Apple iPad 2 vs Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

On the left, we have Apple's superstar tablet. As the model that created this new product sector, the iPad really needs no introduction. The mark two model has a 9.7-inch, 4:3-format screen, an IPS display panel, a 1 GHz dual-core A5 processor and 512 MB of RAM.

The tablet runs on iOS 5.0 and is inextricably linked to iTunes and the App Store.

On the right, Apple's biggest rival on all fronts (technical, marketing and legal) has loaded its tablet with a 1 GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 processor and 1 GB of RAM.

The new Galaxy Tab's 10.1-inch screen has a 16:10 aspect ratio and a PLS display panel—Samsung's take on IPS technology.

Launched back in the spring, the iPad 2 seemed like a necessary update to help make sure Apple wasn't left behind by quickly advancing market rivals, particularly Android. This broadened the appeal of the iPad 2, helping the product win over new users and prompting owners of the first iPad to upgrade.

In spite of its new processor, regular OS updates and a boosted battery life, Apple's second tablet still has a disappointing photo and video camera. However, even if competitors are pulling out all the stops in terms of technology and ingenuity to try and outshine the original touchscreen tablet, the Apple iPad 2 still holds its own.

After releasing a first heavyweight competitor for Apple's tablet in 2010 with the original Galaxy Tab, Samsung went on to release a competitor for Apple's updated model this summer. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is slim, light, powerful and packed full of exclusive services.  It also proved the perfect occasion for Samsung to roll out a large version of its PLS screen panel. The tablet's release hasn't been without incident, however, as Apple has been fighting an ongoing legal battle with Samsung over violated product design patents.

We've decided to keep things simple for this duel with a video of the two tablets in action. We placed the iPad 2 and the Galaxy Tab 10.1 side by side then testing them doing various things simultaneously. This gives an instant overview of the tablets' responsiveness and speed when dealing with specific tasks. We compared start-up times, web browsing, switching on and using the camera, calculating a route in Google Earth, downloading files and streaming video on YouTube. The iPad 2 and the Galaxy Tab 10.1 may be similar in certain ways, particularly with their unibody casings and slim designs, but how do their performances compare? Take a look for yourselves in the video below.

Note that both models are running on Wi-Fi in this demonstration.

In the end, the iPad 2 still has the edge. Although websites don't have Flash content in the Apple tablet, the arrival of iOS 5 has brought lightning-fast speeds to Safari. The Apple iPad 2 is faster in other ways too, as from start-up it leaves the Galaxy Tab trailing in its wake. This difference in speed can also be seen when loading up Google Earth, as the iPad 2 found our location straight away while Samsung's tablet had a bit more trouble.

For basic web surfing, however, both tablets offer very similar performances, with smooth scrolling and a fast, accurate zoom function. Performances are comparable in games and both models' app stores are just as pleasant to use.