Tablet samsung galaxy tab s 8.4 reviews. The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver
You won't be able to resist the display of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4. There's no need for a review of the tablet here; just looking at the lock screen makes it obvious that the tablet has an incredibly high-resolution panel. With a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels crammed into an 8.4-inch display, the Samsung tablet offers a pixel density of 356 pixels per inch, which makes its images look incredible and also makes it impossible for you to make out individual dots on the screen.
Of course it is Super AMOLED, which is typical for Samsung tablets, a technology that is far ahead of similar offerings from competing tablets, including Apple iPad Mini and others. In fact, the color saturation was so great that it took a while for the eyes to adjust, and after a while, other screens looked sparse.
Samsung's Adaptive Display Setting also helps ensure that the screen in the best possible way adapted to lighting conditions, which are determined using a special RGB sensor located on the front panel of the tablet. This is a significantly more advanced sensor than automatic setting brightness that you usually see on tablets and smartphones. The point is that RGB adjusts gamma, saturation and sharpness, rather than simply varying brightness.
Sensor identifies color temperature environment and adjusts the image properly, ensuring you top scores. Our review of the Samsung tablet found that the feature works just fine, making adjustments easy and also helping to avoid unrealistic color casts, so we leave it turned on without reservation. It is also worth noting that the function is intended for specific applications, therefore it is not universal, many third party applications gain nothing from this technology. There are also presets for film, photography, and core modes that work across the board and we found them visually pleasing.
Tests, portsAndAndroid
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 we reviewed came in champagne colors with a gold outer edge and bezel accents. Rest assured, this color scheme is a striking departure from the traditional white and silver. The color certainly helps the tablet exude luxury, which we think was Samsung's goal. However, the gold tablet is not for every taste. If you're not a fan of white, the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 is also available in Titanium Bronze.
At 6.6mm thick and weighing 294g, it's a thin and light tablet that feels quite slender in your hands. It uses a slightly ribbed, soft-touch polycarbonate back panel that helps keep the tablet in your hands without flexing against the body. Samsung also produces a number of specialized protective covers, as well as a keyboard case, which are secured using a pin that you will find on the back of the device.
Samsung used its own 8-core Exynos 5 system-on-a-chip (SoC), which debuted on . Technically it's 4 core ARM processor with a 1.9 GHz clock on Cortex A15 cores paired with a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor with Cortex A7 cores, which is used for less power-intensive procedures. Also available in stores is the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 LTE, which uses a quad-core Qualcomm processor Snapdragon 800 with a clock speed of 2.3 GHz. All models are generously equipped with 3 GB random access memory.
The review Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 was powered by an Exynos 5 processor and managed to achieve 1.014 ms in SunSpider JavaScript tests. This figure puts him head to head with Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet, which also did not bend in tests. The next test was 3DMark Ice Storm, designed to check the gaming performance of the device. The test recorded 9012 points in Ice Storm Extreme and 13648 points in Ice Storm Unlimited. This means the tablet is capable of smoothly and consistently playing any game available on Android today. In our tests of continuous video playback, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 worked for 10 hours and 55 minutes, showing a similar time.
Our Galaxy Tab S 8.4 worked on and Samsung included several own settings in Android OS. One of the most noticeable inclusions, of course, is multi-window mode, which allows you to use two applications simultaneously. This is useful when you're watching movies and want to open your browser to see, say, an actor's story. Not all applications support this mode, but there are enough of them. Kids Mode is also included in the tablet, creating a safe ecosystem for children with parental controls and a child-friendly user interface. All this means that you can safely leave the tablet with your child without additional supervision.
On the sides of the tablet you will find a traditional headphone jack, a Micro USB port that supports charging, a power button and a volume rocker. Interestingly, the tablet is equipped with an IR blaster to control your TV, and you will also find a MicroSD slot that supports memory cards up to 128GB. All this allows you to significantly expand the amount of internal memory, which is initially limited to 16 or 32 gigabytes. Stereo speakers are pleasant to hear, unlike traditional mono solutions. They are positioned so that your hands do not limit the sound of the tablet in landscape mode - standard problem, typical for most tablets from other manufacturers. The sound was loud enough to make it difficult to always use headphones, although the sound quality remains average.
