All types of samsung galaxy tab s2. Samsung Galaxy Tab S2, the best Android tablet – TechnObor Review. Connectors and controls

At the beginning of 2017, Samsung showed the third updated version of its tablet line Galaxy Tab 3. Its main competitor was and remains the previous generation model. And this is not a problem for the company, but for the entire tablet market. That's why Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 SM-T719 LTE 32GB is still a great choice in as Android devices and the main one, which is in many ways superior to its analogue Apple iPad.

The S line is considered the flagship line for Samsung smartphones and tablets. Therefore, even outdated components after two years do not affect the performance of the devices. Central and GPUs, which were installed in top smartphones and tablets two or three years ago, are enough even for complex modern programs.

Appearance

The Tab S2 looks standard by Samsung standards and not bad compared to other tablets on the market. It has narrow frames on the sides, and wide enough at the top and bottom to make it comfortable to hold while watching a movie or playing games.

At the bottom there is a hardware “home” button, a touch “back” button, and a “list of recent applications”. Obviously, they migrated from smartphones, but on such a wide body I would like to have more noticeable indents.

The back of the tablet is made of soft-touch plastic. This is done for ease of grip. At the top is the main camera, which protrudes slightly above the body. When using a cover, this is completely compensated for. Closer to right side two small holes that are used for proprietary protection.

Dimensions are almost standard: 134.8 x 198.6 x 5.6 mm. Weighs 272 grams. So thin and light it is almost not felt when worn.

On the bottom edge there are two speakers hidden behind grilles, micro-USB, and a microphone. On the right is the power button, volume rocker, nano-SIM and memory card slot.

Sold in the usual black and white colors.

Performance

Some versions of this model used a processor from Samsung - Exynos 5433, but it was the SM-T719 that installed the Qualcomm MSM8976 chip - Snapdragon 652. For the average user, these names mean little. But both options will confidently run games, work with several processes simultaneously, and play 4K video. Moreover, the tablet still 3 GB random access memory .

Antutu shows 47000 points. Although the figure may vary slightly.

As the name suggests, here 32 GB internal memory . The user has access to 24, but you can install memory cards up to 128. Since the tablet was updated to 6th Android versions , it will be used as a system partition, including for installing applications.

Display

The screen of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 tablet was the best on the market at the time of its release. Two years later, it will give odds to most tablets, second only to new models from the same company.

Display with 7.9 inches diagonal made using SuperAMOLED technology. Resolution – 2048x1536 pixels. This gives 326 ppi, high for tablets. Aspect ratio – 4:3.

The device has automatic brightness adjustment. The sensor helps in bright sunshine. Installed system utility to change the screen mode. It can be used to increase saturation when watching movies, games, or, conversely, to decrease it if AMOLED colors are off-putting.

Battery

The battery capacity is surprising - only 4000 mAh. But it’s worth remembering about the energy-efficient chipset and AMOLED, which greatly saves battery by turning off unnecessary pixels.

If cellular communication If you don’t use it and turn on the Internet only via Wi-Fi, then with an average load it will last for a day. If you insert a SIM card, then the operating time will noticeably decrease, and the screen will last for 2-3 hours.

There is an extreme power saving mode in which the background turns black. This means that most of the screen is turned off. Data transfer is limited. When fully charged in this mode, the tablet will last 4-5 days.

Wireless interfaces

This tablet model supports latest versions Wi-Fi, LTE. Bluetooth 4.1. Navigation using GPS, GLONASS.

The lack of infrared ports, NFC and, accordingly, the lack of Samsung Pay. The tablet doesn’t really need them, but given its positioning as a flagship, this fact is frustrating. After all, Samsung made a thin device that you can always carry with you, but they did not provide modern features such as contactless payments.

Camera

Samsung is doing wisely in this direction. Their smartphones have some of the best cameras on the market, and in tablets - those that can be useful on a device 20 cm long. However, they are still the best among tablets.

In Tab S2 8 megapixel main, 2.1 megapixel front. There are no flashes.

There are plenty of possibilities for shooting if necessary, for photographing documents and selfies, especially in good weather conditions.

The program has seven modes at once:

auto;
panorama;
virtual shooting;
rich tones (HDR);
post effect;
dual camera.

Three deserve special attention.

In mode virtual shooting the user can, by moving around an object, create a full 3D model of it.

