Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 Edition) Review
by Brian Klug & Anand Lal Shimpi on October 1, 2013 9:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Tablets
- Samsung
- Mobile
- Galaxy Note 10.1
GPU & Performance
Although Exynos 5420 fixes the big underlying issue with Samsung’s silicon on the CPU front, it’s actually the GPU that sees the most dramatic change. ARM once again wins Samsung’s GPU business and equipped the Exynos 5420 with a 6-core Mali-T628, replacing the PowerVR SGX544MP3 from the previous Exynos 5410. Overall performance takes a huge step forward. Looking at T-Rex HD (offscreen) we see the best example of where the Mali-T628MP6 lands: about 11% slower than Adreno 330 and 8% behind IMG’s PowerVR G6430 in the iPhone 5s. It’s definitely a competitive GPU with the latest and greatest from IMG and Qualcomm, but not faster than either. It’s incredible to think of just how far we’ve come. It wasn’t too long ago that we were complaining about non-Apple SoCs not taking GPU performance seriously, but here we are talking about competitive performance across the big three ARM vendors.
NAND Performance
We've been tracking storage performance on these devices for a little while now and have noticed forward progress over the generations. The new Note 10.1 does reasonably well in our IO tests, with its strengths being sequential read and random write performance (arguably the two more important metrics). Since the tablet ships with Android 4.3 it should feature FSTRIM support (something we're still verifying on the 2014 Edition), which will help keep NAND performance high as long as you don't fill up all of your storage (remember: try to keep ~20% of the internal NAND free at all times).
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lilmoe - Tuesday, October 1, 2013 - link
You guys do realize that Sunspider, Octane, Kraken, and other similar benchmarks are all BROWSER benchmarks, right? They reflect the javascript rendering performance of the browser more than anything... This isn't comparing apples to apples, and it most definitely doesn't show actual difference among different CPUs, ESPECIALLY that they're not running on the same platform, let alone the same browser!dwade123 - Tuesday, October 1, 2013 - link
I just can't find a use for Android tablet. Like literally. Can't do work, and only superficial entertainment at extremely low standards. It's a shame Windows 8.1 tablets are overpriced.thesavvymage - Tuesday, October 1, 2013 - link
Seriously. The only things I do on mine are browse reddit, watch videos, and use emulators. Anything else I want to do I can't because of limitations with the browser, or the browser being slow, or Android not having the apps I want.nerd1 - Wednesday, October 2, 2013 - link
You can browse the web and annotate documents and slides. I won't buy any tablet without active digitizers.AEdouard - Thursday, October 3, 2013 - link
Yeah, but you know, with its great display and low price, the New nexus 7 is a good buy even if it's just to browse the web, consume content, check emails and play some games. When I want to do more complicated stuff, I use my Macbook.Streamlined - Saturday, October 5, 2013 - link
It's a shame Windows tablets are so big and heavy.ESC2000 - Thursday, October 10, 2013 - link
I can't find use for an iPad: expensive (no good cheap option like the nexus 7 2013) and very limited functionality from a productivity standpoint (no multi window, no stylus, no swype, no useful windows programs like office).... It's literally a blown up iPhone. You can't do anything more on it. Since it's not a productivity device (aside from the determined hipsters who I see slowly pecking out their papers on their iPads even though it's taking them twice as long without multi window and office), it must be a consumption device. That it does well but why spend so much more money when you can get a great android consumption device for much less?abazigal - Friday, October 11, 2013 - link
The problem then comes when consumers are not getting more of what they want (in an Android tablet), but instead being saddled with more issues that they need to contend with. Apple devices just work right out of the box.The next issue is that you need to understand and accept that different people have different definitions of productivity. For example, I am using my ipad quite extensively in the classroom, from recording screencasts in educreations to annotating on pdfs through notability.
Third, Android still lags behind IOS when it comes to optimised tablet apps. Are you really going to pay so much for a tablet, only to run blown-up phone apps?
I can go on, but all in all, people get what they pay for.
XFire99 - Sunday, October 13, 2013 - link
Right out the box is total bull.1. Iphone/Ipad need to be activated before can use.
- Itunes that need a computer.
- WiFi that needs internet access.
- Cellular that are not available in all areas.
Also I NEVER understand in which way android devices is not working direct out of the box? Configurations/widgets isnt a must to start to use the device.
2nd issue is u self do ned to understand that android tabs can also do same thing.
3rd issue.Is the only thing u are right about. Android tabs apps are way behind iOS tabs apps. The problem there are way more android tabs with different resolutions and iOS have only 2 tabs models. Much way easier to optimize then android tabs.
But iOS starts to face this problem too, with IP5S/C release and iOS 7. Sooner IPad5/mini.
pSupaNova - Tuesday, October 1, 2013 - link
The Dimensions on the table for the Galaxy tab 3 10.1 don't look correct.Good review as always.