HP TouchPad vs Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

Introduction:

With only a single month separating their releases, both the HP TouchPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 are the newest members to arrive in the always competitive tablet market – albeit, they sport two totally different platforms that have their unique characteristics. As we all know by now, Samsung’s Honeycomb beauty went through a reengineering process to chisel itself into the device we currently see today, which has the prestigious title of being the thinnest and lightest 10.1” tablet on the market. Oppositely, the HP TouchPad marks the beginning of the new relationship forged between HP and Palm since it’s running the tablet-optimized webOS 3.0 platform. Knowing that these two will be competing against one another to win over the hearts of wandering consumers, it’s undoubtedly fitting to place these two in the ring to see which one will actually cater to their ever growing demands.

Design:

Without a doubt, the two tablets are on the complete opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to design because we’re greeted with the thinner (0.34” thick) and lighter (20.99 oz) Galaxy Tab 10.1 on one side, while the HP TouchPad tips the scale with its larger (0.54” thick) and heavier (26.10 oz) frame. Needless to say, both are more than comfortable to hold, but the weighty feel of the TouchPad is indeed blatantly evident during prolonged usage. On the surface, the only similarities we see between the two are their uniform black bezels and  plastic exterior. However, the TouchPad’s glossy piano black plastic is extremely prone in getting dirty very quickly – whereas the white plastic in use with the Galaxy Tab 10.1 does a better job in masking them. Overall, both are solidly built to ease any worries about workmanship, but the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 comes out on top with its favorable looks and lighter weight.


From a cursory glance, one might not be able to distinguish any differences between the quality of their displays since they both exhibit good viewing angles and sharp looking details to make even the finest of text more than visible. However, we find that the Samsung Galaxy Tab’s 10.1” PLS-LCD display has a cooler looking color production since it has a slightly more bluish tinge with it.  Visually, we find the saturated colors produced by the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 a bit more alluring, but seeing that it also has a stronger brightness output as well, it’s easily the better of the two with clarity.


In terms of volume control, their volume rockers are actually evenly sized, tactile, and distinctive to the touch to offer us a hassle-free experience in modifying their output.

Unfortunately, there isn’t any kind of LED light with the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 to alert us of any incoming notifications. However, we do like that the HP TouchPad’s physical home button doubles as the tablet’s LED light notifications system as well.

With the TouchPad’s 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, it’s only enabled to offer Skype video chat – and that’s all. Conversely, the higher count 2-megapixel front-facing camera of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 can be used to execute other complementary functions like shooting photos and videos.

Flaunting a preferred microUSB port, there isn’t much of a worry if you happen to lose the USB cable included with the TouchPad. On the other hand, we can’t say the same for the proprietary port found on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 since losing the cable means that you’ll more than likely need to contact the manufacturer for a replacement. Still, the one advantage with its proprietary port is that you can connect it with its optional Multi-Media Dock to get a mirrored experience on your high-definition television set.

Finally, as we all know by now, the TouchPad lacks any kind of rear camera, but the Galaxy Tab 10.1 features a 3-megapixel snapper in the rear. However, the TouchPad has a treat of its own as it can be charged wirelessly thanks to its inductive charging system.