Review Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310 Tablet

Name: Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310
Brand: Samsung

Tab, the third. Samsung has something for everyone in its tablet portfolio: the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 is aimed at users who are looking for a medium sized tablet and can do without pen input. Confidently, Samsung wants 299 Euros (~$397) for it - an appropriate value for the money?

Florian Wimmer, ✓ Stefanie Voigt (translated by Peter Krastev), Published 07/31/2013 🇩🇪 🇨🇳 ...

Android Tablet Galaxy Tab

In review: Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0. Courtesy of Cyberport.

For the original German review, see here.

The selection of Samsung tablets is not quite as large as that of its smartphones. Users can pick among an ATIV Tab with Windows 8, a Windows RT, or the Galaxy Note with Android, which is aimed more at business customers. And then we still have the Galaxy Tab series, which are the Android tablets for the private customers.

The latter has just entered its third generation - our test unit, the 8-inch version, is also part of it. Also available are the more common sizes of 7-inch and 10.1-inch. The entire model range comes in white finish; black versions are not available yet. The Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 has a relatively high price of 299 Euros (~$397) compared to other devices of the same size. Many manufacturers offer their 8-inch tablets for less than 200 Euros (~$266).

We therefore will compare the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 to a couple of representatives of this class, in order to see if the extra cost is justified: Acer Iconia A1-810, Captiva Pad 8 Pro and EasyPix SmartPad EP800 Ultra for example, all have lower prices. The Lenovo IdeaTab A2109A is even larger at 9-inches and still cheaper. The "big" rivals from Google (Nexus 7) and Amazon (Kindle Fire HD 7) are smaller, but also significantly cheaper. Then we have the iPad Mini, which is available for 329 Euros (~$437). Finally, we take the Galaxy Note 8.0 in order to see how the tablets compete internally.

Case

"A suitable device for everyone? Then we'll make a standard design: it's cheaper and has a good brand recognition effect." This was more or less the thought process behind the Galaxy series of the Korean manufacturer. The Galaxy S4, the Galaxy Mega, the Galaxy Note and now the Galaxy Tab 3 are very similar in terms of design. The Note and the Tab 3 can actually be distinguished from the front only by the earpiece on the Note.

The Galaxy Tab 3 has, as the rest of the devices from the current Galaxy generation, a white back with subtle dot pattern. Workmanship and the surface feel very good, just as the Galaxy S4 and the Galaxy Mega. Of course, the only material used is plastic. The iPad Mini, which costs just 30 Euros (~$40) more, is far better with its aluminum unibody.

The tablet gives the impression of being very stable and compact. Pressing on the back barely leads to visible alterations on the display. You have to press both the sides and the screen at the same time in opposite directions in order to finally move the liquid crystals.

The dimensions are slightly more compact than the Galaxy Note 8.0: it is one millimeter shorter, one centimeter narrower, and about half a centimeter slimmer (~0.4 inches narrower and 0.2 inches slimmer). The iPad Mini is slightly thinner, but devices in the 8-inch class usually have bigger dimensions: the Captiva Pad 8 Pro is almost twice as thick as the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0.

Connectivity

The Galaxy Tab 3 does not feature pen input like in the Galaxy Note 8.0. Our test unit also came without mobile Internet capability, but it is available at a surcharge of about 100 Euros (~$133). The interfaces are also standard, only the infrared port stands out. Samsung has included it in order to make it possible to use the tablet as a remote control for other entertainment devices. Since you cannot remove the back cover of Galaxy Tab 3 8.0, unlike the smartphones, the card reader is also integrated on the side of the tablet.

right: IR port, volume rocker, standby button

Software

The Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 uses the latest version of Android 4.2.2. Samsung does not use a pure Google OS, but has also installed the TouchWiz: software that is based on the Android system, but in many areas it replaces and expands on it. Examples of this are the settings menu, the quick access toolbar, the voice control and the widgets on the home screen. You can read more about the individual customization in our review of the Samsung Galaxy S4.

It is annoying to see the extensive bloatware, such as advertising software, that greets the customer, especially after it was absent from the Galaxy Mega. Otherwise, the software package is quite good and features an Office Suite, a drawing application and a couple of other interesting apps. Still rather unnecessary is the need to create a Samsung account, in addition to the Google one for use of Android features, in order to be able to use a different application store with the "Samsung Apps".

The position is roughly determined even indoors.

