Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, a huge tablet over 14 inches, is a rival of iPad Pro

This size feeling, unexperienced.

A new flagship tablet "Galaxy Tab S8 series" has appeared from Samsung. The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is bigger, more powerful and more expensive than other models. Positioned as a replacement for laptops, this premium tablet is a direct rival to Apple's iPad Pro due to its high price.

Also, at Samsung's event "Galaxy Unpacked", not only Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra but also "Galaxy Tab S8" and "Galaxy Tab S8 +" were announced. The Galaxy Tab S8 + is, in many ways, a smaller version of the Ultra, and the Galaxy Tab S8 is like a rival to the iPad Air, which doesn't have the luxury features and keeps the price down.

Everything Samsung announced in "Galaxy Unpacked"

Samsung unveiled three flagship smartphones and three tablets at once at the Galaxy Unpacked event.

https://www.gizmodo.jp/2022/02/every-samsung-announcement-galaxy-unpacked-feb-2022.html

With these new products, especially the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, there's a bold bet on whether state-of-the-art hardware and DeX apps can push the boundaries of tablets.

Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra replaces laptop, iPad Pro rival

The first thing that catches the eye on the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is the 14.6 inch / 2960 x 1848 dot Super AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 120Hz.

I've seen this panel spec on the Galaxy Tab S7 + (S8 + this time), but the size is much larger. As you can see in the image below, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is significantly larger than the other models and has a wider display area than the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra measures 12.9 x 8.2 x 0.22 inches and weighs 1.6 pounds, which is quite large for a tablet. It can be hard to carry around, but the beautiful large screen display is perfect for watching movies. I would like to compare which is more beautiful than the mini LED display installed in the iPad Pro.

The reason Samsung made the screen bigger is to make the video more immersive and improve multitasking. In addition to making the display larger, the bezel width is reduced to 6.3mm, which gives the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra the highest area-to-screen area ratio. However, thanks to this slim frame, a notch has been added to the top of the screen. It's ironic for Samsung, who has been ridiculing Apple.

According to TM Roh, Samsung's president and general manager of MX division, "With increasing reliance on video, the most attractive features of tablets have become large screens and portability. We have a long-standing mobile experience. We have improved the Galaxy Tab S8 series based on the above, and expanded the possibilities of tablets with the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. "

The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is available in graphite color only. The exterior is made of "armor aluminum", so it should be durable. This alloy is also used in Samsung's folding smartphones, improving the scratch resistance of the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra by 30% and bending resistance by 40%.

Fortunately, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is back with a magnetic stylus storage. The teardrop-shaped magnet secures the S pen so you don't have to lose it somewhere after use. The S Pen has also added a "prediction algorithm" to reduce latency to 2.8 ms. Even with a short hands-on, the pen responded well, and the slender shape was impressive. More testing is needed to see if Samsung's slogan "slide the pen on paper" is real.

In terms of specs, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is powered by a 4nm-manufactured 8-core processor (probably Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1), combined with 16GB of RAM and up to 512GB of SSD. If you need more space to store your photos and videos, you can expand your storage to 1TB with a microSD card.

The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has a 13-megapixel standard camera and a 6-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera on the back, and a 12-megapixel (wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle) dual camera on the front. In addition, Samsung's new "auto framing technology" automatically adjusts the frame position and even zooms in and out, like the "center stage function" of the iPad Pro.

Samsung hasn't disclosed a specific battery life, but the Galaxy Tab S8 series has an "all-day battery" for long-term video playback. As for the charging specs, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra's 11,200mAh battery will go from 0% to 100% in 90 minutes. The Galaxy Tab S8 +'s 10,90mAh battery and the Galaxy Tab S8's 8000mAh battery can be charged in just 80 minutes with a 45W fast charge. With a USB-C cable, the Galaxy Tab S8 tablet also acts as a portable charger for your Galaxy smartphone.

The keyboard specially developed for the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is also attractive. Called the "Book Cover Keyboard," this keyboard has all the features you need to transform your tablet into a laptop, including wide keys, backlight, customizable shortcut settings, a glass touchpad, and an adjustable stand. I am.

Standard Galaxy Tab S8 and Galaxy Tab S8 +

The Galaxy Tab S8 + is an intermediate model that combines the features of the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra and the entry model.

The main body is equipped with a 12.4 inch / 2800 x 1752 dot Super AMOLED display. The standard Galaxy Tab S8, on the other hand, is the smallest 11-inch / 2560 x 1600-dot display, which is a standard LTPS TFT panel with low contrast and black level. Also, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra and Galaxy Tab S8 + have a fingerprint sensor under the display, but the standard model has a physical fingerprint sensor on the side of the main unit.

The Galaxy Tab S8 and Galaxy Tab S8 + have 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. But with a 1TB SD card, you get storage comparable to Ultra. Another difference is the camera, where all three tablets have the same dual camera, but only the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has a 12-megapixel ultra-wide selfie camera.

The "Note View Cover" on the Galaxy Tab S8 + is a transparent cover that allows you to write with an S pen while protecting your tablet. The Galaxy Tab S8 also comes with a unique accessory called the "Strap Cover," which you can hold in any orientation you like.

The advantage of the standard model tablet is that you can choose from three colors: graphite, silver, and pink gold. At least, unlike the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, there are choices.

The three models also include AKG-tuned quad speakers and fast charging capabilities, Wi-Fi 6E and 5G connectivity (in some markets), three noise-cancelling microphones, and S-pen support (stylus included!). The face recognition function, metal chassis, etc. are common.

DeX and Galaxy ecosystem

Android has long been criticized as "not suitable for tablets," but Samsung is trying to change the situation with DeX, Android 12L, and the Galaxy ecosystem.

Enabling DeX turns Android into a traditional desktop interface like Chrome OS or Windows. In addition, the multitasking function has been enhanced so that 3 windows can be displayed in 4 layouts, and DeX mode also works when the tablet is placed vertically. One of the most anticipated features is the ability to use these tablets as an external touchscreen monitor.

The Galaxy Tab S8 series will be shipped with Android 12 and Samsung's skin "One UI Tab 4", but it will not be updated to Android 12L after that. Optimized for large displays, the new OS has a new user interface and new features that improve multitasking and app compatibility. Android 12L will be available by the end of the first quarter of this year (around March).

Samsung has also promised a four-generation Android OS upgrade and a five-year security update, which is even longer than Google's Pixel 6 smartphone.

Of course, the Galaxy Tab S8 series works well with Samsung's Galaxy smartphones and laptops. You can view what you wrote down on your tablet on your smartphone, or use Quick Share to transfer photos, videos, and files between devices. The Galaxy Tab S8 series also supports auto-switching, so when you connect the Galaxy Buds to your tablet, it will automatically pair with the Galaxy S22 series. Samsung Health is also the first to be installed on tablets, and it is appealing to work with various programs such as LumaFusion, a video editing app, Clip Studio Paint for drawing, and Google Duo for video calls.

Price and booking information

The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra will start accepting reservations from February 9, and the price is $ 1099 (about 130,000 yen). The Galaxy Tab S8 and Galaxy Tab S8 + are also available for pre-order on the same day, starting at $ 699 and $ 899, respectively.

If you book a standard model on Samsung's website, you will get a slim book cover, and if you book a Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, you will get a Backlit Book Cover Keyboard for free.