The Tablet King – A Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 Review

With nearly every American owning a Smartphone, manufacturers look for new ways to create income. Smartphone renewals in the US are commonly performed every two years, so keeping up with the latest and greatest technology can be difficult.

Tablets are a great way to have a home mobile device and stay up-to-date on technology. There are an assortment of different brands, styles, types, operating systems, etc. for the tablet market so finding the right one can be difficult.

As a user of a Windows tablet, I know their functionality isn’t for everyone but Android just has something special that creates an easy to use yet functional operating system.

When searching online for a new tablet, there are some guidelines that you should follow, such as sticking with a known-name brand, outstanding quality, offers a lot of features, and is easy to use. You could follow the group of the Apple user and their “new” products every year, but my recommendation has always been to stay in the Android market. You’ll find excellent quality at a great price.

For the past few years, Samsung has been working hard and has created a name for themselves in the mobile market. The Korean manufacturer is known for quality and for having some of the best devices on the market. Their Galaxy lineup offers some of the best Android phones on the market and their creation of the Galaxy S5 has been a huge success.

Welcome to my Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 review. Throughout this in-depth review I will be covering the following topics: the design, user interface, features, and my final thoughts. I would like to thank Samsung for providing me with the Tab S.

The Design

Straight out of the box, the Tab S reveals the familiar elegant design that comes with Samsung devices. Reminding me of the Samsung Galaxy S5 I reviewed here, the Tab S supports a design that appears to be a supersized S5.

A physical overview of the Tab S exposes a front 2.1MP facing camera, a fingerprint home button, capacitive multitasking and back buttons, followed by the wonderful 8.4” Super AMOLED display. Around the sides are a MicroSD card expansion slot, IR blaster, and volume and power buttons; the left side supports a smooth clean look. The top of the unit mirrors the left whereas the bottom contains the MicroUSB charging slot and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The back of the Tab S has a rubberized dimpled material that is found on new mobile Samsung devices. Additionally, the Tab S has two push buttons to connect to Samsung’s proprietary covers. Some criticize Samsung’s usage for the rubberized material, but personally I find it acceptable and welcome the rear cover.

As one of the thinnest tablets on the market, the Tab S measures in at 6.6mm thick which is even thinner than Apple’s iPad Mini at 7.5mm. The tablet has a longer form factor than an iPad, but this longer length provides excellent one handed usage. Without a case, I can walk around without my hand becoming sore or feel like I am going to drop the tablet. This feeling is constant between horizontal and vertical positioning.

Continuing on with the materials, the housing of the tablet is a mix of aluminum but mostly plastic, and has a glossy gold metal band that wraps around the sides. The front is presumably Gorilla Glass 3, and thanks to the metal band, has a slight beveled edge.

Branded and marketed as a vertical tablet, Samsung intends users to use the tablet upright rather than in portrait mode. With dimensions of 8.37” x 4.94” x 0.26”, the Tab S support small side boards for your palms to rest on and I found that horizontal positioning was more relaxing and enjoyable.

Moving on, there is the large, colorful, and excellent Super AMOLED 2560×1600 display. Having a display size of 8.4”, the Tab S provides one of the best viewing experiences I’ve ever seen on a tablet. The resolution of 2560×1600 makes text crystal clear and viewing angles are excellent without color shift. Video playback in Full 1600p HD, provides any movie lover a great experience and even allows for small detail items to be seen when zoomed.

Finally, the Tab S is available as a Wi-Fi or Network capable device and comes in three colors, Dazzling White, Titanium Brown, and Charcoal Gray. Sent to me was the lovely Dazzling White that provides a premium effect that I personally enjoy.

The User Interface

Running Android 4.4.2 KitKat straight-out of the box, the Tab S sticks to its roots by incorporating Samsung’s TouchWiz overlay that is found on all Samsung Android devices.