Communication & GPS

The WLAN module does not support the newest standard 802.11 ac, but instead can use two bandwidths (2.4 and 5 GHz). It receives the signal from our router even at ten meters (~33 feet) distance and through three walls with 3/4 of the full power. The tablet does not feature NFC, but instead Samsung has implemented DLNA support and its own KIES technology, which aids in the connection to the PC.

The GPS chip also supports the Russian GLONASS network and offers, like the Galaxy S4, excellent reception. Out in the open we quickly managed to connect to a dozen satellites and even indoors, our position was still roughly determined.

Cameras & Multimedia

The performance of the 5 megapixel (2560×1920) camera is rather good in bright sunlight. In combination with the autofocus, the lens produces properly sharp images, without color bleeding even at the edges. However, the image quality noticeably drops in bright artificial or low light. We can clearly see image noise and slight blurring due to the long exposure. This is even worse when you take into account the lack of an LED flash.

HD videos were played without hiccups, both from the internal memory and streamed from other local devices over Wi-Fi. YouTube videos should be viewed with the dedicated app and not via the browser, because the quality of the videos is much better in the application. This is caused by the operating system, not the device itself.

Reference: Canon EOS 450D (12 megapixel)

Accessories

AC adapter, USB cable, quick start guide – Samsung has not equipped the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 with a lot of stuff. However, the rest of the devices in this price range do not usually come with many more accessories. Samsung has traditionally created special accessories for its Galaxy Tabs, such as the "Diary Bag", which is available for the Galaxy Tab 2. There are still no such accessories for the latest generation on the manufacturer's website.

Warranty

Samsung offers its tablets with 24 months of warranty. This warranty can become valid in any country, where the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 is sold, if you call the Samsung Hotline or an authorized service partner.

Input Devices & Controls

The keyboard can be detached and moved freely.

The capacitive touchscreen can recognize up to ten fingers at the same time. It is very sensitive and accurate even at the edges of the display. The multi-touch gestures are also reliably recognized.

Samsung has redesigned the standard Android keyboard: the buttons are slightly smaller, but the numbers are now directly accessible. With the press of a button, the virtual keyboard can be moved around the screen or split into two separate parts, on each of which can be typed with one hand. The fact that the keys are slightly smaller will not please people with larger fingers, but overall the keyboard proved to be quite good and reliable in our test.

Other input methods, such as handwriting recognition and dictating text, functioned well. The user can select which voice control to use, Samsung's or Google's one, in the settings menu. Both of these worked well in our test. For example, voice control can be used to take a picture so that the image is not blurred by the shake when you press the shutter button.

The Galaxy Tab 3.0 8 does not support a digitizer pen, unlike the Galaxy Note 8.0, but it offers almost all other input methods that TouchWiz supports - extended gesture control, face recognition that activates the screen, and comprehensive assistance for physically impaired people. You can read more about the control options of the TouchWiz in our review of the Galaxy S4.

Display

The heart of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3.0 8 is a TFT display with a 16:9 aspect ratio. The resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels is higher than most cheaper competitors and even the iPad Mini.

Samsung has a reputation with displays and therefore does not skimp on the brightness - an average of 431 cd/m² is enough for the top position in any case. The illumination is very even at 92%, so there are hardly any visible differences in brightness over large areas.


421 cd/m²	399 cd/m²	401 cd/m²
431 cd/m²	428 cd/m²	398 cd/m²
412 cd/m²	408 cd/m²	419 cd/m²

Distribution of brightness

tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2

Maximum: 431 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 413 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 92 %
Center on Battery: 428 cd/m²
Contrast: 764:1 (Black: 0.56 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.2 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.9
ΔE Greyscale 3.2 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
Gamma: 2.46

Although Samsung has chosen a SAMOLED display this time, it is still quite a respectable panel: colors are crisp and the image is very good. The black level of 0.56 cd/m² is significantly higher than most other devices, and the contrast ratio of 764:1 is only average.

As with the Galaxy S4 and the Galaxy Mega, the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 also has various screen modes, which are automatically selected or can be set by the user. Our subjective impression is that "Dynamic" has the strongest, but also slightly unnatural colors. "Video" has natural colors, but is a bit pale. "Standard" lies somewhere in between.

All three have a strong blue tint, as we measured with the CalMAN software and the colorimeter. Here it was confirmed that "Video" came closest to the sRGB and Adobe RGB color spaces. This applies to grayscale, as well as color accuracy and saturation.

