Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 2 is the second generation of its Android-based 7-inch tablet, while the BlackBerry PlayBook is RIM’s effort to expand into the market for slates that has been long dominated by Apple’s iPad. Let’s see if either of these budget tablets are good enough for the job.

Internally, the two devices are remarkably similar: identical dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU on a Texas Instruments OMAP 4430 chipset that also comes equipped with PowerVR SGX540 graphics. This system-on-a-chip is paired with 1GB of RAM. These devices also have nearly identical screens, which measure 7-inches and have 1024 x 600 pixels of resolution, which works out to about 170ppi of density.

The tablets’ physical dimensions are also very similar, with less than 1mm difference in height and thickness and 8mm difference in width. However, the added size of the PlayBook shows up on the scales, since it weighs 425g compared to the Galaxy Tab 2’s more lightweight 344g.

Nevertheless, the Blackberry PlayBook’s rubberized back panel makes for a more confidence-inspiring experience to use, while the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2’s design – largely carried over from its predecessors’ – isn’t anything special anymore.

However, the real difference between the BlackBerry PlayBook and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 is their operating system. The Galaxy Tab 2 runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which, while no longer the latest version, could now convincingly challenge Apple’s iOS in terms of usability. In contrast, the PlayBook OS 2.0 is not as refined. Still, it should hold some allure for corporate users that are deep in the BlackBerry ecosystem.

Meanwhile, the BlackBerry PlayBook stretches out an advantage in terms of internal storage, with 16GB, 32GB and 64GB options. While the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 has just half the built-in space, it also supports microSD cards up to 32GB.