Samsung Galaxy Tab A (2016)
Verified580 reviews
Ghost touch to the Max – So over this ghost touch, constant closing of my screen, reopening one's I don't want, screen freeze, hard to restart when it does freeze. This is my third and last samsung tablet. First two died just out of warranty. (2 years 1 week) and 2 years 1 month). Had this one about 2 months now and so disappointed. Show details
keeps dropping out and stuck in loop with logo on screen – I would like to rescind some of the stuff I wrote as after leaving my table out of its case for a few hours I found it was working correctly, so these problems could be the result of over heating in the case or folder I have it in and with the close to 30 degree weather conditions could be the reason it kept dropping out and stuck in a loop, this… Read more
is yet to be determined but all good so far, the battery charge is even lasting longer and no dropping out when below 70 percent. I also accept that it is an older version and may be susceptible to faults.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0" Wi-Fi tablet is used for general use on the net, facebook, photos, ebooks etc. if was bought in 2015 from Harvey Norman, for the past year or so it keeps dropping out and stuck in a loop with the logo on screen, if plugged in it was turning on properly but now keeps reverting to logo and not starting up. Charging time would vary sometimes lengthy and battery time was quite short I thought, sometimes a couple of hours and was fully charged originally. Now it is unusable just flashes on and off with logo on the screen and will not start up.
Also it has never recognize the SD card that is installed in it.
Could you please help or offer some suggestions as I think I have tried everything.
expects you to give your entire identity to google and microsoft for basic functions – will not switch control to my computer for transferring photos to my computer, and cannot move photos to SD card without prompting me to download some ridiculous app. I have seen NO OTHER DEVICE that restricts file transfer like this.
In-depth reviews
Samsung will not fix an 80 year olds tablet under warranty! – We purchased my frail 80 year old mother inlaw a Samsung tablet a year ago. Her battery charging port wont charge. She has another 1 year warranty left. Samsung claims abuse such as twisting it, broke it. COME ON SAMSUNG, SHE IS A FRAIL 80 YEAR OLD LADY! 1. This was not used by children, it belongs to an 80 year old woman on the pension who has… Read more
no strength to twist and break the port.
2. It has no external damage. No evidence of a drop. Not even a scratch! We took photos to prove it. No cracking. Other than the charging port, it is in perfect condition.
3. It is a guided battery slot, straight in and straight out (no twisting can be done even by me). This is typical of Samsung as usual trying to avoid another warranty. People are getting so sick of this.
I will now set up for her a go fund me page. To raise money to replace it, making sure I explain Samsung wont fix it under warranty and list all the names of the current Samsung CEO's. (The ones that are not in jail in Korea for fraud that is) see the news headlines.
Nice entry level tablet – This is an entry level tablet, it's best as a tablet for home use, surfing the net, watching music, playing games, checking emails, social media etc. To be honest I bought this to use mostly as an e-reader that will read anything in any format after downloading some simple apps, and for that use, it is perfect. I also use it to watch movies in… Read more · 1
bed. The movie quality is great, far better than I expected, I mean really good. The battery life is amazing, much better than previous tablets I've had. It does feel a bit light, I don't like the plastic feel, and it's very slippery, but now that I've got in a case it feels a bit more substantial, and the case stops it slipping when I stand it up. The screen seems very responsive, even through a glass screen protector. There's only one speaker, so the sound is a bit thin, but I think everyone bluetooths to external speakers these days anyway. It can take a 512gb memory card; I got a San Disk Ultra Extreme Memory card and it's performing well. I think you'd want to think about what you are buying it for, before purchasing. If you're looking for top of the range, you need to pay for top of the range, if you're looking for a simple tablet for media or to entertain kids, or for simple office programs this is perfect. It's a good size. My previous tablet was a 10" and didn't fit in all my handbags, this one does, so it's simple to take out with me, without feeling like I'm carrying to many things, and without worrying about leaving it behind. Yet although smaller, the screen size is still big enough to be very useful and for reading, especially for reading. I've read some other reviews complaining about specifications, and I wonder why these people didn't check specifications and read reviews before they bought it.