"Dynamic" is the farthest from the ideal of all possible settings. In terms of color accuracy, its DeltaE values, meaning the deviation from the standard, are almost 50% higher than the ones of "Video" mode. What mode you like the best is ultimately a matter of taste. Overall, the display has quite accurate colors. The grayscale is sufficiently good even in comparison to Adobe RGB.

The very high brightness of the tablet makes it ideal for outdoor use, but the contrast and reflective surface work against it. Although it is possible to read the display in direct sunlight, after a short period it becomes tiring for the eyes. As long as there is bright ambient light, the user will be faced with annoying reflections from the screen. But, if you manage to find the right position or are in the shade, you can easily work well with the tablet outdoors.

Viewing experience remains unchanged up to the most acute angles. Other TFT technologies cannot compete here. Even if you raise the tablet at the level of your eyes and view the screen from the side, you can see what is going on on the display. There are no contrast drops.

Performance

While the Galaxy Note 8.0 featured a quad-core processor, Samsung has equipped the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 with "just" a dual-core. The Exynos 4212 is manufactured by Samsung and works at 1.5 GHz. Our initial impression is that you cannot tell the difference between the equally clocked dual-core and quad-core processor in all application scenarios. However, the quad-core has a significant advantage in multi-tasking and when running properly programmed apps. We will check this with the help of synthetic benchmarks. The rest of the hardware equipment of the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 is pretty neat: quad-core graphics chip, 1.5 GB of RAM and 16 GB flash storage.

We can briefly summarize the system and CPU performance of the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 like this: faster than the Kindle Fire HD 7, significantly slower than the Google Nexus 7. The Galaxy Note 8.0 is also clearly ahead of our test device, thanks to its two additional cores. Overall, the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 places in the middle and can even run several applications at the same time in everyday use. During video playback, navigation through the TouchWiz interface is also not a problem. Only in more demanding scenarios can one notice the performance difference to devices such as the Google Nexus 7.

Linpack Android / IOS
Single Thread (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310	56.4 MFLOPS
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0	66.9 MFLOPS +19%
Captiva PAD 8 Pro	50 MFLOPS -11%
Lenovo IdeaTab S2110A	103.9 MFLOPS +84%
Acer Iconia A1-810	34.22 MFLOPS -39%
Easypix SmartPad EP800 Ultra	56.3 MFLOPS 0%
Google Nexus 7	47.15 MFLOPS -16%
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7 inch	44.38 MFLOPS -21%
Apple iPad mini	85.4 MFLOPS +51%
Multi Thread (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310	95.9 MFLOPS
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0	181.8 MFLOPS +90%
Captiva PAD 8 Pro	70.9 MFLOPS -26%
Lenovo IdeaTab S2110A	181.8 MFLOPS +90%
Acer Iconia A1-810	95.1 MFLOPS -1%
Easypix SmartPad EP800 Ultra	69.8 MFLOPS -27%
Google Nexus 7	69.3 MFLOPS -28%
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7 inch	73.8 MFLOPS -23%
Apple iPad mini	124.4 MFLOPS +30%

AnTuTu v3 - Total Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310	10391 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0	16783 Points +62%
Captiva PAD 8 Pro	10083 Points -3%
Acer Iconia A1-810	12452 Points +20%
Easypix SmartPad EP800 Ultra	14699 Points +41%
Google Nexus 7	12703 Points +22%

Geekbench 2 - 32 Bit - Total Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310	1231 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0	2146 Points +74%
Captiva PAD 8 Pro	754 Points -39%
Lenovo IdeaTab S2110A	1473 Points +20%
Acer Iconia A1-810	1322 Points +7%
Easypix SmartPad EP800 Ultra	1945 Points +58%
Google Nexus 7	1599 Points +30%
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7 inch	1137 Points -8%
Apple iPad mini	750 Points -39%

PassMark PerformanceTest Mobile V1 - System (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310	2217 Points
Acer Iconia A1-810	2264 Points +2%

Smartbench 2012 - Productivity Index (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310	3153 points
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0	5883 points +87%
Lenovo IdeaTab S2110A	3124 points -1%
Acer Iconia A1-810	3455 points +10%
Easypix SmartPad EP800 Ultra	3961 points +26%
Easypix SmartPad EP800 Ultra	3961 points +26%
Google Nexus 7	3840 points +22%
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7 inch	2418 points -23%

Legend

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310 Samsung Exynos 4212 1.5 GHz, ARM Mali-400 MP4, 16 GB iNAND Flash

Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 Samsung Exynos 4412 Quad, ARM Mali-400 MP4, 16 GB iNAND Flash