Although HDR makes pictures brighter and more saturated, the process is done in software, so you shouldn’t expect particularly high quality.

The post effect allows you to change some photo settings after shooting. Dual camera creates 2 photos from the main and front cameras in one image at once.

operating system

Initially, the Galaxy Tab S2 ran on Android 5.0, but over time it was updated to version 6. On top is the usual TouchWiz. Unfortunately, it is still quite changed compared to standard Android. Not everyone will like or suit such an overly bright design, but in terms of functionality there are no problems. All built-in programs voice control- very high level.

As always, Samsung offers its users many different gifts: internal storage in OneDrive, subscription to Bookmate, Amediateka.

The hardware button has a fingerprint sensor for unlocking using a fingerprint.

Advantages and disadvantages

pros

display;
new OS version;
Samsung partner offers;
dimensions.

Minuses

battery.

Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 review demonstrates that this is an excellent continuation of the line, which replaced the previous generation and can become an alternative to the next one.

It has one of the best screens, decent camera characteristics, and a high-quality body. The battery is one of the main drawbacks. It may be enough for movies, but in games and programs the tablet will run out quickly.

The most disappointing thing is the price. Although Samsung has not added all the features of truly flagship devices to the tablet, as it does with smartphones, the price has been set at the top. Paying for an imperfect tablet more than $500 It's only worth it if you like a specific manufacturer. And given the noticeably decreased attention of users to this category of devices, it is surprising that even with such a high price, it sells very well.

Specifications

Android 5.0.2, update to 5.1.1 soon, TouchWiz shell, like on Samsung Galaxy S6/Note 5
Screen 9.7 inches, SuperAMOLED, 2048x1536 pixels (264 ppi), 4:3 geometry, automatic backlight adjustment, maximum brightness outdoors for text readability (auto mode), additional screen adjustment modes
Chipset Exynos 5433 (as in Note 4), 8 cores up to 1.9 GHz, MALI T760
3 GB RAM, 16 GB internal memory, memory cards up to 128 GB
Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band
LTE support
Fingerprint sensor
GPS/GLONASS
Li-Ion 5870 mAh battery, HD video playback time – up to 12 hours (maximum brightness), gaming – about 6 hours
Weight – 389/392 grams (Wi-Fi/LTE), dimensions – 169 x 237.3 x 5.6 mm

Contents of delivery

Tablet
Charger with USB cable
Instructions

Positioning

In many ways, this review will repeat what was written for the Tab S2 8 inches. The reason is that the filling is completely identical, but it would be wrong to make one material - the size and perception of these devices, battery size, screen diagonal and operating time are different. Therefore, those who have read Tab review S2 8 inches can probably safely move on to the design section and then to the conclusions. But if you haven’t read that material, then welcome and let’s begin.

The Tab S line is Samsung's flagships, which were created to directly compete with the iPad. The company never hid this; moreover, when introducing the first generation of Tab S in the USA, they exhibited the iPad so that anyone could compare the quality of the screens and their differences. It is clear that the screen is not the only parameter for choosing such a device, but they differ like heaven and earth, the difference is visible to the naked eye, we even had detailed analysis differences between these devices and their screens.

Samsung's ideology has always been to give more technology and capabilities for the price of the iPad, to present the most technologically rich device possible. Without forgetting its convenience. In the Tab S2, the story is completely repeated with one difference - the tablet market has dropped significantly over the past year, and this applies to all major manufacturers, including Apple. Therefore, Samsung focused on updating the line without introducing any new, sensational features. The task was to do flagship tablets, which will be convenient for daily use, will become the most powerful devices on the market in terms of performance (in the Android segment at least), and at the same time offer quality cameras plus good working hours.

The positioning of this device is typical for flagships - everything is without compromise, it contains the best components, the most productive solutions. For geeks, it’s a shame that the tablet is built on the same platform as the Note 4; with some stretch, they can be called twin brothers. But we must remember that Note 4, which appeared almost a year ago, was 1.5-2 years ahead of the market. Even today, there are no similar solutions from other companies, which makes this device the best in its segment. In short, if you are looking for the most powerful tablet with the best screen and camera without regard to its cost, then the Galaxy Tab S2 will certainly be among your options. And this will be one of the priority options.

