Finally! My Review: The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7

When the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 was first announced in September from last year's IFA in Berlin, I immediately fell in love with it. From the form factor, to the build, to the screen (how can you not love that screen?), it immediately became clear that the Tab 7.7 was going to be my first tablet. But when it got pulled out of the shelves, no thanks to an injuction from Apple, it frustrated me a little thinking that Apple's ploy might keep the tab from even seeing the light of day.

Fast forward to today - the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 has finally been released in the Philippines, and while it's been wildly talked about, the first thing that you'll probably notice about the tab is it's price. At Php32,999 SRP (~$730), it's probably one the priciest tablets out there.

So I tried to find out. Is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 worth the Php32,999 price tag?

Build Quality

One of the main gripes consumers have about Samsung's products is that they're mostly plastic. This still holds true for the Galaxy Tab 7.7. At the back though, you'll find a brushed aluminum lid complementing a device that's otherwise, mostly plastic. That shouldn't throw you off though, because the build quality is great - it's a very solid device that's nowhere near flimsy with nothing feeling out of place.

You'll also notice that the tab is crazy thin. At 7.9 mm, it's one of thinnest tablets and definitely the thinnest tablet commercially available here in the Philippines.

Owing to its mostly plastic construction, the Tab 7.7 weighs just around 340 grams, even lighter than the popular Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus. This makes it the lightest among the galaxy tabs and the lightest tablet in the 7 inch category. And since it's light to the touch, it's quite easy to pick up and carry around even with just one hand. And since it's small, it's equally easy to just stuff the tab right into a small bag.

The brushed aluminum lid adds to its premium feel

Display

The Super AMOLED Screen provides a stunning viewing experience

Probably the 7.7's biggest selling point is its display. With a Samsung Super AMOLED Plus display, anything you see and do on the Galaxy Tab 7.7's 1280x800 resolution will look amazing. Screw that, amazing is an understatement, the screen is phenomenal! It's vibrant, with deep contrasts and viewing angles that are so wide I remember this one time I was at KFC that even from the other end of the table, my friends could clearly see what I was playing on the tab.

 

While I have nothing against IPS displays, it's hard to deny a Super AMOLED display's superiority. I've tinkered with the iPad, Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, 8.9, 10.1, Acer Iconia Tab and ASUS Transformer Prime, and while they offer nice displays, they really just pale in comparison to the 7.7's.

Connectivity

Sorry kids, no IR blaster here

Have I mentioned that you can make calls on this device too? And I don't mean Skype calls, I mean real calls over a cellular network. Okay, so it's probably not the best idea to talk to someone over the phone with a tablet without looking stupid. My guess is that the telephony was never really a priority, Samsung must've just left that option intact just in case you know, you might want to place regular phone calls or send text messages with the tab. Don't get me wrong though, I think it's great. And while you probably won't find me making phone calls with my ears pressed against the Galaxy Tab 7.7, I like the fact that they left that option available. That's a plus considering most 3G-enabled tablets only allow for internet connectivity (Yes, I'm talking to you iPad2.)

And speaking of internet connectivity, the Tab 7.7 has HSPA+, 3G, EDGE, and GPRS which make for some serious connectivity with speeds of up to 21 Mbps. It also has Bluetooth 3.0, 802.11n WiFi, and comes with a proprietery USB adapter cable.

What frustrated me though was the fact that it didn't have the expected IR blaster. Turns out the global edition won't have that option. It may seem like a small deal, but I was really looking forward to controlling my TV and DVD player with just the Tab, so it's a bit of a bummer.

Overall Experience

Lo, and behold, Honeycomb 3.2

Although an ICS update is suspected to be just around the corner, The Galaxy Tab 7.7 still runs on Honeycomb 3.2. And as expected, Samsung's layered on top its TouchWiz UX UI. If you're a fan of stock honeycomb, you probably won't like it. I however find it quite intuitive. It's not perfect, but it has its own quirks. I especially like that it has a dedicated screen shot button and a mini-tray that accesses mini versions of some frequently used apps.

The Mini Apps Tray provides additional functionality

It also sports a 1.4 GHz Dual-core Samsung Exynos Processor which made opening and switching between apps quite easy. To say the least, this tab is snappy. I've tried the 10.1 and 8.9, and while they're also snappy tablets, once you turn the live wallpapers on, it's hard to unsee the stuttering. With the 7.7 though, everything went off without a hitch.

The tab was designed to be used primarily in portrait mode, that's where you'll find the front facing 2MP camera on top with the logo at the bottom. And in this form factor, it definitely seems like the smarter choice. Typing in portrait mode was easy and effortless with the on-screen keyboard's keys evenly spaced out.

In landscape mode, typing was equally easy and the keys didn't feel too cramped. For a tablet this size though, typing with your thumbs seems like the more natural and easier choice.

I prefer using the Android keyboard, although you also have the option to use either the Samsung keyboard or the SWYPE keyboard. If that's not enough, there's also the option of installing a new keyboard.

On-screen keyboard (Portrait Mode)

On-screen keyboard (landscape mode)

The tab also comes with a pretty low-end 3.2 MP camera. It's not the best resolution out there, but it gets the job done. The pictures are detailed enough and not too saturated. You will however notice a fair amount of noise in some pictures taken under low light. While under bright light, it has a tendency to get pictures overexposed. It's all fine though as this was never meant to replace a dSLR or a point-and-shoot. It also records 720p video.

Movies. If you've got a Super AMOLED screen, you'd be a fool not to want to watch movies on it. It's really in watching movies that you'll see the true beauty of a Super AMOLED screen. And let me tell you, the tab 7.7 doesn't disappoint. Thanks to its dual core processor, 1080p video played without a hitch. Audio was also reasonably loud enough thanks to the stereo speakers. If that's not enough, you can always hook up a pair of external speakers to the 3.5mm headphone jack. But then again, this tab was designed for close-ranged viewing, so the stereo speakers or the headsets that come with the device should suffice.

To add even more to an already impressive set of specs, the Tab 7.7 comes with a 5,100mAH battery that promises up to 10 hours of movie playback. Engadget has managed to squeeze out 12:01 hours of continuous movie playback with WiFi on and the screen at 50% brightness from the tab. This easily makes its battery the longest lasting among the tablets. I should know, I've been using the tablet intermittently for a little over 2 days now, and the battery's still at 48%. It's truly impressive.

Final Words

In a market saturated with tablets of different prices, specs and sizes, there are bound to be stand-outs. We have the beautifully designed iPad2, the powerful ASUS Transformer Prime, and the sexy Samsung Galaxy line of tablets. To state that the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 stands out though, is an understatement. For all its worth, it probably should belong to a league of its own. While it shares some similar specs with the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, among the 7 inch tablets, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 is undeniably the best out there. I would even go so far as saying it is the best tablet out there. Everything about the device just screams quality.

The only thing that's probably gonna throw you off is its price. Let's face it, at Php32,999, that's already 3 Kindle Fires! It is that expensive. But rightly so, because it looks and feels expensive. If you happen to see a Tab 7.7, play with it, you'll immediately find out that among Samsung's tablets, it is the most premium product.

While the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 is an outstanding tablet, the Php32,999 price tag just isn't for everyone. If you're patient enough though, you could wait for the WiFi only version to hit the shelves and that should be cheaper by around 5k to 8k. Not bad. But if you're itching to get something similar to the 7.7 now, but don't really want to pay for the premium, the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus is your best bet.


At the end of the day, you just need to ask yourself: Is battery life, portability, display quality, performance, build quality and that "premium feel" important to me? If you answer Yes to all of them, stop wasting your time and go buy the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7.