The Pros and Cons of Samsung Galaxy Tab A11

Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 is a name that some people might not expect because this tablet is actually the successor to Samsung Galaxy Tab A9. This means there is no 10 series for this entry-level tablet.

So, is there a big improvement with the name change? Unfortunately not. Some parts still have the same performance. However, it cannot be called bad for a tablet in its price range. Here are some pros and cons of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A11.

Pros of Samsung Galaxy Tab A11

For the price, Samsung still keeps it almost the same as the previous generation at around US$120. This makes it a good choice as an affordable tablet. Here are some of its pros.

1. Minimalist Design and Easy to Hold with One Hand

Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 has a similar design to its predecessor. Samsung still uses a simple and minimalist look for this entry-level tablet. On the back, there is only one camera ring that decorates the body. This is reasonable since it only has one camera.

At the top and bottom of the body, there are small lines that cross. These lines divide the back into three parts, one large in the middle and two smaller ones on each side. The main middle part uses aluminium with a matte finish, while the small parts are made of polycarbonate.

The sides of this tablet use a flat frame. Even so, Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 frame is slightly curved at the edges that's comfortable to hold.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 has a body size that is easy to hold with one hand. Its thickness is only 8 mm and its weight is 335 grams. Even when used for a long time, your hand may not feel sore or tired easily.

2. Pretty Smooth Screen Because of 90 Hz Refresh Rate

As a tablet, Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 has a wide screen size, at least wider than a phone. The specifications are again not much different from the previous generation. The screen is 8.7 inches with a TFT LCD panel.

The panel type is not like most tablets that use IPS LCD. For your information, a TFT LCD panel has a narrower viewing angle. The drawback is that the screen cannot be viewed clearly from all sides. The advantage is that people nearby cannot easily see your screen.

The screen resolution of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 is still 800 x 1340 pixels. It is not very high, but for its size, it is still quite good. It can also display up to 16 million colours for a better visual experience.

One improvement in the Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 is its 90 Hz refresh rate. This makes the screen movement smoother than the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9, which only supports 60 Hz. You can feel this difference when scrolling or playing games.

3. Dolby Atmos-based Stereo Speaker Support

To support multimedia use, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 is equipped with good-quality stereo speakers. This tablet has two speakers placed on different sides. This makes the sound feel more immersive and pleasant to hear compared to a single speaker.

Since the tablet has a larger size than a mobile phone, the audio quality also needs to be better. Samsung uses AKG tuning with the Dolby Atmos system to make the sound clearer. It's suitable for entertainment like watching movies, listening to music, or watching videos on social media.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 also still has a 3.5 mm audio jack port on its body. This makes using wired earphones easier and more practical. The sound quality from earphones is usually better, especially when supported by a good internal system.

4. Relying on the Powerful Performance of Helio G99

In terms of performance, Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 still uses the same chipset as its predecessor, the Helio G99. Although it's quite old, this chipset was once the best for the entry class with a 4G network. It is made to give a smooth user experience for tablets.

The manufacturing process is quite small at 6nm. This shows that its power efficiency is quite good. For power, the Helio G99 has eight CPU cores or an octa-core setup.

The CPU includes two Cortex A76 cores (2.2 GHz) for performance and six Cortex A55 cores (2 GHz) for power efficiency. For graphics, it uses Mali G57 MP2 Vallhall 1st Gen with a frequency of 1 GHz.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 comes with only one memory variant in Indonesia. It has 4 GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 64 GB of UFS 2.2 internal storage. This capacity may seem small, but there is a microSD slot that can expand the storage up to 2 TB.

5. Reliable Multitasking Capability

As a tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 offers better multitasking than mobile phones. For example, the split-screen or floating window feature on phones is not as effective as on tablets because of the smaller screen size. With a wider screen, doing assignments or finishing work becomes easier.

Some of the key multitasking features on this tablet are Multi Windows. This feature lets users open two applications at the same time using split screen. More applications can also be opened together by using floating windows.

Another feature that the Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 has is the Taskbar. Just like the name, this feature looks similar to the one on Windows laptops. It stores your favorite or frequently used apps so you can access them faster. This feature is great because it comes from the Galaxy Tab S Series, Samsung’s flagship tablet line.

Another interesting feature of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 is the Edge Panel. This feature works like the Taskbar and appears when needed. The Edge Panel includes different apps or features that can be accessed quickly and usually open in floating windows.

6. Equipped with Up to 7 Times OS Upgrade Guarantee

Samsung is one of the manufacturers that often provides long software support. At launch, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 uses Android 15 with the One UI 7 interface. For its guarantee, Samsung offers up to 7 OS upgrades and 7 years of security updates.

This is a very long period for an affordable tablet in the entry class. With this guarantee, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 can continue to get updates until Android 22 in 2032, assuming Android versions keep coming every year.

The guarantee is clearly one of the best things about the Samsung Galaxy Tab A11. Usually, Samsung only gives such long support for its high-end products. Whatever the reason, this is a big advantage for those who plan to use the device for a long time.

Cons of Samsung Galaxy Tab A11

Although it has some interesting advantages, this entry-level tablet still has some drawbacks. These may need to be considered before deciding to buy it. Here are some of them:

1. Standard Battery Capacity without Upgrade

As a tablet, having a higher power capacity seems important. Unfortunately, this is not the case with the Samsung Galaxy Tab A11. This tablet only has a 5100 mAh battery, which is still close to the standard capacity of a mobile phone. This capacity is also the same as the previous generation, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9.

In other words, Samsung doesn't seem to focus much on this part. The charging speed is also quite slow, using only 15W. It takes more than 2 hours, almost 3 hours, to fully charge. This is based on the performance of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9, which has similar specifications.

2. Less Ideal Front Camera Position

Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 has a vertical orientation like a mobile phone, this makes the position of the front camera less ideal. The front camera is placed on the top side where the bezel is shortest. This position makes your face look off-centre when making video calls with the tablet in landscape mode.

The other person may also see you from the side of the frame instead of in the centre. Another problem with the front camera is its 5 MP resolution. At least, the video recording resolution can reach 1080p 30 FPS. This is slightly better than the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9, which only supports 720p 30 FPS.

On the back, the camera performance of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 is still standard. The resolution is 8 MP with auto focus. Video recording is still limited to 1080p 30 FPS. Even so, tablet cameras are usually not used as often, especially the rear one.

3. No Fingerprint Sensor for Security

Another drawback of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 is the lack of a fingerprint sensor. This security feature has actually become a standard for smart devices. Besides having better security, it's also faster and more practical to unlock the device.

The only security options on the Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 are PIN, pattern, or password. These are still quite safe because they are hard for others to guess. However, they take more time to use compared to a fingerprint sensor.

Conclusion

Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 is one of the most considerable entry-level tablets. Its highlight is the OS upgrade guarantee that reaches up to 7 times, along with 7 years of security updates. Such long support is usually only found on high-end Samsung products at a much higher price.

As a tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A11 also has good visual and audio quality. Multitasking can run quite smoothly with features like Multi Windows, Taskbar, and Edge Panel. Unfortunately, the battery capacity is still standard, so the usage time is not very long.

Other points to note are the less ideal camera position and the missing fingerprint sensor. So, is this affordable tablet still worth buying?