Samsung’s new Tab S8 and S8 Plus have an advantage over other tablets because they have better integrations with Samsung devices and an ecosystem of their own. This may be reason enough to choose a Samsung tablet over an iPad if you also have a Samsung phone and use Samsung wireless headsets. ..
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus is a great tablet that is often forgotten. It is the middle child of Samsung’s newest tablet line and is often compared to the more expensive sibling, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. Although it may be tempting to buy the more expensive item, the added expense does not seem to be justified. The Plus is more portable and can be seen in our article on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus review.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus review: Design
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+ is a stunning tablet with great build quality. It has a large 12.4-inch screen that 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. The included S Pen can be charged and stored here thanks to magnets. ..
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 is a 5.7-inch tablet that weighs only 567 grams and is only 5.7 mm thick. It has 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
The Tab S8 Plus has one of the best displays we’ve ever seen on a tablet. The 12.4-inch Super AMOLED panel produces some of the most beautiful colors we have ever seen on a tablet, and it can handle both lighter and darker images with up to 400 nits of brightness. The display is also strong enough to resist tilting in different directions, which is important for good viewing in different lighting conditions. ..
The Tab S8 Plus is a fantastic entertainment device that is great for normal use. However, because the form factor is not optimized for use, apps and windows are not optimized for the form factor, which can cause problems. For example, Asana and some Google Chrome websites are not designed to take advantage of the larger surface area.
Samsung’s DeX mode and the “View Desktop Site” feature found in most mobile browser apps can help you access the Tab S8 Plus’s screen in landscape mode. However, this method does not work if the finger is wet and is probably less reliable than the ultrasonic equivalent.
External Keyboard/Pen
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 is trying 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+ is a great tablet that runs Android 12.0 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.
We discovered that the Samsung task management tool, which is used as a web interface, is defective as a mobile application. We were able to ask Chrome to open the desktop site so we could resume our beloved process.
We were using the 1Password program on our DeX-enabled tablet to store our primary password, and it refused to run in the traditional desktop mode. We had to switch back to tablet mode in order to copy and paste the password before switching back to DeX mode. This is a common issue with 1Password, and we hope that this article can help others who are having trouble running it in DeX mode.
Android tablets are often criticized for their lack of productivity apps. This is especially true for the Galaxy Tab S8glaring +, which has some of the most popular productivity apps, but they are not always compatible with each other. For example, Asana and 1Password are both popular productivity apps, but they are not always compatible with each other. This means that if you are using Asana to plan your work schedule, and you want to add a new task to 1Password, you may not be able to because Asana doesn’t support adding new tasks from 1Password. Samsung can’t do much about this because it depends on app developers to make their apps compatible with each other. ..
Hardware and Performance
The Galaxy Tab S8 and Tab S8 Plus are the successors to the Tab S7 and Tab S7 Plus. The content of these tablets is largely iterative, with a few new features. The design is largely the same, with a new chip inside. There is no Ultra version of the Tab S8, but there is a larger model, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. ..
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.
Samsung is working to create an ecosystem where each device supports the others and improves the overall experience. This creates a more seamless user experience, at least in theory.
You can make calls and send messages from any Galaxy Watch, tablet or phone connected to your Samsung account. 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. ..
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus: A Review
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus review: Cameras
The Tab S8+ has a single rear camera, which is inferior to the two found on other tablets. However, upgrading from the base model provides access to a second rear camera and three total sensors. These sensors are superior to those found on other tablets, making it an excellent choice for photography enthusiasts.
The S8+ has a resolution of only 6MP with f/2.2 aperture on the primary camera, while the ultrawide has a resolution of only 12MP 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’ 10,090mAh 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.
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 Galaxy Tab S8 Plus is a good tablet, but it doesn’t quite have the same features as the Apple M1 tablets and some powerful Windows devices at its price point.
