Been using a Tab 4 7.0 for a while now as a general use tablet just to surf the web, reply to texts and stuff like that when I didn't want to use or was charging my Note 3. Figured let me upgrade it now since the new Tab A models are out. Stuck with the 7.0" because I like the size, easy to hold in one hand and just easy to use sitting on the couch without being cumbersome. Now I'm not sure if the Tab A is supposed to be an upgrade to the Tab 4 but at around the same price point I assumed it could be..so i'm basing my review on comparing the two as if the Tab A is a newer "upgrade" to the Tab 4. If I'm incorrect then oh well. First thing I did was test the Tab 4 and Tab A using the Antutu benchmark app. Tab A ended up with a score of around 22,500. A nice little bump from the Tab 4's 17,500 score. Using both though, i didn't really notice any speed difference while opening apps, sliding through app pages or browsing the web. One of the first things I noticed was that the Tab A's screen turns a little darker at angles vs the Tab 4. Sitting on a bar stool and having both Tabs in front of me on the counter, the Tab 4's screen was brighter at the viewing angle I was at. Not that huge a deal but immediately noticed it as I did some web browsing with the Tab A and then compared to Tab 4. They also took away the IR blaster. Not the deal breaker but yet another feature gone. Tab 4 has been out for awhile now and can be rooted. Tab A is new and no root available for it yet...if you're into rooting. My biggest complaint is when I went to test the wifi. Went to connect to my wifi and noticed my 5Ghz band wasn't showing up like it would on my Tab 4. Did some more research and found out that the old Tab 4 supports a/b/g/n 2.4/5Ghz bands and the new Tab A only supports b/g/n 2.4Ghz. Huge disappointment for me. The loss in speed is apparent as I tried downloading a couple apps and noticed the Tab 4 was downloading them a lot faster. Ran some SpeedTests on both. The Tab 4 in 2.4Ghz band consistently reached almost max speeds that I pay for...58 down/3 up. Did the same test using 2.4Ghz wifi on the Tab A. Ran it about 4 times and each time I would max out at only 18-27 down/3 up. Call me a nerd but that's unacceptable to me. So aside from the better benchmark number, a nicer body design in my opinion and an updated Android OS, the jump from a 1.2Ghz cpu to a 1.3Ghz cpu is unnoticeable by me using both Tabs. The lack of brightness compared to the Tab 4 at the same viewing angles is also disappointing. But the huge wifi downgrade is the deal breaker for me. I'm probably being a little dramatic about it but when I buy a new updated device, I expect it to match or best the features of the last model...not downgrade from it. I'll be returning the Tab A and just continue using my Tab 4. Just so I don't sound like a complete crybaby about it, i do like the updated tablet design. Samsung ditched the chrome frame with a black frame now. I was getting tired of Android 4.2.1 and like the look of Android 5.1.1. While the screen isn't the highest resolution, its still nice to look at for general usage vs the even cheaper tablets like the Tab E. If you have a Tab 4 7.0 already, don't waste your money "upgrading" to a Tab A 7.0. If you're in the market for a 7" Samsung tablet...go for the Tab 4. If I never had a Tab 4 to compare this too then I probably would have been happy with it...but comparing the two, just not happy with the purchase.

I got this tablet during the cyber Monday sale and only paid $90 for it. For that price you simply won't find a better tablet With that said, the tablet has a couple issues The biggest problem is that the internal memory is tiny. If all you do is use smaller apps it won't matter, but if you want to use large apps like large games on your tablet you will quickly run out of room. Buying extra memory with an SD card doesn't help because android lollipop is weird about which apps can be moved to the card and which can't. Out of maybe 10 apps I've downloaded from the play store, only Netflix could be moved. Another is the WiFi. There seems to be some confusion over the way the WiFi works on the tablet. It will disconnect when NOT in use, and many people, including myself at first, think this means the wifi adapter is faulty. Instead it's just an annoying pop up that will occur while using the tablet for anything Internet related. It seems most apparent when switching between browser tabs and apps. The connection will close because no apps are using the WiFi, and then when you switch to an app that does use it, you get a little toast message saying the tablet has reconnected. This has NEVER interrupted anything I've used the tablet for, including Netflix and YouTube streaming. It just gets old seeing the message. Again, I've never had it lose connection while something was loading or streaming The other most noticeable issue for me is that it can be slow with certain things. I am typing this review using the tablet and it's noticeably lagging when taking my input while typing in Chrome. I don't have this issue when using dedicated apps or mobile versions for websites I use, only when using the "full" versions of websites. It's also not as snappy with the UI as it could be. For that you'd need much better and more expensive hardware And the last thing I want to criticize is a small issue I've noticed when watching Netflix. This might just be an Android or Netflix caused issue and not the tablet's fault, but the playback will sometimes cut back a few frames when watching video and it can be jarring With all the negatives out if the way, I have to say this little tablet is just awesome even with its flaws. The screen is gorgeous, android is fun to play with, and it just feels well made in general. You can make the UI look great with some custom icons and wallpapers along with a different Launcher. If the price drops below $100 again, I'd highly recommend this tablet to anyone who wants an Android tablet for anything other than gaming (yes we exist). It's great for browsing the web, streaming, reading news or books, and any other "light" use. It won't beat a tablet that costs $300 but did you really think it would?

