Samsung Galaxy Tab Active Tablet Review
For the original German review, see here.
Samsung's Galaxy Tab Active is an 8-inch tablet that is primarily aimed at business customers. It is dust and waterproof, and it also allegedly withstands drops from a height of up to 1.2 meters with its so-called Protective Cover+. The tablet connects to the Internet via LTE, and the mid-range processor comes from Qualcomm. The RRP of 499 Euros (~$566) is relatively low for the tablet.
Sony's Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact bears a similar price tag, and it is also IP certified. However, it is not protected against drops. Categorical business devices, such as the Toughpads by Panasonic, are even more robust, but they are also considerably pricier.
Case
Samsung's Galaxy Tab Active is surprisingly slim and light for such a robust tablet. It is not even ten millimeters high and weighs just 395 grams. However, it has to be in the Protective Cover+ - a bumper made of thick rubber - to ensure the drop protection. The tablet's size then increases visibly, and it gains 101 grams. The Xperia Z3 Compact consumer tablet (6.4 mm, 271 grams) lives up to its name and presents itself significantly slimmer and lighter.
The build makes a good impression. The gaps are flush and virtually invisible. 24 small clips keep the back very firmly in place. However, this fastening produced a lot of noise in our twisting attempts because single parts are pressed out of their notch and cause an audible cracking noise. Thus, it is important to regularly check whether the back cover is tight because the Tab Active would no longer be waterproof. The IP67 certification specifies that the device is dust protected and waterproof as long as it is not submerged deeper than one meter and for at most 30 minutes in fresh water. The casing is completely made of plastic, and the micro-USB port does not have to be closed with a frustrating cover.
The entire back can be removed, allowing access to the exchangeable battery, micro-SD and micro-SIM slots. Both slots are stacked and are simple openings without eject mechanisms. The micro-SD card does not fit very tight and wobbles slightly in its slot.
Connectivity
The micro-SD port of Samsung's Galaxy Tab Active is used for both recharging the device and sharing data with computers. The port also supports OTG, making it possible to connect USB flash drives and external input devices.
The micro-SD card slot should support memory cards with a maximum capacity of 64 GB. The tablet can allegedly be used in temperatures ranging from -20 °C and +60 °C. Since we did not want to damage the device, we did not check these specifications. However, the specs should be regarded with suspicion since they are at the limits of the lithium-ion battery.
Software
Samsung relies on Google's Android 4.4.4 operating system in conjunction with its proprietary TouchWiz interface in the Galaxy Tab Active. Samsung KNOX 2.1 is to ensure more security and a better integration in the company's infrastructure. Besides that, the manufacturer only installs its own app store and a free version of Hancom office. Other third-party software is not preloaded.
Communication & GPS
Samsung's Galaxy Tab Active can fall back on a Wi-Fi module that supports the IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n standards. Although that excludes the high-speed ac standard, both the 2.4 and 5.0 GHz bandwidths are available. The range is also really good. The attenuation fluctuated between -40 and -44 dBm in the immediate vicinity of the router (Fritz!Box 6360, 2.4 GHz). We measured -58 to -68 dBm approximately 20 meters away from the signal source. The tablet displayed a good connection quality, and Internet browsing was possible without noteworthy lags.
The Tab Active connects to the Internet via HSPA+ (max. 42 Mbps) or LTE Cat.4 on-the-go. Samsung includes a wide frequency coverage so that no problems should occur in foreign countries as long as it is not the Far East. NFC and Bluetooth 4.0 round off the communication equipment.
Samsung's Galaxy Tab Active uses GPS and Glonass for tracking. Localization is even possible indoors, but it needs a few minutes. We could not test the accuracy with the bike this time for health reasons and had to take the car instead. The review sample did a decent job, and its results are very close to those of the Garmin Edge 500. However, the accuracy has its limits as the drive through the traffic circle shows.
Cameras
The webcam in Samsung's Galaxy Tab Active has a resolution of 1.2 MP (1280x960 pixels, 4:3) and suffices for undemanding video telephony in good light conditions. Heavy noise soon evolves in low light.