Design, dimensions, control elements

Externally, the tablet turned out to be different from the first Tab S: a different screen geometry, a frame, like in Note 4, around the body, it is made of metal, with a polished edge. Moreover, the edge is only on the front surface, and the back is plastic - the tablet is comfortable to hold in your hands, it does not slip.

The thickness of the tablet is 5.6 mm, the same as in the younger model. But due to its size, you can no longer put this tablet in your pocket; you can only carry it in a bag. And this is typical for such devices; pockets for 10-inch tablets have not yet been invented, unless you take into account clothing specially created for them.

Weight – 389/392 grams (Wi-Fi/LTE), dimensions – 169 x 237.3 x 5.6 mm. Compared to the same iPad Air noticeably lighter, this is the merit of that very plastic, which some people do not like, while others, on the contrary, consider it a good material.

The back wall is made of soft-touch plastic, it hardly gets dirty, does not scratch, and is pleasant. The camera lens protrudes, but this is normal for such models. There are two “buttons” on the case for installing a branded case, some may find them unnecessary, like me, I don’t wear cases on tablets, preferring to wear them that way.

At the bottom end you can see two speakers, this is not a trick, there are physically two of them, and they sound quite loud. The location of the speakers on one side of the body is not indisputable; I would like to see them spaced apart. But the sound does not suffer in most situations; it is impossible to cover both speakers with your hand. In terms of volume, the tablet clearly outperforms the iPad, however, the sound quality is higher.

At the same end there is a microUSB connector, as well as a microphone. The tablet has two microphones, they are needed for the noise reduction system to work. Let me remind you that the tablet can be used like a regular phone, with or without a headset.

On the left side there is a paired volume key, a power button, just below there is a slot for a nanoSIM card (the choice of this card format is surprising and questionable), as well as a slot for memory cards.

On the front panel under the screen, exactly in the middle, there is a physical key, and on the sides there are two touch ones. Due to the size, working with the keys is not very convenient, noticeably worse than on the Tab S2 8, but no problems arise.

The build quality of the device is a plus, there are no problems. The downside is that due to the thickness of the model, it was necessary to sacrifice the usual Corning Gorilla Glass 4 coating; here there is a “light” version with a thinner outer layer. As a result, the screen becomes covered quite quickly small scratches. You can only see them when they are turned off; of course, it is impossible to feel them with your fingers.

The tablet can be bought in black or white, below you can see what the white device looks like, it is no less interesting than the black one that I reviewed.

Screen

In order to understand how high-quality the screen is on the Tab S2, you need to look at it in real life. This is probably best screen in tablets, which only exists today. Here are its technical characteristics: 9.7 inches, SuperAMOLED, 2048x1536 pixels (264 ppi), 4:3 geometry. Now let's talk about what he can do in practice.

In the sun this is one of the best screens; in the settings you need to set automatic brightness adjustment, then the maximum backlight brightness will double the standard when the tablet realizes that it is outside. Under direct sunlight, the picture remained fully readable; there was no need to look for a shadow.

Now let's talk about why SuperAMOLED is criticized for having too bright colors. In the settings, you can choose one of five operating modes (adaptive is the default, Movie AMOLED, Photo AMOLED, basic, for reading).

In principle, it’s worth choosing the adaptive mode; it perfectly adjusts the picture to the displayed content, plus it processes external lighting conditions. That is, the adaptive mode itself will turn on the reading settings, realizing that you are reading a book or page in the browser.

But if you don’t want to trust this mode, you can customize everything for yourself. And then the colors will not be so aggressive or become muted, it all depends on you. Other tablets do not have such technologies or they are in their infancy; the iPad, for example, only recently became able to adjust the font size, and nothing similar to the technology described simply does not exist. You can't choose the screen color temperature on the iPad. Some may quite rightly say that this is not necessary on the iPad. This may be true for you. Most likely, you simply have not seen what a high-quality screen is, and therefore continue to consider it faded iPad screen acceptable. He is not bad in his class, but he has long become average, nothing more.

I repeat that if the display was excellent in the Tab S, then in the second version it became amazing. Good, clear picture, high brightness in the sun, pleasant viewing of photos and videos.

The screen geometry has become the same as in the iPad - 4:3. I like it less than 16:10, because I like to watch videos on my tablet. There are still black bars, just like on the iPad. But, on the other hand, the quality of the picture covers everything. This is a tablet with the best screen on the market, as even ardent critics of all Samsung products admit (reluctantly or through gritted teeth).