Captiva PAD 8 Pro Rockchip RK3066 1.5 GHz, ARM Mali-400 MP, 8 GB SSD

Lenovo IdeaTab S2110A Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus APQ8060A, Qualcomm Adreno 225, 16 GB SSD

Acer Iconia A1-810 Mediatek MT6589, PowerVR SGX544, 16 GB iNAND Flash

Easypix SmartPad EP800 Ultra Samsung Exynos 4412 Quad, ARM Mali-400 MP4, 8 GB SSD

Google Nexus 7 NVIDIA Tegra 3, NVIDIA GeForce ULP (Tegra 3), 8 GB SSD

Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7 inch Texas Instruments OMAP 4460, PowerVR SGX540, 16 GB SSD

Apple iPad mini Apple A5, PowerVR SGX543MP2, 16 GB SSD

In terms of 3D performance, none of the devices can really take a lead here; the results are quite close to each other. The ARM Mali 400-MP4 in our test device is enough even for very demanding 3D games for Android tablets. As you can see below, we have checked this in practice.

GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310	6.2 fps
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0	6 fps -3%
Acer Iconia A1-810	5.3 fps -15%
Google Nexus 7	5.3 fps -15%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310	3.9 fps
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0	4.5 fps +15%
Acer Iconia A1-810	2.6 fps -33%
Google Nexus 7	3.2 fps -18%

Epic Citadel
High Quality (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310	54.6 fps
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0	39.2 fps -28%
Acer Iconia A1-810	57 fps +4%
High Performance (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310	55.5 fps
Acer Iconia A1-810	58.6 fps +6%
Google Nexus 7	53.6 fps -3%

AnTuTu 3DRating
1024x2048 Off-screen (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310	2233 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0	2169 Points -3%
Apple iPad mini	1174 Points -47%
--- (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310	3097 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0	3383 Points +9%
Acer Iconia A1-810	3134 Points +1%
Apple iPad mini	5819 Points +88%

NenaMark2 - --- (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310	58.4 fps
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0	58 fps -1%
Captiva PAD 8 Pro	55.6 fps -5%
Lenovo IdeaTab S2110A	58.8 fps +1%
Acer Iconia A1-810	51 fps -13%
Easypix SmartPad EP800 Ultra	56 fps -4%
Google Nexus 7	55.6 fps -5%
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7 inch	27.8 fps -52%

3DMark - 1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310	3098 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0	3326 Points +7%
Acer Iconia A1-810	3148 Points +2%
Google Nexus 7	3523 Points +14%

As we already noted in our review of the Xtreamer JoyZ, Samsung's Exynos SoCs are really fast when it comes to Internet browsing, complex HMTL5 animations, or videos. The otherwise mediocre test device left behind all of its rivals in this test. The same is true for the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 - none of the competitors can keep up. This is a strong argument for those who mostly use their tablet for surfing the Internet.

Google V8 Ver. 7 - Google V8 Ver. 7 Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310	2154 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0	2425 Points +13%
Captiva PAD 8 Pro	1282 Points -40%
Lenovo IdeaTab S2110A	1321 Points -39%
Acer Iconia A1-810	1205 Points -44%
Easypix SmartPad EP800 Ultra	1562 Points -27%
Google Nexus 7	1236 Points -43%
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7 inch	1383 Points -36%
Apple iPad mini	852 Points -60%

Octane V1 - Total Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310	1873 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0	2145 Points +15%
Captiva PAD 8 Pro	1232 Points -34%
Acer Iconia A1-810	1247 Points -33%
Google Nexus 7	1313 Points -30%

Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310	1257 ms *
Acer Iconia A1-810	1498 ms * -19%

Peacekeeper - --- (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310	712 Points
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0	706 Points -1%
Captiva PAD 8 Pro	436 Points -39%
Acer Iconia A1-810	572 Points -20%
Google Nexus 7	468 Points -34%

Mozilla Kraken 1.0 - Total (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310	18228 ms *
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0	22014 ms * -21%
Captiva PAD 8 Pro	30169 ms * -66%
Acer Iconia A1-810	18593 ms * -2%

* ... smaller is better

Samsung has not saved on storage memory. The speed of the 16 GB flash memory is really impressive. This is confirmed by the comparison to the rest of the competition. In practice, we were equally impressed with the fast load times.

