Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 overview

Finest Costs Immediately: Samsung Galaxy Tab S8

$570.00

When Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Tab S8 vary, the main focus was on the all-new Extremely mannequin, with its outlandishly massive show, widescreen type issue, and strange notch. 

Much less fuss was manufactured from the bottom Tab S8 – which is a disgrace, as a result of with its extra smart form and reasonably priced value this can be a a lot better pill for almost all of individuals, and nonetheless packs the important thing specs you might need your eye on within the Extremely. 

Design and construct 

• Slim and comfy measurement 
• Steel physique 
• Trio of colors 

Samsung hasn’t pushed the boat out with the design of the usual Tab S8, which seems rather a lot like final 12 months’s Tab S7 – and certainly like most different fashionable premium tablets. 

The 11in show is the smallest within the Tab S8 vary, although that is nonetheless a full-size pill, not a mini mannequin. It’s mild and slim although – simply 6.3mm thick, which is a bit more than the Extremely however stays impressively slender. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

The squared off edges to the metallic physique are snug to carry, and there’s sufficient of a bezel across the show to present you house to relaxation your thumb and fingers – an essential pill consideration that’s the explanation you don’t need an edge-to-edge display screen right here. 

The S8 can be obtainable in a alternative of three colors: the straightforward Silver I’ve reviewed, a darker Graphite, and a Pink Gold that’s way more the previous than the latter. On each mannequin the again is interrupted solely by the small digicam module and a black strip that runs beneath it the place the S Pen stylus is meant to connect. 

There’s no IP score for mud or water-resistance, although that is pretty widespread for tablets nonetheless. The show is coated in protecting Gorilla Glass 5 – not the highest customary, however ok – and the metallic rear feels sturdy sufficient. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

One oddity in regards to the Tab S8 – no less than in comparison with the remainder of the vary – is that it has a bodily, side-mounted fingerprint sensor, which is constructed into the ability button. I’ve discovered it dependable sufficient that I haven’t missed the under-display choice too badly, although if you realize your tech you might realise that this offers away the Tab S8’s different huge spec compromise: the display screen. 

Show and audio 

• 11in LCD show 
• 120Hz refresh price 
• S Pen stylus help 

Sure, the Tab S8 is the one mannequin within the line to make use of an LCD show moderately than AMOLED. It’s a small disgrace, and does imply show high quality right here gained’t match its greater brothers, however I don’t suppose you must see it as a dealbreaker. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

For one factor, the panel nonetheless boasts the identical 120Hz refresh price as its friends, so that you’ll get the identical advantages of silky easy scrolling and animations. 

Secondly, this can be an LCD, however it’s a good LCD. No, it might’t fairly hit the oh-so-inky blacks of OLED, however that is nonetheless a wonderful panel. Colors are vibrant, punchy, and vivid, and the 2560 x 1600 decision packs in loads of element. 

Maybe this gained’t fairly meet the requirements of these on the lookout for a pill to make use of for skilled artistic work, however anybody else will discover this completely adequate for Instagram, Netflix, and gaming. 

The Tab S8 additionally helps Samsung’s S Pen stylus, which is the one accent included with the pill within the field. That is nice for doodling or note-taking (although the handwriting recognition does wrestle with my messy scrawls), and due to Samsung’s Air Motion shortcuts can be a helpful device for day-to-day use in apps starting from the online browser to the digicam. It attaches magnetically to the pill’s rear when not in use, and wirelessly costs whereas there.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Along with the stylus, the Tab S8 does help a keyboard case, although this isn’t included with the pill. Samsung’s official case is costly too – it’ll set you again $199/£119/€149, and extra for a model with a trackpad – so issue that in for those who count on to make use of the pill primarily for productiveness. 

As for audio, you get quad audio system delivering stereo sound, firing out of the highest and backside of the pill. These are pretty crisp and vibrant, however predictably skinny on the bass finish. They’ll do for the odd little bit of music, and are definitely adequate for streaming TV and gaming, however understandably have their limits. 