Battery

The built-in Li-Ion battery has a capacity of 5870 mAh (in the 8-inch model only 4000 mAh). Considering that it uses an energy-efficient chipset and a new screen version that consumes less than in previous models, the operating time in different modes has increased.

For example, when playing video in HD resolution (MX Player, hardware acceleration, AVI, maximum brightness), the operating time is almost 12 hours (half an hour less than the younger model). If you turn on automatic backlight adjustment or reduce the brightness, the operating time will increase to 13-14 hours. This is noticeably more than any tablet in this class. And if you take into account the weight and dimensions of the tablet, it can be considered a kind of record.

When using a SIM card in a tablet, when you make calls and write SMS, everything is not so rosy. It will work for a day or more with an average load (2 hours of screen, about an hour of calls). The cellular module eats up the battery quite quickly. If we limit ourselves only to data transfer, then everything will be typical for such devices, comparable to the same iPad - about 7-8 hours of work.

In games, you can achieve a maximum of 7-7.5 hours of work, which depends on the screen settings. But in games, the maximum number of cores is used, which negatively affects the operating time, the tablet noticeably warms up.

If you want maximum battery life, don't use Chrome; Samsung's browser is much more energy efficient. The difference in operating time will be almost double! As for me, Google urgently needs to do something about the energy efficiency of Chrome; it eats up the battery of mobile devices too quickly, although it is convenient in other aspects.

Traditionally, there is a power saving mode, when you can limit the performance of the processor, remove the backlight of the touch keys, worsen the animation, and so on. Unfortunately, in this mode you cannot select individual items, you can only enable them all at once. The best part is that you can install automatic switching on this mode when the battery is discharged to a certain level (5, 15, 20, 50%).

In maximum power saving mode, the display turns gray and background data transfer is limited. This mode has no analogues from other companies and is directly related to the capabilities of the display.

Full battery charging time is about 4.5 hours (2A), mode fast charging, unlike Note 4, is not supported. Overall, the Tab S2's operating time is optimal, if you remember its capabilities and performance.

Memory, memory cards, performance

The tablet uses the same processor that we saw in the Note 4 - Exynos 5433. This processor was far ahead of its time and offered a very high performance bar, it remains one of the best on the market. They don’t look for good from good, and for a tablet whose screen resolution is lower than that of Note 4, they decided to use it. Many expected that this would be a new generation of processor, but there was simply no need for it - it could only be needed when using high-resolution screens. The technical characteristics of the processor are as follows: 4 cores with a frequency of up to 1.3 GHz, 4 cores up to 1.9 GHz. Fast RAM (1066 MHz). However, look at the results of synthetic tests.

The built-in memory is 32 GB, you have about 24 GB of space available for your programs and data. You can install a memory card up to 128 GB, there is almost no difference in access speed, so applications stored on the card will work just as fast. There are versions of the tablet with 64 GB of internal memory, but they will not be supplied to Russia.

The amount of RAM is 3 GB, which is quite enough for any task. In the interface, the device works very quickly, there are simply no slowdowns.

Communication capabilities

Samsung is consistently refusing to use the infrared port for control household appliances, it was installed on most top models in 2014, including it can be found on the Tab S, but it is not here. Just like I lost my tablet NFC support, which is doubly offensive, since for most, the presence of this technology makes using the device more convenient (quick pairing with other phones or tablets with one touch).

Surprisingly, the Tab S2 will lack support for Samsung Pay (there is no separate chip for crypto-protection of transactions), but there is no point in worrying about this, since the technology is aimed only at the US market in 2015. You can only use a tablet for payments in the absence of NFC the old fashioned way.

Other strengths Samsung tablets are still here. The antenna for Wi-Fi is dual-band, operates in 2.4/5 GHz, 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, traditionally there is Wi-Fi Direct. Blue-tooth version 4.1.

GPS/GLONASS support is implemented well; the tablet turned out to be successful as a navigation device. BMW chose it as a standard navigator for its 7 Series model.

The radio module supports the following frequencies:

LTE: 700/ 800/ 850/ 900/ 1800/ 1900/ 2100/ 2600
3G: 850/ 900/ 1900/ 2100
2G: 850/ 900/ 1800/ 1900

Here is a device that will easily work in LTE around the world.

