GADGET GIZMO SPECIAL
REVIEW OF
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5
Price: Rs 44,800
NEW DELHI: All tablets are not the same — and this point will be driven home in the first five minutes of holding and using Samsung's new Tab S. Sure, there are certain similarities with the other Galaxy tablets but this one in particular feels like it's from the future. The combination of the super-thin bezels, light weight, extraordinary 6.6mm thickness and gorgeous super amoled display make for a device that is nothing short of an engineering marvel.
The iPad Air — already a super-thin device at 7.5mm is easily bested here — the achievement is further highlighted by the fact that the Tab S feels solid to hold and use (no creaking or flexing at all). The back cover is not removable — there are two slots for a SIM card and micro SD (up to 128GB expansion supported). The dimpled back cover and gold metallic surround look premium.
The Touchwiz interface is still present — with a little help from Flipboard. You also get the multi-window interface with a little update — you can swipe in from the right edge to pull up the app list. You'll never be wanting for performance and everything zips along smoothly — even with full HD video and another app running side-by-side. The camera is great for macro and with good light — so it falls short of the premium Galaxy phones but still great for a tablet.
The pricing seems deliberate: just undercutting the iPad Air (16GB cellular) while offering a whole lot more (4G, calling, expandable memory, USB host, better display, IR emitter, fingerprint sensor, lots of bundled content and so on). Android lovers should instantly see the value proposition though we feel that users of older generation iPads should also give this one a close look before upgrading.
Ultimately, while the Tab S is close to perfect, we still chose to dock half a star simply because of the lack of choice. Not everyone wants to buy the expensive, full-loaded 3G/4G version with calling. A Wi-Fi only version would bring the price down substantially, making the price more palatable considering that there are cheaper iPads around.
By Hitesh Raj Bhagat, ET 140721
NEW DELHI: All tablets are not the same — and this point will be driven home in the first five minutes of holding and using Samsung's new Tab S. Sure, there are certain similarities with the other Galaxy tablets but this one in particular feels like it's from the future. The combination of the super-thin bezels, light weight, extraordinary 6.6mm thickness and gorgeous super amoled display make for a device that is nothing short of an engineering marvel.
The iPad Air — already a super-thin device at 7.5mm is easily bested here — the achievement is further highlighted by the fact that the Tab S feels solid to hold and use (no creaking or flexing at all). The back cover is not removable — there are two slots for a SIM card and micro SD (up to 128GB expansion supported). The dimpled back cover and gold metallic surround look premium.
The Touchwiz interface is still present — with a little help from Flipboard. You also get the multi-window interface with a little update — you can swipe in from the right edge to pull up the app list. You'll never be wanting for performance and everything zips along smoothly — even with full HD video and another app running side-by-side. The camera is great for macro and with good light — so it falls short of the premium Galaxy phones but still great for a tablet.
The pricing seems deliberate: just undercutting the iPad Air (16GB cellular) while offering a whole lot more (4G, calling, expandable memory, USB host, better display, IR emitter, fingerprint sensor, lots of bundled content and so on). Android lovers should instantly see the value proposition though we feel that users of older generation iPads should also give this one a close look before upgrading.
Ultimately, while the Tab S is close to perfect, we still chose to dock half a star simply because of the lack of choice. Not everyone wants to buy the expensive, full-loaded 3G/4G version with calling. A Wi-Fi only version would bring the price down substantially, making the price more palatable considering that there are cheaper iPads around.
By Hitesh Raj Bhagat, ET 140721
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