Very capable tablet, easy to recommend – I purchased this 10.5 inch tablet (T590 is the applicable model number) with the intention that it be a media server, with a heavy emphasis on storage, distribution and playback of music. I'm pleased to say it has exceeded my expectations. This model can take huge SD cards up to 400gb, easily enough to store a large music library, even in… Read more
uncompressed formats, and it's been great having my whole library readily accessible and searchable. A fussy audiophile, I've used several headphones and earbuds, including what would be regarded as higher end full size "over ear" headphones with great results. Seriously, this tablet can compete with proper hifi separates driving headphones, with only a handful of very high impedance exotics beyond it, and the advanced sound section in settings includes a number of useful tools to customise playback beyond the standard graphic equalizer, even including Dolby Atmos. Bluetooth connection is very well catered for with five separate codecs built in, including LDAC, currently considered the best codec available. It's easy to connect to external audio such as soundbars, either using Bluetooth, or wired transmitting the raw digital feed to an external DAC or audio processor, or casting direct from tablet to TV. There are four speakers in the tablet and Samsung describes using it for media as an immersive experience, I'll agree they are of very good quality by tablet standards, but the immersive tag only really applies to headphone or connected to stereo listening, and I've thoroughly enjoyed watching online concerts with it where it's been easy to get caught up in the performance. The screen is not, by current standards, cutting edge but I've had no problem with its quality watching concerts or online shows off Prime or TV catchup. One small issue has been a tendency to drop some detail in shadow areas in video, it's dynamic range could be little better, but it's not a deal breaker. I read magazines on the tablet, generally this is fine with crisp text, but on scrolling through pages there can be a slight delay (less than a second) between text loading and then becoming properly sharp. I read primarily Hifi magazines, which have a heavy graphic content, and oddly there doesn't seem to be any connection between how much picture content is on the page and the time taken to properly load. Overall I'd describe the screen as very good quality, although graphic performance could usefully be improved a touch, at this price point though it's absolutely not a deal breaker. Responsiveness to touch is also excellent, I've composed several long documents on it (where, oddly, the delay in rendering text sharply doesn't occur) and found it a joy to use for typing. Also, one area where I'll give the screen a solid 10/10 is picture quality on still photographs. Absolutely no complaints there, this tablet is a delight to use on Facebook, Instagram etc, and it's easy to do photo editing (I use Adobe Express) and clearly see the effect of subtle changes. Overall, at this price point, this is a no brainer to give 5 stars to. Improving on it will take a LOT more money than the $349 I paid, and, for my purposes, yield no significant improvement. Thoroughly recommended.
Recent reviews
Slow machine – Slow machine coupled with slow and dodgy, 2.4ghz only, wifi chip. Overall it's just- slow..... Show details
Hi Tiew, We're sorry you're experiencing this with your… Read more (+2 replies)
What is the point of an Android tablet with locked SD Card storage? – When your storage is full, that SD Card you've bought is useless and so is the tablet. Samsung has locked the feature to get you to spend more money on a more expensive tablet. This is a new "feature" that was not on older Tab A's. It's selfish and nice and damaging for Samsung's reputation. Don't expect the screen to last without a protector. Show details
Slow and short battery life – I bought this tablet 6 weeks ago and cannot believe how slow it is, worse than my 5 year old Samsung. The battery life is also worse, sometimes going flat overnight. The touch screen is that sensitive, when I try to scroll it goes to the page instead of scrolling. I don't know if it is faulty or if this is normal, but if its normal its a real shame as I have always been happy with Samsung products Show details
Perfect – Brought this from a garage sale for a very cheap price ((with no charger)). I purchased a charger for 30.00 , did a factory reset and this iPad is brilliant. I made sure all the software updates were done. Screen is brilliant in low light and I use this to take on trips where there is a lot of walking. Will never replace a laptop but is so much lighter to use. Samsung made some excellant products back in the day Show details
Good and bad – used for surfing media, FB, light gaming. Speed and capacity performance are very good for the money. Screen is prone to freezing (often) and varies a lot in its touch-sensitivity. On-screen keyboard is a bit of a nightmare, anyone wanting to do a lot of messaging should look elsewhere. This tablet's success is due largely to a shortage of competition, I think. Show details
We appreciate sharing your feedback on the Tab A, Jay. We… Read more (+3 replies)
Great service and Support – My wife bought a Samsung SM-T590 in March 2019. We had some issues with connectivity after 18 months and were concerned that the warranty may be expired. After contacting Samsung they immediately offered free return and repair. All quick turnaround and constant communication. Had the tablet back within 9 days. We live in regional Victoria… Read more · 1
and considering the covid post go slow were impressed with this speed. Now fixed. Thanks to Kath and all the Samsung team. Dave and Sharon.
