Cover Image Courtesy: Tech Talk TV
Tablets are a great alternative to desktops and laptops. They are portable and lightweight and have all the features of a desktop/laptop. They come in various attractive designs and are comfortable to use.
Till now iPad Pro was the biggest tab in the market with a screen size of 12.9 inches. Samsung took a step ahead and created the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra with a display size of 14.6 inches. This tablet is powerful enough to potentially replace laptops.
But the fact remains that it has an android operating system, which isn’t up to par with macOS or Windows. You might be comfortable with the traditional keypad and it is to be noted that the touch screen display of this large tablet could slow down.
Further in this article, a complete review of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is given.
Price and availability
This tablet was released on 9th Feb 2022.
This is the most expensive tablet from Samsung, which is justified by its power and size.
The price range for this tab is $1099.99 – $1399.99 depending upon its RAM and storage.
Not all versions of this tab are available at all locations.
Design
This tablet’s dimensions are 326*208*5.5 mm. For such a big slab, it is quite thin. Though it gives it a sleek look, it also feels fragile.
Its weight is also fitting for its monstrous size, i.e. 726g.
This tablet is available in only one color graphite (dull gray).
It contains a minimal number of ports and buttons. It doesn’t have a headphone jack. It has a rear-facing camera and magnetic strip to hold the S pen at the back. The back is coated will glass giving it a shiny sleek look.
Display
The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra’s main feature is its massive 14.6-inch screen. The screen is made using AMOLED technology, which makes it bright and brilliant, and everything you’re looking at looks just amazing. The gadget serves as a partner for amusement as well as a second screen for your work laptop. Webpages flow smoothly and apps launch swiftly, thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate. Images are sharp, thanks to the 1848 x 2960 resolution, however, the pixel-per-inch count is lower than on the other Tab S8 members.
Performance
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage space provide ample power for running and navigating through programs. When the tablet was put through the Geekbench 5 multi-core test, it scored 3,279, which is rather impressive. When the tablet was put through its paces with a few games, it worked admirably, but it was difficult to utilize touch controls on such a large screen. The power will also come in handy for apps and services that require a lot of creativity.
Software
Android 12 comes pre-installed on the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. The tab is in-built with Samsung’s standard suite of applications. It also has a lot of widgets that you can use to customize your home screen, which is great if you need a business tablet. Samsung Flow is a notable piece of software for transferring information between Samsung devices and PCs.
Battery life
The battery life of the Tab S8 Ultra is adequate, but not exceptional. That means you’ll be able to watch TV, write papers, and edit videos for several hours before the battery runs out. Charging is reportedly done at 45W, with Samsung estimating that it will take 82 minutes to fully charge the battery. The gadget took that long to charge simply to power up by roughly 33% in the charging test. That’s not at all quick. To acquire a full battery, you’ll probably have to leave it plugged in overnight.
Audio
The tablet’s speakers – there are four of them, each with excellent bass and treble – were one of the most-liked features. When you turn up the volume on the Tab S8 Ultra’s speakers, they get rather loud. The sound is clean and sharp. There’s also support for Dolby Atmos, which you can turn on in the Settings menu.
Camera
On the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, there are four cameras: two on the front and two on the back.
Both front cameras are 12MP, with one having a wide-angle lens and the other an ultra-wide lens. The former is for selfies, while the latter is for video calls since it allows you to have many people in your field of view and the camera can track you around a certain area if you’re presenting.
There’s a 13MP primary camera and a 6MP ultra-wide camera on the back, which you won’t use for photography but are useful for scanning documents, AR functions, and reference imagery. Single Take, Pro Photography, Portrait, and Night mode are among the camera modes offered in the app.
S Pen
The S Pen is the most important attachment that comes with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. The S Pen magnetically attaches to the back of the tablet and charges there as well. When we weren’t using the stylus, its positioning was a little inconvenient because it made it tough to lay the slate flat. With such a huge canvas to work on, creatives will make excellent use of the S Pen. It may also be used for taking notes and navigating menus in addition to drawing.
Book Cover keyboard
The Book Cover Keyboard attachment is needed to turn the Tab S8 Ultra into a laptop. The disadvantage is that it will set you back $349. If money isn’t a concern, the keyboard may be quite handy. The big keyboard is comfortable to type on and provides ample room for hands to wander about. There is also a compartment for the S Pen on the back cover. It looks excellent on the Tab S8 and protects it from accidental drops. However, because the Book Cover Keyboard’s kickstand is so narrow, it might be difficult to support the tablet up without it toppling over.
Verdict
Buy this tablet if
- You are excited about the experience the massive portable screen it has to offer
- You are a fan of the stylus
- You are involved in work where you need to make lots of video calls
Don’t buy this tablet if
- You are not a fan of a gigantic display screen
- You want to stick to a budget
- You cannot afford to buy the case