Cameras and scanner
The front panel of the tablet shines with an 8.4-inch screen. Samsung is once again placing separate menu buttons under the display, which saves screen space and gives you soft tactile buttons. We have long been accustomed to this state of affairs on Samsung devices; the “Back” and “Tasks” buttons change places relative to the standard positioning on Android, which may at first be unusual after Android smartphones.
Similar to current flagship smartphone from Samsung, Samsung Galaxy S5, a fingerprint scanner has been included in the Home button, which offers you the most safe way unlock your device, log into your account Samsung or pay for anything using PayPal. You can register up to three fingers per user, and we found that the scanner worked consistently and in all conditions, always registering a fingerprint. Using a scanner is also significantly faster than entering codes or pattern unlocking the screen, and it remains the preferred solution for unlocking a device. Samsung is expected to open up the scanner API to supporter apps, so we're expecting a similar option in other apps in the future.
Above the display panel, you'll find the aforementioned RGB sensor and a front-facing 2-megapixel webcam. We found the camera to be quite passable for casual selfies, and it's certainly useful for Skype sessions as well. On the back of the device, you'll find an 8-megapixel camera, complete with an LED flash to help in low-light conditions, not common on most tablets. It's annoying that the camera blocks the flash if the battery charge drops below the set level in order to save money. However, if you plug the tablet into the network, the flash remains locked, a mystery.
Even though tablet cameras can't boast quality, we were pleased Galaxy images Tab S. The camera supports image stabilization for video and still frames, which even in low light conditions, with long shutter speeds, turned out to be quite decent. We also tried out HDR mode, panorama mode, time-lapse mode, and Dual Cam, which lets you use both cameras at the same time, a fun feature that debuted on the Samsung Galaxy S4. Overall, the camera shoots clear and very decent footage, which is characterized by excellent saturation and low noise.
Conclusion on SamsungGalaxyTabS 8.4
The review shows a beautiful tablet with an outstanding screen that beats out the iPad Mini Retina and Google Nexus 7. It's a thin, light Samsung tablet with great timing battery life, an amazing set of applications and amazing gaming performance. With a price tag of about 19,000 rubles, it will stand on the same shelf as the Apple iPad Mini Retina, another great tablet among small models. The iPad has some advantages when it comes to features and content (apps), but Android already boasts a powerful app library and a practical operating system.
Verdict:
A stunning screen and magical performance make the Galaxy S 8.4 the best Android tablet in a compact form factor.
Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.
Design
Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.
| Width Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 212.8 mm (millimeters) 21.28 cm (centimeters) 0.7 ft (feet) 8.38 in (inches) |
| Height Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 126.6 mm (millimeters) 12.66 cm (centimeters) 0.42 ft (feet) 4.98 in (inches) |
| Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units measurements. | 6.6 mm (millimeters) 0.66 cm (centimeters) 0.02 ft (feet) 0.26 in (inches) |
| Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement. | 298 g (grams) 0.66 lbs 10.51 oz (ounces) |
| Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. | 177.81 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 10.8 in³ (cubic inches) |
| Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale. | White Bronze Golden |
| Materials for making the case Materials used to make the device body. | Plastic |
SIM card
The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.
Mobile networks
A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.
| GSM GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is designed to replace the analogue mobile network (1G). For this reason, GSM is often called a 2G mobile network. It is improved by the addition of GPRS (General Packet Radio Services), and later EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) technologies. | GSM 850 MHz GSM 900 MHz GSM 1800 MHz GSM 1900 MHz |
| UMTS UMTS is an abbreviation for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. It is based on GSM standard and applies to 3G mobile networks. Developed by 3GPP and its biggest advantage is that it provides higher speed and spectral efficiency thanks to W-CDMA technology. | UMTS 850 MHz UMTS 900 MHz UMTS 1900 MHz UMTS 2100 MHz |
| LTE LTE (Long Term Evolution) is defined as a fourth generation (4G) technology. It is developed by 3GPP based on GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA to increase the capacity and speed of wireless mobile networks. The subsequent technology development is called LTE Advanced. | LTE 800 MHz LTE 850 MHz LTE 900 MHz LTE 1800 MHz LTE 2100 MHz LTE 2600 MHz |
Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds
Communication between devices on mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.
Operating system
An operating system is a system software that manages and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.
