At least if you use Samsung’s version of Android, this is where Samsung’s new Tab S8 and S8 Plus have an advantage. Samsung has made progress in creating integrations and its own ecosystem among its devices that may be reason enough to choose a Samsung tablet over an iPad if you also have a Samsung phone and use Samsung wireless headsets, even though the look and function are very similar to Samsung’s previous tablets and still have much of the same baggage. Although it is the middle child of Samsung’s newest tablet line and is often forgotten, the Galaxy Tab S8 Plus demands your attention. When the Plus and its more expensive sibling, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, were unveiled in February, the latter was eclipsed mainly by the former’s huge display. Although it may be tempting to give in to FOMO and buy the more expensive item to get the best of the best, the added expense does not seem to be justified. Think rather of the Plus, which is more portable. you can see our article on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus review.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus review: Design
The design and build quality of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+ are among its strengths. Simply put, this tablet is breathtakingly beautiful. The large 12.4-inch screen fits well in the tablet’s grip and has thin but noticeable bezels all around. The Armor aluminum chassis is sturdy and has a high-end appearance. On the outside, in landscape mode, there are speakers on both sides, top and bottom, a power button, a volume rocker, a SIM and SD card slot, and a USB-C connection for charging and data. On the back of the tablet is a camera slot that takes up most of the surface area. The included S Pen can be charged and stored here thanks to magnets. The tablet weighs only 567 grams and is only 5.7 mm thick. The Wi-Fi-only device is the one we are testing; the 5G model weighs 572 grams more. The weight of the S Pen and keyboard are not included in these specifications. Inside are a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, 128 GB of on-board storage and 8 GB of RAM. The 10,090 mAh battery inside the tablet can be charged at 45 watts if Samsung cares to include a charger in the package.
Display
When it comes to display technology, Samsung consistently excels, and the Tab S8 Plus is no exception. The 12.4-inch Super AMOLED panel produces some of the most beautiful colors we have ever seen on a tablet. In addition, the strength of the OLED allows the display to be adequately bright and accurately display both lighter and darker images (up to 400 nits). For me, a good display can be recognized by how well the colors hold up under different lighting conditions. When the gadget was tilted in both directions, the tints that often appear when lower quality panels are moved did not occur. The tablet performs more effectively in landscape mode than in portrait mode due to its larger 16:10 aspect ratio. (Despite the fact that tablets still move this way, we found the wider form factor difficult to use. Don’t get us wrong: the Tab S8 Plus is a fantastic entertainment device. But for normal use, apps and windows are not optimized for the form factor, and we blame Google/Android for that. In most cases, apps like Asana and some Google Chrome websites are not designed to take advantage of the larger surface area. you can check our article on Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus review. Fortunately, there are workarounds, such as Samsung’s DeX mode and the “View Desktop Site” feature found in most mobile browser apps. DeX mode will be discussed in more detail in the performance section. Although this method does not work if the finger is wet and is probably less reliable than the ultrasonic equivalent, we found it to be quite fast and time-saving. The sensor is located immediately next to the thumb when the tablet is held in landscape mode, making it easier to access the Tab S8 Plus.
External Keyboard/Pen
An S Pen also comes with it, and our test unit came with the book cover and keyboard, which costs $160 more. This is unfortunate, and we will start talking about the book cover. In a nutshell, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+ is a fantastic replacement for a business computer just with the keyboard. The keys are small and move smoothly. The keys are not mushy. The keyboard has excellent key spacing and layout. Because the keyboard is made of plastic, it flexes a lot when typing on an uneven surface. This can make typing on the knees difficult. In addition, the keyboard cover is not movable and can only hold the tablet at one angle. Samsung continues to try to pass off its thin keyboard cases as “accessories” rather than practical equipment that should be in the box. Although the Tab S8+ can be used as a portable tablet, its best form is when attached to a keyboard case so that you can write or tap freely. In addition, you will have to spend up to $160 for the official accessory if you did not receive one as a presale bonus. The same goes for buying a 45W charger, because Samsung did not include it in the package.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus review: Software
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+ runs Android 12 and we mainly used Samsung DeX. By adding a dock with current apps displayed at the bottom of the screen and a system tray with alerts in the lower right corner, Samsung DeX essentially relies on the Android tablet. Does it look recognizable? Yes, if you think it looks like a desktop operating system. With DeX you can use programs in resizable windows, which allows you to multitask even more effectively. During our testing period, we used the Galaxy Tab S8+ as our main computer for three days and it performed excellently. We had no problems writing, holding video conferences with our team, editing articles or moving things around in Asana. Sometimes we lose sight of the fact that we are using an Android tablet. read our article on Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus review. Even Samsung is not responsible for the software flaws we discovered. The task management tool that Digital Trends uses performs excellently as a web interface, but poorly as a mobile application. Fortunately, we can ask Chrome to open the desktop site so we can resume our beloved process. For some reason, the 1Password program refuses to run in DeX mode. We found ourselves having to switch back to tablet mode only long enough to copy and paste a password before switching back to DeX mode because this is our primary password manager. All of these inconveniences highlight the glaring flaw in the Galaxy Tab S8glaring +. If you are unconsciously nodding off right now because it is an Android tablet, we do not blame you. The reality is that Asana and 1Password are often imitated in Android apps. Don’t get us wrong: some apps are just fine. Others, however, do not work at all or not at all in the same situations. Samsung is not to blame for this. Samsung can simply smile and shrug, because it cannot do much about it.
