Posted in: Android, Featured, iOS, Tablets

Apple iPad Air vs. Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 Edition) vs. ASUS Transformer Pad TF701T

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Apple has just lifted the curtains off its latest iPad Air. It’s thinner, lighter, and more powerful than its predecessor and it’s undoubtedly the best iPad yet, but that’s not surprising anyone. What’s more interesting besides the slate itself is how it compares to the competition.

We are talking the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 Edition) and the ASUS Transformer Pad TF701T – the most potent Android tablets available to date. Those beasts both sport 10.1″ displays of 2560 x 1600 pixel resolution.

The iPad Air counters with its weight of just 469 grams, which is downright stunning achievement for an an all aluminum slate. The thinner bezels and straightened up edges make it look even prettier than before, and that’s something its Android rivals lack. Even the ASUS Transformer Pad with its aluminum casing can’t hold a handle to Apple’s design.

Anyhow, here’s the full three-horse race organized in a neat table for your perusal.

 
Apple iPad Air
Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1
(2014 edition)
ASUS Transformer Pad TF701T
OS
iOS 7
Android 4.3 Jelly Bean
Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
Display
9.7" IPS LCD
10.1" Super Clear LCD
10.1" IGZO IPS LCD
Resolution
2048 x 1536
(264 ppi)
2560 x 1600
(299 ppi)
2560 x 1600
(299 ppi)
Height
Width
Thickness
240 mm
169.5 mm
7.5 mm
243.1 mm
171.4 mm
7.9 mm
263 mm
180.8 mm
8.9 mm
Weight
469 grams
535 grams
585 grams
Processor
Apple A7 chipset (64-bit)
Dual-core 1.3 GHz
Cyclone (ARM v8-based)
Snapdragon 800 chipset
Quad-core 2.3 GHz Krait 400
Tegra 4 T40X chipset
Quad-core 1.9 GHz Cortex-A15
GPU
PowerVR G6430
Adreno 330
GeForce GPU
RAM
1GB
3GB
2GB
Storage
16GB / 32GB / 64GB / 128 GB
16GB / 32GB / 64GB
32GB / 64GB
microSD card slot
No
Yes, up to 64GB
Yes, up to 64GB
Primary camera
5 MP, 2592 x 1944 pixels,
autofocus, LED flash, 1080p@30fps, HDR, video stabilization
touch focus, face detection
8 MP, 3264×2448 pixels
auto-focus camera, face detection, HDR mode, panorama, geo-tagging; Full HD (1080p) video recording at 60fps
5 MP, 2592х1944 pixels, autofocus camera, face detection, HDR mode, panorama, geo-tagging; 1080p video recording @ 30fps
Front camera
1.2MP
720p@30fps
2MP
1080p@30fps
1.2MP
720p@30fps
Battery
Up to 10 hours of battery life
Li-Ion 8,220 mAh
Li-Ion 7,820 mAh
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, Wi-Fi hotspot, AirPlay
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot
Bluetooth
Yes, v4.0 with A2DP
Yes, v4.0 LE with A2DP
Yes, v3.0 with EDR
Network
Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE
Quad-band UMTS/HSPA
Penta-band LTE support
Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE
Quad-band UMTS/HSPA
Hexa-band LTE support
N/A
NFC
No
Yes
No
Speakers
Mono
Stereo
Mono
Distinctive features
iOS has the best tablet apps around
S Pen with pressure sensitive touchscreen
Mobile Dock with a full-size QWERTY keyboard and 4,170mAh battery
Availability
November, 2013
October, 2013
October, 2013

The large-size tablet spectrum has never been so saturated and the competition so fierce. On the Android side we have one of the best multitasking tablets sporting top notch productivity features. The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 Edition) is equipped with the latest S Pen stylus, while the ASUS Transformer Pad TF701T sports a Mobile dock with an extra battery and a full-size QWERTY keyboard. Still, if you only consider the actual tablets and not their hardware add-ons, the iPad Air seems to be in pole position for retaining the crown. So we guess the question is do you really need a dock or an S Pen?

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