Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus Review

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus is an update from the original Galaxy Tab, and it has the smallest display amongst all its Galaxy Tab siblings. It was announced in September 2011 together with the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7.

At a glance:
+ Excellent call quality
+ Decent camera
+ Double as a remote control
+ Light and portable
– No Super AMOLED display
– Cannot charge via PC

In the Box:
- Tablet
- Charger adapter
- Cable

Exterior, Controls and Screen

Measuring 193.7 x 122.4 x 9.9mm and weighing 345g, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus is slightly bigger, but thinner and lighter than its predecessor. Like any Samsung device, the power button is located on the right side of the tablet, next to the volume rocker. The SIM card and microSD card slot can be found on the left side of the tablet, leaving the audio jack on the top. There are two mini speaker grills on the bottom of the tablet, with the data connector in between them. The entire construction feels solid even though the back cover is made of plastic.

Obviously, the 7-inch display dominates the biggest area of the device, offering users 600 x 1024 pixels of resolution. However, I am not impressed with the display even it is using the same Plane Line Switching (PLS) LCD technology that can be found in the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. The display appears to lack the brightness and vividness that can be seen on the larger Galaxy Tabs.

Software, Application and Games

Similar to any Android tablets available in the market, the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus is running Android 3.2 (Honeycomb) with TouchWiz UI. Overall, the tablet is fast and responsive in terms of performance, all thanks to the 1.2GHz dual-core processor on the Exynos chipset with 1GB of RAM. Our review unit comes with a 16GB internal storage. Plus, you can expand the storage space by adding a microSD card up to 64GB.

Android Honeycomb provides a zero physical button experience, which can be good and bad at the same time. The system bar will display additional buttons when it is required. It will also auto hide when you are viewing photos in the Gallery app or playing videos. Unfortunately, this nifty feature does not work when comes to gaming, which causes accidental presses that could spoil your gaming experience.
Samsung TouchWiz on the tablet gives you the freedom of taking screenshots instantly with a tap of a button. Notes or scribbles can be added to the screenshot with the quick editor. Furthermore, it has a quick shortcut drawer on the system bar that lets you gain immediate access to apps like Phone, Messaging, Task Manager, Pen Memo, Calendar, Music, World Clock and Calculator. These apps will run on top with any existing app, allowing you to multitask efficiently and effectively without the need of switching apps.

All thanks to the build-in IR port in the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, now you can use your tablet as a remote control. It supports most TVs, DVD players, Blu-Ray players and other home theatre devices. Unfortunately, we can’t find the option that let us to switch channels on Astro.

Connectivity

Unlike the bigger cousins the Galaxy Tab 8.9 and Galaxy Tab 10.1, the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus supports telephony functions. This means you can make and receive calls from the tablet itself, or even send SMS. There is an earpiece strategically placed on top of the black bezel, which lets you literally use the tablet as a phone. Despite being physically awkward to hold the tablet close to your ears, it is a real surprise that the call quality works incredible well in both ends, even in a noisy environment. Alternatively, you can invest a Bluetooth headset for talking.

In addition, basic connectivity options such as HSDPA 21Mbps, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0 and GPS are present. You can transfer any data from the PC to the tablet or vice-versa via the USB data cable.

Camera, Video and Audio

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus has the same 3.15-megapixel camera with LED flash as the original Galaxy Tab. However, the photos taken appear to be sharper than its predecessor. It could record video up to 720p at 30fps. There is a 2-megapixel front-facing camera located on the right corner of the bezel for video calling purposes.

Battery Life
In terms of battery life, the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus is powerful enough to last the entire day of normal usage with WiFi and 3G connections. Normal usage includes making a few calls and sends some SMS, taking photos and a short video, using Google Maps with GPS turned on and lots of web browsing involved.


Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus is a nice companion for anyone who wants to use it to replace traditional diaries or planners. It is small, light and portable enough to be used anywhere. Plus, it could be used to replace your old phone. However, the average quality of the display would be the main deterrent of using this tablet. With the same pricing, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 could be a good alternative.

Conclusion: A decent and portable Android tablet if the display is not your main concern.