Hardware and Performance
As expected, we have the Galaxy Tab S8 and the Tab S8 Plus. They are the successors to the Tab S7 and S7 Plus. The content of these “new” tablets is largely iterative. In addition, the design is largely the same. There is a new chip inside, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, but that’s about it. In terms of hardware, they are pretty straightforward. We are not sure, but it is possible that Samsung wanted to keep the spotlight exclusively on the 14.6-inch Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. After all, this is the largest tablet ever produced. The Qualcomm chip used for this tablet also powers it. The main improvements will be in the software. Every nook and cranny is designed specifically to outdo Apple and its “pro” iPads. In many ways, it could be a redemption song for Android tablets as well. Not only do these tablets include the most up-to-date operating system, One UI 4.1 based on Android 12, but Samsung is also offering up to four major OS updates and five years of security patches, putting it ahead of any other competing brands. This is a great start, but Android, as we all know, can be a bigger problem. Instead of trying to solve it, Samsung is working to make its own apps work well with the hardware it already has and communicate with other first-party devices-Samsung-smoothly. This creates an ecosystem where each device supports the others and improves the overall experience, at least in theory. From any Galaxy Watch, tablet or phone connected to your Samsung account, you can make calls and send messages. You can also switch devices in the course of the conversation. If you have a Windows PC, you can use one of these tablets as an external display or continue using an app on another Samsung device (at the time of writing, only the Internet and Notes apps are supported). You can use the tablet to remotely activate the mobile hotspot on one of Samsung’s phones, or switch from tablet to phone when using the Galaxy Buds Pro to watch a movie or listen to music. It is clear that Samsung went to great lengths to make sure that an Android tablet with the processing capability of a Tab S8, Tab S8 Plus or Tab S8 Ultra could do justice to its hardware. Although not flawless, its shortcomings are due more to the limitations of Android than anything else. This has always been the case. The only difference between the Galaxy Tab S8 series and previous models is Samsung’s determination to move forward regardless of the difficulties and risks associated with building an Android tablet. read our article on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus review.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus review: Cameras
In general, tablets do not have noteworthy cameras, and the Tab S8+ is no exception. However, upgrading from the base model provides access to a second rear camera, and the three total sensors on this device are superior to those found on other tablets. Examples of the primary camera array are shown here. Performance will not match Samsung’s S-series devices, so don’t wait too long. The ultrawide has a resolution of only 6MP with f/2.2 aperture on the S8+, while the primary camera has a 13MP sensor with f/2.0 aperture. Because they are not stabilized, taking photos with such a heavy device can be difficult. Colors are vivid, but exposure patterns last longer, making it difficult to capture motion. Although the S8+ loses the Ultra’s second front-facing camera, the one it has is sufficient for video conversations. Compared to the webcam on most laptops, it is sharper.
Battery Life
The Tab S8 Plus’ 10,090 mAh battery proved reliable and convenient. The tablet lasted us three days in a normal week; depending on what we were doing, it could be a little more or less. We anticipate a maximum two-day life if you intend to use the tablet as a dedicated workstation and/or connect it to mobile data. In the box Samsung provides a USB-C to USB-C cable for charging, but not a power adapter. Receiving a box with a stripped-down tablet seemed like a steal to us, although we are less sensitive to smartphones that eliminate the charging cable. Fortunately, the Tab S8 Plus can be powered with its maximum 45W using our 65W charger.
Configuration Options
The basic 8 GB/128 GB Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+ costs $900 and is available in graphite, silver or rose gold. The 8 GB/256 GB model costs $980, while the 5G-enabled 128 GB Tab S8+ costs $1,100. However, capacity can be expanded with a 1 TB microSD card slot. Samsung is currently offering a 5G tablet only for Verizon, but is committed to offering models for T-Mobile and AT&T as well. On February 9, during the Unpacked presentation, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Tab S8 series and the S8 Ultra, with a price difference of $200. On February 25, all three tablets were delivered.
Conclusion
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus occupies a central position in this new family and seems to appeal to those looking for a tablet that can be used for both work and play. But can Samsung’s Android tablet really compete with Apple’s best M1 tablets and even some powerful Windows devices at its price point? With the Galaxy Tab S8+, Samsung has improved on the model’s shortcomings, reintroducing some of its best features. The Tab S8+ kept the same form factor, screen, and battery, but included an improved processor, more basic RAM, a larger selfie camera, and faster Wi-Fi connectivity. The fact that Samsung used the same software tools as its foldable phones in One UI 4 to make better use of the 12.4-inch display space is more significant.
