Samsung unleashed its much-anticipated Galaxy Note 8.0 tablet at the MWC 2013, which is set to give Apple's iPad mini some sleepless nights.
With the launch of the Galaxy Note 8.0, in addition to its 7-inch and 10.1-inch Galaxy tablet siblings, Samsung now has an 8-inch tablet as well. Tech experts have been pitching Galaxy Note 8.0 as the iPad mini killer and it will be interesting to see how the stylus-equipped Galaxy Note 8.0 will fare in the consumer market.
Here's a look at how the Galaxy Note 8.0 measues up against the iPad mini:
Dimensions
The Galaxy Note 8.0 measures 8.30 x 5.35 x 0.31 inches, making the Samsung offering taller, thicker and heavier than the iPad mini, which measures 7.87 x 5.30 x 0.28 inches.
Weight-wise, the iPad mini is lighter of the two and weighs 0.68 pounds compared to the Galaxy Note 8.0's 0.74 pounds.
Display
The iPad mini sports a 7.9-inch LED-backlit Multi-Touch display with IPS technology offering 1024 x 768 resolution. On the other hand, the Galaxy Note 8.0 touts a fractionally bigger 8-inch TFT Super Clear LCD with a much better 1280 x 800 resolution.
Pixel density-wise, the Galaxy Note 8.0 edges out the iPad mini with its 189 pixels per inch (ppi) density against the Apple offering's 163 ppi.
Processor
The iPad mini runs on Apple's dual-core A5 processor, whereas a quad-core Samsung Exynos processor clocked at 1.6GHz fuels the Galaxy Note 8.0.
Memory
The iPad mini is available in 16/32/64GB on-board storage versions, whereas the Galaxy Note 8.0 offers 16/32GB of internal storage. However, unlike the iPad mini, the Galaxy Note 8.0 has an expandable memory option for an additional 64GB via a microSD card.
The Galaxy Note 8.0 also betters the iPad mini when it comes to RAM. The Samsung offering has 2GB versus the Apple tablet's 512MB.
Camera
Both the Galaxy Note 8.0 and iPad mini sport a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera. However, the Samsung tablet has a slightly better 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera as opposed to the Apple offering's 1.2-megapixel one.
Battery
The iPad mini houses a 16.3 watt-hour (4440mAh) battery, which supports 10 hours of usage. On the other hand, a 4600mAh battery powers the Galaxy Note 8.0; however, the battery life of the Samsung tablet is not known.
Connectivity
Both the Galaxy Note 8.0 and the iPad mini are available with Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity options. What's more, the Galaxy Note 8.0 also has smartphone functionalities, giving users the option to use the tablet as a phone.
Operating System
The iPad mini runs iOS 6, whereas the Galaxy Note 8.0 will come pre-loaded with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, with Samsung's TouchWiz UI on top.
Availability and Price
The iPad mini, launched in October 2012, is available for order from Apple and other retailers at a starting price tag of $329. Samsung took the wraps off the Galaxy Note 8.0 on Feb. 24, but did not reveal the price and exact release date of the tablet. However, Samsung announced that the Galaxy Note 8.0 will release sometime in Q2 2013.
The Galaxy Note 8.0 packs impressive features and has an edge over other tablets in the league thanks to its S Pen stylus and the smartphone functionality. The pricing of the tablet will eventually determine if the Galaxy Note 8.0 can draw consumers its way and pull the rug from underneath the popular iPad mini's feet.