I use mostly Apple devices, but this is my second android tablet - the other being the 1st gen Galaxy Note 10.1. I wanted a 7" tablet primarily for use in my car (using iPhone as a hotspot when needed). An iPad mini did not make sense as it is bigger and much more expensive. Also, iPad is less flexible when it comes to data/file storage. I use an iPhone 5 because it prefer that size in my pocket - hated the iP6's size - but in the car, I need a bigger screen to be able to see more/read quickly. Thus, a bigger phone was not the solution. Primary intention was to use it for GPS/map reading (I have a great spot where it is readable without mounting... Aging eyes make the iP5 screen too small to read quickly. Bigger screen also helps with regular reading (e.g. emails). So in the one or two months I've owned this, this is how it has met my initial expectations/requirements: Use as a GPS in the car (mainly map views). My preferred iPhone app for GPS/Navigation is MapQuest. Works great on the iPhone, but there is a severe lag using MapQuest on this tablet. Talking 20-30 second gap between where you are and your location on the map. Yes, it does take time to go from tablet to phone to server and back. HOWEVER, with Google Maps - the lag is only a few seconds - which is very workable. Email reading is what I expected it to be. Very usable when I use the native email app. Gmail app - however - is very difficult to use if you wanted to take a quick glance - takes forever to update and the font is too small for a glance. But that is the same problem I have with Gmail app on Apple devices... Pleasant surprises: Screen resolution is excellent. Apps generally run well on the Lollipop OS, but app development is spotty in Android (some apps are developed as Portrait only apps, I've noticed). Been happy enough that I carry it around everywhere in the house as an all purpose device (I even have my Ooma calls ringing on the tablet). I now use it for streaming (MLB TV, Netflix, cable TV, my media server, YouTube), Words with Friends, etc. I even installed some games that are being advertised on TV, and they ran very well. Not into those games, so I deleted them to save space. The annoying flaw(s): to the left and the right of the home button on the bottom of the tablet are two touch sensitive buttons - one to switch screens/select split screen mode, and the other is the 'back' button. The Flaw? If you're watching video, it's likely to be in landscape mode. If it is not on a stand or other stationary platform, then you're likely to be holding it in your hands. If you hold it with two hands or just using your right hand - you have a 95% probability of touching the back button during playback. A non-issue if the back or screen buttons were actual switches/buttons like the home button and not touch-sensitive, as you would touch, but know not to press it an actual button or switch. I have to be very aware of these buttons when I move it, as just changing hands or finger grip/position could have a finger touch one of these buttons - interrupting the app. In the case of MLB baseball game streaming, this means I have to RESTART the game's stream. And yes, I have a case that works as a stand, but I typically have it in my hands when it is being used around the house. The other annoyance... wifi antennae (in)sensitivity - this consistently happens with online streaming, where video would stop and a few moments would pass and it would tell me it (re)connected to wifi. Happens when I am 'a little' further away from my router, Does not happen with other devices at the same spots. And yes, I have signal repeaters close by when this happens. If not for this - this would be a 5 star device for me. But I'm happy with this and for the price ($119) vs an iPad mini with a lot of storage - I can accept these annoyances.

I bought this tablet to replace my Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 7 inch model. I am a bit of a gadget freak, but I also spend a lot of time in technology and like to have a variety of devices so I am at least somewhat familiar with the different platforms. When it comes to tablets, I always chose Apple over Android. I really don't like the Android experience, and because I follow the technology security industry closely, I am always concerned with the way that manufacturers will abandon their products, often very quickly, leaving them vulnerable to security problems because the device manufacturer controls the updates. And yes, I know about rooting and sideloading, but again, I spend time helping others with their technology, and I don't think a common product like and Android device should expect it's users to be able to perform these technical feats to maintain a relatively new product. With that said, this is a big improvement over my previous 7 inch tablet. It's much faster, and the battery life seems to be a lot better as well. Unfortunately, this is one of Samsung's current products, and they have already abandoned it - NO, you CANNOT get Marshmallow on this tablet, and don't let the Best Buy employees tell you otherwise, like they did to me. Android Marshmallow, as of this writing, isn't even the latest version, and yet a product that can be purchased right off of Samsung's website is already abandoned from updates, turning it into a potential security vulnerability. This was actually why I was upgrading my tablet - I wanted to upgrade to as close to the latest as I could afford from my Kit Kat tablet. Unfortunately, you cannot (natively) do this on this tablet. Do to some unexpected circumstances, my return window passed before I could return it, and since I got it at a good price, I didn't worry too much about it. I honest preferred this tablet, even over the 8 inch one, because of it's higher resolution, another thing lacking in a lot of Samsung tablets. Because I am very cautious about how I use these devices, carefully examine apps and their permissions before I download them, and run on a VPN when I am not on my home network, I am happy enough with my purchase. However, I you did not fully follow what I just said, or if you are buying this for someone who is not comfortable with technology, consider buying a tablet that COMES with a more recent version of Android, in hopes that it won't be obsolete before being removed from the box, giving the user a little more protection.

