Galaxy Tab S8+ propels Samsung closer to Apple's dominance in the tablet space

Specs at a glance:

Name: Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+

Price: Rs 87,999

Specs: 12.4-inch OLED display, 1753x2800p resolution, SPen support, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, 8GB RAM, 128GB storage, microSD support, WiFi, WiFi Direct, Bluetooth, Android OS, 572 grams, 11,200mAh battery

Colour: Graphite, Pink Gold, Silver

In the box: S8+ tablet, SPen, Type C data cable
 
Apple had been the undisputed king of tablets for over a decade. But if looking for a tablet outside the Apple ecosystem, Samsung's offering has always been worth considering. With the new Galaxy Tab S8+, Samsung has managed to diminish the gap even further and has inched closer to the iPad dominance.

Competing against the best (read iPad) is no easy task, but Samsung has left no stone unturned - right from the first impression of holding the tab to functionality. Of the three models introduced in this year's line-up, the Galaxy Tab S8+ sits comfortably between the top-end Tab S8 Ultra and Tab S8. Even though the 12-inch tablet has an Armor Aluminum casing to guard against all sorts of bumps and drops, it doesn't feel heavy to hold. Instead, I was in love with the vibrant 12.4-inch OLED display with 1753 x 2800p resolutions. Be it browsing the web, streaming video content or putting my artistic talent to the paper (well, tablet), the screen did not disappoint. 

The touch response was very intuitive. I found the tablet comfortable to hold in the portrait mode while reading e-books and browsing the web, and in the landscape mode for all other activities including documentation, streaming videos, gaming or answering video calls. Sketching and taking notes using SPen worked well in both modes. When held in landscape position, the volume button and the power button were at the top right bezel and the USB Type-C was on the right. Samsung couldn't find a place to add the 3.5 mm port to this sleek tablet. One thing I liked about that tab is the camera placement for video calls. Unlike the iPad which works better in portrait mode, this one is more ideal to be used in landscape mode. 

Speakers have been added to both the left and right edges, making the tab great for audio experiences like watching a movie or even when on video calls. But while playing games in landscape mode, I often ended up covering the speakers. Complementing the great look and finish is the glass strip at the rear in black that houses the camera, and also snaps SPen magnetically, where it not just stays put and draws the charge.

SPen is Samsung's digital stylus, which has a nice soft finish and isn't on the heavier size. Similar to the size of a pen, the grip comes naturally, making it convenient to scribble or draw on the tab. And the smooth touch response, without any latency, manages to replicate the paper-pencil experience. What I loved the most was the pre-installed set of apps for using the Pen stylus. Right from creating notes to penning a live message, adding highlights to the screenshot to drawing doodles, all this is accessible without having to install any third-party app. One can install more from the Play Store depending upon the need. Bundling the SPen with the tablet is a smart move from Samsung as it saves additional cost (Apple Pencil is not bundled with Apple iPad), making it a smart investment for creative professionals including illustrators, fashion and interior designers, among others.

This kind of creative work requires good computing power. The Tab S8+ is powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and in terms of performance, there wasn't anything to complain about. Other than drawing and sketching, I used it for gaming, editing videos and using the Chrome browser with multiple tabs on the desktop site. The split-screen too comes in handy, especially when I was filing articles. I had Google docs opened on one side and the email on the other. The only downside to this tablet is that the Android OS doesn't feel as refined as Apple's iPad OS, and it's Google to be blamed and not Samsung. For instance, the Chrome browser still opens pages in the mobile version whereas on the iPad it's a desktop-class browser.
 
For experiencing the tab as a productivity machine, Samsung had shared the Book cover Keyboard. It is wrapped around the tablet as a book cover, protecting it from accidental drops and scratches. It holds the tablet at a 60-degree angle, making it convenient to consume content. The other side houses the keyboard bringing a laptop-style experience, which was a let-down. Firstly, the keyboard cover, that snaps using the magnets, doesn't hold the tablet firmly. Every time I closed the tablet face down on the keyboard, it ended up losing the connection from the rear, increasing the chances of accidentally damaging the tablet if not handled carefully.  Unlike the strong connection on the Magic keyboard with the iPad, this loose connectivity makes it almost impossible to use it while travelling by car. Also, the travel between the keys wasn't great and the keys made a lot of noise while typing. 

Another feature I feel Samsung missed out on was the trackpad, which Apple has incorporated into its Magic Keyboard. Although the latter is priced almost double the Samsung's Book Cover Keyboard, someone who is spending around 90k wouldn't bother much about spending another Rs 15,000 for the expediency and experience.

The tablet is backed up with a good battery backup that lasted about five days with average usage. Even when I tried using this tab as my primary machine, it easily lasted me around eight hours of usage with still 20 per cent charge left. But for charging this tablet, you will have to invest in a high volt power adapter as it isn't a part of the box.

Verdict: All in all, the solid build quality, superb display, digital stylus and a processor capable of handling heavy graphic load make the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+ a great value proposition for tablet users including creative professionals. But the Keyboard cover (available separately) fails to impress and falls short of this tablet being used as a laptop alternative.

Also read: Samsung launches its premium Neo QLED 8K and 4K TVs in India, price starts at Rs 1.15 lakh

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