Today we take a look at the new flagship tablet from Samsung - one of the few large companies that still regularly release Android tablets. But does this make sense?

Video review

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 249.3 x 164.3 x 7.1 mm
• Weight: 482 g (Wi-Fi); 483 g (LTE)
• Display: 10.5″ Super AMOLED, resolution 1600x2560 pixels, aspect ratio 16:10
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835; Adreno 540 video core
• RAM: 4 GB
• ROM: 64/256 GB
• Main camera: 13 MP, autofocus
• Front camera: 8 MP
• Sound: stereo speakers (4 pcs.), tuned by AKG/Harman Kardon
• Interfaces: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, USB Type-C 3.1
• Battery: 7300 mAh

Tablets (no matter whether they run on Android, iOS or Windows) have not attracted much attention and enthusiasm from users for a long time. The peak of activity in the tablet market occurred in 2012-2014, and then manufacturers had something to surprise customers with. Tablets have shown that it is more convenient to consume information from a large screen, while they have the mobility of smartphones. Therefore, companies produced tablets in different form factors, with top-end hardware, cool screens, added the ability to work with a stylus and keyboard, made them thin, waterproof, equipped with projectors, etc.

However, after some time, it became clear that tablets cannot yet fully replace PCs; at the same time, smartphones have grown in size and the question arose: why carry two gadgets with you at once, if you can quite comfortably read Twitter, watch YouTube or chat on 6 -inch smartphone. Apparently, Google also understood this, so it abandoned attempts to make Android for tablets (remember the version of Android 3.0 Honeycomb), and in fact, they now have an operating system “stretched” by 10 inches.

This gradually led to what we see today: tablet sales continue to fall, they are bought only by those users who clearly understand why they need them. For example, a tablet can be an ideal replacement for an old laptop: it is great for surfing the Internet, watching videos, it is easy to carry around the house, and it has a long battery life.

The global tablet market continues to decline

But there is one important nuance here: the cost of such a device must correspond to its tasks. If we take the use case described above as a basis, the optimal price for a tablet is $300. Even if it’s $400, it’s not the $1000 that Samsung in Ukraine is asking for the Galaxy Tab S4.

Here it is necessary to clarify right away - the company’s tablet itself turned out to be excellent, there are practically no complaints about it, the only question is the positioning of the device. No matter how convenient the features of the Galaxy Tab S4 are (DeX mode, the presence of a stylus), still, for that kind of money, few people will need a tablet. And yes, this is a personal opinion, I even hope that I am wrong, write in the comments if you do not agree with me. If we return again to the use case outlined above, then for such tasks for $250-350 you can buy a Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 (if you need Android) or a 2018 iPad.

If you need the ability to work in PC mode, connect additional accessories, high performance, compactness, good battery life, then... take an ultrabook for this money. There are quite a few interesting options on the market that will most likely be much healthier for you in the long run.

Therefore, my impressions of the Galaxy Tab S4 remained mixed: it is a very high-quality device from a technical point of view, but at the same time you understand that you can recommend it for purchase only to the person who really liked it.

Now I’ll tell you about the tablet itself. Galaxy Tab S4 received a 10.5″ Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1600x2560 pixels. It produces a gorgeous picture, there are no complaints about the quality of color rendering. Inside, there is not the latest chipset installed today - Qualcomm Snapdragon 835. And here the question arises for Samsung - why are you installing 2017 hardware in a 2018 flagship device? A rather unobvious decision by the Korean company.

The RAM is 4 GB (again, not the maximum as for a top-end device), the built-in memory can be 64 or 256 GB (there is a slot for microSD cards). The main camera received a 13 MP module, the front one – 8 MP.

The appearance of the Galaxy Tab S4 is familiar to Samsung tablets - a noticeable difference is the absence of a Home button under the display. Also, if we compare the tablet with its predecessor, the frames around the display have decreased, and, accordingly, the ratio of the screen area to the front panel area has increased.

