The Apple iPad mini Retina display tablet (aka iPad mini 2) released in November and has won a lot of fans. It will now have more competition though, in the form of the recently announced Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4. With that in mind we have an iPad mini 2 vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 specs look, to see how they compare in this respect.
The iPad mini 2 is widely available across the world while the new Galaxy Note Pro and Tab Pro tablets from Samsung have just been introduced. The smallest of these is the Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4, so it makes sense to consider this as an alternative to the iPad mini 2. The incoming Samsung tablet is due to release at some time in the current quarter. We’ll highlight the key specs of each.
Processors
The iPad mini 2 has a 1.3GHz Apple A7 dual-core processor and PowerVR G6430 graphics. The Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 is powered by a 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core CPU and Adreno 330 GPU.
Display
There’s a 7.9-inch IPS LCD display for the iPad mini 2, with resolution of 2048 x 1536 and 324 ppi. On the other hand the Tab Pro 8.4 has an 8.4-inch Super Clear LCD display with resolution of 2560 x 1600 and 359 ppi.
RAM and Storage
The iPad mini 2 has 1GB of RAM and comes in storage options of 16, 32, 64 or 128GB (non-expandable). The Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 has 2GB of RAM and 16 or 32GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD to 64GB.
Camera set-up
The iPad mini 2 carries a 5-megapixel rear camera with autofocus, HDR and 1080p video capture @30fps with video stabilization, as well as a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera. The Tab Pro 8.4 has an 8-megapixel rear camera with autofocus, LED flash and 1080p video capture @60fps and a 2-megapixel front-facing shooter.
Battery
Apple doesn’t specify the mAh of the iPad mini 2 battery, simply listing it as a non-removable 23.8 Wh Li-Po battery. However, a recent teardown suggested a 6471 mAh battery. The Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 has a non-removable 4800 mAh battery.
Connectivity
The iPad mini 2 has Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth v 4.0 and USB 2.0. The Galaxy Tab Pro also has Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n but with the addition of ac, Bluetooth v 4.0 and USB 2.0.
Operating System
The iPad mini 2 runs iOS 7.0.4 and the Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 runs Android 4.4 KitKat.
Dimensions
Measurements of the iPad mini 2 are 200mm x 134.7mm x 7.5mm and the Wi-Fi version weighs 331g while the 3G/LTE model weighs 341g. Measurements of the Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 are 219mm x 128.5mm x 7.2mm and it weighs 331g for the Wi-Fi variant or 336g for the 3G/LTE version.
Price
The iPad Mini 2 starts from $399/£319 for the Wi-Fi version with 16GB of storage and goes right through to $829/£659 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model with 128GB of storage. The price of the Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 has not yet been made official but unconfirmed price rumors put it from around $400.
Obviously as this is a straightforward specs comparison we haven’t gone into detail about the many various features offered on each tablet. However, this should give readers a good idea of what they each have to offer.
It will certainly be interesting to see the confirmed Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 price as we will then have a better idea of how great the competition might be between these two notably impressive tablets.
Are you thinking of purchasing either of these tablets? If so do you think you’ll buy the iPad mini 2 or the newer Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 if the price is right? Let us know with your comments.