What's good
- Excellent display
- Plenty of battery life
- Light weight
- Thin, comfortable to hold design
- Multi-user mode with parental controls
What's bad
- Finicky fingerprint scanner
- Simple Clicker case attachments are tricky
- Occasional performance delays
While there are plenty of budget Android tablets available, the premium market for Android has been a tough place for manufacturers to find success. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 (and it’s 8.4-inch sibling) is the latest, and according to reviews, possibly most successful attempt at a high-tier Android tablet to date. Let’s see why reviews think this device is so hot.
If you’re familiar with the Galaxy S5, the S 10.5 is essentially an expanded version of the device, with a few subtle tweaks. Due to it’s size, the home key and ports are arranged for the tablet to be used comfortably in a landscape orientation. The plastic case features a grippy treatment and two “Simple Clicker” attachment points for upcoming accessories. If you’ve used a previous Samsung tablet, you’ll be pleased to know that CNet calls the new design “a definite improvement over the glossy, plastic feel of previous models.”
At 2560-by-1600 pixels, the screen on the tablet is one of the sharpest available. Samsung’s popular Super AMOLED technology helps boost colors and contrast as well. Reviews for the display were exceptional across the board. Engadget says, “the screen is clearly, indisputably the star of the show.” As more content pushes past 1080p toward the 4K barrier, the tablet should age well and provide an even better viewing experience. Forbes summed up reviews of the display well, stating that it “will blow you away.”
Battery life for the tablet received equally positive reviews. The Exynos 5 processor is designed to optimize power use. According to reviews, Samsung’s tinkering paid off. Spec listings quote 12 hours of use on a single charge, most reviews found that the tablet was capable of this and a little more. Advanced power savings features also allow you to take advantage of the AMOLED display to get significant boosts to standby times. TechRadar tested the battery and said, “You can get at least a working day out of it with pretty much constant use”
With the high-resolution display and long lasting battery, you might question performance. For most reviews, performance appears to be outstanding. From gaming and multitasking to checking email and watching your favorite videos, no one mentions any serious issues with performance. TechRadar states, “the Tab S was able to cope very well with everything I threw at it.” However, some reviews did note slight delays in launching new apps. Engadget points to the Exynos processors’ unique design and predicts this will be fixed in the future with software updates. However, even with the delays, Engadget says, “performance here isn't bad by any means; it's just not as brisk as I expected it to be.”
If there was a weak point to the Galaxy S 10.5, it would appear to be the camera. Though throughout the market tablets aren’t exactly known for powerful cameras. The tablet does feature a LED flash, a feature commonly omitted on other tablets. However, most reviews noted a lack of detail in general and poor performance in low lighting. TechRadar states, “The Tab S will cover the basics and very little else.”
By offering a powerful processor, plenty of RAM for multitasking and a high-resolution display, reviews contend that this could be the tablet to finally challenge Apple’s iPad series of tablets. If you’re looking for a tablet, but wanting to stick to Android, TechRadar says, “the Galaxy Tab S doesn't have much competition.”
What the Critics Are Saying...
- Jason Million, G Style MagazineUsing the Galaxy Tab S, I actually enjoyed it more than I expected. The display looks great, response time is nice and its battery life is impressive. Dual speakers on the sides make it more useful as a media consumption device. Adding optional cases also feels like you have to be cautious snapping...
- Adama D. Brown, TabletPCReviewThe Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 is not just a great tablet; it’s arguably the best tablet on the market today. Only the iPad Air and Samsung’s own Galaxy Notes come close, and even then the Tab S easily wins in screen quality and memory expansion.The included memory is a little scanty, but...
- Nick Sarafolean, Android and MeWhen it comes to the Galaxy Tab S 10.5, it performs nicely against the competition. Sure, there are a few things that I’d like to see refined, but in its current state, it’s one of the best tablets on the market. With that, we can highly recommend the Galaxy Tab S 10.5 in the search for...
- Romain Thuret, Digital VersusIn the burgeoning crowd of 10" tablets, to which Samsung has contributed significantly, the Galaxy Tab S 10.5" has shown itself to be the best overall performer, thanks largely to fantastic battery life and an excellent screen. The Korean manufacturer still needs to work on its Exynos Octa processor...
- Daniel Schmidt, NotebookcheckThe Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 is without any doubts an excellent piece of technology. Performance however shows slight flaws. The Exynos Prozessor cannot keep up entirely with the current Qualcomm bolides. Graphics performance also slightly falls behind an Adreno 330. Nevertheless, the tablet perfor...
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