, there is a TV-out support via MHL A/V link. This ensures that should you not be satisfied by the already large 8-inch display, you can still play videos from the tab to a TV or other device. Music playback is magnificent with stereo speakers. Even playing through headphones will not compromise the quality as there is Dolby surround sound enhancement.
The 5MP primary camera may not be on the higher side for photography buffs but it still gives you quality photos. On the other hand, the 1.3MP front camera ensures that you can take selfies and make video calls. It is however disappointing that an LED flash was not included which would have improved the quality of photos in poor lighting.
Adding to the durability is the powerful non-removable 4450mAh Li-Ion battery which promises up to 96 hours of music playback. In a nutshell, the decent speaker, good battery life, appealing design and powerful hardware for multitasking should be enough to seduce you into falling for the Galaxy Tab 3 T311.
Technical specifications
Device type- Tablet
Dimensions- (LxWxD) 209.8 x 123.8 x 7.4 mm
Weight- 314 grams
OS- Android OS, 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
Processor 1.5 GHz Dual-core, Exynos 4212 chipset
RAM- 1.5GB
GPU Mali-400
Internal storage- 16/32GB
External storage- MicroSD, up to 64GB
Screen size- 8.0 inches
Resolution- 800 x 1280 pixels
Pixel density -189 ppi
Screen type- TFT capacitive, 16M colors
SIM- Micro-SIM
Speed -HSDPA 21Mbps DL, 5.76Mbps UL, LTE 100Mbps DL, 50Mbps UL
Wi-Fi- Yes
Bluetooth -4.0
Battery- 4450mAh, 24h 3G talk time
Camera -5MP, 2560 x 1920 pixels
Video -720p@30fps
