Update 10/25/2017: Today when I turned the tablet on, there was an announcement that Nougat OS could be downloaded. Download took around 15-20 minutes and works just fine.
NOTE: Amazon groups 4 different models of Samsung Tablets here under one heading. My review is for the Tab A - 8" size.
Prior to purchasing the Tab A, I tried a new Asus ZenPad 8.0 and a new Lenovo; both went back for either poor screen quality, too much heat build-up and locking up for no reason. I hesitated to try a refurbished tablet, but I'm pleasantly surprised with the Tab A.
It arrived in a genuine Samsung box, with a sealed plastic film around the tablet, genuine USB cable and AC power plug, and a small quick start guide. The only thing that made it appear refurbished is a "certified refurbished" card that's stuck inside the box. Although I probably didn't really get lucky and get a genuine NEW tablet by mistake :), there was a tiny smudge on the back of the tablet like someone had touched it prior to me receiving it, but it easily wiped away with a microfiber cloth.
Very easy to set-up, I didn't personally see it update, but it's running Android Marshmallow 6.0.1....I hear there will be a Nougat update soon. It updated all the Google things I don't need, and it got a little warm while updating. Since then, this tablet runs cool.
It's perfectly awesome, now I can see why Samsung has such a huge fan-base for their cell phones and tablets. This has just a little Samsung bloatware, but I find most of it useful. It even has their own version of anti-malware (Smart Manager) added, as well as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
The screen is bright, very responsive to taps and swipes and very easy for me to read. I was beginning to think something was going wrong with my eyesight, as I had a problem with seeing things on the Asus and Lenovo screens.
For now the 16 GB storage is enough but I may add a microSD card later on.
It feels incredibly light-weight compared to my previous 2 tablets, and it's unfortunately kind of slippery. If you're buying this for a child, maybe you should buy some type of rugged case such as this:
BMOUO EVA ShockProof Light Weight Kids Case with Handle for Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8-inch Tablet - Blue
.
There are 2 things not so great but not that big of a deal to me.
1. I wish the "back arrow" was lit, it's hard to see it in the dark, but then again, you learn where it is pretty quick. It's opposite where my ZTE cell phone has it located.
2. The included Samsung "pouch" is pretty useless, it's cheap stinky plastic and doesn't give any protection. I purchased a sleeve for the ZenPad and it works with this tablet, too. The gray would go well with the Smoky Titanium finish of the Tab A:
Elonbo 7" 8" inch Waterproof Canvas Fabric Tablet Sleeve Case Shell with pocket - Superior Protection Laptop Bag/Computer Computer accessories, Gray
| Standing screen display size | 8 Inches |
|---|---|
| Screen Resolution | 1280 X 800 Pixel |
| Max Screen Resolution | 1920 x 1200 |
| RAM | 1.5 GB |
| Hard Drive | 16 GB |
| Chipset Brand | Samsung |
| Wireless Type | 802.11abg |
| Number of USB 2.0 Ports | 1 |