The tablet is equipped with a full list of necessary interfaces: Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, LTE (optional), USB Type-C port. The S-Pen stylus is included in the package, but the Book Cover Keyboard is sold separately. As well as a USB Type-C to HDMI cable, with which you can connect the Galaxy Tab S4 to an external monitor for more convenient work in DeX mode. By the way, the mode itself does not require a docking station; it is launched by a shortcut. It can be seen that Samsung continues to improve DeX, everything is quite well thought out and works stably. Also among the interesting features, I note that the Galaxy Tab S4 can be used as a central hub for managing Smart Things smart home devices.

The battery capacity is 7300 mAh. We can’t help but rejoice at the presence of Fast Charging technology. The tablet has four speakers from AKG/Harman Kardon with Dolby Atmos support. The Galaxy Tab S4 sounds very solid, in this regard it is second only to the iPad Pro.

The Galaxy Tab S4 doesn't have a fingerprint scanner. Instead, a combined iris and face scanner is responsible for security. It copes with its task, but to unlock the device, you need to press the side Home key, look at the light that comes on and wait until the system recognizes you. This whole process does not always happen instantly, especially if you are holding the tablet not directly in front of your face, but at an angle.

The conclusion is the following: Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 is a cool tablet, it is well built, it has a cool screen, interesting software solutions, and a stylus included. But the price of 28,000 UAH ($1,000) in our market will scare off most buyers. Especially when the main competitor, the iPad Pro, costs 8-10 thousand UAH less.

Write in the comments your impressions of the Galaxy Tab S4, share your thoughts on the advisability of buying tablets now and this particular model. And also offer an alternative for the money (or even a list of several devices).

If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

Pleasant in all respects, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 certainly pleased me, however, some shortcomings were also discovered. First of all, the tablet positions itself as a universal device that allows you to surf the Internet, play games, take photographs and listen to music, while the screen is probably the biggest advantage of this Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 - excellent colors, practically no glare from the sun. It’s ideal to watch movies on a tablet, everything contributes to this. The only significant drawback of the device is the weak battery, with a stated 4900 mAh, charging lasts for a maximum of 5 hours, and not the most intensive work; some users specifically switch the tablet to energy saving mode in order to use more charge for longer. The price is a little high, however, all other advantages definitely outweigh the few disadvantages; the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 will be an ideal companion not only at home, but also on the road, at work, at school and in all possible situations. Pop growth on the market now there is no competitor to this model and the point is not even in the characteristics, but in the full operation of the device.

Specifications and price

OS – Android 4.4

Processor – 8 cores 1900 MHz; or 4 cores 1600 MHz;

Screen – depending on the configuration 7 inches, 8.4 inches; 10.1 inches;

RAM – 3 GB or 1 GB depending on the configuration;

Camera – 8MP;

Front – 2.1 MP;

Battery – 4900 units;

PRICE – 600 dollars;

The sizes are accordingly different;

PRICE – 200 – 300 dollars

Reviews

— The screen perfectly conveys colors, the eyes do not get tired, the size is optimal;

— Powerful hardware that allows all applications to work as they should;

— Ability to scan a fingerprint;

— The screen begins to glare in dark colors;

— High-quality pleasant sound that sounds crystal clear. Both highs and bass are on par;

— The tablet has a rather weak battery;

— The battery does not hold the declared 4900 mAh, in practice it is about 2600;

— Charging lasts for 5 hours;

— 4 g functions decently;

- Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 will require careful handling from you, try not to drop it, buy a case, and stick on a film if there is none;

— The battery is not removable, if you want to change it, take it to a service center, do not change it yourself, you will destroy the screen;

— Ideal for games;

— The camera takes pretty good pictures;

— The back cover is made of a material that is pleasant to the touch;

Stylishly designed, productive and terribly expensive. It seems that Samsung has decided to combine all the best in its new tablet. Did this benefit the new product? Let's figure it out, sorting out the key characteristics of the Tab S4 along the way.

What does it look like?