Specs and efficiency 

• Flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip 
• As much as 256GB expandable storage 
• Elective 5G help exterior the US 

Efficiency is one space the place the Tab S8 comfortably retains up with the remainder of the vary. Like the opposite Tab S8 fashions, it’s outfitted with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, the corporate’s flagship from earlier this 12 months.  

It’s not fairly essentially the most highly effective chip round anymore, having been supplanted by the 8+ Gen 1 (to not point out nonetheless lagging behind Apple’s iPad chips), however it packs loads of energy.  

Paired with 8GB of RAM (although in some markets there’s a 12GB choice), the Tab S8 is highly effective sufficient for any day-to-day motion, together with loads of multi-tasking. However there’s additionally sufficient oomph for gaming or artistic work, so this generally is a productiveness powerhouse or a gaming machine as long as the show isn’t an issue to your use case. 

You additionally get a alternative of both 128GB or 256GB of storage, and if the latter nonetheless sounds dinky to you then the excellent news is that there’s a microSD card slot in an effort to broaden it additional, as much as 1TB. 

By default the pill is Wi-Fi-only, supporting the newest Wi-Fi 6E customary. Within the US that’s the one choice, although within the UK, Europe, and different markets there’s the choice to improve to 5G – albeit with a  pretty steep surcharge, so ensure you’ll get use out of the 5G earlier than you decide to the improve. 

Battery and charging 

• Snug battery life 
• 45W wired charging 
• No charger included 

The Tab S8 has respectable battery life, helped by a beneficiant 8000mAh cell. In our benchmark take a look at, this delivered fairly typical pill life – nothing particular, however nothing to complain about both. 

As a piece gadget this could final by a day of constant use, whereas for those who’re extra more likely to simply choose it up every so often you must discover the S8 fortunately runs for just a few days. Importantly, I seen fairly minimal battery decline whereas on standby, so that you don’t have to fret an excessive amount of about it dying for those who haven’t picked it up for a day or two. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

As for charging, the pill helps as much as 45W charging speeds, which is the quickest velocity Samsung provides on any of its Android gadgets.  

The massive caveat to that’s that very similar to the corporate’s newest telephones, it doesn’t embrace a charger within the field. Meaning you’ll both have to purchase your personal USB-C charger or just re-purpose one that you just already personal. 

Digital camera and video 

• Primary pair of rear cameras 
• 12Mp selfie shooter 
• 4K video on entrance and rear 

I’m nonetheless not solely certain how usually the rear cameras on tablets are used for stills images, exterior of the occasional complicated vacationer, however nonetheless they continue to be. 

Understandably, Samsung hasn’t kitted the Tab S8 with an absolute high spec setup although. As a substitute, you get a pair of lenses: a 13Mp principal digicam and a easy 6Mp ultrawide. 

(If you happen to’re on desktop you might have to swipe by the gallery beneath).

Photographs are high quality if wanted in a pinch, and the choice to movie 4K video, albeit restricted to 30fps, will assist when you might want to present one thing off on a video name. The ultrawide is unsurprisingly primary, and that lens particularly might in all probability have been dropped. 

On the entrance aspect, a 12Mp selfie digicam is nestled within the bezel – fortunately not in a notch, as on the Extremely. That is additionally able to 4K@30 video, and naturally that is more likely to get much more use as a video digicam in calls than it ever is for stills. It’s acceptable at each, however not distinctive – an apparent space for enchancment.

Software program and updates 

• Android 12 
• Optimisations for multi-tasking and productiveness
• 4 years of Android updates promised 

The Tab S8 ships with Android 12, operating Samsung’s OneUI Android pores and skin on high. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

If you happen to’ve not used it earlier than, OneUI is now one of many higher Android variations round. You’ll must put up with fairly just a few devoted Samsung variations of ordinary apps, moderately than the Google equivalents, and there are just a few third-party apps pre-installed too. 