The primary camera on the rear is not a pixel machine either with a maximum resolution of 3.1 MP (2048x1536 pixels, 4:3). Its main job is scanning compatible barcodes. The image quality is middling. The colors exhibit a light reddish cast, and the pictures always look a bit blurry. The image quality also decreases rapidly and heavy noise becomes visible in low-light conditions here. At least the LED flash can help in some situations. Videos can be recorded in the small HD resolution (720p, 1280x720 pixels, 16:9).
Accessories
In addition to a modular power supply and the corresponding cord (10.6 watts, 5.2 volts, 2 amperes), Samsung's Galaxy Tab Active is shipped with the Protective Cover+ with an inserted, capacitive stylus.
There should be plenty of optional accessories to match the claim. However, nothing is listed in Samsung's online shop - not a cover or a docking station for using the touted Pogo pins. A fitting car holder would certainly also be useful. Some third-party manufacturers have that in their product lines.
Warranty
Samsung includes a 24-month warranty on its product, which can be extended up to three years with the Mobile Care Package that is to provide extensive service. Unfortunately, this is not yet available in Germany.
Input Devices & Controls
Samsung's Galaxy Tab Active has a capacitive touchscreen that supports up to ten fingers simultaneously. The accuracy is good, but two fingers are detected as one when they are placed directly beside each other on the screen. Gestures are implemented quickly. The surface's sleekness does not give reason for complaint. That, however, looks different when water is on the screen. The touchscreen remains to be extremely responsive - much to the user's chagrin.
The included stylus replaces the finger and is to enable inputting with gloves. It will be difficult to pull out the capacitive stylus from its opening with thick gloves. A touch-sensitive surface that makes it possible to input with gloves would have certainly been more appreciated. However, problems with Google's operating system would evolve because the displayed content is relatively small. One or more freely configurable buttons, like in the Toughpad JT-B1, would have been useful, and they would allow directly opening correspondingly optimized apps. The stylus is therefore a compromise. It is not an S Pen because the screen does not support digitizers.
However, the physical Android buttons below the screen are practical. Feeling them is always possible, and they have a decent pressure point. The power and volume button on the right are quite smooth-running and only have a short drop.
The virtual keyboard is identical with the ones in most of Samsung's mobile devices. Owners of such a product will not have to readjust. The keyboard is well designed and has an additional row of numbers. The automatic word suggestion appears above that when typing a text.
Display
Samsung's Galaxy Tab Active has an 8-inch screen with a resolution of 1280x800 pixels. That equals an aspect ratio of 16:10 and pixel density of approximately 189 ppi. The latter is not exceptionally high; our review sample is on par with devices such as LG's G Pad 8.0. Content is displayed sharp enough, but small texts can get a bit pixelated sometimes.
The maximum brightness of 463 cd/m² drops to 395 cd/m² in some places. That results in a mediocre brightness distribution. The slightly increased black level prevents the contrast ratio from achieving a top rate, but it is still decent. However, all contenders in the comparison field have a better contrast.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 85 %
Center on Battery: 424 cd/m²
Contrast: 606:1 (Black: 0.7 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.7 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.91
ΔE Greyscale 5.76 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
Gamma: 2.36
| Samsung Galaxy Tab Active Adreno 305, 400 MSM8926, 16 GB eMMC Flash | Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash | Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 Adreno 330, 800 MSM8974, 16 GB eMMC Flash | Panasonic Toughpad JT-B1 SGX540, OMAP 4460, 16 GB iNAND Flash | LG G Pad 8.0 V480 Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 16 GB eMMC Flash | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 9% | 27% | -15% | 2% | |
| Brightness middle | 424 | 531 25% | 406 -4% | 595 40% | 333 -21% |
| Brightness | 426 | 518 22% | 406 -5% | 561 32% | 311 -27% |
| Brightness Distribution | 85 | 91 7% | 93 9% | 77 -9% | 85 0% |
| Black Level * | 0.7 | 0.66 6% | 0.47 33% | 0.92 -31% | 0.54 23% |
| Contrast | 606 | 805 33% | 864 43% | 647 7% | 617 2% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 5.7 | 6.29 -10% | 3.43 40% | 9.02 -58% | 4.64 19% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 5.76 | 7.04 -22% | 1.51 74% | 10.86 -89% | 4.78 17% |
| Gamma | 2.36 93% | 2.78 79% | 2.51 88% | 2.41 91% | 2.63 84% |
| CCT | 7236 90% | 8600 76% | 6571 99% | 12882 50% | 6458 101% |
| Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 73.75 |
* ... smaller is better
The color accuracy is more secondary in these kinds of business devices. Samsung's Galaxy Active does not quite reflect that. The average DeltaE rates confirm that color shifts will be visible, but the review sample still presents better values than, for example, the Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact. Panasonic's Toughpad treats this category traditionally. Its color and grayscale shifts are very visible.
