Samsung has announced its Galaxy Tab S range of tablets, which comprises an 8.4-inch and 10.5-inch model, both of which are available in Wi-Fi and LTE versions.

The design is smart and the specs are impressive, but how does it compare to some of the other mighty tablets already sitting at this end of the market? We've put the 10.5-inch model up against the Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet to see exactly what the differences are.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S has a larger, sharper display

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S features a 10.5-inch AMOLED display compared to the Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet's 10.1-inch TFT screen, so you will get a slightly larger display with the Samsung.

Samsung also takes it up a notch in terms of resolution, with the Galaxy Tab S offering 2560 x 1600 pixels compared to the Sony's 1920 x 1200 pixels. This means the display on the Galaxy Tab S will be sharper and more detailed than the Xperia Z2 Tablet as more pixels are packed in per inch.

The Super AMOLED display should also mean the colours are brighter and more vibrant than Sony's TFT screen, but Sony does offer its Triluminos and X-Reality technology on top, something we can't wait to see side-by-side.

The Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet is slimmer, lighter and waterproof

The design of these two devices is very different, with Sony opting for tempered glass, an aluminium trim and very square edges in comparison to the Galaxy Tab S that has has a textured back and smooth curved metallic tapered edges.

As you would expect, the Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet takes its design lead from the Sony Xperia Z2 smartphone and Samsung does the same with the Galaxy Tab S, following the path of its latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S5.

Design will be down to personal taste, but it's worth remembering that the Xperia Z2 Tablet is waterproof, while the Tab S would come a cropper if wet.

In terms of numbers, the Galaxy Tab S measures 247.3 x 177.3 x 6.6mm and weighs 465g, compared to the Xperia Z2 Tablet's 266 x 172 x 6.4mm, and 439g weight. The Sony is wider, ever so slightly slimmer, and quite a bit lighter. A win for Sony if you want to hold it one-handed in the bath.

Same megapixels, but Samsung Galaxy Tab S adds flash

When it comes to the camera, these two devices pretty much sit neck-in-neck in terms of megapixels as the Xperia Z2 Tablet gives you 8-megapixels, the same as the Samsung Galaxy Tab S.

The front camera differs slightly on the two models, but only very slightly, with the Galaxy Tab S featuring a 2.1-megapixel snapper and the Xperia Z2 Tablet offering a 2.2-megapixel snapper.

Samsung has introduced an LED flash to the rear camera though, which Sony hasn't done, so if you are one for taking snaps in low light with your tablet, this could be a handy feature.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S will last longer

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S has an Exynos octa-core chipset under the hood made up of a quad-core 1.9GHz chip and a quad-core 1.3GHz chip, along with 3GB of RAM, which should mean that any task you ask it to perform will be completed without any issues.

Sony has opted for the 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core chipset and Adreno 330 graphics, along with 3GB of RAM. Both tablets should fly when handling the latest apps.

Both have powerful processors, but the Galaxy Tab S has a much bigger 7900mAh battery capacity than the Xperia Z2 Tablet's 6000mAh offering so you should get a little more out of the Galaxy Tab S.

Samsung's tablet also offers a little more in terms of storage, with a 16GB or 32GB internal memory compared to just the 16GB option on the Xperia Z2 Tablet. Both come with a microSD slot for further storage expansion though so you should still have enough room to store your videos, images and music.

Both have Android 4.4 with skins

Both the Samsung Galaxy Tab S and the Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet run on Android 4.4 KitKat, but both have the respective company's customisations over the top, reflecting the experience of the smartphones they partner.

The devices come with their own individual features so it will depend on what you are looking for as to which will come out on top for you here, but the Sony touch is a little lighter, closer to Android, even if Sony's content services seem to be pushed forward. 

The Galaxy Tab S will allow you to take calls and multi-task at the same time, as well as offering a couple of features from the Galaxy S5 smartphone including the Ultra Power Saving mode.

On the other hand, the Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet will work with your PS3 controller so if you are a gamer, then this might be an appealing feature, plus it also comes with the Stamina mode found on the Xperia Z2 smartphone for prolonged battery.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S is likely to be more expensive

The Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet comes in black and white colour options, while the Samsung Galaxy Tab S will be available in Titanium Bronze and Dazzling White.

Samsung hasn't revealed the UK price for the Galaxy Tab S yet, but rumour suggests the models will start at £455 for the Wi-Fi only model, moving up to just over the £500 mark for the LTE version.

The Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet costs £399 for the Wi-Fi only model and increases to £449 for the LTE model, making it slightly cheaper than the Galaxy Tab S based on rumour.

Conclusion

As the design of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S and the Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet are very different, it probably means you would be swayed one way or the other without even looking at the specs.

If you did choose based on spec alone though, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S would probably win out with its bigger, sharper display which will make a noticable difference.

The Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet does give it a run for its money though, with water resistance, a slimmer and lighter build.