The market for high-end slates, once crowded with companies big and small, now looks more like a fraternity. At this point, the only players left are mostly big names like Apple, Microsoft, Sony. And, of course, Samsung. The outfit just announced the Galaxy Tab S, its flagship tablet for 2014. Available in 8.4- and 10.5-inch sizes, it comes armed with the best possible specs, including a stunning 2,560 x 1,600 Super AMOLED screen, 12-hour battery life and a slim build that measures just 6.6mm thick. In addition, Samsung added a fingerprint reader (still a rarity on tablets) and free goodies like popular magazines, Dropbox storage and a six-month Wall Street Journal subscription. The tablet's up for pre-order now, starting at $400 for the 8-inch model and $500 for the 10-incher. So, you can't test-drive it yet, but, as it happens, I've been playing with it for almost a week. Suffice to say, I've enjoyed myself. Mostly.
Ready for a journey? Both the 8- and 10-inch models have the same camera setup: a 2-megapixel webcam up front, and an 8-megapixel shooter with LED flash around back. For navigation, you've got back and multitasking keys, both built into the lower bezel next to the home button. The selection of ports is the same too, though the layout is going to be different, considering the 10-inch tablet was designed for landscape use, and the 8-inch model was primarily meant to be used in portrait. Starting with the 10-incher, you've got the power/lock button up top, along with a volume rocker and an IR blaster, allowing you to use the device as a remote. Stereo speakers line both the left and right sides, with a headphone jack on the left, and a microSD reader on the right capable of supporting 128GB cards. The right edge is also home to a standard micro-USB port for charging. On the smaller model, meanwhile, the power/lock button, volume rocker, microSD slot and IR emitter are all on the right, with the speakers spread across the top and bottom. The headphone jack and micro-USB socket are also on the bottom, exactly where you'd expect to find them.
That's about it for the hardware tour. Well, except for one thing. Peek around the back and you'll see two circles, which depress, like trapdoors. These are called "Simple Clickers" and are there to attach Samsung's optional cases. These include the Simple Cover ($40), which only covers the screen, as well as the Book Cover ($60-plus), which wraps around the whole device and can also stay propped up at one of several screen angles. Both cases are well-made, with holes for the camera and they come in an assortment of cheerful color options. Most importantly, of course, both have little nubs that stick out, allowing you to press the case into the back of the tablet.
Display
You'll notice I gave the display its very own section, even though it is technically "hardware." That's partly because I had a lot to say, and partly because the screen is clearly, indisputably the star of the show. What can I say? Samsung killed it. The screen here is a spec lover's dream, with 2,560 x 1,600 resolution on both the 10-and 8-inch models. On the 10-incher, that resolution translates to a pixel density of 287 ppi; the 8-incher is noticeably crisper, at 360 ppi. Either way, that's even sharper than both of the current-gen iPads, whose screens come to 264 ppi for the iPad Air and 326 ppi for the Retina display mini.
Alright, now that we've got that out of our system, let's pull up our pants and put the measuring tape away. Even setting aside the raw specs, this is a stunning display. In particular, it's a Super AMOLED panel, and while that won't sound revolutionary to anyone who's used one of Samsung's recent phones, it's fairly uncommon for a tablet. In fact, the last time Sammy tried a Super AMOLED panel on one of its slates was with the Galaxy Tab 7.7, which was prohibitively expensive -- precisely because of the impressive screen technology. Since then, the price seems to have come down, which means the benefits of Super AMOLED are much easier to sell. In particular, the blacks here are black; the whites are white; and the colors are vibrant, if a little oversaturated. If you've handled a phone like the GS5, you know what I'm talking about.