The profit is a clear and pretty fluid working system, one which advantages from many of the finest perks of the core Android OS, plus Samsung’s personal perks. The corporate is especially good at pill optimisations, with an array of split-screen and multi-tasking choices that take advantage of the display screen house, together with a desktop-esque DeX interface choice.

The draw back is that Android remains to be Android, and it in the end isn’t constructed effectively for tablets. That is much less true for the OS itself than it’s for apps, that are hardly ever well-optimised for bigger shows. For these hoping to work off the Tab S8, there are additionally fewer pro-level pill apps obtainable for Android than for iPadOS, and the combination with Home windows, whereas enhancing, isn’t any match for Apple’s efforts to hyperlink its iPads and Macs collectively.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Samsung has no less than promised to ultimately improve the Tab S8 to Android 12L, the tablet-optimised model of the OS lately unveiled by Google, although it’s not clear how a lot this can change the expertise. 

Basically, updates are a robust level although: as with its newest telephones, Samsung is promising 4 years of Android model updates (taking you effectively previous this 12 months’s Android 13), together with a fifth 12 months of safety help. That’s by far one of the best replace promise in any Android pill, and near the longevity of iPads too. 

Value and availability 

The Galaxy Tab S8 is out there now worldwide. Within the majority of markets it solely comes with 8GB of RAM, however is out there in two storage choices: 

• 128GB: $699/£649/€769 
• 256GB: $779/£699/€819 

If you happen to’re exterior of the US, you’ll in all probability even have the choice of paying extra so as to add 5G: 

• 128GB: £799/€819 
• 256GB: £849/€929 

For what it provides this can be a little dear, however the price is inflated by the included stylus. And the Android pill market is sufficiently small that there’s little actual competitors – no less than within the West. 

If you happen to’re tempted, you may choose one up direct from Samsung, or from Amazon or virtually another main electronics retailer. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Critical creators might have to improve to the bigger Tab S8+, which additionally packs a greater AMOLED display screen, and the even greater Tab S8 Extremely can be obtainable. Keep in mind that the keyboard case additionally prices further. 

You also needs to keep in mind that you’re paying for the included S Pen – for those who’re not going to make use of it that a lot, then go searching for cheaper stylus-free choices elsewhere. If it’s on sale the place you might be then we suggest the superb Xiaomi Pad 5, which provides related specs for a lot higher worth, however Samsung’s personal Galaxy Tab A8 is one other good choice.  

The closest Apple rival is the $599/£569 iPad Air, although keep in mind that this helps, however doesn’t embrace, the Apple Pencil stylus. 

Take a look at our rankings of one of the best tablets and finest Android tablets for extra choices. 

Verdict 

The Galaxy Tab S8 is a formidable premium Android pill choice, although you need to be cautious to test that you just don’t want just a little extra – or rather less. 

With a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, loads of RAM and storage, and S Pen stylus help this can be a highly effective productiveness choice, and there are actually no tablets obtainable now that pack extra energy – no less than not ones that run Android. 

It’s a disgrace that the show is just LCD, moderately than AMOLED, however this can solely actually matter to artistic energy customers or critical cinephiles – this can be a completely good LCD panel in any other case. 

US clients might gripe that there’s no 5G choice, whereas UK ones will possible bemoan the truth that the 5G improve prices a lot, however for those who’re completely satisfied to stay to Wi-Fi then the Tab S8 has few faults. 

Specs 

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 
• 8/12/GB RAM 
• 128/256GB storage (expandable as much as 1TB) 
• 11.0in 120Hz LCD show (2560×1600) 
• Twin rear cameras: huge (13Mp, f/2.0) and ultrawide (6Mp, f/2.2) 
• Entrance-facing digicam: huge (12Mp, f/2.4) 
• Quad stereo audio system 
• Wi-Fi 6E 
• Bluetooth 5.2 
• 5G (elective) 
• S Pen stylus (included) 
• 8000mAh battery 
• 45W wired charging 
• 165.3 x 253.8 x 6.3mm 
• 503g (Wi-Fi) or 507g (5G)