No matter how good the technology, all high-end Android tablets are still at a disadvantage until the Android tablet experience catches up to the competition. We thought that Samsung PR would get in touch to offer the expensive Tab S8 Ultra for testing after the company revealed its portfolio of three new Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 variants. However, the firm offered the Tab S8, so we decided that it was preferable than us being unable to test any device. The Tab S8 may be among the greatest tablets for the way we work and play after three weeks of use. you read our article on Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 review.
Design
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 is packaged in a thin, rectangular box that is appropriate for its size. A slim book cover keyboard that works with the Galaxy Tab S7 and S8 devices is included with it (the keyboard needs to be purchased additionally). One first sees its enormous silhouette when the large-faced lid is opened. It stands to reason that the weight of the tab would correspond to its size. Lifting a device that weighs more than 500g makes one slightly more aware. Through the Galaxy Tab S8’s big glossy black display, you can see a sizable portion of your own reflection waving back at you with a broad smile. You would perceive the display’s surface area to be quite large, even if it weren’t visible. Its approximate body measurements are 10 x 6.5 x 0.25 inches, to give you an idea. The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5. The screen-to-body ratio of the 11-inch display is 83.6%. When you turn it over, you’ll see its gleaming metal body. We were able to obtain the Graphite edition of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8, which is available in three colors: Silver, Pink Gold, and Graphite. But the rear didn’t seem to be as resistant to fingerprints as a matte-finished surface ought to be. The twin camera system and spotlight are located sequentially in the far top left corner of the device. A slim, glossy black magnetic strip that extends from the camera setup is used to charge the tablet and connect the S-Pen. Together with the glossy black magnetic strip, the Samsung logo engraving in the bottom left corner completes the tab’s appearance and gives it an exquisite appearance. The tab’s body color and metallic frame are also available. The SIM card tray is at the bottom, and the fingerprint sensor-integrated power and volume buttons are conveniently positioned on the right side. Additionally, the bottom portion will have a Type-C port in the Centre and two loudspeakers at either end (just like the top). A tiny 3-pin connector, located on the tablet’s left side frame, links the device to the keyboard cover.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 review: Display
The only model in the range that has an LCD display rather than an AMOLED is the Tab S8, so yes. The display quality won’t be as good as on the bigger brothers, which is a slight shame, but we don’t think it should be a deal-breaker. You will enjoy the same advantages of slick scrolling and animations because, among other things, the panel still boasts the same 120Hz refresh rate as its competitors. Second, even though it’s an LCD, it’s an excellent LCD. No, it can’t quite match the OLED’s incredibly deep blacks, but this screen is still really good. The 2560 x 1600 resolution captures a lot of detail, and colors are bold, aggressive, and brilliant. If you’re looking for a tablet to use for professional creative work, this might not quite match your requirements, but for Instagram, Netflix, and gaming, it’s more than adequate. The only accessory packaged with the Tab S8 is Samsung’s S Pen stylus, which is compatible with the tablet as well. Although the handwriting recognition struggles with my sloppy scrawls, this is wonderful for sketching or taking notes. Due to Samsung’s Air Action shortcuts, it’s also a useful tool for regular use in apps like the web browser and camera. When not in use, it magnetically fastens to the tablet’s back and wirelessly charges there. Even while a keyboard case isn’t supplied with the tablet, the Tab S8 does accommodate one. If you want to use the tablet primarily for productivity, take into account the cost of Samsung’s official case, which will cost you $199/£119/€149 and more for a version with a trackpad.
Audio
Regarding music, the tablet has four stereo speakers that project sound out the top and bottom. Although reasonably bright and clear, the bass end is predictably lacking. They’ll work for the occasional bit of music and are unquestionably adequate for streaming TV and games, but they do have limitations.
External Keyboard
The Book Cover Keyboard or Book Cover Keyboard Slim are worth considering if you want to use the Tab S8 for any productivity tasks, even though they are not a necessary addition for all users. Once more, Samsung provided the Slim model for our evaluation, which has the same keyboard but no touchpad. We were impressed with the Slim despite the Slim’s size limits because it must fit an 11-inch tablet. On a typing test at 10fastfingers.com, we averaged 82 words per minute with 98% accuracy, just a few words slower than our average of 86 wpm. Since our hand location is relatively restricted and the key travel is constrained, we wouldn’t love the idea of typing on the razor-thin keyboard for hours, but it’s fine for short bursts. We didn’t really miss the touchpad with that kind of usage in mind, but if you plan to use it as a laptop on a daily basis, we would recommend investing in the Book Cover Keyboard for a more conventional laptop experience. you can check our article on Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 review.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 review: Touch and S-Pen
The tablet’s touch experience is quite fluid and smooth, and using the S-Pen makes it much more enjoyable. The S-Pen allows gesture functions in addition to being used for clicking, writing, sketching, and taking notes. You may use gesture commands to run different applications on the tab without touching it by waving your S-Pen like a magic wand. For instance, you can swipe left and right in the air to choose between the many modes provided in the camera app once the S-Pen is attached to the tab and the tip of the S-Pen is facing the tab. The S-Pen gesture commands might not be supported by all applications, so bear that in mind. Additionally, the gestures differ among the apps that do support it. On the plus side, the Galaxy Tab S8 software is there to support you and assist you at all times.
