Hey guys! Today, let's dive deep into the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 (2019). This tablet was released a while back, but it's still relevant, especially if you're looking for a budget-friendly option. We're going to cover everything from its design and display to its performance and camera capabilities. Whether you're considering buying one or just curious about its features, stick around!

Design and Build Quality

The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 (2019) sports a clean and simple design that's pretty typical for tablets in its price range. The body is made of plastic, which helps keep the weight down, making it easy to hold and carry around. While it might not feel as premium as some of the metal-clad tablets out there, the build quality is decent enough for everyday use. You won't find any creaking or flexing, which is always a good sign.

Aesthetics: The Tab A8 comes in a few different colors, usually including black, silver, and gold. The matte finish on the back helps to resist fingerprints and smudges, which is a definite plus. The bezels around the display are a bit on the thicker side, but that's understandable given its budget-friendly nature. These bezels actually provide a comfortable grip when holding the tablet in landscape mode.

Portability: One of the highlights of the Tab A8 is its portability. It's slim and lightweight, making it an ideal companion for travel or commuting. You can easily slip it into a bag without adding too much bulk. This makes it perfect for reading e-books, watching videos, or browsing the web on the go.

Durability: While the plastic build is lightweight, it's not the most durable material. You'll want to be careful to avoid drops and scratches. Investing in a case and screen protector is highly recommended to keep your Tab A8 looking its best for longer.

Overall, the design and build quality of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 (2019) are practical and functional. It might not win any awards for its premium feel, but it gets the job done without feeling cheap or flimsy. For a budget tablet, it strikes a good balance between aesthetics, portability, and build quality.

Display

Let's talk about the display on the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 (2019). It features an 8-inch TFT LCD screen with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. Now, that might not sound like much compared to the high-resolution displays on flagship tablets, but it's perfectly adequate for most everyday tasks. The display is one of the most important features of any tablet, so let's get into the details.

Screen Quality: The screen on the Tab A8 is reasonably sharp, and the colors are vibrant enough to make videos and photos look appealing. While it's not going to blow you away with its color accuracy or contrast, it's still a pleasant viewing experience for the price. The TFT LCD technology means that the viewing angles aren't the widest, but they're acceptable as long as you're viewing the screen head-on.

Brightness and Outdoor Use: One area where the Tab A8's display struggles a bit is brightness. It's not the brightest screen out there, so using it outdoors in direct sunlight can be challenging. You'll need to find some shade or crank up the brightness to the max to see the screen clearly. Indoors, however, the brightness is perfectly adequate for comfortable viewing.

Touch Sensitivity: The touch sensitivity on the Tab A8 is responsive and accurate. Navigating through menus, scrolling through web pages, and playing games all feel smooth and fluid. The screen also supports multi-touch gestures, so you can easily pinch to zoom and perform other common touch-based actions.

Resolution and Clarity: The 1280 x 800 resolution translates to a pixel density of around 189 ppi, which is decent for an 8-inch tablet. Text and images look reasonably sharp, although you might notice some pixelation if you look closely. For most users, the resolution is more than sufficient for everyday tasks like browsing, reading, and watching videos.

In summary, the display on the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 (2019) is a solid performer for its price range. It's not the best display on the market, but it offers a pleasant viewing experience for most users. The colors are vibrant, the touch sensitivity is good, and the resolution is adequate for everyday tasks. Just keep in mind that the brightness could be better for outdoor use.

Performance and Software

Under the hood, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 (2019) is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 429 processor. This is a quad-core chip that's designed for budget-friendly devices. Paired with either 2GB or 3GB of RAM (depending on the model), the Tab A8 offers reasonable performance for everyday tasks. The performance and software experience is vital for any tablet, let's see how this one stacks up.

Processor and RAM: The Snapdragon 429 is a decent processor for basic tasks like browsing the web, checking email, and watching videos. It's not a powerhouse, so don't expect to run demanding games or edit videos without experiencing some lag. The 2GB or 3GB of RAM is enough to handle light multitasking, but you might notice some slowdown if you have too many apps open at once. If you plan on using the tablet for more intensive tasks, opting for the 3GB RAM model is recommended.

Software and User Interface: The Tab A8 runs on Android 9.0 Pie with Samsung's One UI on top. One UI is designed to be user-friendly and intuitive, with a clean and modern interface. It includes features like Night Mode, which reduces eye strain in low-light conditions, and Digital Wellbeing, which helps you monitor your tablet usage. While Android 9.0 Pie is a bit outdated now, it still offers a solid and reliable user experience. You'll have access to the Google Play Store, where you can download a wide variety of apps and games.