A pretty nice tablet for watching movies – I purchased the tablet for my parents to watch online videos (e.g youtube) and to do everyday web chats with me, so overall speaking, this tablet suits our needs well. The color looks pretty vibrant on the display when watching movies and there is a dobly atoms sound effect available which is great. The general software performance on this table… Read more · 1
is ok and is much faster than their old tab4, so we are satisfied with this purchase. The front LED display got cracked before, I had to purchase a spare display to replace it myself, so you may want to my a screen protector to prevent it from accidental damages.
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samsung 10.5 tablet good quality cant complain – So i have never used a samsung phone and wanted to see how good there quality was so i decided to buy an ipad and for the price, quality, and long lasting battery that i need for fishing i believe this tablet is worth it, i would go samsung over apple any day but thats just me as they have plenty of apps and a lot less fluff Show details · 1
A good gift for my mum – I bought this tablet for my mum so she could watch youtube movies and surf the web while she is in bed. It's easy to use and not very heavy, the screen resolution is sharp for a 10 inch tablet. It also has a simulated Dolby atoms sound effect which is a plus for watching movies and TV shows. The camera on this tablet does not produce quality… Read more · 1
pictures, it can under expose when the ambient light is dark. Video quality from the camera is ok when it's light however it struggles in the dark and produces lot of noise. In addition we do still find sometimes this tablet is a bit laggy when launching applications.
This tablet is suitable for surfing the internet and watching movies but not suitable for taking photos.
Worst absolute worst product imaginable – Got this simply to fly DJI drone after finding out just how horrible the touch screen was. Went through the play store i tried over 100 times ... yes 100+ times to tick the “i accept terms button” only to take me the privacy statement again and again and again Literally over 100 times as the “tick box to accept” did not work .... at all the… Read more
touch screen was horrible the speed was woeful and the pic attached is how angry the product made me. Total time in ownership ... less than 40 minutes. I will never. Ever. Again purchase 1 single Samsung product again nor recommend one... absolute piece of crap total cost $280, less than 40 minutes use
We're very sorry to hear that this was your experience… Read more
Great for basic – Great for basic use and surfing internet, not great for movies or Netflix. Apps are decent in smooth easy use Satisfy basic needs of old people or children as it’s drop proof too Show details · 1
Served me well – Won it at a completion 4 years ago, worked really well the first two, but got a bit slow on the recent ones. It still worked well though. It works really well for Games and Movies, and is fairly cheap as well. Eventually earlier this year, the LCD screen died and its mostly black. I have replaced it with a Samsung Galaxy J5, and they are pretty similar. I would definitely recommend to other people. Show details · 1
Product quality – The tablet great for kids. However the pixel quality very poor. If i knew I wouldn't have purchased it. I have bought Samsung before. Seems to go backwards in technology. The specs, speed is average. Show details
Great to hear you are enjoying the Tab A overall, Angie.… Read more
Piece of junk – Only had 8gb of memory, and as it is limited to Android 5.1.1, it cannot use external storage, meaning you are limited, in our case, to about 10 apps. Admittedly 2 years old now, but essentially a brick, as we cannot update it, nor install new apps. Horrible support from Samsung, an OS update would alleviate the storage issue, alas we are stuck in… Read more
a 5+ year old os. Probably my most regrettable purchase. I'll think twice about buying from Samsung again.
We are very sorry to hear that our Tab A was not able to… Read more
Slow tablet – Doesn't charge fast. It's like they gave me a dud charger because my Samsung mobile phone charger charges it faster! I sis ok have the Samsung tablet A 10.5 (model before this) and it's way better ! Show details
Hi Lai. This does not sound right /: From what you have… Read more
Slow and jerky - Get anything else – First off, it's slow to hook up and launch any apps. it takes forever to turn on and off. when a new OS is ready it takes forever to load. Having come from an iPad this sucks. I try the kindle's and the pages dont scrool easily they jerk and you lose your page. Save your money, and get something else. Show details
I’m really sorry to hear of the experience you've had so… Read more
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Poor battery – Tablet has been on charge for half an hour an only gone up 1 percent sad .this tablet is 2months old an only been used 4 to 5 times.SM-T510...my older samsung was way faster charging Show details
Very sorry to hear of the charging issues you are… Read more
product and service – The other Samsung tablet had screen replacement. Having same issue again, but Samsung say there is no fault with the tablet. Seriously... They lie in their report about the tablet, as to what was wrong and condition of tablet. My report said scratches on screen (has a screen protector) if they cant see that, and scratches on the back. It has… Read more
always been kept in a case and has one tiny scratch that I had to look really hard for. Never ever want to have to deal with them again. I loved my Samsung products, as have a tv, microwave, surround sound, phone ect, but now I will stay well away from this brand.