Healthy and modern. The front and back panels are made of glass, the frame is aluminum. This is a rather fragile combination, so all hope is for the strong protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 5.
The manufacturer's logo and system keys disappeared from the front of the tablet, which had a positive effect on its dimensions: the screen grew well, but the body - not so much. In numbers, the case dimensions are 249.3 x 164.3 x 7.1 mm, weight 483 g. The frames are very thin, and the protective glass is not rounded. There are only two color options - black and white (the official name of the latter is silver). By the way, the black color, coupled with the gloss of the glass, turned out to be very classy.

Is there moisture protection?

No, the tablet is not dust or moisture resistant. Apparently, the manufacturer expects you to immediately purchase a case for the tablet.

What screen?

The screen is made using SuperAMOLED technology, has a convenient diagonal of 10.5 inches and a resolution of 2560x1600, a pixel density of 286 ppi, and an aspect ratio of 16:10. Needless to say, this is a very good display, bright with rich colors, deep blacks and great viewing angles. The software provides a blue filter (with a custom schedule), automatic brightness adjustment, font change and screen scaling. Color balance is adjusted by four standard Samsung modes. High quality oleophobic coating.

How does it sound?

The sound of the tablet is rich and high-quality, it is provided by four multi-directional AKG speakers with Dolby Atmos support. The sound in the headphones also pleased me with its clarity and high detail.

What can the stylus do?

The stylus, made in a deliberately laconic design, has a very thin tip (0.7 mm) and distinguishes 4096 levels of pressure and tilt angle. Using the pen, you can not only draw, but also cut out screenshots, translate words, and much more. A separate program, PENUP, is responsible for all the capabilities of the S Pen. By the way, unlike the Apple competitor, you don’t need to charge the pen, this is clearly good news.

How are things going with security?

There was no place for a fingerprint scanner, but there is facial or iris recognition. Both options can be considered acceptable and fairly safe, especially the latter. The problem is that they do not work as quickly as we would like. And due to the fact that the tablet is either in a vertical or a horizontal orientation, sometimes the Tab S4 has to be turned in your hands before it unlocks.

What are the specifications of the Tab S4?

We will not dwell on this point for long; you can always read in detail about the characteristics of the device in our catalog. In this text we will focus only on the main points. The tablet is based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, this is a last year, but still relevant solution with sufficient performance, it is complemented by Adreno 540 graphics. From memory we have the following: 64 GB of built-in storage and 4 GB of RAM, that is, the size of flash memory has grown over the year doubled, but the RAM remained at the same level, there is support for memory cards.

What software options are available?

The Android 8.1 Oreo operating system is covered here with the Samsung Experience shell version 9.5. Considering that there are no buttons on the front panel now, it’s not superfluous to wake up with a double tap.
In this section, it would be worth noting that the tablet interface does not have any “tablet” features; all of them are concentrated in Dex mode, which we will talk about later. Many potential buyers were not happy with this, citing as an example the same iPad, where iOS was seriously redesigned. In defense of the Tab S4, we can only say that Android itself, without modifications, copes well with multi-windows and multitasking, but those for whom this is not enough can turn their attention to the analogue of a desktop PC - Dex mode.
By the way, on the Tab S4 you can take notes and sketches without even unlocking the screen. In theory, this should save the user a lot of time.

No need for a docking station anymore?

Yes exactly. Before we had time to “try” this tasty and interesting docking station, it faded into oblivion. Tab S4 connects to a computer without additional devices in a mode that retains its previous name - DeX. It only works in horizontal orientation and now there is no need to connect to an external monitor. You can activate it from the settings or quick access panel, and it is also automatically activated when you connect a keyboard. Here the user will find everything he might need for work: multi-window mode, a desktop with folders, a functional dock and a list of running applications. The first users described this mode as thoughtful, but very overloaded: they want to somehow systematize all the indicators or even remove them from view.
As for software adapted for Dex, there is already quite a lot of it, both among programs and among games.

Has the camera gotten better?

