Samsung GALAXY Tab 3 8-inch Pro Reviews

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 has a number of pros and cons when compared to the Galaxy Tab 3 10.1. On one hand, it isn’t as powerful, its display isn’t as nice and its speakers offer an overall tinny audio experience. On the other hand, the hardware and software performance of its camera blows the 10.1’s camera out of the water, it’s more portable and it has better battery life. We honestly believe both tablets are geared towards different people, so if you’re the kind of person who wants the most powerful tablet in a small frame, you shouldn’t be looking at the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 as it’ll leave you disappointed. But if you’re looking for an 8-inch tablet that will allow you to keep up with your emails, browse Facebook and take photos with, then the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 is a pretty good choice, although it certainly isn’t the best. That crown would still have to go to the Nexus 7 (2013) at the moment.

Our biggest knock against the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 is its finicky performance, which admittedly is no minor complaint. Beyond that, though, the biggest fault we can find with the Tab is that it's simply not memorable. Sure, if you have $300 to spend and want an 8-inch Android tablet, it's an option worth considering. Is it the best use of your money, though? No, you can do better for a little more cash -- and even a little less.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 is a good-looking tablet, compact and lightweight, running the latest Android version available and offering some exclusive value-adding apps and features. It's capable of delivering a consistently pleasant experience, though not quite unforgettable. Then again, the latter was never meant to be part of a its job description.

For all its shortcomings, the 8.0 stands out from the competition by simply being an 8-inch tablet. The Kindle Fire HD is cheaper and has a better screen, but the 8.0’s larger screen is a real advantage. The iPad mini offers a vastly superior app ecosystem and a much better design, but the cost of repurchasing all those Android apps might make the cost disparity too high. If you’re already invested in the Android ecosystem, that’s enough to justify my recommendation. The Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 is good enough, and just the right size, in a category where those two things rarely come together. At least until a new and higher-res Nexus 7 quickly rises back to the top of the class. The 10.1, is a slightly different story. It’s not even the best $399 10-inch Android tablet made by Samsung. That honor goes to the Nexus 10, which has Google’s uninhibited software, a beautiful high-res screen, and far better build quality. Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10.1 is a better tablet, with more software and great pen input; so are most other 10-inch slates.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 feels like a giant smartphone masquerading as a tablet. That's not a problem because the same can be said for the iPad Mini, Nexus 7, or practically any other sub-9-inch tablet. But when that giant-phone-as-tablet doesn't have as much power or radiance as the smartphone it follows, that's a problem. The Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 feels great physically and provides a decent screen to read and watch, but there are several areas in which users feel like the device would benefit from slightly more horsepower or the inclusion of some of the software seen on other Samsung devices. The Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 also runs into trouble because the tablet market is flush with choices that offer more. The $299 Tab 3 8.0 is only a smart buy for someone who loves Samsung software and products but doesn't wants to purchase the more expensive Galaxy Note 8.0. This is a good tablet with some interesting features, but there are other options like the iPad Mini that offer a better app selection for only $40 more, or the Nexus 7 that delivers better performance for $70 less.

Slightly more expensive than its competitors, but also slightly better. The Google Nexus 7 and the Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7, two considerably well-known competitors, cannot really challenge the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0. However, this may change soon, because the next generation of Google's price-performance hit is on its way. But until then, Samsung has produced a tablet, which can be threatened only by the iPad Mini or the Galaxy Note 8.0. The Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 also suffers some criticism: the case is made of plastic, which may be pleasing to some and others would be indifferent. But then there will be some, who would say that a high-quality aluminum tablet is more appealing. Dear Samsung team, bloatware is also not good. And for those who look only at the pure performance, we should note that buyers will get a slightly less powerful processor. The performance is top notch, be it browsing the web or playing games. The display is also impressive, only if it were not for the blue tint. The TouchWiz interface is very well thought out and expands the Android with numerous neat features; Samsung has even included many features to help out people with disabilities. Good battery life, dozens of input options, useful software additions and good speakers make for a well-rounded package, which justifies the small extra cost.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 is a fine upgrade from what’s been offered at this size range by the manufacturer in past generations. While the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 bests this tablet in essentially every area save its smaller bezel, the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 holds its own as a solid addition to the Samsung family of Galaxy S 4-era smart devices. Here the company brings an extremely thin and finely constructed mid-sized tablet that’ll serve its users well into the future. Be sure to have a peek at our Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 vs Galaxy Note 8.0 article to see which device is more your flavor. There you’ll find the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0′s price range – right at $299.99 USD and ready to sit between the hundred dollar addition or subtraction of the Tab 3 10.1 and 7.0, both of which have their own feature gains or drawbacks to speak of. Here in the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 you’ll have the most well-balanced member of this season’s Galaxy Tab 3 lineup, bottom to top.

The Galaxy Tab 3 costs $300, which is maybe a tad much. I would have been much happier with something in the $270 range. But with all the features it offers, it's a bit difficult to raise too big a stink about the price. It's the best non-Note tablet Samsung's produced, and as 8-inch tablets go is the best Android alternative to the iPad Mini. It includes oodles of useful software features, has a light comfortable design, and good performance. There's nothing here that will necessarily blow you away, but there's enough good here to easily earn a recommendation. Just know that the tablet market is in the middle of a transition right now and the next few weeks will likely reveal many new and even more powerful tablet choices.

Looking for a decent mid-range Android tablet? Well, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8-inch would be a good choice. It is light, portable, and capable enough to be used for not only web surfing and writing emails, but also for watching HD movies and even playing some Real Racing 3 every once in a while. The device doesn't have any flaws that would make it a deal breaker, so if it fits your budget, go ahead and grab one! But as we usually do, we'd recommend you a handful of alternatives that might suit your needs better. The Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0, for example, is faster than the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8-inch and offers the S Pen digital stylus for drawing and handwriting input. If Android isn't a must, the iPad mini would also be a great alternative, especially when it comes with hundreds of thousands of tablet-optimized applications to pick from. And in case you need an affordable, yet still powerful portable tablet, the Google Nexus 7 is always an option. Just keep in mind that it lacks a decent camera.