Samsung’s Galaxy Tab A has a premium all-metal shell, and a mid-range tablet’s heart

By Williams Pelegrin April 20, 2015

After remaining absent from the tablet space for the better part of a year, Samsung marks its return to the slate world with the Galaxy Tab A.

Marketed as a tablet that will let you keep in touch with friends and family, the Galaxy Tab A comes in 8-inch and 9.7-inch sizes. Both variants are powered by the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor and 1.5GB of RAM, along with 1,024 x 768 pixel displays. Both run Android 5.0 Lollipop, and come with either 16GB or 32GB of internal storage, though that can be expanded via the tablet’s MicroSD card slot.

Regardless of which size you choose, the Galaxy Tab A separates itself from its predecessors by having a 4:3 aspect ratio, where previous Samsung tablets had a 16:10 aspect ratio. In addition, the Galaxy Tab A models have a full metal chassis, which is a significant departure from the all-plastic construction of previous Samsung tablets.

There’s not much separating the two models of the Galaxy Tab A, though, save for the screen sizes and battery capacity. The 8-inch version sports a 4,200mAh battery pack and the 9.7-inch variant includes a 6,000mAh battery. Whether the differences between the two versions are significant enough to warrant a $70 bump from the 8-inch version’s $230 price tag to the 9.7-inch version’s $300 price tag is up to you, though there will also be an 8-inch version with Samsung’s S Pen for $350.

The 8-inch and 9.7-inch Galaxy Tab A will be available for purchase on May 1. The 9.7-inch version will come bundled with the S Pen and arrive on May 17. You can preorder your model of choice on Samsung’s website.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Williams Pelegrin

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Williams is an avid New York Yankees fan, speaks Spanish, resides in Colorado, and has an affinity for Frosted Flakes. Send…

Mobile

How one bad decision is ruining all of Samsung’s new phones

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 in cream, blue, and black.

This summer’s Galaxy Unpacked event was the usual great fun. We got a new Galaxy Z Fold 5 with an improved hinge and more powerful chip, plus the Galaxy Z Flip 5 with a cover screen that’s large enough to see what’s going on. These were joined by the return of a much-loved design in the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, with some refinements to make it even more classy, plus a standard Galaxy Watch 6 and a full new lineup of Samsung tablets.

However, Samsung’s latest product lineup also confirms the road I’ve feared the South Korean gadget maker has been on for at least a few months now. Samsung is getting more serious and less fun and whimsical in its product designs, especially when it comes to color choices.

Mobile

3 reasons I’m disappointed by the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 with its main display open.

During its Galaxy Unpacked July 2023 event, Samsung dropped a bunch of new products for everyone — from next-generation foldable phones to new wearables and a diverse range of tablets. One of the new device reveals was the Galaxy Z Flip 5, which has been expected along with the Galaxy Z Fold 5.

Though I’m still fairly new to the scene of foldables, I have seen the appeal — and in some cases, I prefer the form factor over the standard glass slab that most phones are nowadays. But honestly, there isn’t a lot with the new Galaxy Z Flip 5 that’s drawing me in. Instead, it’s a bit underwhelming.
A larger cover display that's poorly implemented

Mobile

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 price: here’s exactly how much it costs

Calender widget on the cover screen on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5.

Samsung just held its latest Galaxy Unpacked event in Seoul, South Korea, and it had a whole slew of new products to unveil to the masses. We have three new Galaxy Tab S9 tablets, the Galaxy Watch 6 series, the Galaxy Z Fold 5, and the Galaxy Z Flip 5.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is sure to impress with an all-new 3.4-inch cover display that Samsung has called the "Flex Window." You can access some new widgets from the Flex Window, including a multi-widget view for more at once, and even run apps on the cover display (with some caveats). The Z Flip 5 also has a new Flex Hinge that looks aesthetically pleasing and provides a solid foldable experience. The cameras are also slightly better, with a new lens coating that should cut down on unwanted lens flares.