Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 review

The colourful, bright and clear screen is one of the main reasons why the Samsung Galaxy Tab line has attracted a loyal following. One look and you'll realise the screen is noticeably superior to other tablets - even the Apple iPad 2. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 has a rich and bright quality that makes games, browsing and any app more enjoyable to use - like upgrading from a standard LCD to a modern HD TV that uses LED technology.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 becomes a device you want to use because you know it'll be easy on the eyes. By comparison, the Lenovo ThinkPad, Acer Iconia A500, Asus Eee Pad Transformer and Toshiba AT100 all use screens that aren't nearly as bright or clear. The closest competitors, in fact, are Samsung smartphones such as the Galaxy S2, which uses an AMOLED screen that's just as bright.

We tested a handful of movies and TV shows on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 - several episodes of Fringe, the latest season opener for The Walking Dead and the movie Captain America. Fringe in particular looked bright and clear during most scenes, and the rich blacks didn't have a washed-out look like they do on many tablets.

The only time we noticed some fuzziness to the screen was during the opening segment of Captain America, which is dark and foggy. On the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9, the scene looked too muddy.

The brilliant screen comes at a price, though. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 costs twice as much as some competing tabs, such as the recently released cheap 7-inch ViewSonic ViewPad 7e.

At full brightness, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 also sucks up battery juice quickly. Fortunately, Samsung includes a power-saving tech that dims the screen and adjusts brightness automatically and works even harder to save battery at a 50% charge.