It looks as though Samsung is about to contend the success of Apple’s iPad mini as it will soon unveil a Galaxy Note 8.0 Mini tablet. It looks as though the Galaxy Note 8.0 will be introduced at MWC in Barcelona next month and today we have heard specifications of the Galaxy Note 8.0 although we hesitate to say these are official. We thought it would be a good idea though to take a look at the Apple iPad Mini vs. Galaxy Note 8.0 Mini to ascertain whether Apple has any serious competition to worry about from Samsung as far as mini tablets are concerned.
We’ll compare the key specs and features of the iPad mini to those of the Galaxy Note 8.0 to see what each offers but please be aware that although SamMobile says that Samsung has confirmed the specs to them of the Galaxy Note 8.0, we cannot regard them as official just yet although they seem likely to be accurate. Throughout our comparison please bear in mind then that the iPad mini specs are obviously confirmed as it was released last November but the Galaxy Note 8.0 specs are not yet official. There’s no release date for the Galaxy Note 8.0 either but if it is introduced at MWC then it could be released soon afterwards.
Processor
The iPad mini packs the Apple A5 1GHz Cortex-A9 dual-core processor. Although most specs of the Galaxy Note 8.0 have been detailed we cannot trace any mention yet of which processor will power it. However recently we told of benchmark tests for a Samsung device with model number GT-N5100, using a 1.6GHz Samsung Exynox 4412 CPU. The GT-N5100 now turns up as the Galaxy Note 8.0 3G + Wi-Fi model.
Display
The iPad mini has a 7.9-inch LED-backlit IPS LCD display with resolution of 1024 x 768. Meanwhile the Galaxy Note 8.0 has an 8-inch TFT Super Clear LCD display with a resolution of 1280 x 800.
RAM and Storage
There’s 512MB of RAM for the iPad mini and it comes in 16, 32 or 64GB options of internal storage, non-expandable. The Galaxy Note 8.0 has a much more impressive 2GB of RAM and options of 16 or 32GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD to 32GB.
Camera
The iPad mini has a 5-megapixel rear camera with 1080p video capture along with a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera while the Galaxy Note 8.0 has a 5-megapixel rear camera and 1.3-megapixel front-facing shooter.
Operating system
Running the iPad mini is iOS 6, the latest mobile OS from Apple. The Galaxy Note 8.0 will be running the latest Android OS, 4.2 Jelly Bean.
Dimensions
The iPad mini measures 200mm x 134.7mm x 7.2mm and weighs 308g or 312g for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model. The Galaxy Note 8.0 measures 211.3mm x 136.3mm x 7.95mm and weighs 330g so is bigger all round and also heavier.
Pricing
The Apple iPad mini starts at $329 for the 16GB WiFi-only model rising to $529 for the 64GB WiFi-only tablet. The base price for the Wi-Fi + Cellular 16GB model is $459, rising to $659 for the 64GB variety. Pricing for the Galaxy Note 8.0 has not yet been revealed but it is likely to be considerably cheaper. If not it could well struggle to compete in the market against not only the iPad mini but also other popular Android tablets such as the Nexus 7.
Other factors to consider are that the iPad mini and Galaxy Note 8.0 both have Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 and USB 2.0. The iPad mini is available in both Wi-Fi and also Wi-Fi + Cellular models and the Galaxy Note 8.0 comes in a 3G + Wi-Fi model (GT-N5100) and Wi-Fi only model (GT-N5110). Unique to the Galaxy Note 8.0 is the use of a stylus, the S Pen, and another aspect that might decide the choice of a potential owner will be the design of the tablet but unfortunately there are no images yet available for the Galaxy Note 8.0. Remember although we would be surprised if these specs for the Galaxy Note 8.0 turn out to be inaccurate, we cannot verify them just yet.
Of course for those who are already iOS or Android devotees this could be an easy choice but for those who can be swayed either way the price could be an ultimate deciding factor. We’d like to hear your thoughts on the iPad mini vs. Galaxy Note 8.0. Have you been thinking of purchasing the iPad mini but deterred by the price? If so maybe you will now consider the Galaxy Note 8.0? Perhaps you’re very attracted to the Galaxy Note 8.0 as you would rather have an Android device anyway? Why not let us know by sending your comments to us.