Reoslution comparison between iPad and Tab

[malhotra365]

OK, first of all before I get any flaming, I realize I've made some assumptions in my calculations but despite that it would seem that the Tab has a much better resolution than the iPad. I figure I'd throw it out here for comparison and see what you guys think.

OK, so people frequently use the term resolution to imply the number of pixels; ie 1024*600 or 1024*768, but resolution is really pixel density, so the amount of pixels per a given area. This has a functional implication, because the more pixels per square inch, then the smaller the pixels and tighter the are crowded together and thus the "smoother" they appear to the human eye.

TAB
So first, here is the Tab:
Dimensions: 7.48*4.74
Pixels: 1024*600

-The ratio of width (a) to height (b) is approx 1024/600 (a/b) which is 1.7066666, therefore, for all variations of this screen ratio, a/b=1.706666
-next we know the diagonal (c) of of this screen is 7 inches.
-the Pythagorean Theorem states that for a right triangle, the sum of the squares of the width and height are equal to the square of the hypotenuse. So a^2+b^2=c^2. Or in this case a^2 + b^2 = 49
-if we already said that a/b=1.706666, then a=1.706666*b, so a^2=2.912* b^2
-so plugging this into the Pythagorean Theorem, 2.912 * b^2 + b^2 = 49, so 3.912 * b^2 = 49, so b^2 = 49/3.912, so b^2 = 12.523286, so b= 3.538825, or the height of the screen is 3.538825 inches
-then we can plug this into our a/b=1.706666 equation to solve for the width. a/3.538825=1.706666, so a equals 6.039592, or the width of the screen is 6.039592 inches
- so the total area of the screen (width times height) is 21.37 square inches
-so the resolution (pixel density) is total pixels/area, or (1024*600)/21.37, or 614400/21.37, or 28750 pixels per square inch

iPAD
So next, here is the iPad:
Dimensions: 9.56*7.47
Pixels: 1024*768

-The ratio of width (a) to height (b) is approx 1024/768 (a/b) which is 1.333333, therefore, for all variations of this screen ratio, a/b=1.333333
-next we know the diagonal (c) of of this screen is 9.7 inches.
-the Pythagorean Theorem states that for a right triangle, the sum of the squares of the width and height are equal to the square of the hypotenuse. So a^2+b^2=c^2. Or in this case a^2 + b^2 = 94.09
-if we already said that a/b=1.333333, then a=1.333333*b, so a^2=1.7777* b^2
-so plugging this into the Pythagorean Theorem, 1.7777 * b^2 + b^2 = 94.09, so 2.7777 * b^2 = 94.09, so b^2 = 94.09/2.7777, so b^2 = 33.873348, so b= 5.820081, or the height of the screen is 5.820081 inches
-then we can plug this into our a/b=1.333333 equation to solve for the width. a/5.820081=1.333333, so a equals 7.760106, or the width of the screen is 7.760106 inches
- so the total area of the screen (width times height) is 45.16 square inches
-so the resolution (pixel density) is total pixels/area, or (1024*768)/45.16, or 786432/45.16, or 17414 pixels per square inch


Here are my conclusions:
The iPad has more pixels than the Tab, 786432 vs 614400, a difference of about 28% more pixels
The iPad has a larger screen area than the Tab, 45.16 inches vs 21.37 inches, a difference of about 111% larger screen
So yes the iPad has a bigger screen, and yes the iPad has more pixels, but the more important factor of resolution goes to the Tab. It has a resolution of 28750 vs the resolution of iPad which is 17414. So the Tab has a 65% increased pixel density, and essentially a 65% sharper image quality.
Lastly, I just wanted to point out that the standard widescreen format most of us are familiar with at home is 16:9, which has a ratio of width to height of 1.777777. Which is much closer to the ratio on the Tab.

Just some info I thought you guys would be interested in. Plus I?m bored at work this morning!

 

[pojkeboy]

Brilliant! I want your job if this is what you do when you're bored.

I really want this gadget... but part of me want to wait for a gingerbread tablet. I already have a captivate... what will I do with a ginormous one?

 

[whippingboy]

Pixel density is nice- but do you own a 4" phone currently? Wasn't part of that purchase decision the SIZE of the screen? Pixel density matters if you're talking remotely the same screen size- but 3" is a GIANT difference- the ipad is the same size larger than the Tab as the Tab is to my Samsung Epic.

Don't get me wrong- it's nice to see we'll have a better density- but the jury is still out on the screen quality in the 1st place- I'm so used to the SAMOLED of the Epic- I'm not sure the Tab will be acceptable standing next to an ipad (which are great screen quality wise)

 

[bishop2410]

This is aswsome. I actually have been craving a smaller screen size since tablets came out way back when. I have always wanted a tab that could fit in one hand comfortable and with my hands that means a maximum feasable size of 7 - 9 inches depending on shape. Better pixel density is just icing.

 

[malhotra365]

Brilliant! I want your job if this is what you do when you're bored.

I really want this gadget... but part of me want to wait for a gingerbread tablet. I already have a captivate... what will I do with a ginormous one?

Yeah it looks cool, I think the size won't be so bad. Lot's of my coworkers have started using iPads and those strike me as a little large. So my feeling is that the Tab won't be so big. I've got a Nook (ereader) which is apparently the exact same dimensions as the tab +/- a mm and that just seems like a better size for functional use than an iPad.

 

[malhotra365]

Pixel density is nice- but do you own a 4" phone currently? Wasn't part of that purchase decision the SIZE of the screen? Pixel density matters if you're talking remotely the same screen size- but 3" is a GIANT difference- the ipad is the same size larger than the Tab as the Tab is to my Samsung Epic.

Don't get me wrong- it's nice to see we'll have a better density- but the jury is still out on the screen quality in the 1st place- I'm so used to the SAMOLED of the Epic- I'm not sure the Tab will be acceptable standing next to an ipad (which are great screen quality wise)

Yeah I did like the 4.3 inch screen on the Evo. But the reason for that was that I was using my phone for more multimedia reasons when I had a blackberry so I wanted something that would fit that need a little better. But if the Evo had poor resolution, than the whole reason for getting the bigger screen would kind of be useless.

The whole pixel density is a big thing for me. Especially since beyond a certain viewing distance pixel density doesn't matter. Like the case for televisions, if you're over 10 feet or so from your television, you really won't be able to tell the difference between a 1080 television and a 720 television. The difference I guess would lie in the fact that the viewing distance of a tablet and phone is probably on the order of inches, so resolution does play a pretty big role.


Your point on the SAMOLED aspect is well-taken, would really like to get my hand on one of these to look at the brightness, reflection etc.