AndroBench 3-5
Random Write 4KB (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310	1.88 MB/s
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0	1.47 MB/s -22%
Captiva PAD 8 Pro	0.13 MB/s -93%
Lenovo IdeaTab S2110A	0.54 MB/s -71%
Acer Iconia A1-810	0.63 MB/s -66%
Easypix SmartPad EP800 Ultra	0.23 MB/s -88%
Easypix SmartPad EP800 Ultra	0.23 MB/s -88%
Google Nexus 7	0.28 MB/s -85%
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7 inch	0.59 MB/s -69%
Random Read 4KB (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310	10.94 MB/s
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0	11.13 MB/s +2%
Captiva PAD 8 Pro	8.46 MB/s -23%
Lenovo IdeaTab S2110A	8.15 MB/s -26%
Acer Iconia A1-810	12.29 MB/s +12%
Easypix SmartPad EP800 Ultra	7.24 MB/s -34%
Easypix SmartPad EP800 Ultra	7.24 MB/s -34%
Google Nexus 7	4.76 MB/s -56%
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7 inch	12.11 MB/s +11%
Sequential Write 256KB (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310	20.07 MB/s
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0	17.04 MB/s -15%
Captiva PAD 8 Pro	24.61 MB/s +23%
Lenovo IdeaTab S2110A	11.01 MB/s -45%
Acer Iconia A1-810	10.41 MB/s -48%
Easypix SmartPad EP800 Ultra	5.25 MB/s -74%
Easypix SmartPad EP800 Ultra	5.25 MB/s -74%
Google Nexus 7	5.22 MB/s -74%
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7 inch	12.3 MB/s -39%
Sequential Read 256KB (sort by value)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310	45.86 MB/s
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0	38.99 MB/s -15%
Captiva PAD 8 Pro	8.77 MB/s -81%
Lenovo IdeaTab S2110A	33.61 MB/s -27%
Acer Iconia A1-810	46.43 MB/s +1%
Easypix SmartPad EP800 Ultra	24.8 MB/s -46%
Easypix SmartPad EP800 Ultra	24.8 MB/s -46%
Google Nexus 7	16.87 MB/s -63%
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7 inch	42.73 MB/s -7%

Games

As we already mentioned, the SoC is well suited to run the latest 3D games on the Android tablet. We tested the tablet with titles like "Real Racing 3" and "Iron Man 3". Both ran without problems – no stuttering, short loading times and smooth gaming experience. Clearly undemanding games like the "Angry Birds: Star Wars" were also not a challenge.

Overall the performance of the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 is impressive: Despite its weaker processor compared to the Google Nexus 7 and the Galaxy Note 8.0, our tablet was usually ahead of the competition or at least on a similarly high level. In practice, the tablet worked quickly and without lags in any situation.

Emissions

Temperature

The performance edge is also reflected in the temperature under load: with a maximum temperature of 42.6 °C (108.68 °F), the tablet is by no means hot, but is still noticeably warm. The Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7 is slightly warmer, as well as the Galaxy Note 8.0. The rest of the competition has done a better job in terms of heat management and achieves lower average temperatures. In idle use, our test device keeps a cool head and reached a maximum of 34 °C (93.2 °F) in the area of the front camera.

Max. Load

Idle


31 °C 88 F	32.2 °C 90 F	34 °C 93 F
32.4 °C 90 F	33.5 °C 92 F	39.2 °C 103 F
34.3 °C 94 F	42.6 °C 109 F	37.7 °C 100 F

Maximum: 42.6 °C = 109 F
Average: 35.2 °C = 95 F


32.9 °C 91 F	34 °C 93 F	31.2 °C 88 F
36.6 °C 98 F	34.8 °C 95 F	31.4 °C 89 F
36 °C 97 F	41.5 °C 107 F	34.2 °C 94 F

Maximum: 41.5 °C = 107 F
Average: 34.7 °C = 94 F

Power Supply (max.) 48.3 °C = 119 F | Room Temperature 23 °C = 73 F | Voltcraft IR-350

(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 35.2 °C / 95 F, compared to the average of 30 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Tablet.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 42.6 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 33.7 °C / 93 F, ranging from 20.7 to 53.2 °C for the class Tablet.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 41.5 °C / 107 F, compared to the average of 33.2 °C / 92 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 29.1 °C / 84 F, compared to the device average of 30 °C / 86 F.

Speakers

The speakers are located on the bottom side of the tablet. This means that if you hold the tablet in landscape mode, you can slightly cover the speakers with your hand and dampen the sound. When you hold it vertically, you will be able to fully enjoy the sound of the two speakers.