SoC (System on Chip)
A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on one chip.
| SoC (System on Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components, such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation. | Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 MSM8974AB |
| Technological process Information about technological process, on which the chip is made. Nanometers measure half the distance between elements in the processor. | 28 nm (nanometers) |
| Processor (CPU) The primary function of a mobile device's processor (CPU) is to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications. | Krait 400 |
| Processor size The size (in bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of the registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance compared to 32-bit processors, which in turn are more powerful than 16-bit processors. | 32 bit |
| Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands with which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute. | ARMv7 |
| Level 0 cache (L0) Some processors have L0 (level 0) cache, which is faster to access than L1, L2, L3, etc. The advantage of having such memory is not only higher performance, but also reduced power consumption. | 4 kB + 4 kB (kilobytes) |
| Level 1 cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently used data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small in size and works much faster than both system memory and other cache levels. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for it in the L2 cache. On some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2. | 16 kB + 16 kB (kilobytes) |
| Level 2 cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1 cache, but in return it has a higher capacity, allowing it to cache more data. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or in RAM memory. | 2048 kB (kilobytes) 2 MB (megabytes) |
| Number of processor cores The processor core performs program instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to be executed in parallel. | 4 |
| CPU clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 2300 MHz (megahertz) |
| Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) Graphics processing unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphic applications. In mobile devices, it is most often used by games, consumer interfaces, video applications, etc. | Qualcomm Adreno 330 |
| Number of cores GPU Like a CPU, a GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle graphics calculations for various applications. | 4 |
| GPU clock speed Speed of work is clock frequency GPU speed, which is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 578 MHz (megahertz) |
| Amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted. | 3 GB (gigabytes) |
| Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device. | LPDDR3 |
| Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels means more high speeds data transmission. | Dual channel |
| RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its operating speed, more specifically, the speed of reading/writing data. | 933 MHz (megahertz) |
Built-in memory
Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed capacity.
Memory cards
Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.
Screen
The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.
| Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the quality of the information image directly depends. | Super AMOLED |
| Diagonal For mobile devices, screen size is expressed by the length of its diagonal, measured in inches. | 8.4 in (inches) 213.36 mm (millimeters) 21.34 cm (centimeters) |
| Width Approximate screen width | 7.12 in (inches) 180.93 mm (millimeters) 18.09 cm (centimeters) |
| Height Approximate screen height | 4.45 in (inches) 113.08 mm (millimeters) 11.31 cm (centimeters) |
| Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side | 1.6:1 16:10 |
| Permission Screen resolution shows the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means clearer image detail. | 2560 x 1600 pixels |
| Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be displayed on the screen with clearer detail. | 359 ppi (pixels per inch) 141 ppcm (pixels per centimeter) |
| Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors that the screen can display. | 24 bit 16777216 flowers |
| Screen area Approximate percentage of screen area occupied by the screen on the front of the device. | 76.19% (percent) |
| Other characteristics Information about other screen features and characteristics. | Capacitive Multi-touch |
Sensors
Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.
Main camera
The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the body and is used for taking photos and videos.
| Sensor type Digital cameras use photo sensors to take photographs. The sensor, as well as optics, are one of the main factors in the quality of the camera in a mobile device. | CMOS BSI (backside illumination) |
| Sensor size | 3.6 x 2.7 mm (millimeters) 0.18 in (inches) |
| Pixel size | 1.103 µm (micrometers) 0.001103 mm (millimeters) |
| Crop factor | 9.61 |
| Diaphragm | f/2.4 |
| Focal length Focal length is the distance in millimeters from the photosensor to the optical center of the lens. The equivalent focal length is also indicated, providing the same field of view with a full frame camera. | 3.33 mm (millimeters) 32.02 mm (millimeters) *(35 mm / full frame) |
| Flash type The most common types of flashes in mobile device cameras are LED and xenon flashes. LED flashes produce softer light and, unlike brighter xenon flashes, are also used for video shooting. | LED |
| Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of mobile device cameras is their resolution, which shows the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in the image. | 3264 x 2448 pixels 7.99 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution when shooting video with the device. | 1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels) |
Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the device when shooting video at the maximum resolution. Some of the main standard video shooting and playback speeds are 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p. | 30fps (frames per second) |
| Characteristics Information about other software and hardware features related to the main camera and improving its functionality. | Autofocus Digital zoom Geographical tags |
Additional camera
Additional cameras are usually mounted above the device screen and are used mainly for video conversations, gesture recognition, etc.