No, the camera module is the same as a year ago, 13 megapixels, with a single LED flash and phase detection autofocus. It cannot be called bad; it is still the same 13 megapixel high-quality matrix. And taking photos on a tablet is still as inconvenient as before.
The front camera is 8 megapixels, it is of good quality and will definitely please you during video calls. In Selfie Focus mode, the camera programmatically blurs the background, and there are also various beauty modes.
Video shooting is carried out in maximum 4K, accelerated shooting is carried out in FullHD format.
As for software capabilities, the camera can read QR codes, translate texts and recognize objects. Perhaps this is precisely the application that looks interesting, and not just photographing on a tablet.

How does the keyboard work?

To begin with, this is not only a keyboard, but also a case for the tablet, and now it has a hole for the rear camera. That is, the cover does not have to be folded back when taking photographs. This accessory is called Keyboard Cover. Island-type keys with good response.

There are many keyboard shortcuts, which is good, considering that you may not have a mouse at hand, but most of them are not intuitive and to use these features you first need to specifically learn these shortcuts, there is also a problem with switching languages ​​- this option does not always work correctly . The keyboard has a cover for the stylus, made of a detachable unit. Unfortunately, it doesn't look very reliable. The tablet also comes with a proprietary adapter, which has HDMI, USB A, USB-C and Ethernet ports. Quite a “desktop” set, in general.

Is there a Tab S4 LTE version?

Yes, sure. It offers the user the same amount of memory as the Wi-Fi version, but at a slightly higher price. Moreover, only this option will be available in our official retail stores. The nano SIM format is used here and the tablet can even be used for calls.

What about other interfaces?

Everything is familiar here: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, you can use GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo for navigation. A full list of Galaxy Tab S4 technical specifications is available here.

Is there an audio port?

Yes, we decided not to skimp on this.

Is the battery durable?

Yes, it is quite. Its capacity has increased compared to last year: 7300 mAh versus 6000 mAh, there is fast charging. The tablet did not have wireless charging, despite the glass case.

Who is it created for?

The most obvious thing that comes to mind is that the Galaxy Tab S4 is a direct competitor to the Apple iPad Pro. Its target audience consists of designers and the business segment. Actually, people with less money are unlikely to want it, because among Android tablets you can find options with similar performance and for a much smaller amount, and not everyone needs a stylus.

How much does the Tab S4 cost?

The official price tag of the tablet starts at $650 for the younger version and approaches $1000. For an Android tablet, this is a very high price, and the tablet’s competitors are not even other tablets, but serious ultrabooks and laptops. And here every potential buyer will ask a logical question - does he need portability, branding, performance or something else. The final decision whether or not to buy a Galaxy Tab S4 will depend on what the user prioritizes.

What's the result?

As a result, we got a productive, cool, but at the same time very controversial tablet. Many people will want it, only a few will be able to buy it for themselves. The tablet's performance can be considered excessive for most, and given the high price tag, few will want to go out of their way for it. But no special shortcomings were noticed in it at all, except perhaps the easily soiled body and the lack of dust and moisture protection.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 turned out to be beautiful and quite original, as far as possible for a tablet.

The device looks unusual due to its glossy glass back. Beautiful, but rather dubious from a practicality point of view. Otherwise, it is a typical monotonous rectangle - thin, with rounded edges and keys below the screen. One of them is physical, with a built-in fingerprint scanner, on either side of it there are two backlit touch buttons. The back panel is also quite typical - the camera lens is on top in the center and the flash eye. In addition, you can note two speakers on the top and bottom, as well as docking contacts for the keyboard on the side.

Like most tablets, the Galaxy Tab S3 is ergonomically awkward. Due to the wide format of the screen, it is not easy to hold in one palm. The thin body is difficult to grasp with your hands, and due to the narrow frames, you can accidentally press your palm onto the screen. True, all this can be said to one degree or another about any tablet. However, in this case, you can add a glass back to this “standard” set. Not only is it slippery, but it also easily picks up fingerprints and small scratches. In general, the tablet is assembled with high quality, made of metal and glass, but still thin and noticeably bendable.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 can be purchased in two colors - black and white.

