Apple iPad (9th generation) vs Samsung Galaxy Tab A7
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| AppleiPad (9th generation) | SamsungGalaxy Tab A7 | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | September 2021 | October 2020 |
| Display | ||
| Screen size | 10.2″ | 10.4″ |
| Resolution | 2160 × 1620 (better) | 2000 × 1200 |
| Sharpness | 265 pixels per inch (better) | 224 pixels per inch |
| Panel | LCD | LCD |
| Brightness | 500 nits | – |
| Display type | Retina; LED-backlit IPS LCD | TFT LCD, WUXGA+, 16 million colours; 10.4-inch full rectangle |
| Pixel density | 264 ppi | – |
| Display features | True Tone; oleophobic coating; non-laminated panel (Notebookcheck) | – |
| Performance | ||
| Chip | A13 Bionic | Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 |
| Memory | 3 GB | 3 GB |
| Storage | 64 GB, 256 GB (better) | 32 GB, 64 GB |
| CPU | A13 Bionic; 3 GB RAM reported by Notebookcheck | Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 (SM6115), four CPU cores at 2.0 GHz and four at 1.8 GHz in Samsung’s original Russian launch table. Original 3 GB RAM/32 GB and 3 GB/64 GB configurations; microSD up to 1 TB for media |
| AI engine | Neural Engine | – |
| Cameras | ||
| Rear camera | 8 MP | 8 MP |
| Ultra wide camera | None | None |
| Front camera | 12 MP (better) | 5 MP |
| Rear camera | Wide; f/2.4 five-element lens; 5x digital zoom; HDR; 43MP panorama; automatic image stabilisation; burst | 8 MP autofocus; no flash. Full HD 1920 × 1080 recording at 30 fps |
| Front camera | Ultra Wide; f/2.4; 122-degree field of view; Centre Stage; HDR; Retina Flash; lens correction | 5 MP, positioned on the long edge for landscape video calls |
| Video recording | Rear 1080p at 25 or 30 fps; 720p slow motion at 120 fps; 3x video zoom; front 1080p at 25, 30 or 60 fps; stabilised time-lapse; HEVC and H.264 | – |
| Battery and connections | ||
| Battery life (maker's claim) | Up to 10 hours | Up to 13 hours |
| Battery (mAh) | – | 7,040 mAh |
| Fastest charging | – | 15 W |
| Battery capacity | 32.4 Wh | – |
| Mobile data option | Yes | Yes |
| Stylus | Supported, sold separately | Not supported |
| Keyboard made for it | Yes | No |
| Battery life detail | Up to 10 hours Wi-Fi browsing or video; nine hours cellular browsing | 7,040 mAh typical, 6,820 mAh rated in the exact South African maker footnote. Up to 13 hours in Samsung’s US family specification sheet means average expected performance under typical usage conditions, not continuous video playback |
| Charging | 20 W USB-C Power Adapter included; USB computer charging supported | Up to 15 W Adaptive Fast Charging. Original maker Russian launch includes a 7.75 W charger; the 15 W adapter is sold separately |
| USB-C | Lightning; 3.5 mm headphone jack; optional adapters support 1080p external video | USB Type-C, USB 2.0; 3.5 mm stereo headphone socket |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac); 2x2 MIMO; up to 866 Mb/s | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11a/b/g/n/ac), 2.4 and 5 GHz, VHT80; Wi-Fi Direct |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4.2 | Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Mobile network | Gigabit-class LTE and UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA; nano-SIM and eSIM; cellular model weighs 498 g | Optional LTE SM-T505, 477 g; Wi-Fi SM-T500, 476 g in maker launch tables. One physical nano-SIM in the exact European manual |
| Stylus support | Apple Pencil (1st generation), sold separately | No active Samsung S Pen support in Notebookcheck’s original exact-model test |
| Keyboards | Smart Keyboard through Smart Connector, sold separately | No dedicated keyboard connector in the exact device layout; launch accessory is a Book Cover stand. General Bluetooth keyboards are separate peripherals |
| Design | ||
| Weight | 487 g | 476 g (better) |
| Thickness | 7.5 mm | 7 mm (better) |
| Height × width | 250.6 × 174.1 mm | 157.4 × 247.6 mm |
| Operating system | iPadOS | Android |
| Biometrics | Touch ID in Home button | Face recognition; no fingerprint reader in exact controls and independent tests |
| Speakers | Stereo speakers | Four speakers with Dolby Atmos |
| Microphones | Dual microphones | Two microphones in the exact European user-manual device layout |
| Sensors | Gyroscope; accelerometer; barometer; ambient light; compass; iBeacon; GPS/GNSS on cellular model | Accelerometer, gyro, geomagnetic, Hall and light sensors; GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou and Galileo |
| Materials | Enclosure made from 100% recycled aluminium | Metal body; no IP rating established in the maker sources read |
| Colours | Silver, Space Grey | Dark Grey, Gold and Silver. Silver has a white front bezel; Dark Grey and Gold have black bezels |
| Software at launch | iPadOS 15 | Android 10; One UI 2.5 in Notebookcheck’s original full review and maker feature illustration. Current exact UK support publishes an Android 12 user guide. This original SM-T500/SM-T505 is separate from the later SM-T503/SM-T509 refresh and A7 Lite |
| In the box | iPad; Lightning to USB-C Cable; 20 W USB-C Power Adapter | Tablet, 7.75 W charger, USB cable and quick-start documentation in original maker/review evidence; LTE includes an ejection pin |
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