Users will immediately notice the massive amount of preinstalled software on the Tab S. Unlike Apple devices, manufacturers of Android devices have full rights to install any software they please before it is sent to the user. To make matters worse, this bloatware cannot be uninstalled from the device, but only hidden from sight. My review unit of the Tab S is the Wi-Fi edition, and I would expect Network capable devices to have even more bloatware installed from their carrier.

Regardless of the bloatware, the Tab S supports Samsung iconic TouchWiz user overlay for Android. Users will receive colorful backgrounds, icons, and features followed by the typical Google add-ons. Samsung installs applications for videos, music player, user customization, newspaper, and more. Any previous or current Android user will expect to see the normal preinstalled applications found on nearly all Android devices.

Next, there is Samsung’s new Multi User Mode. By signing on to the tablet using a finger print, the tablet can support different profiles for a family optimized tablet. Parents will also find the Kids Mode helpful as they can control application downloads, internet usage, and playtime.

Moreover, the Tab S has the ability to mirror your Samsung phone onto the Tab S. By using Samsung’s SideSync application, users will have the ability to mirror their Samsung phone to their tablet, gaining full access to the phone. Likewise, this application carries over to your Windows PC by allowing you to mirror your tablet on your PC! This is an excellent application and it becomes useful at times.

Finally, the Tab S carries over the major features of the Galaxy S5 like low battery saver, Multi Window, Samsung Safe, Bluetooth 4.0, and Magazines. In the end, the user operation of the Tab S feels identical to a Galaxy S5 and very little has changed. One user element that I do very much enjoy is the weather application displaying on the lock screen which shows the current weather.

Features and Specifications

Although I have covered a lengthily list of features and design aspects, there’s even more to cover in terms of features. The Tab S so far has offered a great experience and is easy to learn for new Android lovers, even though there may be bloatware to confuse them.

Beginning with one of the neatest features, if you swipe your finger against the home button you will enable Samsung’s Fingerprint touch sensor. With the ability to pay for services, unlock the devices, and use PayPal, the fingerprint sensor is a great addition to the Tab S. It provides an ultra-security for the device followed by an easy method for unlocking. Of course you are always free to not use the fingerprint sensor if you wish for your fingers to stay private.

Users will also welcome the included IR Blaster of the Tab S. Located on the right side of the unit, you will have the ability to change volume, adjust the channel, or configure settings for your TV all with your tablet. It becomes an all-in-one remote for multiple TVs and other devices.

Next, the rear facing camera of the Tab S shoots an 8.0 megapixel shot with single LED flash. Inside the camera application, users will find different shooting modes, as well as, 1080p video recording. Users should note that when taking a photo, the Tab S will shoot a 6 megapixel (3264×1836) shot to create a 16:9 photo. Even with the capability of a 8 megapixel (3264×2448), users will find that 8MP shots will produce a 4:3 shot.

Powered by a Samsung Exynos 5 Octa processor clocked at 1.3GHz and running alongside 3GB of memory, the Tab S is a powerful beast that can handle anything you throw at it. With 16GB of onboard storage and ability to upgrade, users should find that games will run smoothly and there is plenty of real-estate on the 360ppi display to play without your fingers getting in the way.

Both the Chrome and Samsung browsers are installed and support Java, Flash, and HTML 5 for easy viewing. Additionally, the tablet has a GPS sensor for websites to quickly find your location to better optimize the website.

Finally, all of this is powered by the 4,900mAh power plant. Even with all day usage, the Tab S surpassed my iPad’s battery and held a constant screen brightness throughout the entire day. If the battery happens to get low, there’s always the battery saver application that sets the tablet into a low, low power saving mode.

My Final Thoughts

In conclusion, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 is a superb tablet that any user will come to enjoy. It welcomes the previous Android users and invites new users to this market. Just like the remaining Galaxy lineup, the Tab S has that premium style and is jam-packed with features that will always come in handy. For $399.99, the tablet reaches out to the high paying users and you may think twice before purchasing. I can say, however, that the Tab S is an excellent device and well worth it. If you happen to pick up the unit; you will not be disappointed.

Buy it Now:

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