Hi Mellissa. Sorry to hear that this was your experience… Read more
I love my galaxy tab – This is my second purchase of the Samsung galaxy tab, I have gifted my 1st one to my son. The galaxy tab is just the right size for traveling, watching Netflix during long car rides with the kids and surfing the web. Show details · 1
Best android tablet I've used so far – This product is affordable, I have had no problems with it, does the job and isnt heavy to lug around with me, I love it, I'm very happy, it has a long buttery life and doesn't have to be updated every second which is nice. Show details · 1
Quality product – Used mainly to check email, surf the net and watch netflix. Really good for watching movies in bed with headphones on so as not to disturb anyone. Great picture quality. Bought one of those special foam pillows to rest it on, awesome set up! Show reply
better than the original – Why are the speakers on the short side, (the note 1 was on left and right side in horizontal mode) when it grabs a vertical page cannot use if on lap or in bed...as it muffles sounds, it is not a phone. Far too much unwanted programs (bloatware) also the Smart Transfer grabs everything from your phone (Oppo) and my old Samsung Note 1 Tablet.… Read more
Better graphics and CPU speed. and no Bezel. Needs a real AV Norton etc. The one that comes with it is said to be not safe.
Glad to hear you are enjoying your Samsung Galaxy Tab A… Read more (+1 reply)
I love my tablet it's my go to for chilling on the lounge – I use my tablet for a lot of different things mainly Netflix a few slot games then my hubby steals it and plays his games and also Gumtree. Also it's great for photos and videos too Show details · 1
Great budget tablet – Excellent tablet for the price. Lovely amoled screen delivers stunning quality. It is the wi-fi model so its used mainly to surf the web and social media. Can be a bit slow but a restart usually sloves this. Show details · 1
Great tablet – I bought this on sale in Nov 2017 and it has been excellent, the display is clear and bright, battery lasts all day with constant usage, it never crashes or fails and the wi-fi is excellent. It has been used many hours per day everyday and has been great to use and no faults. As a first tablet with nothing but smartphones to compare against, I… Read more · 1
couldn't be happier, it is so much better that a smartphone for on-line shopping, web browsing, games and most apps, I can also print to a wi-fi printer. Built in cameras are ok, not as good as an Apple iPhone 6s, but I don't use it often as a camera. Sound from built-in speakers is not so good, so I use a pair of headphones when necessary.
The best tablet/iPad i every have seen – this is so good it is like a phone you have more options than a iPad with is really good i would recommend tablets for adults i use it to play games and use it as my 2nd main device it really satisfy s me and my apps work smoothly there is really nothing else to say about it it is that good i can't describe it. Show details
Slowness should be the name – My almost 4 years old samsung phone is faster than this tablet. I know is afordable but honestly, takes ages to load a simple window in chrome or just move around the system. So disapointed Samsung! It's also heavy, not sturdy... just heavy. Show details
Sorry that our Samsung Tab A (2016) has not met up to… Read more
Gets The Job Done – I purchased the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0" WiFi 16GB 2017 from Officeworks in February this year. I primarily use this tablet when I'm traveling and connect to available WiFi networks or tether to my phone. It's great for web browsing and using apps. I had to purchase a cover to protect the tablet as I don't think it's very durable. However, it's an all round good tablet for my basic requirements. Show details
Best tablet on the market – Got a Samsung tab A 10.5 in on a lease plan with telstra in 2018,what a great tablet.I have nothing bad to say about it,only positive comments.Easy to use,well made and tough as nails.Would highly recommend to anyone thinking of acquiring a Samsung tab A 10.5. Show details
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Hey Chris, We are sorry to hear you've had this… Read more