Camera

If we approach it formally, the cameras have not changed in any way compared to the Tab S; the front one also has a resolution of 2.1 megapixels, the main one has 8 megapixels. But unlike the Tab S, the main camera does not have an LED flash. The front camera has become faster, as well as the main camera (f=1.9 versus 2.4 in the Tab S).

Look at the sample shots and camera interface, I think you can see the similarities with the Galaxy S6. Photos look great on a tablet screen, noticeably better than their actual quality on a PC screen. The reason is the outstanding characteristics of the display, but not the camera; it is quite ordinary and inferior to most top-end smartphones on the market. On the other hand, this camera is one of the best for tablets, as you can easily see by looking at the comparison with the iPad Mini.

Galaxy Tab S2	iPad Mini

And this is how the tablet films in the evening and during the day, and also records video. It won’t be able to replace a top-end smartphone, but it’s quite good for everyday tasks.

Now I want to dwell on one of the features directly related to the camera and the performance of the tablet. There is a 3D Capture program in the Samsung app store, it allows you to get three-dimensional images of objects. You press shoot, walk around a slowly stationary object, preferably at the same distance, and in a minute you have a model in front of you that you can rotate as you like, export it to other programs for editing three-dimensional images (file format .OBJ and also .MTL). The built-in editor allows you to clean up the image, remove the background, highlight individual zones, and it is quite advanced, covering all the possibilities that are needed. For most people, this program will become a kind of toy, but some will find proper use for it.

I was able to make a three-dimensional picture of bread on a plate with my hands, it was like a kind of miracle. I immediately rotated the picture and showed my friends what happened. I tried to position the tablet motionless and rotate the plate, but no shooting happened - the tablet requires that it be rotated around the object.

I have always been amazed by technologies that become commonplace - ten years ago it was impossible to imagine that something like this would be in a mass device. This is what can be called high technology, and it is becoming publicly available. This tablet is a cheap way to produce 3D models. Of course, this raises the question of their detailing and quality. But for the mass consumer, this will definitely be the first encounter with such technology and the possibility of using it.

In no case should you assume that 3D shooting will become a feature that will attract attention to this product. It’s hard to believe, but this feature is unique, and other companies don’t have it (I haven’t seen it in any product). Of course, there are a dozen programs for iPad and Android that make 3D objects in .OBJ, but none of them are popular (maybe they are all niche?), and according to the description, the quality of the resulting files is not very good. I don’t presume to judge this; there will probably be those among the readers who have played with such programs and can evaluate their quality better.

Software Features

The model comes with Android 5.0.2, with an update to 5.1.1 coming soon. Inside is a lightweight TouchWiz, which is completely or almost identical to what we see on the Galaxy S6. In the review of this phone, I examined in great detail all the pros and cons of this solution, focusing on all the little things. You can read about this in the review text here /review/samsung-galaxy-s6.shtml#s10.

Or watch a video using the Galaxy S6 as an example.

Just like with other flagship devices, you are offered free services and applications, for example, OneDrive from Microsoft gives 100 GB of cloud storage upon registration. You can get a free subscription to various magazines, navigation and the like.

The multimedia capabilities of the tablet are excellent, it is omnivorous and digests most video formats (AC3 out of the box is not supported due to patent disputes, just install MX Player and everything will work).

I like the fact that you can download any files onto this tablet and immediately start watching and listening to them. As usual, maximum omnivorousness, no need to convert or download anything through a computer, everything is done from the device, it is completely independent.

IN file manager Bookmarks have appeared, you can open different pages and copy files from one page to another.

The fingerprint sensor works by touch, no problems.

Among the interesting features, I note that when working with Bluetooth, you can add “trusted devices” to the list. For example, this could be a speakerphone in a car. Then, when connected to such a device, the tablet will remain unlocked. At home, I set up a wireless speaker as such, and there is no need to put my finger on the sensor every time, the tablet is open.

There are quite a lot of such small features in the system, each of them means nothing, but together they make the device convenient. The LTE version supports nanoSIM and voice calls, as well as SMS, unlike the iPad, where a SIM card is needed only for data transfer.

You can love or hate TouchWiz, but the shell greatly complements the standard An-droid, introducing convenient features, of which there are many.

Accessories for Tab S2

There is a standard set of accessories available for the tablet, including various wired and wireless headsets, but I would like to draw your attention to three accessories that are different from other models and are suitable only for this tablet.

