Sometimes, you don't need the latest, greatest and up-to-datest device on the market. That's what the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 7.0 (2018) aims to be: the budget tablet that handles the most basic daily tasks without muss or fuss while keeping the cost at a low dollar for your benefit. The hardware runs great for a device of its caliber, and although you won't be doing any pro camera work or heavy gaming on this bad boy, there's enough RAM to keep your favorite apps within reach while the quad-core processor makes it reasonably snappy.

The Galaxy Tab A (2018) also brings a headphone jack in tow with the usual arrangement of wireless radios such as Bluetooth, WiFi and GPS. You'll find that this tablet is suitable for reading e-books and news articles, basic messaging and WiFi calling, roadside navigation, pairing with Bluetooth devices to play music, and — with varying levels of responsiveness — running most Android apps on the Play Store. The removable battery is a pleasant upside that many other product lines no longer offer, and the 4,000 mAh will keep you going through the day without trouble. However, the inclusion of Android Lollipop is a vexing drawback that can limit some of the tablet's functionality.

For an in-depth look at the hardware offerings and what they're suitable for, read on.

Processing and Storage

If you're in the running for a high-tech machine that'll knock the socks off Adobe Lightroom and Dead Trigger 2, you're not going to find that with the Galaxy Tab A 7.0 (2018). This is a low-end device with basic processing capabilities to reflect its price, and as such, there's not much to offer for quickness when bouncing between five or six apps that use any considerable amount of power. This is perfectly acceptable on this device for what it's intended to do, but just be aware that quad-core CPUs are considered a minimum for budget devices today.

The 1.5 GB of RAM is a bit weak on the multitasking front, but it suffices for the basics. Eight gigabytes of inbuilt storage is also quite flimsy and perhaps abnormally so with as cheap as it is for a manufacturer to double that figure here in 2018. That said, you still have a microSD port to expand it, and microSD cards on the low end are a dime a dozen. On the bright side, some high-end devices today don't include microSD support, so you're already getting a decent deal to begin with.

CPU: Quad-core 1.5 GHz

RAM: 1.5 GB

Inbuilt Storage: 8 GB

MicroSD Support: Yes, up to 200 GB

Camera

Let's be honest: Tablets have never been media-capturing devices of any admirable caliber. They're huge, blocky and often packed with mediocre camera suites. That said, you have basic media-capturing possibilities on board, and they'll suffice for simple purposes. Without flash, you won't have any nighttime shooting capability with the Galaxy Tab A 7.0 (2018), so it's safe to say that you won't be using the shooter on here very often.

Photo Resolution: 5 MP back, 2 MP front

Flash: None

Display

It's far from premium, but it works. You can view photos, videos and more at an ample HD+ resolution on a sizable seven-inch window that's running your standard-issue IPS LCD technology. This means that if you're accustomed to 1080p on a smaller screen — say, your smartphone — the Galaxy Tab A will come out rather fuzzy by comparison. The bottom-tier LCD tech also means that the image may seem a bit washed out with a faded blue tint from the backlight included. Overall, this is pretty standard for the price, and it accomplishes what it needs to.

Screen Size: 7.0 inches

Resolution: 800 x 1,280 (720p+)

Display Technology: IPS LCD

Battery

One of the great upsides to a basic smart device like the Galaxy Tab A 7.0 (2018) is the battery. Since the hardware is on the budget end of the spectrum, it doesn't need a lot of power to keep the lights on. This means that the 4,000 mAh juicer underneath should be more than adequate to keep you going for a whole day. Even better, it's a removable battery, which is an uncommon feature in this day and age but entirely good news for you if carrying spare batteries is your forte. This category is a winner all around.

Capacity: 4,000 mAh

Removable: Yes

Technology: Li-ion

Design and Features

What you have here is pretty much what you'd expect: two colors, an inexpensive choice of chassis material, standard weight and dimensions, and— wait a second, is that an outdated version of Android? Yes, that's the one talking point that reflects rather poorly on this device. While it's understood that older versions of Google's operating system tend to use less memory on the whole, they're also prone to exploitation and lack a great many of the important features that newer versions deliver. Fine-grained app permission control is the first great negative that comes to mind.

That said, Lollipop isn't bad in itself; it's just dated. For what the Galaxy Tab A series has always been about, it offers all the basics that you'll need for a rounded Android experience. However, some of your favorite apps may not be supported by this version of the operating system, and that number will only grow going forward.

OS: Android 5.1.1 Lollipop

Material: Polycarbonate

Dimensions: 108.8 x 186.9 x 8.7 mm

Weight: 289 g

Ruggedness: No

Colors: Black, White

Pricing

Altogether, you're getting what you're paying for: a basic tablet that does the basic things a tablet is expected to. This is a reasonable deal to pick up if you're in need of a new music player or e-book reader with a comfortable screen size and relaxed specifications. If in doubt, remember that Samsung makes great devices on the whole, so it's hard to go wrong with this budget smart device.