When Apple introduced the iPad in 2010, it wasn’t long before its first peers emerged: Android tablets. The situation is calmer these days among Apple’s competitors. In fact, Samsung continues to compete privately, and with the Galaxy Tab S8 series, it’s one of the biggest tablets ever.

This is an abridged version of a comprehensive review (link) of Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series On a drug addict.

The Galaxy Tab S8 is available in three models: Tab S8 (€689), Tab S8 + (€877) and Tab S8 Ultra ($1053). And where the first two from the outside actually look like last year’s Tab S7, the S8 Ultra immediately catches the eye. The 14.6-inch tablet is so big that you can easily confuse it with a separate laptop screen.

The user experience should also be that of a laptop, if it is up to Samsung. Their devices have been coming with DeX for some time now, a user interface that can change the operating system so that Android looks just like your PC desktop. And while not all Android apps fit well in the desktop format, they can help you if you need to do desktop work but don’t have a computer at hand.

bigger bigger bigger

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series can rightly be called high-end tablets. Not only do they have a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, which can quickly run all your apps and games, but the tablet also feels smooth and fluid because the screen has a 120Hz refresh rate. This ensures an enjoyable experience that sends these Samsung tablets straight to the top of the current range – although this isn’t too difficult, because there’s hardly any competition in this category. For example, we look at Tablet test results At BestTested, we see that Samsung, along with Apple, are the only two providers on the list of recommendations.

Compared to the S7 series, all three S8 devices have some great improvements. There aren’t much differences, but the screen is better, software support is longer and the camera takes better photos. In addition, the S8 Ultra also has an additional camera on board.

All three screens have very good color reproduction, with the S8+ and S8 Ultra standing out from the standard model. They owe this to their support for HDR10+, which is a welcome addition when playing HDR content. However, the “normal” S8 with its LCD screen is still capable of displaying beautiful colours. All three models also come with the now-familiar S Pen, a smart stylus that writes and draws great that you can easily store on the back of the device. There it stays securely in place thanks to a magnet, while the stylus can also automatically charge its battery.

Big, but not a desktop

Thanks to DeX, it is quite possible to perform desktop activities on these tablets. Once the devices are connected to a monitor or USB hub, DeX automatically appears and the devices can be used as desktops. It’s a big plus, but it’s a pity that not all apps work well in this mode. For example, not every app can be viewed in full screen. When an app again refuses to show itself in anything other than a small vertical size, scratches appear at the idea that you’re using the desktop.

This issue shows an important difference between the Android ecosystem and the competitor Apple’s. In iPadOS, we find a much more unified ecosystem, where each app perfectly scales to tablets. Android is a little more flexible in its approach in this regard, so not every app fits on the screen equally. In addition, the m1 processor for the regular iPad is simply more powerful. It’s a difference that you won’t notice when playing heavy games like Jinshin effect, but this becomes immediately visible when you start creating the media. If you do this on an iPad, the rendering will be a lot faster. Focusing on the price, we can say that in some cases you are better off with an iPad.

At the end of the story, we cannot call alternatives to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series laptop, but these tablets can be a very good addition if you are looking for something “on the side”. Consider, for example, playing certain games that rely on touchscreen functionality or watching HDR materials. But if you just want a media consumption tablet, you can also opt for the cheaper A-series. But make no mistake, the overall experience with these tablets is so good that we can safely say that these are the best Android tablets that you can get right now.