The outdoor suitability is important for a business tablet. However, the reflective surface and the not very convincing contrast ratio lead to a pale image even on cloudy days. It is even more difficult to recognize anything on the screen in direct sunlight.
The viewing-angle stability of the not closer specified TFT screen in Samsung's Galaxy Tab Active is really good. Color deviations do not evolve even in very flat viewing angles. Only the brightness decreases slightly. We did not ascertain ghosting although the glass has a visible distance to the display.
Performance
Samsung's Galaxy Tab Active is based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 MSM8926 processor that is supported by 1.5 GB of working memory and can fall back on the Adreno 305 for graphics calculations. The system performance is decent, but minor stutters will be noticed occasionally. The system needs a moment to gather itself particularly when more performance-demanding apps are closed.
The mid-range SoC made a solid impression in the benchmarks. The quad-core CPU always provides the available performance reliably. Throttling was not noticed. LG's G Pad 8.0 based on the same SoC achieves slightly weaker scores in the benchmarks. The graphics performance is also on the expected level.
| AnTuTu v5 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab Active | |
| Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact | |
| LG G Pad 8.0 V480 | |
| 3DMark | |
| 1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab Active | |
| Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 | |
| LG G Pad 8.0 V480 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 | |
| Lenovo Yoga Tablet 10 HD+ | |
| 1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab Active | |
| Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 | |
| LG G Pad 8.0 V480 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 | |
| Lenovo Yoga Tablet 10 HD+ | |
| 1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab Active | |
| Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 | |
| LG G Pad 8.0 V480 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 | |
| Lenovo Yoga Tablet 10 HD+ | |
We checked the browser performance using the preloaded Google Chrome 40. Websites opened quite fast subjectively, but it cannot hold a candle to the Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact with a stronger SoC in the benchmarks. This speed difference is not only measurable, it is also noticed.
| Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab Active | |
| Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 | |
| LG G Pad 8.0 V480 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 | |
| Lenovo Yoga Tablet 10 HD+ | |
| Vellamo 3.x - Browser (sort by value) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab Active | |
| Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact | |
| LG G Pad 8.0 V480 | |
| BaseMark OS II - Web (sort by value) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab Active | |
| Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact | |
| LG G Pad 8.0 V480 | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab Active | |
| Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 | |
| LG G Pad 8.0 V480 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 | |
| Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value) | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab Active | |
| Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact | |
| Panasonic Toughpad JT-B1 | |
| LG G Pad 8.0 V480 | |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 | |
| Lenovo Yoga Tablet 10 HD+ | |
* ... smaller is better
Samsung's Galaxy Tab Active has 16 GB of internal flash memory. Roughly 11.3 GB is available for use. The storage can be expanded via a micro-SD card if that is not enough. The slot accepts media with a capacity of 64 GB. Furthermore, the system supports App2SD, making it possible to move applications to the micro-SD card.
The storage speed is outstanding and outruns all contenders in the comparison field.
Games
Gaming will certainly not be the focus in Samsung's Galaxy Tab Active, but it is possible. Although the Adreno 305 is no longer one of the strongest graphics cards, it still provides enough power for all titles in the Play Store. More demanding games like Asphalt 8 display minor stutters even in medium settings but can still be played well especially since the touchscreen and sensors function well.