Dimensions and weight - 4.3

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 is one of the thinnest and lightest 10-inch tablets.

In terms of weight (434 grams), the model is comparable to, but heavier than the old one. Dimensions of the tablet: 237×169×6.2 mm. Despite its comparative compactness and lightness, it is not very comfortable to hold in one hand. Due to the wide screen format (4:3), the tablet barely fits even into a wide palm. But you can easily take it with you by throwing it in your bag - you will hardly feel the weight of the device.

Ports and interfaces - 4.7

The tablet has a wide range of ports and communications, the only thing missing is an NFC chip. Otherwise, this is a typical top-end set with fast Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, A-GPS (with GLONASS included) and Bluetooth v4.2. It would be possible to add an infrared port, FM radio and NFC, which is gradually gaining popularity.

The connectors and buttons are in the following order:

• on the right - power key, volume rocker, microphone, slot for microSD and nanoSIM, microphone;
• at the top are the speakers;
• at the bottom there is a pair of speakers, a connector for USB Type-C;
• on the left are contacts for the docking station.

As usual, the Galaxy Tab S3 9.7 can be purchased in two versions: with and without an LTE modem.

Performance - 4.8

The performance of the Galaxy Tab S3 is high and quite comparable to the flagship smartphones of 2016. The device works quickly and smoothly, but is not always stable.

The tablet does not have the latest, but quite powerful Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 processor, introduced at the end of 2015. In total, it has four cores, two of them operate at a frequency of 2.15 GHz and two at 1.6 GHz, and the Adreno 530 is responsible for solving graphic tasks. Together with 4 GB of RAM, this is more than enough to solve any problems and applications and games. Nevertheless, there is a desire to save money, which is again strange given the high price for the device.

In various benchmarks, the tablet receives typical flagship scores:

• SunSpider (browser speed) - 378 ms, almost twice as slow, but still fast;
• GeekBench 4 (processor test) - 3927 points, inferior, but only due to fewer cores;
• 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited (graphics test) - 29915, comparable to .

The results are good, and the tablet itself works quickly. However, during our tests of the Galaxy Tab S3, we noticed problems with the optimization of the device. They manifest themselves either in microlags or in periodic crashes from applications.

Display - 4.7

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 has a high-quality and clear AMOLED display, although it is slightly inferior to the screen.

The screen resolution is high, 2048 × 1536 pixels with a 4:3 format and a pixel density of 264 per inch. This is clear enough. Image irregularities can be seen, but only when you get close to it. There are models on sale with clearer screens, but, as a rule, this is achieved through a smaller diagonal, as, for example, is the case with. But there are also exceptions like . The tablet uses a rich AMOLED matrix with natural black color and high, almost infinite contrast. An interesting feature is support for HDR content - although there is little of it yet, it is a prospect for the future.

The range of brightness measured by the colorimeter is wide - from 2 to 440 nits. The lower limit turned out to be perhaps the best among. The screen is comfortable both in the dark and in sunlight, although it is slightly less readable. The display has a noticeable glare, but this is noticeable either when the screen is turned off or when viewing an image against a dark background. The contrast of the picture tends to infinity - this is one of the main features of display technology. The backlight uniformity turned out to be rather average - 90%. Color gamut varies depending on picture mode. If you select "Adaptive", "Video AMOLED" or "Photo AMOLED", it will cover up to 100 Adobe RGB, and in "Basic" the color gamut narrows to about sRGB, "falling out" of it in places. At the same time, in the first three you will get oversaturated colors and an inflated color temperature. Color rendition was also at a fairly high level, but if you are a designer or enthusiast, you may notice slight deviations.

