In the battle of overgrown smartphones, the Android vs. iOS aka Google vs. Apple clash continues in a market where the Samsung Galaxy Tab goes head to head with the Apple iPad. While the Galaxy Tab isn’t the first Android tablet to hit the shelves, it is the first serious contender to the iPad. Both the Galaxy Tab and Apple iPad have strong roots in groundbreaking smartphones (the Samsung Galaxy Android Phone and the Apple iPhone, respectively), and both take their respective mobile operating systems to a whole new level by bringing it to the tablet space. So, how do these two tablets stack up? Read on to find out.

Operating System – Winner: Tie

The biggest difference between these two tablets is best embodied by their operating systems—one runs Google Android and the other runs Apple’s iOS. Likewise, they have two different app stores—the Android Marketplace and the Apple App Store. Overall, which is better for you is going to come down to a matter of taste. Both are excellent operating systems that are near the top of their class.

Size and Weight – Winner: Samsung Galaxy Tab

In terms of portability, the Samsung Galaxy Tab wins. It measures up at 7.48 x 4.74 x 0.47 inches and 0.84 pounds while the iPad is 9.56 x 7.47 x 0.5 inches and 1.5 pounds. Of course, part of that reduced size comes from a smaller screen and a lower screen resolution.

Screen – Winner: iPad

The iPad has a 9.7 inch LED IPS screen with a resolution of 1024 by 768 pixels. The Samsung Galaxy Tab is slightly smaller, with a 7-inch TFT LCD and a screen resolution of 1024 by 600.

Processor and RAM - Winner: Samsung Galaxy Tab

Both tablets have a 1 GHz processor—the iPad has Apple’s own A4 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab has the Cortex A8. The difference is that the Samsung Galaxy Tab has 512 MB of RAM while the iPad only has 256 MB. Noticeable speed differences will have much to do with software, however.

Price – Winner: Samsung Galaxy Tab

Both the low end iPad and the Samsung Galaxy Tab both come in at about $499 new. The difference: the Samsung Galaxy Tab comes with 3G for $499, while the iPad at that price point is WiFi only.

Memory and Storage – Winner: Samsung Galaxy Tab

The iPad comes in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models, each at progressively higher price points. The Samsung Galaxy Tab comes in 16GB and 32GB models, but with a key difference: the Tab has an SD card slot that lets you expand the memory with a flash card up to 32 GB. With the Apple iPad, you have no such option.

Battery Life – Winner: iPad

The iPad claims to have 10 hours of video playback while the Samsung Galaxy Tab offers about seven hours of video playback per battery charge. Your mileage will certainly vary, however, especially if you’ll be using WiFi and/or 3G.

Conclusion

The iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab are very comparable tablets in terms of price, features and performance. Which one is best for you will likely come down to software. Which do you prefer: Android or iOS? Try one out in the store to help you decide.