Forget Nexus 10 2 Release Date – Get the Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 & Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 Instead

Samsung is rolling out its new Galaxy Note Pro and Galaxy Tab Pro tablet series with four fresh offerings, beginning next week and well into March 014, but the spotlight seems to focus on the Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 and Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4.

The attention is understandable as the duo represents Samsung's fresh push to challenge Apple's global tablet dominance. The Android world would have loved to see the second Nexus 10 to flex its raw power with the combo of native Android and incredible component inside.

The device, however, has yet to materialise and there's no telling when actually the Nexus 10 2 release date is. That is if Google is still inclined to go for a refresh move anytime soon.

So the next best thing will soon occupy the centre stage. The Tab Pro 10.1, for one, is not too distant from the first Nexus 10. The two share one creator and Samsung despite being second only to Apple in the tablet business is fast stuffing its increasingly impressive credentials.

Samsung's work with the new 10.1-inch slate is in fact the Nexus 10 2 rumours becoming real, most of the whispers anyway. The core of the energy is a quad-core Snapdragon 800 CPU that steams roll to a top speed of 2.3GHz.

Completing the powerhouse deal is an Adreno 330 GPU with the RAM provision maxing at 2GB. For sure, those waiting out for the Nexus 10 2 for far too long will never be disappointed with the Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1, which could turn out in the end as the better alternative.

The device boasts of a Retina-crushing 2560 x 1600 screen on its Super Clear multi-touch LCD display panel that also renders in density of 229 pixels per inch.

And the best part is, unlike the Nexus 10 build number 2, which currently floats in limbo, the Tab Pro 10.1 is touching down very soon, in fact as soon as February 13 next week with Samsung and its retail partners - Amazon and Best Buy among - all prepped up to list online pre-orders.

The cash setback is not that bad at all. Per Samsung, the 16GB is worth $500, which is around the same price of the basic iPad Air model. The difference is, and buyers should take close note of this, the Tab Pro 10.1 comes out of the box with a microSD expansion slot.

Such feature allows users to add up additional storage space, as much as 64GB, according to Samsung.

Giving life to the Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 is the MagazineUX-laced Android 4.4 or KitKat, which will also run on the more compact Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4.

Like its bigger brother, the Tab Pro 8.4 is a quad-core device as the power under its hood is identical to what is found in the Tab Pro 10.1 - quad-core Snapdragon chip, 2GB of RAM and an Adreno 330 graphic engine.

Touted as the best challenger there is against the Retina-toting iPad Mini 2, the Tab Pro has an 8.4-inch screen display, improving from the Galaxy Tab 3's 8-inch panel, that shares the larger Tab Pro's 1600p display.

But the smaller Tab Pro benefits from a packed pixel density of 359ppi, potentially giving the second iPad Mini build quite a tough fight ahead of it.

What makes the Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 an alternative for Nexus? Rumours are currently swirling that Google and a still unknown device maker will put together a slightly bigger replacement for the Nexus 7, which will be called the Nexus 8.

The reports, however, remain unverified while the Tab Pro 8.4 will become readily available by next week for only $400. Plunking down that amount will entitle buyers to take home a 16GB unit.

Both the Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 and Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 will hit the market in white or silver finish, which is a very popular gadget colour even for the millions of Apple fans.

As for the annoying bloatwares that come with every Galaxy devices, this should be solved by the bevy of Android custom ROMs to surface in the immediate weeks following the Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 and Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 release dates.