| Sensor model Information about the manufacturer and model of the photo sensor used in the device's camera. | Samsung S5K6B2 |
| Sensor size Information about the dimensions of the photosensor used in the device. Typically, cameras with larger sensors and lower pixel densities offer higher image quality despite the lower resolution. | 2.4 x 1.8 mm (millimeters) 0.12 in (inches) |
| Pixel size The smaller pixel size of the photosensor allows more pixels per unit area, thereby increasing resolution. On the other hand, a smaller pixel size can have a negative impact on image quality at high ISO levels. | 1.25 µm (micrometers) 0.00125 mm (millimeters) |
| Crop factor The crop factor is the ratio between the dimensions of the full-frame sensor (36 x 24 mm, equivalent to a frame of standard 35 mm film) and the dimensions of the device's photosensor. The indicated number represents the ratio of the diagonals of the full-frame sensor (43.3 mm) and the photosensor of a particular device. | 14.42 |
| Diaphragm Aperture (f-number) is the size of the aperture opening that controls the amount of light reaching the photosensor. A lower f-number means the aperture opening is larger. | f/2.4 |
| Image Resolution Information about the maximum resolution of the additional camera when shooting. In most cases, the resolution of the secondary camera is lower than that of the main camera. | 1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution Information about the maximum supported video resolution additional camera. | 1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels) |
| Video - frame rate/frames per second. Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the secondary camera when shooting video at the maximum resolution. | 30fps (frames per second) |
Audio
Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.
Radio
The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.
Location determination
Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.
WiFi
Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between various devices of different types over short distances.
USB
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.
Headphone jack
This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Connecting devices
Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.
Browser
A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.
| Browser Information about some of the main characteristics and standards supported by the device's browser. | HTML HTML5 CSS 3 |
Audio file formats/codecs
Mobile devices support different audio file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital audio data.
Video file formats/codecs
Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.
Battery
Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge necessary for their functioning.
| Capacity A battery's capacity indicates the maximum charge it can hold, measured in milliamp-hours. | 4900 mAh (milliamp-hours) |
| Type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more precisely, the chemicals used. Exist different types batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries most often used in mobile devices. | Li-Ion (Lithium-ion) |
| 3G talk time 3G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 3G network. | 29 h (hours) 1740 min (minutes) 1.2 days |
| Characteristics Information about some additional characteristics device battery. | Fixed |
Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)
The SAR level refers to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body while using a mobile device.
| Head SAR level (EU) The SAR level indicates maximum amount electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device next to the ear in a conversation position. In Europe, the maximum permissible SAR value for mobile devices is limited to 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by CENELEC in accordance with IEC standards, subject to the guidelines of ICNIRP 1998. | 0.264 W/kg (Watt per kilogram) |
| Body SAR level (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device at hip level. The maximum permissible SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by the CENELEC Committee in compliance with the ICNIRP 1998 guidelines and IEC standards. | 0.989 W/kg (Watt per kilogram) |
| Head SAR level (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear. Maximum value, used in the USA, is 1.6 W/kg per 1 gram of human tissue. Mobile devices in the US are regulated by the CTIA, and the FCC conducts tests and sets their SAR values. | 0.63 W/kg (Watt per kilogram) |
| Body SAR level (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device at hip level. The highest permissible SAR value in the USA is 1.6 W/kg per 1 gram of human tissue. This value is set by the FCC, and the CTIA monitors mobile devices' compliance with this standard. | 1.56 W/kg (Watt per kilogram) |
What I didn't like
assembly (the case creaks at some points), if you play, the battery becomes like sugar - it melts before your eyes. The RAM is definitely not enough for good games, and judging by the lags, the percentages are also so-so
What I liked
cool display, reading mode, camera is not bad
What I didn't like
it is very thin and, as a result, very flimsy; when you squeeze the body, there is a crunching sound, i.e. The build quality and materials are poor even for a Samsung. remain instantly deep scratches and chips on the body due to light impacts and rubbing.
now software...
In some places (in some programs) I noticed that the gray color on the display is unevenly filled, perhaps the problem is in the software.
It froze tightly several times and there were incomprehensible and unfounded software glitches.
the price absolutely does not correspond to this device, i.e. The price/quality ratio is poor, especially considering that it is positioned as an assistant to a young active business person.
