Samsung ATIV Tab 3 (yeah it’s ATIV or ACTIV) looks similar to tablets offered by the South Korean firm, only that it runs on Windows 8 and powered by Intel Atom Z2760 CPU. Although the specs may not be impressive on first glance, ATIV Tab 3 is actually the world’s thinnest Windows 8 tablet and has a solid 2GB RAM to allow smooth loading of your Windows Apps.
The Windows 8 interface works well on the 10.1-inch screen although not as sharp since the 1366×768 resolution is shown on a PLS LCD screen which is not as high quality. But for a tablet priced for affordable mid-range market, it is still equally stunning.
The tablet itself is lightweight (only 550g) without the external Bluetooth keyboard that comes together with the tablet. In terms of the ports, the tablet is equipped with only a microUSB, microHDMI and microSD slot. I was hoping to see an extra microUSB slot but it works fine to increase the battery life. The battery can last for about 10 hours for non-stop usage. Since the external keyboard is using its own battery, it allows the tablet to last longer.
The tablet also comes with S-Pen which makes it easier to use the tablet without the keyboard. The keyboard is also pretty lightweight and has a magnetic cover that can be turned into a viewing stand.
The ATIV Tab 3 also comes pre-installed with Office Home edition, which makes your life way easier if you depend a lot of office apps for your work. The front-facing camera is grainy but the rear camera did a pretty decent job in capturing important moments.
Priced at about RM2399, it is rather affordable for a Windows 8 tablet that offers better productivity than the Android-based tablets.