Software
The Galaxy Tab S8 ships with Android 12 installed along with some additional Samsung software, such as a modified user interface, increased compatibility with other Samsung devices, and proprietary software like Samsung Notes. The good thing about Samsung’s software is that you can usually uninstall, disable, or ignore it if you don’t like it. We had a difficult time testing the various ways in which the Tab S8 can connect to other Galaxy tablets and smartphones because we don’t currently own any Samsung devices, but similar to Apple hardware, it seems those who invest heavily in the Galaxy ecosystem can access levels of interoperability most of us can only imagine. However, we had enough of opportunity to evaluate the capabilities of DeX Mode, the most intriguing piece of software that comes pre-installed on the Tab S8. Samsung’s take on a tablet laptop mode looks good and operates quickly.
Performance
The Tab S8 comfortably competes with the rest of the range in terms of performance. Like the other Tab S8 versions, it’s equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 CPU, the company’s flagship from earlier this year. It’s no longer the most powerful chip available as the 8+ Gen 1 has taken its place, and it still lags behind Apple’s iPad CPUs, but it still has plenty of power. The Tab S8’s 8GB of RAM (but certain markets also offer a 12GB variant) makes it powerful enough for all daily activities, including extensive multitasking. As long as the display isn’t an issue for your use case, this can be a productivity powerhouse or a gaming machine. However, there is also enough oomph for gaming or creative work. Additionally, you may choose between 128GB and 256GB of storage. If the latter option is still too small for you, the good news is that there is a microSD card slot so you can increase it by up to 1TB. The tablet only supports the most recent Wi-Fi 6E standard by default and is Wi-Fi only. In the US, that is your only choice; however, you may upgrade to 5G in the UK, Europe, and other markets, albeit at a pricey premium. As a result, be sure you’ll benefit from 5G before making the upgrade.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 review: Cameras
For an Android tablet, the Galaxy Tab S8 features excellent camera hardware. A 13 MP auto-focus lens and a 6MP ultra-wide lens are on the back, while the front has a 12MP ultra-wide selfie camera. All of them have front-facing cameras that can capture video at up to 4K resolution and 60 frames per second. The front-facing camera also has a new auto-framing feature that automatically adjusts the shot to try to keep you in the shot if you move. It’s an obvious answer to the Center Stage auto-framing feature that Apple debuted with the 2021 iPad Pro, and in my experience, it performs smoothly and effectively. You could do much worse than the Galaxy Tab S8 if you need to take a picture with your tablet. Although you lose a lot of detail in ultrawide and zoomed-in images, the rear cameras do a terrific job of capturing detail and colour accurately, and the selfie camera helped me seem better in meetings than the 1080p webcam on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio did.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 has a fantastic battery life, lasting 12 hours and 53 minutes during our battery test, which comprises nonstop web browsing over Wi-Fi at a brightness of 150 nits. That’s exactly what you want in a tablet: a battery life that lasts all day for even the heaviest tablet users and is sufficient for several days of lighter use. Although going to 60Hz only increased the battery test’s duration to 12 hours and 59 minutes, it’s a tribute to Samsung’s capable adaptive software that it was possible to complete it. Comparatively, the iPad Air 2022 performed admirably in the same test, lasting 10 hours and 9 minutes. In our tests for the phones with the best battery life, it’s amazing to see this total reversal in comparison to what we observe on Galaxy phones against iPhones. you will enjoy our article on Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 review.
Configuration Options
The Galaxy Tab S8 is currently offered everywhere. It only comes with 8GB of RAM in the vast majority of markets, however it has two storage choices: 256GB: $779/£699/€819, 128GB: $699/£649/€769 If you’re outside of the US, you’ll probably also have the option of paying more to add 5G – 128GB: £799/€819, 256GB: £849/€929. This is a little expensive for what it gives, however the price is increased by the bundled stylus. Additionally, there isn’t much actual competition in the Android tablet industry, at least not in the West.
Conclusion
Given that they are incredibly powerful Android tablets with valuable added capabilities, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 and Tab S8 Plus are likely going to be among our favorite tablets of the year, at least unless something unexpected occurs. Along with the new Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra and the Galaxy S22, S22 Plus, and S22 Ultra, these tablets were also unveiled. The two Tab S8 items we’re reviewing are the least expensive ones in the new tablet family, which also includes the Tab S8 Ultra with a bigger screen. Due to their striking similarities, we have integrated our coverage of Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 review.
