Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 (Verizon)

Like its Wi-Fi predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 on Verizon is an excellent tablet, with superlative LTE speeds and hardware.

I like the left-side buttons, as they’re closer to where your hands naturally rest when you hold the tablet in landscape mode, but it’s purely personal preference.

The Verizon model also has a SIM card slot on the top of the device. Otherwise, the two are virtually identical: They are the same size and almost the same weight (1.23 pounds for the LTE model and 1.22 for the Wi-Fi model, leading me to believe that the SIM card makes the difference).

From the front, only the most discerning of eyes will notice the differences between the two Galaxy Tab 10.1 models: The Verizon device’s (right) chassis is a slightly darker gray color, and the Power and Volume buttons have been moved from the top to the left side.

The one striking change, and a huge improvement, is the redesign of the back of the Galaxy Tab. The Wi-Fi (right) model has a slick, plasticky back that can be hard to grip; the Verizon model (left) is still plastic, but it has a brushed-metal look and a textured feel that is both nicer to look at and easier to hold.

In our tests, the Tegra 2–powered Galaxy Tab 10.1 performed just like the Wi-Fi version, which is to say it’s very fast. From the browser performance to its graphical abilities, it’s as fast as any Android tablet out there.