What I liked
bright colorful display, fast hardware
What I didn't like
The battery life is average for a tablet, even below average. As usual, the firmware from Samsung does not lag, but it lacks smoothness.
What I liked
Light, thin, chic display.
What I didn't like
What I liked
Display, dimensions.
What I didn't like
What I liked
Screen, speed, weight
What I didn't like
Few internal memory. Some applications are not installed on the card.
What I liked
Light, thin, fast. Doesn't freeze.
What I didn't like
A lot of unnecessary Google and Samsung software.
What I liked
Excellent display, hardware too (all games are great), camera (so great for a tablet), touchwiz too, build quality (probably got a good one), price-quality ratio.
What I didn't like
I didn't get the best assembly, the screen panel in one corner is poorly glued and creaks when pressed, top part screen (~5cm) at an angle displays white in pink, 8 cores are a scam :) in fact there are 4 active cores, the remaining 4 are weaker and are needed to work in economy mode, as a result the device loses in the benchmark even to the 5th Nexus :)
3GB of RAM is of course good, but at best there will be 500-700 free, because the rest is eaten up by the nasty touchwiz interface :(
What I liked
Lightweight, fast, relatively cheap
What I didn't like
Haven't found it yet
What I liked
Display, filling, price (if, as they wrote, you don’t buy the Rostest)
What I didn't like
autonomy (well, yes, this is the problem with all Android flagships).
What I liked
Compact, lightweight, productive
What I didn't like
1. The battery is certainly weak, but within normal limits, you don’t need to rush from charge to charge. But what if there are energy saving modes?
2. Applications have very small text (due to high pixel density). The size can be changed in the settings, but this will not affect many applications. My wife’s Tabs S 3 can see everything fine, but for me, you can at least grab a magnifying glass. I think how to get out, otherwise my eyes get very tired
3. Feature of the screen - different shades at different angles. That is, if you twist it, color changes are noticeable. In principle, it doesn’t interfere much.
4. On the second day I noticed dead pixel(green on black). I didn't find it on the third. Thought about it.
What I liked
1. Excellent screen with rich colors, which can be slightly adjusted 2. Dimensions and weight 3. Fast operation 4. Large RAM 5. Very quickly catches and connects to wifi networks. Connected to the iPhone (in the form of a modem) with a bang 6. Watching movies was a blast. Unlike the iPad, the resolution is just cinematic.
Article Index
Page 1: Test and review: Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 LTE (SM-T705) – tablet with Super AMOLED screen
With two Galaxy tablets Tab S Korean manufacturer Samsung is targeting users who are demanding about display quality. And after the “older” model, we are pleased to present a test of the Galaxy Tab S 8.4, which, despite the smaller diagonal, pleases with a display with Super AMOLED technology and extremely high resolution.
Galaxy Tab PRO tablets with diagonals of 8.4 and 10.1 inches are already selling quite successfully on the market, so the introduction of two more Galaxy Tab S models with the same diagonals seems strange at first. Still, Samsung has already quite well satisfied all users who need a powerful and stylish Android tablet with a high-resolution screen, two Galaxy Tab Pro models. But the release of the Galaxy Tab S family is justified not so much by the display resolution as by the matrix technology.
Super AMOLED displays promise infinite depth of blacks, the brightness of which approaches zero, resulting in record-high contrast and very rich colors. , it really kept the manufacturer's promises. But the 10.5" diagonal cannot be called compact. If you need compact tablet with a Super AMOLED screen (which, by the way, is also cheaper), then pay attention to the Galaxy Tab S 8.4.
If you look at the specifications, the “younger” Samsung tablet is in no way inferior to its “big brother”. With the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 we get largely identical characteristics:
A complete list of features is available at last page review.
With the “junior” Galaxy Tab S we also get a very high resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 pixels. Samsung also used a powerful Exynos 5420 Octa SoC with four power-efficient Cortex-A7 cores and four powerful Cortex-A15 cores. Depending on the required performance, one or another group of cores is selected. Of course, the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 is much more compact than the 10.5-inch model. But the thickness has not changed - 6.6 mm, so both Galaxy Tab S tablets can be called very thin. But the weight of the “younger” model has changed, decreasing from 467 g to 298 g. Slightly smaller iPad tablets The Mini with Retina display is even heavier at 331g ( Wi-Fi version) or 341 g (3G version).
