Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Review: Binging for a Budget
Purchase Price: $169.00
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Product Specs +
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 662
- 10.4" Display, 2000 x 1200 pixels (224 PPI)
- 3 GB of RAM
- 32/64 GB storage option (expandable microSD card slot)
- 7040 mAh Battery
- Bottom firing speakers + 3.5mm headphone jack
- Samsung One UI 2.5 based on Android 10
Camera Specs +
Rear Cameras
- Main - 8MP
- Video - 1080p@30fps
Selfie Cameras
- 5 MP
- Video - 1080p@30 fps
There are a large number of tablets available for consumers in the market today. Many of them are quite affordable. As an avid tech enthusiast, it’s great seeing so many options for people to pick and choose from, but for those of us who are looking for an affordable tablet without the bells and whistles or price that may come with an iPad, what qualifies as enough? This is where the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 comes in.
First Impressions
If you are a heavy tablet user or someone who uses a tablet for work as basically a laptop, I will tell you upfront that the A7 is probably not for you. The A7 retails for a starting price of $229 and goes up to $280, depending on your configuration. There are many instances in which the A7 goes on sale, as we acquired it for $169 brand new when it first came out.
The Galaxy Tab A7 comes in three colors (dark grey, which I currently have, silver, and rose gold). You can either choose the 32 GB base model option or upgrade for an additional $50 to the 64 GB variant. There’s also a microSD card slot if you need more storage which is a must for a media device like this. The A7 features a 10.4-inch 1080p ultra-widescreen display and weighs 476 grams. It’s lightweight, easy to unpack and set up out of the box and incredibly slim. You can’t tell this tablet is sub-$300 thanks to its solid feels in the hands. This is thanks to a metal housing rather than a plastic one that tablets in this price point usually have.
Perhaps the biggest downside to the tablet is that there’s only 3 GB of RAM on the A7 and it features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 processor. It’s definitely not the fastest tablet out there, and if you are moving between many apps, you will experience some lag. I’m also not crazy about Samsung’s One UI 2.5, which lays over Android 10 here. Samsung tablets and Android updates have never been a good marriage and it will be more of the same with this tablet. However, for such an affordable price, there had to be sacrifices to be made. If you are looking to use this device as a media or entertainment source, you should be plenty satisfied overall with only the occasional annoyance due to performance..
No Frills
To be honest, I went into this review on the A7 with very low expectations thanks to years of experience with budget Android tablets. Surprisingly, in multiple ways, the A7 proved itself to me that its true strength and where it really shines is in providing a great entertainment experience at such an affordable cost. Let me explain what I mean by that.
Samsung does not provide any accessories for the Tab A7 other than a USB-C charging cable and brick. There’s no stylus, and no foldable cover, although you can purchase the book cover separately for $50 if you feel required to do so. Samsung provided a quad speaker Dolby Atmos system that makes it probably one of the loudest speakers I’ve ever used on a tablet. It’s clear, loud and provides an immersive media experience. I’ve been watching a lot of Netflix on this and every time I use this tablet, I’m quite impressed. Tablet speakers traditionally haven’t been a point of emphasis for many companies so this was a welcomed experience. For those curious, there is also a 3.5 mm headphone jack located on the bottom to plug in.
Vibrant Display
The display is responsive and looks great for a LCD panel. Samsung reserves their amoled technology for their top end products, but this 2000x1200p screen is pretty eye pleasing at this size. The bezels are relatively slim and the colors are vibrant through various angles whether you’re reading on the tablet or watching videos. It’s a captivating experience if you’re viewing the right material.
Camera
There are also two cameras on the Tab A7. A rear 5 MP camera that protrudes a little more than I’d like on the back of the device, and an 8 MP front camera that is conveniently landscape-oriented, which makes video calls a little less awkward. They’re definitely not the best quality, but for casual Zoom calls or video chats, they do the job.
Additional Features
There’s also other key features about the Tab A7 that really sold me on the experience and price point. There’s facial recognition, which isn’t the fastest or most accurate I’ve used, but a nice to have addition for security especially considering the MSRP. You can also use Samsung’s Quick Share feature if you are using another Samsung device.
Battery Life
Then there’s the stellar battery life on the A7. Inside the tablet lies a 7,040 mAh battery and wow does it endure. Even after streaming consecutive hours of Netflix or YouTube, the battery continues to power through, asking for even more usage. To put a number on it, I could get 6 hours of consecutive streaming with still enough battery to get through basic tasks. On top of that, I have yet to find an instance where the tablet feels like it is overheating or gets warm to touch.
Final Thoughts
As you can probably tell, I’m very happy recommending the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 for a casual entertainment tablet. In no way is the Tab A7 meant to compete with the power or productivity capabilities the lowest end iPad has, but it deserves its own place for the right consumer. Other than the low quality cameras and lower-end processor, the Tab A7 is a well thought-out tablet that focuses on what it believes most customers use tablets for: an pleasurable media experience. Combine that with a deceptively solid build material with a sub-$300 price tag and the A7 most certainly will pickoff customers looking for a tablet.
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Lida
Always the number cruncher, the former narrative journalist turned data scientist, can’t help but find herself bursting with excitement with each new generation of tech gadgets. After all, predicting future trends is Lida’s forte. Any gadget that survives Lida’s torturous, adult working woman itinerary of over 700 notifications a day deserves praise!