Verizon’s $599 Galaxy Tab More Expensive Than Some Hoped, But Still Less Than The iPad

Today Verizon Wireless and Samsung finally announced the pricing for this carrier’s version of the Galaxy Tab — $599 — and already some are calling it too expensive. Especially given that the rumored price for T-Mobile’s version is supposed to be $399 and the iPad is just $499. However, when you take a look at comparable specs and plan, the Tab is actually a little less.

The 16GB iPad with 3G connectivity costs $629, which is $30 more than Verizon’s Tab. Even the version of the iPad being sold by Verizon Wireless is the same price, as it’s the Wi-Fi model plus a Mi-Fi hotspot. It looks like both the iPad and the Galaxy Tab will come with the same no-contract, month-to-month data plan options, which start at $20/month for 1GB.

If the leaks are correct, T-Mobile (and possibly Sprint) will sell both a subsidized and non-subsidized version of the Tab. Subsidized and tied to a 2-year contract, the T-Mobile tablet is supposed to cost consumers $399; unsubsidized it will run $650, $50 more than Verizon’s version. We’ll have to wait to see how expensive the data plans are.

Granted, these prices aren’t the $200 – $300 people were hoping for. And they’re not so much less expensive than the iPad to make them an automatic favorite with consumers. Could Steve Jobs be right about the future of 7-inch tablets at this price point, or do you think the Galaxy Tab will be worth the cost?

We’ll find out how consumers will respond on November 11th when the tablet goes on sale at Verizon Wireless.