I was replacing a Verizon Ellipsis that was having trouble turning on so I will be comparing the Samsung Tab A 7 to that. I should also mention I traded in an old iPad 2 and got $75 for it so I only paid $75 for the tablet with the trade in. The build quality is very high. There is a nice rubbery feel on the back that will not pick up fingerprints easily. The screen is more than adequate for the size and price. I keep this in my side table by the bed for news and games before bed. The battery life is excellent. 1.5gb of RAM should be more than adequate depending on what you plan on doing with it. I tried doing research on the processor (T-Shark 2A) before I bought the unit but could not find anything. As far as I know this is not a Samsung Exynos processor or from any of the other big players (Nvidia, Qualcomm). It is not very quick. I would not expect it to be able to handle any games that have high graphics. Overall for the money, $150, it is hard to find a better tablet for the money. Just know what you want the table to do. If battery life is important, you don't need special outputs (MHL, HDMI), and just plan on casual games and web browsing this is probably the best tablet you can buy for the money. Again, the build quality is execellent. If battery life isn't that important to you and you want to be able to play some of the high graphics games or are looking for a higher resolution screen you might be better off spending a little more on something like the Nvidia Shield.

I bought a silver Samsung Galaxy Tab A 7" on Black Friday at Best Buy. The WiFi speeds were HORRIBLE. I'm talking 13.41 Mbps max and as low as 1.61 Mbps. My other devices include: 1. Galaxy S7 Edge 2. ASUS Q552 (2015/2016) 3. LG G3 (over 27 months old) 4. Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 7.0 (bought May 2015) All of the devices in that list connect wirelessly between 120-230 Mbps (S7 Edge takes the crown; phone fricken rocks). I did a full factory reset on my Arris DOCSIS 3.0 AND two factory resets on my Tab A. Still could not break 20 Mbps. I returned it and grabbed the same model in black. I know there is no logical reason that color would have anything to do with it but weirder things can happen in tech. So the black model fared better than the silver but it still sucks; maxing out at around 37 Mbps. This is a completely usable connection speed BUT when my "ancient" G3 and Tab 4 are connecting at over 100 Mbps, those speeds are unacceptable. This is so frustrating because I LOVE the 7" form factor in a tablet but no one makes a premium Android tablet in that size. My Tab 4 7.0 connects at a decent speed BUT the software completely lags to the point of being nearly unusable at times. I've had to strip it down to bare bones, with only a few key Google apps only. Can't even browse the web without it hanging up. This is why I was in the market for a replacement. I really don't consider myself a table person but at this point I'd be willing to spend "real" money on a 7” tablet just to avoid the frustration those few times I do pick it up. (The Tab A silver was on sale for $89.99 and the black for $99.99). I am more than likely going to return the black Tab A, AGAIN, tomorrow and just do some more research or wait until someone releases a solid 7”slate.

I have an older version of this model - SM-T230NU - and wouldn't give it up for anything. I do a lot of "remote" hiking, where I'm on the trail for days with nothing but my backpack, and this tablet goes with me. It's invaluable to use after the sun goes down and before it's time to crawl into the sleeping bag. I use it for the eReader (Overdrive), MP4 movies, Animated Knots (by Grog) application, and a few strategy games that make me think. Battery life is unbeatable - I get about 30 minutes of video for 5% of the battery, and have no issues using it for the entire backpacking trip from the initial full charge. I'm glad to see Samsung still offering the 7" model - it's PERFECT for holding and not needing to squint, and there are a lot of us out there who don't want a huge screen in front of us. I'm also happy they offer one that's wi-fi only, because this tablet, for my use, is never connected (no need to) except when I need to check out more eBooks from my library. Combined with my Fintie leatherette folder this unit fits perfectly within, I'm a happy Samsung customer. I also take this tablet everywhere I go!

I have an iPad 4th generation and was looking for a smaller tablet that was easy and light enough to hold in the hand. As I wasn't interested in paying the premium price for an iPad mini, I looked at Android tablets on Best Buy's website and decided that this Samsung tablet seemed to be what I wanted and wouldn't break the bank. I was initially concerned about the screen resolution, but because the tablet is only 7 inches, I quickly discovered after looking at the demo model in store that the screen was surprisingly quite nice. I actually like it better than my iPad. While it's only a TFT screen, it's bright and text is quite sharp. Color saturation is surprising nice as well. I have been so impressed with the build quality and the textured back as well. Internal memory is only 8gb, but that's easily remedied by a 128gb Microsd card and it can even support cards up to 200gb. For a budget tablet, Samsung scored a winner with this one. I would definitely recommend it.