Of course, in addition to the different size and weight, we also get other differences between the two Galaxy Tab S tablets: the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 uses a battery with a capacity of 3,000 mAh less. But the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 is cheaper. Wireless version without 3G (SM-T700) will cost from 13.3 thousand rubles in Russia or from 380 euros in Europe. The tested LTE option (SM-T705) – from 17.0 thousand rubles in Russia or from 470 euros in Europe. Compared to a 10.5-inch tablet, the savings are about 3.5 thousand rubles.
It would seem that relatively little time has passed since the release of the Galaxy Tab Pro line, but Samsung has already announced a new Tab S line, designed to become the flagship among all the company’s tablets.
Equipment
- Tablet
- Charger
- PC cable (also part of the charger)
- Wired headset
Come to us for a test samsung tablets traditionally come without fully equipped, so I can’t demonstrate it in photographs.
Appearance, materials, control elements, assembly
It's been a year now Samsung company does not pay enough attention to the design of its devices; they all look pretty boring and very similar to each other. On the other hand, if you're looking at a Samsung tablet, you'll likely recognize it immediately by its rounded edges and physical button below the screen.
The bezel of the tablet is made of golden plastic, this is the first time the company has used such a solution; before, the bezel was always silver.
Rear end The body is made of perforated plastic, stylized as leather. In terms of tactile sensations, this plastic is more similar to the material used in the Galaxy S5, and not to the plastic from the Galaxy Note 3. You can also find two “buttons” there; they are needed for branded accessories.
On the front side there is an 8.4-inch display, above it there are light and proximity sensors, a front camera, and a mesh conversational dynamics(in the tablet version with 3G).
Below the display you can see a physical Home button with a built-in fingerprint scanner, as well as touch-sensitive Recent Apps and Back buttons. It is important to note here that the physical button protrudes slightly above the rest of the tablet’s surface, so erroneous presses are possible in the backpack. In principle, this can be solved by installing fingerprint unlocking, but it was worth noting this problem.
On the right side there is a power button, a volume rocker, an infrared port and plugs for a microSDHC memory card and a microSIM SIM card.
At the bottom there are microUSB and 3.5 mm headphone jacks.
Stereo speakers were installed on the sides of the tablet. They have excellent (for a tablet) clear and loud sound, there are no complaints about their sound. But in terms of location, it is important to note one feature: if you hold the tablet in horizontal mode physical button on the right, you will cover the speakers with your palms, so you need to hold it so that the Home button is on the left.
I have no complaints about the assembly of the device, all the parts fit tightly together, the buttons do not “dangle”.
Dimensions
The size and weight of the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 is one of its key advantages. With a diagonal of 8.4 inches, this tablet weighs less than 300 grams and is only 6.6 mm thick. These dimensions are, frankly, impressive, especially when you compare them with the dimensions of competitors.
Screen
Perhaps the main event in Galaxy line Tab S. Samsung was finally able to make a SuperAMOLED matrix with a large diagonal and high resolution. Screen diagonal - 8.4 inches, matrix type - SuperAMOLED HD, resolution - 2560x1600 pixels, screen covered protective glass, oleophobic coating is present. Interestingly, Samsung is gradually increasing the screen diagonal without compromising the overall size of the devices, this is largely due to the decreasing thickness of the side frames (and this is the advantage of the Tab S line).
Let me remind you that the main advantages of SuperAMOLED matrices are low power consumption (especially when displaying black) and bright, rich colors. For lovers of calm color range the tablet has the ability fine tuning display. However, I note that even after such adjustments, such a screen will be inferior to IPS matrices in terms of natural color rendering.
From left to right - Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.4 Pro, Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4, Apple iPad Mini Retina, Google Nexus 7 2013
Another drawback of the display is the shift to green tones when displaying white. In fact, during normal use you won't even notice it, but when directly compared with competitors, the difference is visible to the naked eye.
From left to right - Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.4 Pro, Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4, Apple iPad Mini Retina, Google Nexus 7 2013
Unfortunately, unlike Tab 7.7, it uses a matrix without the “+” sign, which automatically implies the presence of PenTile. Well, let's talk a little about him. PenTile really exists, and if you look closely, you can even see it. But in fact, in most use cases it is invisible. The only scenario in which you are guaranteed to see it is when viewing text with very small font. This font will look less clear than on the same Galaxy Tab 8.4 Pro.