The screen has an oleophobic coating. It doesn’t protect you from fingerprints, but it’s easy to wipe them off. The touchpad of the device is sensitive, but there is no glove mode. In addition, due to the thin frames, you can accidentally touch the screen with your palm and it will stop responding to your finger. As a disadvantage, we note the lack of special protective glass - after all, it is easily scratched. For that kind of money you could expect Gorila Glass, and on both sides.

Battery - 5.0

The autonomy of the device is at a very high level, although it is slightly inferior to the latter.

The battery capacity is 6000 mAh. This is slightly more than its direct predecessor, but less than the 8827 mAh of the Apple iPad (2017). Nevertheless, the manufacturer promised up to 12 hours of video viewing, and it did not deceive. Our tests showed up to 13.5 hours at moderate screen brightness of 200 nits. The tablet lasts for 5-6 hours in games, and in standby mode at minimum brightness - up to 22 hours. These are high results, but they are still slightly inferior to the autonomy of the latest Apple iPad (2017).

Interestingly, the device charges quite quickly - just over 2.5 hours using fast charging. It seems like a long time, but not for a tablet.

Cameras - 5.0

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 received decent 13 and 5 MP cameras by tablet standards, comparable in photo quality to smartphones. It may be inconvenient to shoot on a tablet, but if the need suddenly arises, it can replace your budget one.

Compared to its predecessor, the camera interface has changed slightly, but still remains quite simple. A swipe on the left takes you to different shooting modes, a swipe on the right takes you to effects. As usual, the main part of the menu is hidden behind the settings gear. Interestingly, the camera has a Pro mode. True, you can only change the exposure metering method, the exposure itself, ISO and choose one of five white balance options. By standards this would be very modest, but for a tablet it’s already good that it exists at all.

We cannot somehow single out the main camera for its high quality. It focuses quickly, reproduces colors fairly correctly, but otherwise matches the camera of an average smartphone. For a device costing 60 thousand rubles, this is not impressive.

The 5 MP front camera can shoot Full HD video (1920x1080 pixels). She takes selfies quite well outdoors or indoors with good lighting. The shots come out with good detail and a wide dynamic range, although if you zoom in on the photo you can see some grain. As expected, the front camera received decorating filters, a widescreen or panoramic selfie mode, burst and virtual shooting (photos of objects from different angles).

Photo from camera Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 - 5.0

Temperature - 2.7

The Galaxy Tab S3 wasn't all that cool, although it scored average in the heating tests.

In standby mode (screen on), the tablet can heat up to 32 degrees, like. This is a comfortable temperature, but noticeably higher than room temperature. Under load, the device heats up to 41 degrees on the back on the top right and up to 41.4 at the top of the display. It's not hot, but it already brings discomfort. For comparison, the latest iPad of 2017 always remains cool, and of the other current flagships, only the iPad gets hotter.

Memory - 4.0

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 has 32 GB of permanent memory (approximately 23.7 GB available to the user). Not bad, but for that kind of money you could count on 64, if not all 128 GB. But, unlike, there is a slot for a memory card, that is, you can expand the original volume.

Peculiarities

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 has many features, the main one being its incredibly high price. The tablet runs on the proprietary Grace interface.

A little unusual, but the tablet comes with a stylus, also known as the S Pen. The stylus is lightweight, comfortable and works without batteries. True, it is not clear how to carry it anywhere with you and not lose it. For example, the case had a special connector for a stylus, but this is not the case here. Also special is a four-speaker system, a separately sold Bluetooth keyboard and a glass case, which is still unusual for tablets.

Separately, we note that the device comes pre-installed with a lot of proprietary software that cannot be removed. In addition to them, applications from Microsoft are initially installed, such as Skype, Word, Excel, and so on, but at least they can really be useful in work.

There are also unpleasant features such as unstable operation of the device. The camera periodically refuses to start, there are microlags and short freezes, and once the touchscreen “fell asleep” and did not respond to the fingers until the tablet was rebooted. In general, Samsung still has some work to do. Like the Galaxy S8 Plus, the device is still a bit raw. All this looks almost indecent for his money.