Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus
professionals and cons Professionals Tasteful 12.4” AMOLED show with 120Hz Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 may be very succesful Aspect-firing audio system are crisp and many loud S Pen included within the field Cons Pricier than most Android tablets Wider side ratio might be tough to make use of Haptics really feel low-cost Software program is held again by Google
extra shopping for selections
When Samsung introduced its Galaxy Tab S8 collection again in February, all eyes have been fairly glued to the biggest 14.6-inch Extremely mannequin. In it have been a number of the highest spec configurations we had seen on any Android pill, equivalent to 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and an enormous Tremendous AMOLED show that put laptops to disgrace. Then got here the worth tag; a lofty $1,279 that might sticker-shock any unsuspecting shopper.
I can confidently suggest this mid-sized Galaxy pill to just about any consumer.
That is why the center little one, the Tab S8 Plus, is equally worthy of your consideration if you happen to’re searching for one of the best Android pill. The Plus measurement, which is armed with comparable {hardware} and software program options because the Extremely, at present begins at $829 on Samsung’s web site. Save for the additional front-facing digital camera and bigger show and battery measurement, you are getting a near-identical, flagship pill expertise for lots of of {dollars} much less.
I have been testing the Tab S8 Plus over the previous two weeks and, whereas it has its flaws, I can confidently suggest the mid-sized Galaxy pill to just about any consumer. The identical cannot be mentioned concerning the Extremely and even the LCD-equipped Tab S8 mannequin. Here is why.
Specs
Dimensions
285 x 185 x 5.7 mm
Weight
572 g (1.26 lbs)
Display12.4” Tremendous AMOLED (2,800 x 1,752) at 120Hz
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
Reminiscence
8GB RAM with 128GB/256GB (expandable by way of MicroSD)
Digicam
13MP extensive, 6MP ultra-wide, and a 12MP entrance
Battery10,090 mAh with as much as 45W quick chargingOperating systemOne UI Tab 4 primarily based on Android 12Wi-Fi/Cell broadbandWi-Fi 6E, 4G LTE, and 5GConnection ports1x USB-C 3.2, 1x MicroSD card slot, keyboard pins
Evaluating base fashions alone, the Tab S8 Plus is on equal footing with the Extremely, which is nice. It is received a big Tremendous AMOLED panel that refreshes at 120Hz, the most recent Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB that is expandable as much as 1TB by way of MicroSD. There’s additionally a wholesome 10,090mAh battery powering the unit, with help for 45W quick charging. (You will have to purchase the charger individually, although.) The mannequin that I have been testing is the 5G variant from AT&T, which lets me faucet into the GSM community after I’m out and about.
Design
Within the hand, the Tab S8 Plus looks like how a premium pill ought to. It is remarkably skinny at 5.7mm, however the weighted full-aluminum unibody is sturdy and reassuring. With cheaper tablets, urgent the screens can really feel hole and empty beneath. That is not the case right here; Samsung is not skimping on exterior or inner {hardware}.
Nonetheless, I would not say that the design of the Tab S8 Plus will elevate eyebrows. It is only a boring slab of glass and metallic that serves its function: being a conveyable work and leisure machine. The colours obtainable are silver, graphite, and pink gold, and every one is as refined and forgettable as the subsequent. (That is nonetheless yet another coloration than what Apple presents for the iPad Professional, so I assume it could possibly be worse.)
Surrounding the pill are 4 Dolby Atmos-supported audio system, an influence button, quantity rocker, MicroSD card slot, USB-C port, and pegs to attach the non-compulsory keyboard cowl. The primary-party accent is just not a “must-have” for the Tab S8 Plus, however I would extremely suggest it for college kids or professionals who search 2-in-1 performance.
Additionally: Greatest 2-in-1 laptops: Prime versatile, hybrid, and convertible notebooks
The Tab S8 Plus is impressively skinny at 5.7mm.
June Wan/ZDNet
Samsung bundles a $59 S Pen stylus with the Tab S8 Plus. For a freebie, the S Pen is remarkably helpful and offers the Tab S8 Plus the spice that it lacks. The stylus connects to the pill mechanically and carries 4,096 ranges of strain sensitivity. That implies that your penmanship will depend on the way you glide the stylus throughout the show, in addition to how exhausting you press down. Whereas my use circumstances of the S Pen are usually extra two-dimensional — I am both jotting down assembly notes or signing NDAs — I can see professionals, like designers and artists, pushing the wi-fi accent to its full potential.
Like final yr’s Tab S7, there is a magnetic strip on the again of the S8 Plus to snap the S Pen onto and wirelessly cost it. From carrying the pill round in my backpack to stacking it above my books and paperwork, the magnet was highly effective sufficient to stop the stylus from falling off. If Samsung may pull a Notice — or, ought to I say, Extremely — and add a devoted silo for the pill S Pen, that may be even higher.
Extra: Samsung Galaxy S22 Extremely assessment: Lengthy stay the Notice
The included S Pen is each enjoyable to make use of and useful for work.