Gaming Performance: If you're a gamer, the Tab A8 might not be the best choice for you. While it can handle casual games like Candy Crush and Angry Birds without any issues, more demanding games like PUBG Mobile and Fortnite will struggle. You'll likely experience lag and dropped frames, which can make gaming frustrating. However, if you're not a hardcore gamer, the Tab A8 can still provide some entertainment with less demanding titles.

Storage: The Tab A8 comes with either 32GB of internal storage, which should be enough for most users. If you need more space, you can expand the storage via a microSD card. This is a great feature that allows you to store more photos, videos, and apps without worrying about running out of space.

Overall, the performance of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 (2019) is adequate for everyday tasks. The Snapdragon 429 processor and 2GB or 3GB of RAM provide enough power for browsing, streaming, and light multitasking. The software experience is user-friendly and intuitive, thanks to Samsung's One UI. However, if you're a gamer or need to perform more intensive tasks, you might want to consider a more powerful tablet.

Camera

The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 (2019) isn't really designed for photography, but it does have a camera. It features an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. Let's be real, the camera is definitely not one of the tablet's strong suits, but it's there if you need it. While you're not going to be taking professional-quality photos with it, it's sufficient for basic snapshots and video calls.

Rear Camera: The 8-megapixel rear camera can capture decent photos in good lighting conditions. However, the image quality deteriorates quickly in low light. The camera app is simple and easy to use, with basic features like autofocus and digital zoom. Don't expect any fancy features like optical image stabilization or HDR mode.

Front Camera: The 2-megapixel front-facing camera is primarily designed for video calls. It's adequate for chatting with friends and family, but the image quality is not great. The photos tend to be soft and lack detail, especially in low light.

Video Recording: The Tab A8 can record videos at up to 1080p resolution. The video quality is decent, but the lack of stabilization means that your videos might be shaky if you're not holding the tablet steady. The microphone captures audio adequately, but it's not the best for recording high-quality sound.

Camera Performance: In general, the camera performance on the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 (2019) is underwhelming. The image quality is acceptable in good lighting conditions, but it suffers in low light. The front-facing camera is only suitable for basic video calls. If you're serious about photography, you're better off using a smartphone or a dedicated camera.

In conclusion, the camera on the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 (2019) is a basic feature that's there if you need it, but it's not a selling point of the tablet. It's adequate for basic snapshots and video calls, but don't expect high-quality photos or videos.

Battery Life

One of the standout features of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 (2019) is its impressive battery life. It packs a 5,100mAh battery, which is quite generous for an 8-inch tablet. The battery life is a crucial aspect of any mobile device, so let's dive into the details.

Battery Performance: With moderate usage, you can easily get a full day of battery life out of the Tab A8. This includes browsing the web, checking email, watching videos, and playing casual games. If you're a heavy user, you might need to charge it before the end of the day, but most users will find the battery life to be more than sufficient.

Standby Time: The Tab A8 also has excellent standby time. You can leave it on a shelf for several days without it completely draining the battery. This is great if you only use the tablet occasionally.

Charging Time: The Tab A8 charges via a micro-USB port, which is a bit outdated. Charging the tablet from 0% to 100% can take several hours, so it's best to charge it overnight. It doesn't support fast charging, so you'll have to be patient.

Battery Optimization: Samsung's One UI includes several battery optimization features that can help you extend the battery life even further. You can enable power saving mode, which limits the CPU speed and reduces the screen brightness. You can also restrict background data usage for individual apps.

Overall, the battery life on the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 (2019) is excellent. The 5,100mAh battery provides plenty of power for everyday use, and the standby time is impressive. The charging time is a bit slow, but that's a minor inconvenience compared to the long battery life.

Conclusion

So, what's the final verdict on the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 (2019)? It's a budget-friendly tablet that offers a decent overall experience. The design is simple and practical, the display is adequate for everyday tasks, the performance is reasonable, the battery life is excellent. The camera is not great, but it's there if you need it. If you're looking for an affordable tablet for basic tasks like browsing the web, watching videos, and checking email, the Tab A8 is a solid choice. However, if you need a more powerful tablet for gaming or intensive tasks, you might want to consider other options. Ultimately, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 (2019) is a reliable and affordable tablet that gets the job done without breaking the bank. It's a great option for students, casual users, and anyone who needs a portable device for basic tasks.