Emissions
Temperature
The surface temperatures of Samsung's Galaxy Tab Active reach a maximum idle of 33.5 °C, which is not even lukewarm. The temperatures only increase marginally to maximum 34 °C under permanent load. The G Pad 8.0 (max. 37.1 °C) gets a bit warmer, and the Toughpad JT-B1 even reaches up to 41.3 °C. However, all rates are within an uncritical range.
We performed a stress test on the review sample with the battery test of GFXBench 3.0. The T-Rex test is run thirty times in succession, and both the battery state and frame rates are recorded. The tablet did not exhibit any performance losses.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 34 °C / 93 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 32 °C / 90 F, compared to the average of 33.2 °C / 92 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.3 °C / 83 F, compared to the device average of 30 °C / 86 F.
Speaker
The rear-sided speaker of Samsung's Galaxy Tab Active only provides a middling quality. The trebles sound a bit subdued and there is virtually no bass. The performance will be enough for VoIP calls or a short video now and then. However, many sound wishes will remain unfulfilled in maximum volume.
Energy Management
Power Consumption
The power consumption of Samsung's Galaxy Tab Active is comparatively low. The manufacturer has done everything right here. The tablet consumes between 0.6 and 2.5 watts when idling. That climbs to a maximum of 4.3 watts during load. Panasonic's Toughpad (max. 8.9 watts) is noticeably more power-guzzling.
The included power supply with an output of 10.6 watts is thus very generously sized.
| Off / Standby |   0 / 0.1 Watt |
| Idle |  0.6 / 2.2 / 2.5 Watt |
| Load |
3.7 / 4.3 Watt |
    
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Voltcraft VC 940 | |
Battery Runtime
The lithium-ion battery in Samsung's Galaxy Tab Active provides 4450 mAh. Both the minimum and the maximum runtimes are very good and are only outpaced by consumer tablets.
The best comparisons are achieved in tests using a screen brightness of 150 cd/m². All consumers except for the Wi-Fi connection are disabled in the Wi-Fi browsing test. A script that opens a new website every 40 seconds runs in the browser. The Tab Active lasted for almost fourteen-and-a-half hours and takes the first place in the comparison field. The time was a bit shorter when playing a Full HD video in a loop, and thus the Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact scores better here. All in all, the review sample should easily last a day with a battery charge.
| Samsung Galaxy Tab Active Adreno 305, 400 MSM8926, 16 GB eMMC Flash | Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 Adreno 330, 800 MSM8974, 16 GB eMMC Flash | Panasonic Toughpad JT-B1 SGX540, OMAP 4460, 16 GB iNAND Flash | LG G Pad 8.0 V480 Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 16 GB eMMC Flash | Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | -25% | -40% | -3% | 10% | |
| Reader / Idle | 1640 | 1250 -24% | 899 -45% | 1801 10% | 2100 28% |
| H.264 | 771 | 729 -5% | 871 13% | ||
| WiFi | 861 | 702 -18% | 492 -43% | 653 -24% | 841 -2% |
| Load | 306 | 201 -34% | 206 -33% | 326 7% | 310 1% |
Verdict
Samsung has created a robust tablet with a great battery life and LTE. It could have gladly been a bit more for the business sector, though. We miss the touted Care Package and product-specific accessories for the Galaxy Tab Active here. The option of scanning NFC barcodes is a nice feature, but the device completely lacks the option of connecting a full-fledged barcode scanner.
The stylus is also a compromise that is to tide over the lack of programmable buttons since the tablet cannot be used with gloves. The touchscreen's sensitivity is not lowered in rain, which could lead to erroneous inputs. Additionally, the screen's legibility could be better outdoors.
Samsung's Galaxy Tab Active is not a mean machine like the Toughpads by Panasonic and is thus only conditionally recommendable for use in industry, workshops and logistics. It could prove a very useful piece of technology for field workers, though. Besides that, Samsung's product is significantly cheaper than a Toughpad.
