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Samsung Galaxy Tab Active
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active
...


7.5/10
Informr score
The Samsung Galaxy Tab Active currently has an Informr score of 7.5 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 4 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

What's good

  • Enterprise ready with Knox, SAP and Citrix certifications
  • Extended 3-year warranty
  • Rugged design
  • IP67 rating
  • Removable battery
  • Expandable storage

What's bad

  • Heavy design
  • Mediocre resolution
  • Poor camera
  • Lack of cellular data support

With all the smartphone makers putting out waterproof and dustproof phones, it was only a matter of time before more started appear in the tablet market as well. While there have been a few, most run well more than the cost of traditional flagship tablets. Samsung is looking to change that with the Galaxy Active. Combining one of the lowest prices of a ruggedized tablet with the hardware prowess of Samsung, it has generated plenty of hype. But does it live up to it? Let’s check out some reviews!

The first thing you’ll noticed about the tablet is that its far from sleek. But this bulked up design, with reinforced corners and a thicker chassis, is rated for drop protection from three feet. Add the included Protective Cover+ and Samsung claims it will survive multiple falls from a distance of four feet. PC Magazine put these claims to the test, noting, “I have dropped it a number of times without any problems, and felt more comfortable doing that than I would with consumer tablets.”

Other notable design features include physical buttons for navigation and a flapless IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating. Multiple reviews submerged their tablet and while it doesn’t appear to be very usable underwater, it works just fine once back in the dry air.

Sitting on the front of the tablet, you’ll find an 8-inch 800-by-1280 pixel TFT display. While its far from cutting edge, reviews note that it is a decent screen. Many reviewers were suprised at how good the viewing angles on the older screen technology are. While you might notice a lack of fine detail and text can get a little fuzzy, Tech Radar Pro summed it up well, stating that it was “OK, not great”

The processor is equally mid-tier. With a 1.2GHZ quad-core processor and 1.5GB of RAM, it should have plenty of chops for standard web browsing and productivity work, but don’t expect stellar performance with cutting edge games or heavy multitasking. Notebook Check put it through its paces and declared, “System performance is decent, but minor stutters will be noticed occasionally.”

If you’re planning to use the tablet for movies or games, you might have some issues with the 16GB of internal storage. Fortunately, microSD card support allows you to tack on an additional 64GB of storage space at an affordable price.

Tablet cameras have never offered particularly strong performance. Unfortunately, the cameras on the Galaxy Tab Active are even weaker than most. With a scant 3MP rear camera with flash and 1.2MP front-facing camera, reviews were decidedly negative in almost all aspects. Low-light performance, detail and color reproduction were all lacking. Unless you’re looking to take the occasional picture of a receipt or snapshot to file in Evernote, reviews indicate you shouldn’t expect much from the camera. Tablet PC Review called it, “Poor by any standard.”

One stand out feature of the tablet, apart from its durability, is its 4,450mAh removable battery. Reviewers found it averaged nearly 12 hours on a single charge with mixed usage and media consumption. Even at max brightness and pushing the processor to its limits, it pulls more than six hours from a single charge. Combine this with a nearly unheard of removable battery and you have a tablet with unparalleled battery life. Add in support for both POGO chargers and microUSB and you have a tablet that is flexible and ready to go the distance.

While you have to make a trade-off for the rugged design in performance and weight, reviews on the tablet are mostly positive. PC Magazine calls it, “A much better fit in the outdoor and industrial markets than almost anything else I've carried.” Tablet PC Review praised it, stating, “The functional additions of the ruggedized design, physical buttons, and removable battery make it an appealing tablet, and not just to business users.” However, it is still priced considerably above non-ruggedized tablets, so unless that is a key feature for you, you might be better served elsewhere.


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
1.2 GHz
Processor
Processor
1.2 GHz
8"
Screen Size
Screen Size
8"
3+ MP
Camera
Camera
3+ MP
4450 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


Laptop Mag
Laptop Mag

The Galaxy Tab Active delivers on its promised ruggedness, surviving the kinds of mayhem you're likely to encounter when you take a tablet away from the relative safety of a desk job. Coupled with the enterprise class support built into the Tab Active, the device would be just about ideal for an on-...

- Phillip Michaels, Laptop Mag
TabletPCReview
TabletPCReview

It fits the bill as a top-notch, stylish, and ruggedized Android tablet.

- Jamison Cush, TabletPCReview
TechRadar
TechRadar

At the $699.99 (about £437 and AU$800) entry price, Samsung bills the Tab Active as a cure to poor build quality. Unfortunately, the machine suffers from lackluster internals that really put all the burden of purchase on the ruggedization. Had that experience been closer to flawless than it wa...

- Henry Casey, TechRadar
Notebookcheck
Notebookcheck

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...

- Daniel Schmidt, Notebookcheck


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Quick view

Screen Size
8"

The Samsung Galaxy Tab Active's screen size is 8 inches with x pixels resolution.

Processor
1.2 GHz

There is a Qualcomm APQ 8026 Quad core 1.2 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The tablet runs on proprietary operating system firmware.

Camera
3+ MP
You can take photos or capture video with the tablet's onboard 3+ MP camera. There is also a secondary front facing camera with 1+ megapixels resolution.
Storage
16 GB

Internal memory is 16 GB. An external, MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 64 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
4450mAh

The tablet is powered by a Lithium Polymer (Li-Pol), 4450 mAh battery. Samsung's performance ratings are 12 hours Wi-Fi surfing.

Galaxy Tab Active Specs

Overview
Release Date November 12, 2014
Regions Available USA, United Kingdom
Operating System No

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor Qualcomm APQ 8026 Quad core 1.2 GHz
Internal Storage 16 GB
RAM 1536 MB
Hearing Aid Compatible No
TTY/TDD No
SAR Body: 0.704 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included AC Charger, Manual, Standard Battery
Cellular
Networks
No
Mobile / Cellular Data
No (Option available)
Wi-Fi Calling No
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) No
SIM card size
No
variations
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB Micro-USB 2.0
USB OTG Support No
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 4.0
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, OPP/FTP, HID, HSP, PAN
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 64 GB)
NFC Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
3+ Megapixels
Zoom
Yes
Flash
Yes (LED)
Additional Main Camera Info
Auto focus, Brightness control, Effects, Geotagging, Panorama, Self-timer, White balance, Sound & Shot
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, 3G2 / 3GPP2, MPEG-4, WMV, ASF, FLV, AVI
Video Recording Parameters
HD (1280 x 720 pixels), 30 fps
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
1+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
No
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (TFT)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution x pixels
Pixel density 189 pixels
Size 8 inches
Sensors Ambient Light, Motion / Accelerometer
Backlit Illumination Yes
Zoom / Magnification Yes
Screen Orientation Lock Yes
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen
Power & Battery
Type Lithium Polymer (Li-Pol)
Battery Capacity 4450 mAh
Removable Battery Yes
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging No
Battery Charge Time Unknown
Video Playback Time Up to 11 hours
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 12 hours
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Standby Time Unknown
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Material Plastic
Colors Titanium Green
Dimensions [H x W x D] 21.3 x 12.6 x 1.0 cm (8.4 x 5 x 0.4 in)
Weight 393 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Water Resistant
Rugged design Yes
IP Rating IP 67
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Touchscreen Yes
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key Yes
Physical keyboard No
Text-to-Speech Yes
Screen Reader No
Keypad/Screen Lock Yes
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor No
More
Additional Information Other Names (AKA):
Related Links Manual (PDF)
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active Reviews
Where to buy Samsung Galaxy Tab Active
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