What's more, there's an RGB sensor inside that adjusts the color balance depending on your surroundings. So, if you find yourself in a swank lounge with purple mood lighting (in which case you should really get off your tablet and socialize), the display will adjust itself accordingly. I should add, too, that the screen is super bright -- bright enough that I could use it in direct sunlight and frame shots like the one below. I'll talk more about the camera in a bit, but suffice to say, having a tablet this thin, with this bright a screen, makes photography more enjoyable than it would be otherwise.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 specifications
| Network | LTE : 800/ 900/ 1800/ 2600+850/ 2100 3G : 850/ 900/ 1900/ 2100 2G : 850/ 900/ 1800/ 1900 |
| Processor | Exynos 5 Octa (1.9 GHz QuadCore ＋ 1.3 GHz Quadcore) or Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 2.3 GHz Quadcore* |
| Display | 8.4" 2560x1600(WQXGA) Super AMOLED |
| OS | Android Kitkat (4.4) |
| Camera / Flash | 8MP w/ LED Flash + 2.1MP Full HD |
| Video | H.263, H.264(AVC), MPEG4, VC-1, WMV7, WMV8, VP8 Recording : FHD(1920 x 1080) @ 30fps Playback: WQHD (2560x1440) @ 30fps |
| Audio | MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, Vorbis, FLAC |
| Content Services /Applications | Papergarden, Professional pack, Multi-user mode, Sidesync 3.0, Gear & Gear fit manager |
| Free Downloadable apps | Group Play, S-Note, S Translator, Samsung Link, Scrapbook, Story Album, Video Editor, Gear Manager, Gear Fit Manager, Samsung Smart Switch, Samsung Level, E-meeting, Kids Mode, Kids Piano(Ding Dong Tap), S-Console, Hanshow, Hancell, Hanwrite |
| Google Mobile Services | Chrome, GGmail,oogle Search, Maps, Play Store, Voice Search, YouTube, Google+, Hangouts, Play books, Play Games, Play Newsstand, Play Movies & TV, Play Music, Drive, Google setting, Photos |
| Connectivity | WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac MIMO, WiFi Direct, Bluetooth®4.0, IrLED |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, Beidou(not supported in USA, Canada) |
| Sensor | Accelerometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, RGB Sensor *Proximity Sensor(only LTE ver) |
| Memory | 3GB (RAM) + 16/32GB internal memory, microSD up to 128GB |
| Dimension / Weight | 125.6 x 212.8 x 6.6mm, 294g(Wifi) /298g(LTE) |
| Battery | 4,900mAh |
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 specifications
| Network | LTE : 800/ 900/ 1800/ 2600+850/ 2100 3G : 850/ 900/ 1900/ 2100 2G : 850/ 900/ 1800/ 1900 |
| Processor | Exynos 5 Octa (1.9 GHz QuadCore ＋ 1.3 GHz Quadcore) or QualcommSnapdragon 800 2.3 GHz Quadcore * |
| Display | 10.5" 2560x1600(WQXGA) Super AMOLED |
| OS | Android Kitkat (4.4) |
| Camera / Flash | 8MP w/ LED Flash + 2.1MP Full HD |
| Video | H.263, H.264(AVC), MPEG4, VC-1, WMV7, WMV8, VP8Recording : FHD(1920 x 1080) @ 30fps Playback: WQHD (2560x1440) @ 30fps |
| Audio | MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, Vorbis, FLAC |
| Content Services /Applications | Papergarden, Professional pack, Multi-user mode, Sidesync 3.0, Gear & Gear fit manager |
| Free Downloadable apps | Group Play, S-Note, S Translator, Samsung Link, Scrapbook, Story Album, Video Editor, Gear Manager, Gear Fit Manager, Samsung Smart Switch, Samsung Level, E-meeting, Kids Mode, Kids Piano(Ding Dong Tap), S-Console, Hanshow, Hancell, Hanwrite |
| Google Mobile Services | Chrome, GGmail,oogle Search, Maps, Play Store, Voice Search, YouTube, Google+, Hangouts, Play books, Play Games, Play Newsstand, Play Movies & TV, Play Music, Drive, Google setting, Photos |
| Connectivity | WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac MIMO, WiFi Direct, Bluetooth®4.0, IrLED |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, Beidou(not supported in USA, Canada) |
| Sensor | Accelerometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, HallSensor, RGB Sensor |
| Memory | 3GB (RAM) + 16/32GB internal memory microSD up to 128GB |
| Dimension / Weight | 247.3 x 177.3 x 6.6 mm , 465g(Wifi)/ 467g(LTE) |
| Battery | 7,900mAh |
*The services listed above may not be available in all regions and features may vary by region. Also, service provider may change the name and/or value of its application at any time.
* Processors may differ by region or operators
**All functionality, features, services, applications, specifications, and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.
Thank you for reading the article about Tablet Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 and Tab S 8.4 Review & Specifications at Technosiareview If you want to distribute this article hope to include a link as the Source, and if this article useful please bookmark this page in your web browser, by pressing Ctrl + D on your keyboard keys.