Samsung reveals Galaxy Tab A 8” and Galaxy Tab A Plus 9.7”

MWC 2015 saw Samsung release the Galaxy S6 but Samsung still had more to unveil in the tablet department. In a surprisingly low-key event, Samsung has announced the previously rumored Tab A tablets. Both of the tablets target the mid-tier range with a premium looking design.

The Galaxy Tab A series comes in two variants, one is an 8-incher while the other one stands at a 9.7 inch screen diagonal. Both the tablets feature a 4:3 aspect ratio which is becoming more common amongst android tablets since Google launched the Nexus 9. The tablets come with a screen resolution of 1024 x 768. Both tablets have a very thin waistline of 7.5mm which is very uncommon to see in the mid-tier range.

The tablets are powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor, presumably the Snapdragon 410 chipset. Both come with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage expandable by up to 128GB via microSD car slot. The camera department sees a 5 Megapixel main camera and a 2 Megapixel front-facing unit. The 8” inch version of the tablet comes with 4,200mAh battery while the 9.7” version comes with a bigger 6,000mAh battery. Samsung states that both tablets will last up to 10 hours of continuous use.

The larger tablet comes with a dual speaker arrangement at its bottom while the smaller 8-inch version has only a single speaker. The tablets sport a new design, compared to the Galaxy Tab 4 models, which they are supposed to replace. The new slates show a metal looking back (possibly plastic that looks like metal). Their spec sheet that states that both the tablets come with wireless charging built-in.

The 8-inch Galaxy Tab A is priced between $275 and $307 for the Wi-Fi-only version and $340 to $372 for the LTE-enabled one, with the premium ones presumably consisting of 32GB built-in storage. The larger 9.6-inch model will come a price of about 60$ more than the smaller versions of Tab A.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0” Specifications:

• CPU: Quad-core 1.2 Ghz Cortex-A53
• GPU: Adreno 406
• Chipset: 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 410
• OS: Android 5.0 Lollipop
• Supported Networks: 2G, 3G, 4G LTE (optional)
• Design: IP68-certified
• Display: 8” with 768 x 1024 resolution (160ppi)
  • Scratch-resistant glass
• Memory:
  • RAM: 2 GB RAM
  • Internal: 16 GB / 32 GB
  • Card slot: expandable by 128 GB via microSD
• Camera:
  • Primary: 5 MP with 1080p video, HDR and autofocus
  • Secondary: 2 MP
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0, GPS with GLONASS, NFC, Radio, LTE(optional)
• Battery: 4,200 mAh
• Price: 275 to 375 US Dollars

Samsung Galaxy Tab A 9.7” Specifications:

• CPU: Quad-core 1.2 Ghz Cortex-A53
• GPU: Adreno 406
• Chipset: 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 410
• OS: Android 5.0 Lollipop
• Supported Networks: 2G, 3G, 4G LTE (optional)
• Design: IP68-certified
• Display: 9.7” with 768 x 1024 resolution (132ppi)
  • Scratch-resistant glass
• Memory:
  • RAM: 2 GB RAM
  • Internal: 16 GB / 32 GB
  • Card slot: expandable by 128 GB via microSD
• Camera:
  • Primary: 5 MP with 1080p video, HDR and autofocus
  • Secondary: 2 MP
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0, GPS with GLONASS, NFC, Radio, LTE(optional)
• Battery: 6,000 mAh
• Price: 335 to 435 US Dollars

All models will come in a choice of blue, grey and white case color options and will be made available later in the year.