Let's start with the Keyboard Cover, this is the cover in which the keyboard is built in, it is attached to magnets on the back surface. This accessory is not available for the 8-inch model, only for a tablet with a large diagonal, which may seem to some to be a sufficient reason to choose it.

At the same time, you can simply choose Book Cover, this is a regular cover that allows you to place a tablet to watch videos.

Finally, you can purchase the MT800 docking station, which has remained unchanged since the first generation of tablets and is familiar to us. This station has an HDMI connector with support for 4K video, two full-fledged USB connectors, microUSB, Ethernet - you can turn your tablet into a full-fledged computer.

Impression

The key when choosing between the two Tab S2 sizes is not performance or screen quality, they are comparable, but the size of the device and how you plan to carry it. If you use your bag often, then the older model will be more interesting. If you need a mobile device in the full sense of the word, then look at the younger model.

The Tab S2's competitor in Russia is the first generation of this tablet, primarily due to the fact that its old prices remain the same. However, let's compare. The price of the Wi-Fi version is about 23 thousand rubles (there are almost none, they are gone), the LTE version is about 25,000 rubles. The downsides are a smaller amount of internal memory (16 GB versus 32 GB), an old version of the OS, no update to 5.1.1 in the near future, a little worse screen with fewer operating modes. Opening hours in first Tab S is a little lower, but noticeably higher than all devices in this class. This line has become a kind of record holder for survivability thanks to the technical solutions used by the manufacturer.

The price for the Wi-Fi version of the 32 GB Tab S2 (SM-T810) is 34,990 rubles, for the 32 GB LTE version (SM-T715) – 39,990 rubles. The difference is simply striking, and the appeal of the first generation Tab S is greater from all points of view. You lose almost nothing by purchasing the previous model, but the savings are noticeable, enough for one or two more devices of a lower class.

Apple's direct competitor to the Tab S2 9.7 is the Apple iPad Air; it is larger and heavier, and has a slightly shorter operating time in different modes. One of the advantages is the metal case. The cost of the 16 GB Wi-Fi version is from 27 thousand rubles, for LTE you will have to pay about 32 thousand. In every sense, the iPad Air 2 is a competitor to the old Tab S; they were created at the same time. The new Tab S2 is better in every way - hardware, screen, etc., it's simple different generations devices.

In the Android tablet market, you can look at larger tablets from Sony, such as the Xperia Z4 Tablet (LTE). But the cost of this tablet is 46,990 rubles! Which is completely beyond my understanding, he has no sales. But this is a model at the Tab S2 level, which has the advantage of water protection and a glass body, but is inferior in other respects.

As you can see, new devices that are entering the market from large companies have very unique pricing, you will have to get used to it. With the exit new iPads You will have to completely forget about the old prices. But while there are still models from the previous season, it’s worth looking at them, it will be bargain. But time for this is rapidly running out. This is a paradoxical conclusion when describing the new flagship from Samsung, a good tablet, even excellent, but expensive. The price is the only serious flaw.

Today we are looking at the new generation of tablets from Samsung - Tab S2, namely 8.0 and 9.7. Last year I did it, but then the diagonals were 8.4 and 10.5″. This is because the display aspect ratio has changed in the new models, now it is 4:3. Here I will briefly talk about my impressions of the devices and what else has changed.

Now the devices compete very directly with the iPad mini and iPad Air, since they have completely identical display diagonals and resolutions. Moreover, the devices also have similar shapes and dimensions. I tried inserting both the larger and smaller models into cases for the iPad Air and mini, respectively, and the result came out interesting. The Tab S 9.7 turned out to be slightly lower than the Air, and thinner, so it fit into the case, but did not stay in it. But the smaller model didn't just fit into the iPad mini case, it snapped into it perfectly. And this despite the significantly smaller thickness. True, the case simultaneously presses the lock and volume keys, so the tablet immediately enters recovery mode.

Otherwise, except for their dimensions and general shape, the tablets are in no way associated with Apple in appearance; they are different and I like them tactilely more. In addition, Samsung fits more confidently in the hand due to the soft touch coating on the back. Tab S2 is 2 mm thinner, the thickness of the models is only 5.6 mm, but at the same time, the devices are not susceptible to torsion. The metal frame holds the structure well, even with long-term use this should not be a problem.