Another advantage of the display of this particular line is its excellent behavior when artificial light. I don’t know whether you noticed or not, but when watching a video on the same subway, you have to turn the tablet’s brightness to maximum, and you can still see glare or reflections of your own face. The Galaxy Tab S 8.4 does not have such a problem: with a brightness of 80-90%, you see the image perfectly and can enjoy watching your favorite TV series or movie.
operating system
The tablets run Android 4.4.2 with the proprietary TouchWiz shell latest generation. We have a separate article by Eldar Murtazin devoted to all aspects of this shell; those who wish to familiarize themselves with it can follow the link.
Below I will provide several screenshots of the shell.
As for updating the tablet to Android L, then this moment There is no reliable information on this matter.
Performance
There will be two modifications of the tablet on sale, differing in chipsets. The first will use Samsung's own Exynos Octa 5420 platform as a chipset (let me remind you that a similar chipset was used in the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 N9000) with big.LITTLE technology (two quad-core processors are used, one on Cortex A7 architecture with a frequency of 1.3 GHz, the other on Cortex A15 with a frequency of 1.9 GHz), the Mali-T628 is responsible for graphics (c OpenGL support 3.0).
The second modification will be built on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset with a quad-core processor operating at 2.3 GHz.
The amount of RAM is 3(!) GB in both versions, the capacity of the internal storage depends on the version (16/32/GB), there is a slot for a memory card, cards with a capacity of up to 128 GB are supported.
Performance information can traditionally be divided into two parts: heavy gaming and everyday use. The tablet copes with any games with a bang, but in part normal use there are a number of complaints against him. First of all, this is the slowdown that has already become a Samsung signature when flipping through desktops. They are especially visible when switching between the Magazine UI and regular desktops. Sometimes you can also see slight stuttering in the application menu.
You know, it sincerely upsets me that in 2014, when Project Butter and other optimization technologies have long been released, Samsung tablets still slow down when scrolling through desktops and application menus.
Autonomous operation
The tablet has a non-removable battery with a capacity of 4900 mAh.
In reading mode (30% brightness, airplane mode on), the tablet was discharged in 14 hours 14 minutes.
In HD video viewing mode, the device's charge lasted for 11 hours and 26 minutes (maximum brightness, airplane mode on).
For everyday use, you can expect 2-3 days of battery life, depending on usage (when using mobile internet this is exactly two days).
I would like to comment a little on the tablet’s results when playing HD video - these are very good performance, making the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 one of the most interesting offers for fans of watching movies on long trips. Separately, I note that this tablet, like the Galaxy S5, has an emergency power saving mode, in which the screen switches to black and white mode and only the most basic functions are available.
Camera
The tablet has a main 8 MP camera with autofocus and LED flash. Permission front camera- 2.1 MP. With this tablet you can easily shoot text or take a couple of landscape photos, but it is important to understand that this is not a camera, or even a top-end smartphone with a cool camera, so you should not expect miracles from this camera.
Wireless interfaces
Mobile network - the version with a 3G module works in 2G (GSM/GPRS/EDGE, 850/900/1800/1900 MHz), 3G (900/2100 MHz) and 4G (2600 MHz) cellular networks. In addition to data transfer, you can also make calls from the tablet. 4G support is even available in models with Exynos Octa 5420; apparently, an external modem is used.
Wi-Fi (b/g/n)- in the settings you can enable “distribution” of mobile Internet from using Wi-Fi, and also use file transfer using Wi-Fi Direct. One of the nice features is support for dual-band Wi-Fi.
Bluetooth 4.0– all are supported popular profiles, including A2DP.
GPS- A cold start takes no more than 10 seconds, there are no complaints about the operation of the module.
IR port- to use the tablet as a remote control for equipment, the device already has a pre-installed program for working with the infrared port.
Fingerprint's scanner
This tablet, like the Galaxy S5, has a fingerprint scanner.
To unlock the screen using your fingerprint, you just need to swipe your finger from the edge of the screen across the scanner from top to bottom. In my sample, this function did not work as well as in the iPhone 5s; sometimes the device responded to the fingerprint only the second or third time.