June Wan/ZDNet
Show
Samsung has been on the high of its recreation with regards to show know-how and the Tab S8 Plus is not any exception. Its 12.4-inch Tremendous AMOLED panel produces a number of the greatest colours I’ve seen on a pill but. And due to the ability of OLED, the show precisely visualizes each lighter and darker scenes, whereas getting lots brilliant (as much as 400 nits). The tell-tale signal of a very good show, a minimum of to me, is how nicely it may retain colours when considered from completely different angles. Decrease-quality panels are inclined to shift in blue or greyish hues, however each shades have been absent when tilting the gadget in any path.
Additionally: Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 collection will get a brand new 14.6-inch Extremely flagship
The pill follows a wider 16:10 side ratio, which makes it work higher in panorama mode than in portrait. (That is in comparison with the squarish 4:3 dimensions of the iPad Professional.) Whereas we proceed to see tablets development on this path, I’ve discovered the broader type issue to be clumsy to deal with. Do not get me mistaken, the Tab S8 Plus is a killer leisure machine (see picture beneath). However for day-to-day use — and I partially blame Google/Android for this — apps and home windows simply aren’t optimized for the side ratio. Most often, apps like Asana and a few Google Chrome web sites merely aren’t engineered to benefit from the broader actual property. (I would assume the issue is much more prevalent on the bigger Extremely mannequin.)
At 12.4 inches, the Tab S8 Plus is ideal for on-the-go leisure.
June Wan/ZDNet
Luckily, there are answers to this, like Samsung’s DeX mode and the “View desktop website” that almost all cellular browser apps supply. I will go over DeX a bit extra within the efficiency part.
The final bit that I would wish to share concerning the Tab S8 Plus show is the wonderful in-display fingerprint sensor. Whereas my ZDNet colleague, Matthew Miller, liked the side-mounted fingerprint sensor on the smaller Tab S8 that he reviewed, I am all for the fancier show tech. On the suitable aspect of the Plus mannequin is an optical fingerprint sensor, which implies that as an alternative of performing an ultrasonic, 3D-based scan of your fingerprint, the gadget shoots a beam of sunshine to detect your fingerprint picture.
This methodology is arguably much less dependable than its ultrasonic counterpart and does not work in case your finger is moist, however I’ve discovered it to be lots quick and time-saving. When the pill is held in panorama mode, the sensor is situated proper beside your thumb, so signing into the Tab S8 Plus is only a faucet away.
Extra: The perfect foldable telephones: Pill-sized handsets
A superbly positioned fingerprint sensor makes for an ideal first impression.
June Wan/ZDNet
Software program
Android’s lack of app optimization on tablets continues to be an enormous downside. Whereas Samsung has achieved a commendable job at leveling its batch of home-grown apps, like Notes, Web, and Calendar, with the pill platform, there’s nonetheless work to be achieved for Android as an entire. As I discussed earlier than, commonly-used apps equivalent to Slack and Instagram simply seem like blown-out variations of their smartphone counterparts. Clearly, this is not the case with all apps, as I’ve had nice experiences utilizing Microsoft Outlook, Google Drive, and even the Google Feed on the house display. However for the way a lot cash persons are spending on these tablets, they deserve a extra tailor-made software program expertise.
The Tab S8 Plus runs on One UI Tab 4 primarily based on Android 12. Samsung says Android 12L, Google’s upcoming software program that is truly optimized for bigger screens, will likely be coming to its flagship pill quickly. We have gotten glimpses of the brand new working system model and the modifications look promising.
One other brilliant observe, the Tab S8 Plus is among the many few S collection tablets that qualify for Samsung’s five-year replace coverage. (It is technically 4 years of main OS upgrades and 5 years of safety patches, however a beneficiant dedication nonetheless.) That makes the Tab S8 Plus all of the extra dependable for years down the highway and is a bonus over another Android producer.
Extra: Samsung inches nearer to Apple with its newest software program improve coverage
A well-recognized Android expertise, however on a bigger display.
June Wan/ZDNet
Efficiency
With a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor and 8GB of RAM, the Tab S8 Plus will run and handle all apps that you simply throw at it. From my weeks of testing, the pill was greater than able to being my background media participant (YouTube, Netflix, Spotify), secondary monitor (Calendar, Google Drive, Outlook), and on-the-go laptop (Slack, Zoom, Google Maps). Solely the Tab S8 Extremely has 12/16GB RAM configurations, however I’ve discovered the 8GB on the Plus to be greater than enough.
The AKG-tuned audio system on the Tab S8 Plus get vigorously loud and admirably sharp. Whether or not I used to be watching the NBA Finals or the most recent episode of Obi-Wan Kenobi, the audio efficiency was full and vibrant. My solely criticism is the position of the aspect audio system as they’re simply lined when holding the pill. In any other case, the sound system did not make me miss the headphone jack in any respect.
