The Samsung Galaxy Note line seems to be coming full circle for Samsung. It started off as a 5.3 inch smartphone, that was then accompanied by a 10 inch tablet, the original Galaxy Note was handily superseded by the 5.5 inch Samsung Galaxy Note 2, and now it appears the OEM could be looking to introduce an option inside the middle of the pack, size wise.
A new NenaMark benchmark result shows information about one Samsung GT-N5100, a 7 inch tablet that would definitely appear to be a Note device. The structure of its model number is quite similar to the other phones and tablets released in this series so far so there’s no reason to believe otherwise.
According to the benchmark the GT-N5100 will house 720p HD resolution (surprised? me neither) and a 1.6GHz quad-core processor with a Mali-400MP GPU. It would appear that the chipset will be the same Exynos 4412 that’s inside the Note 2 based on those specs. Sure, a Cortex-A15 chipset would be nice but the Exynos 4 series is still a beast of an experience. It’ll also run Android 4.1.2 out of the box, apparently, but this could always change once the device launches.
Introducing a 7 inch tablet with S Pen functionality is a very smart move for Samsung. Everyday, more and more people are finding value in the less cumbersome 7 inch form factor. It’s already seen as the perfect size for a book-reading device, and it sounds like Samsung thinks people could find the size perfect for those who want it to be a note-taking and creative device, too.
It would be an absolute surprise to see this device coming out at any point before Christmas, but you never know for sure. I’d personally bet money on seeing an unveil at one of the big early 2013 events such as CES or Mobile World Congress and slated for a Spring release.
We can’t say for sure if this will end up being a device worth holding out for in lieu of affordable options like the Kindle Fire or the Nexus 7, but that S Pen functionality could be the X factor many of you need to save those pennies for Samsung’s next relatively smallish offering.
[NenaMark via NotebookItalia, thanks Lau!]
Sales swing from appPad mini to Galaxy Note 7″, simpletonistic minds explodes! …news at 11pm
I would love a 7in note, I’ve had a 10in galaxy tab and now a nexus7 and I like the 7in size so much better. I was planning on replacing my Galaxy Nexus and nexus 7 with a note 2(which Imo is too big for a daily smartphone) ill be holding off on that note buy to see if a 7iin note is released
Unless Android steps on the peddle and starts pushing tablet optimized apps then Android tabs are still useless
I wouldn’t go so far to say they are useless. Less useful, sure, but not totally useless.
Considering nearly half of all tablets sold are now Android tablets, I think many consumers (including myself) would disagree with you. In fact, one great thing about Android compared to iOS is that good developers can accommodate multiple form factors within the same app. Just wait until next year, when Apple loses that crown as well…people are speaking with their wallets on how “useless” they think Android tablets are.
And the rate down army is alive and well. Android has very little tab apps and its annoying. I don’t always want to be on the browser and others have to agree with me. All I’m saying is that they have to step it up. I’d choose a windows tablet over an Android because Microsoft has done it right even tho they don’t have very many optimized apps as well. I want a little more function in a tablet not a stretched out phone.
well if windows tablet don’t have very many apps as you say and your line of argument against androids is lack of tablet apps….I fail to see your point of choosing a windows tablet. Thats just a lateral move. And if you have bought into the android ecosystem, that will be a reboot of a lateral move since you now have to buy apps from scratch.
Again: why would you use your browser? Did you even take the 30 seconds to read my reply? Do you understand anything at all about Android app development? Android apps are not like iOS, where they require seperate versions to accommodate different screen sizes, etc. The developer can actually very easily code all of this into one app, and have the layout (for example) dynamically change based on what the app is running on. Android doesn’t NEED separate tablet apps. What it needs is more developers coding according to the the Android Developers Guidelines. You sound like someone who hasn’t even used an Android tablet extensively. Do you even own one? IJS
I’m a big fan of the exynos 4412 , but I do believe its a mistake, if they want to just bytch slap apple then put the Exynos5 in it and call it a day ;)
I was going to say that a 7 inch version would be kinda useless, but then I thought about it. The phone is pretty cool, but it may be “too much”. My hands aren’t all that big. I’ve met a few people who can use the Note phone just fine. They also have football hands. LoL!!
I like the idea of a 7 inch. Mainly because I’d love the idea of dual screen and a stylus.
I have tiny hands and have no problems using the phone, neither does my pocket
Yes. My Nexus 7 fits in my pocket. LoL!! I guess I can give the phone a try of the opportunity arises.
This is such awesome news! First I wanted to buy the note 2 but it was too big and the note 10.1 was too expensive. If they can release a 7 inch note at a competitive price to the nexus 7, I could buy a nexus 4 AND a note 7! Please release at $300 or less!!!
Yeah I would definitely enjoy having one to compliment my Nexus 4. Plus having hotspot on the Nexus built in makes them a badass team.
I currently have the Note 1. IT’s great, except for some crashy bugs in S memo and S note. Samsung never update those apps. I wish they would since many of us got the note base on the S Pen alone.
I find Note 10.1 too large as I have previously two other tablets (9.7 inch TouchPad and 10 inch Transformer Eee Pad 1). They ended up gathering dust before I offer them up to craigslist. I think 7 inch version is the perfect size for ME.