The sound is really good for a tablet - balanced, loud, but not too much. The highs and mids are well defined; the bass is of course barely there. Overall, the speakers leave a good impression, even if the stereo effect is not so prominent, due to the fact that the two speakers are too close to each other.

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Considering the more than decent performance that the tablet offers, its energy consumption is low. A maximum of 3 W in idle use is almost half of what the Acer Iconia A1-810 and Apple's iPad Mini are consuming. Even under load, our test unit draws very little power with a maximum value of 5.8 W. In combination with the 17.8 Wh battery, the tablet should have properly good runtimes, right?

Power Consumption

Off / Standby	0.01 / 0.1 Watt
Idle	1.3 / 2.6 / 3 Watt
Load	5.4 / 5.8 Watt


Key: min: , med: , max: Voltcraft VC 940

Battery Life

The answer is clearly "yes, but...". The lithium-ion battery provides the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 with runtimes of more than 10 hours of very light use, 7:43 hours of surfing over WLAN and 3:36 hours of working under full load. These are quite ordinary times. The Google Nexus 7 can be clearly surpassed in the WLAN test. The iPad Mini and Kindle Fire HD 7 have significantly longer battery life, which places the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 just in the upper middle of the list.

Battery Runtime

Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)		10h 14min
WiFi Surfing		7h 43min
Load (maximum brightness)		3h 36min

Verdict

Slightly more expensive than its competitors, but also slightly better. The Google Nexus 7 and the Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7, two considerably well-known competitors, cannot really challenge the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0. However, this may change soon, because the next generation of Google's price-performance hit is on its way.

But until then, Samsung has produced a tablet, which can be threatened only by the iPad Mini or the Galaxy Note 8.0. The Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 also suffers some criticism: the case is made of plastic, which may be pleasing to some and others would be indifferent. But then there will be some, who would say that a high-quality aluminum tablet is more appealing. Dear Samsung team, bloatware is also not good. And for those who look only at the pure performance, we should note that buyers will get a slightly less powerful processor.

The performance is top notch, be it browsing the web or playing games. The display is also impressive, only if it were not for the blue tint. The TouchWiz interface is very well thought out and expands the Android with numerous neat features; Samsung has even included many features to help out people with disabilities. Good battery life, dozens of input options, useful software additions and good speakers make for a well-rounded package, which justifies the small extra cost.

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Editor of the original article: Florian Schmitt - Managing Editor Mobile - 1212 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2009

I initially wrote about gaming laptops when I joined Notebookcheck in 2009. I was then involved with the setup of the comparison portal Notebookinfo and worked with social media concepts for large companies like BMW and Adidas, while also returning to work for Notebookcheck in 2012. Nowadays, I focus on smartphones, tablets, and future technologies. Since 2018 I have been Managing Editor for mobile device reviews, working alongside my colleague Daniel Schmidt.

contact me via: @FloSchmi26, LinkedIn, Xing

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Specifications

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 SM-T310 (Galaxy Tab 3 Series)

Processor

Samsung Exynos 4212 1.5 GHz 2 x 1.5 GHz, Cortex A9

Graphics adapter

ARM Mali-400 MP4

Memory

1536 MB

, LPDDR2

Display

8.00 inch 16:9, 1280 x 800 pixel, capacititive touchscreen, mutli-touch with up to ten fingers, TFT, glossy: yes

Storage

16 GB iNAND Flash, 16 GB

, 11.75 GB free

Connections

1 USB 2.0, 1 Infrared, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm audio combined port, Card Reader: MicroSD (up to 64 GB), Sensors: Accelerometer, gyroscope, face recognition, DLNA, KIES

Networking

802.11a/b/g/n (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.0

Size

height x width x depth (in mm): 7.4 x 209 x 123 ( = 0.29 x 8.23 x 4.84 in)

Battery

18 Wh Lithium-Ion, Battery runtime (according to manufacturer): 5760 h

Operating System

Android 4.2

Camera

Webcam: Rear: 5 MP with autofocus, Front: 1.3 MP

Additional features

Speakers: Stereo speakers, Keyboard: virtual keyboard, Samsung TouchWiz, S Planner, S Voice, Story-Album, Samsung Link, Flipboard, Paper Artist, 24 Months Warranty

Weight

314 g ( = 11.08 oz / 0.69 pounds), Power Supply: 49 g ( = 1.73 oz / 0.11 pounds)

Price

299 Euro

Links

Samsung homepage
Samsung notebook section

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