Samsung DeX was what I used probably the most when it got here to engaged on the Tab S8 Plus. DeX, quick for desktop expertise, transforms the consumer interface of the pill right into a desktop-like format, versus the usual Android house display of apps and widgets. The change goes past the house display, as apps can then be opened in devoted home windows for multitasking and navigation. Toss in resizing and you’ve got a pill that may run upwards of 5 apps without delay. (I used to be content material with 2-3, although.)
Additionally: Samsung DeX 101: Flip your pill into a pc
As somebody who labored in cellular retail in 2017, I keep in mind all the thrill surrounding the Samsung DeX dock for the Galaxy S8. It is fairly spectacular that, these days, you’ll be able to simply swap modes with a faucet from the notification panel and never want any companion {hardware}.
A house display comparability between pill mode (left) and DeX mode (proper).
June Wan/ZDNet
Oh, and about that S Pen. The tip has this rubberized materials that permits it to easily glide throughout the Tab S8 Plus display, and the pill does a magical job at palm rejection. Due to its wi-fi capabilities, the S Pen can immediate Samsung’s signature Air Actions, which embrace Display write, Sensible choose, Stay messages, and AR Doodle. They’re all options which have thrived on Galaxy Notice gadgets for years and a few are positively much less gimmicky than others.
Display write and Sensible choose have been probably the most helpful for my workflow. The previous captures a screenshot so that you can draw over, like instructions on a map or notes on a PDF. Sensible choose helps you to spotlight an space on the display to both save as a picture, convert to textual content or GIF, or take away the textual content from its background. It is very helpful when working with pictures and movies.
Extra: The perfect stylus tablets: Prime picks for content material creation
Display write helps you to seize a screenshot and draw over it.
June Wan/ZDNet
Very similar to the iPhone and iPad, the Samsung pill works greatest with a Samsung telephone. Collectively you’ll be able to benefit from options like Fast Share (much like Apple’s AirDrop) or Galaxy connectivity to mechanically sync notes, information, and audio recordings throughout Samsung gadgets. All the apps that help the latter characteristic are Samsung exclusives, so preserve that in thoughts if you happen to’re on another Android.
Lastly, the haptic motor on the pill may be very mediocre. I did not suppose that I would be bothered by the engines of a $900 pill, however right here I’m. In comparison with the blocky and life-like vibrations on the $799 iPad Professional, that of the Tab S8 Plus feels free and rattly — to the purpose the place I simply turned off vibrations system-wide. They’re disappointingly paying homage to some sub-$300 Android telephones that I’ve reviewed.
Cameras
As for digital camera efficiency, the Tab S8 Plus is a step above its smaller sibling due to the extra 6MP ultra-wide lens. Paired with the traditional 13MP extensive, the pill is nice sufficient for informal flicks and doc scans. However at 1.26 kilos, I would not suggest utilizing the gadget as a devoted digital camera and the slippery matte sides definitely do not assist with stabilization.
What’s price stating is the brand new 12MP front-facing shooter, which helps facial monitoring and auto framing (much like Apple’s Middle Stage). Fittingly, the brand new lens additionally has a wider area of view; it is 120-degrees now in comparison with final yr’s 80.
Battery
The ten,090mAh cell on the Tab S8 Plus has confirmed to be dependable and economical. On a typical week, the pill lasted me three days per cost — barely kind of relying on what I used to be doing. If you happen to plan on connecting the pill to cellular knowledge and/or utilizing it as a devoted workstation, then I would estimate at most two days of endurance.
To cost, Samsung features a USB-C to USB-C cable within the field, however no energy adapter. Whereas I am much less nitpicky about smartphones ditching the charging brick, receiving a toned-down field for a pill felt like a theft. Luckily, my current 65W telephone charger was greater than succesful sufficient to energy the Tab S8 Plus at its 45W restrict.
Backside line
I am a agency believer that it is best to by no means purchase a product for its promise of future updates. The Tab S8 Plus is an exception. Not solely does the Samsung pill impress in {hardware}, but it surely delivers software program options (for the stylus as nicely!) that no different Android producer is doing. And with as much as 5 years of software program help and Android 12L on the horizon, there’s much more upside for the mid-sized Galaxy pill.
At a beginning value of $899, the Tab S8 Plus falls in premium flagship territory. However with some digging round, you’ll be able to simply discover it for cheaper and bundled with additional equipment, too.
Options to contemplate
The perfect different to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus is its older sibling, the Tab S8 Extremely. The bigger pill measures at 14.6-inches, which places it in laptop computer territory, and might be geared up with as much as 16GB RAM to energy the system.
For one thing a bit cheaper, look to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE. The gadget launched late final yr however stays a succesful and inexpensive Samsung pill. Meaning you will be getting comparable software program options like DeX mode and an included S Pen.
I reviewed the Lenovo Tab P12 Professional not too long ago and aptly titled the piece “The flagship Android pill shoots for the Galaxy”. Whereas the pill comes with a lesser Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processor, it is nonetheless a efficiency machine that champions most apps and duties that you simply throw at it.