In addition to simple unlocking, you can also use the scanner to protect your data and log in to PayPal. And a few more words about safety. When fingerprint screen unlocking is enabled, you will not be able to reset the tablet without authorization; this is additional protection against thieves.
Conclusion
The tablet has already gone on sale at the following price - 20,000 rubles for the version with Wi-Fi and 23,000 rubles for the Wi-Fi + 4G version.
For this money you get a thin and light tablet with a huge, high-quality display (and at the same time relatively compact dimensions) and long battery life. Disadvantages - slowdown in TouchWiz.
Competitors
The key competitor that the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 will fight with. The iPad Mini has a more readable aspect ratio, great design, and a high-quality aluminum body. On top of all that, there are a lot of cool games and apps for this tablet. Android is still catching up in this regard (although the situation is gradually changing, for example, Foursquare is available for Android tablets, but it is still not available for iPad). On the side of the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 is a more convenient screen for watching videos and longer time work, as well as better dimensions (the tablet is thinner and lighter).
By the way, the situation with the price is interesting. So the iPad Mini Retina 16 GB + Wi-Fi now costs 16,000 rubles, and the version with 4G will cost you 21,000 rubles, while the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 costs 20,000 and 23,000 rubles for the corresponding versions. Amazing situation. However, when purchasing the Galaxy Tab S 8.4, you can increase the memory capacity using a microSDHC card; the iPad Mini Retina does not have this option.
If you are not ready to put up with TouchWiz brakes, iOS limitations, and also want to save money, then I confidently recommend this tablet for purchase. Small, compact, very fast and receiving current updates from Google. The same Galaxy Tab S 8.4 is inferior in thickness and weight, as well as battery life in video mode.
My conclusion is quite simple: if you plan to do a lot of reading and gaming on your tablet, and also use the browser a lot, then get the iPad Mini Retina. If you watch videos more often, and games with web surfing take less time, look at Galaxy side Tab S 8.4. And the Nexus 7 2013 is suitable for those who want to save money, but still buy a quality tablet.
| Specifications | |
| System | |
| operating system | Android |
| Support | Android 4.4 |
| Processor/chipset | Samsung Exynos 5420 1900 MHz |
| Number of Cores | 8 |
| RAM | 3 GB |
| Built-in memory | 16 GB |
| Memory card support | microSDXC, up to 128 GB |
| Screen | |
| Screen | 8.4", 2560x1600 |
| Widescreen | Yes |
| Screen type | Super AMOLED Plus, glossy |
| Touch screen | capacitive, multi-touch |
| Pixels per inch (PPI) | 359 |
| Video processor | Mali-T628 MP6 |
| Wireless connection | |
| Wi-Fi support | yes, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, WiFi Direct |
| Bluetooth support | yes, Bluetooth 4.0, A2DP |
| mobile connection | 3G, HSPA+, LTE |
| Infrared port | There is |
| Camera | |
| Rear camera | yes, 8 million pixels. |
| Rear camera features | flash, autofocus |
| Front-camera | yes, 2.1 million pixels. |
| Sound | |
| Built-in speakers | yes, stereo sound |
| Built-in microphone | There is |
| Functionality | |
| GPS | There is |
| GLONASS | There is |
| Automatic screen orientation | There is |
| Sensors | accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, proximity sensor, light sensor |
| Format support | |
| Audio | AAC, WMA, WAV, OGG, FLAC, MP3 |
| Video | WMV, MP4 |
| Connection | |
| Connecting to a computer via USB | There is |
| Connection external devices via USB | optional |
| MHL support | There is |
| Audio/headphone output | yes, 3.5 mm |
| Connecting a headset | There is |
| Nutrition | |
| Opening hours (music) | 80 h |
| Opening hours (video) | 12 h |
| Battery capacity | 4900 mAh |
| Dimensions and weight | |
| Dimensions (LxWxD) | 212.6x125.5x6.6 mm |
| Weight | 294 g |
| Additional Information | |
| Housing material | plastic |
| Equipment | tablet, USB cable, OTG cable, network adapter, instructions |
| Peculiarities | support for M4A, 3GA, OGA, AMR, AWB, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, 3GP, 3G2, ASF, AVI, FLV, WEBM formats; Fingerprint's scanner |