Compared to the previous generation, the basic orientation of the larger model has changed. Previously, it was horizontally oriented, while the small one was vertically oriented. Now both have become vertical, as evidenced by the block of control keys at the bottom.

MicroUSB and headset connectors are located at the bottom, as well as the speakers. The Tab S2 8.0 also has a microphone, since the tablet can be used as a lamp. And above the display there is a speaker.

The ergonomics of the devices are all right; I like them both visually and tactilely. And I didn’t see any problems in using it. But, like last year, there is a nuance. On the back there are mounts for standard flip cases. These are holes that will be there regardless of whether you buy the accessory or not.

Everything is fixed using a magnetic strip, but there are some nuances with it too. For example, when bent back, this magnet blocks the screen and cannot be unlocked even with a key. The display is also blocked by this magnet in one of the standard stand positions indicated in the instructions. This is a flaw. Well, inserting/removing tablets into standard case mounts is very difficult. They snap into place with difficulty and are even more difficult to unlatch; it always seems that the device will break.

Well, okay, let's get back to the pleasant moments. One of the most pleasant is the display. Samsung has always been proud of Super Amoled, and these matrices have become very good. Last year we even did a blind comparison with . The last one won. This year the display is even more beautiful. The resolution is now 2048x1536 pixels, the pixel density of the smaller model is 320 ppi. The structure of the matrix is according to the pen tile scheme and this is visible, but if you look very closely. Viewing angles, as you would expect, are maximum, there is an anti-reflective coating, different picture display modes and one of the best brightnesses on the market.

Cameras in a tablet, in my opinion, do not have to compete with smartphones, but here they are very good. The main one is 8 MP, the front one is 2.1 MP. Considering the aperture ratio of 1.9, they are probably the best among all the tablets on the market. And considering how rarely you will go on Instagram with a tablet, it becomes even better for documents and home photos.

Hardware before us is the Galaxy Note 4. Exynos 5433 processor, 3 GB of RAM, Mali-T760 graphics - everything is already known. Moreover, the display resolution is lower than in Note 4, which is why the same tanks run with higher fps. In AnTuTu, tablets score about 53,000 points (you can see other tests on the screenshots), but the most important thing is the real speed of the interface and games.

Dimensions: 134.8 x 198.6 x 5.6 mm (8″) and 237.3 x 169 x 5.6 (9.7″)
Weight: 272 g and 389
Operating system: Android 5.0.2 Lollipop.
Processor: eight-core, Exynos Octa 5433, 4 x Cortex-A57, 1.9 GHz + 4 x Cortex-A53, 1.3 GHz
Graphics: Mali-T760 MP6.
Display: Super AMOLED, 8.0″ and 9.7″, 2048x1536 pixels
Memory: 16 GB flash, memory card slot up to 128 GB
RAM: 3 GB.
Camera: main - 8 MP, - 2.1 MP.
Wireless technologies: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1
Interface connectors: 3.5 mm headphone jack, Micro USB 2.0.
Battery: Li-Pol battery 4000 and 5870 mAh.

Everything is fine with the interface, but with games it’s twofold. I tested Dead Trigger 2 on maximum settings, plays smoothly and is generally cool. Things are a little worse with Real Racing 3, ladders are visible, but I think this is a matter of optimization. But with World of Tanks Blitz everything is really bad. The game only produces 60 fps low settings graphics, on medium and high we will get an average of 15-20 frames per second. In principle, achieving 10 fps is not a problem.

Despite the similarity of the hardware to the Galaxy Note 4, it is very good that they installed a new scanner. That is, you don’t need to fiddle with your finger on it, you just need to touch it and it works well. And in a tablet used for work purposes, data safety is important.

Everything will be stored in the cloud, on 32 GB of built-in space and on a memory card up to 128 GB. But the battery capacity of the 8″ model is 4000 mAh. Like a long-lived smartphone, only a tablet. This is perhaps the only drawback of the model that I found. In the game, the device lasts a little more than 3 hours, the video will play for about 7. The older model has similar autonomy figures, with a larger display, it has a capacity of 5870 mAh.

Android OS version 5.0.2, on top of it is a fresh touchscreen with all the features.

I'm glad that the standard keyboard here is made for productive work; it's better than the one on the iPad. There is a cursor, not only a backspace, but also a to-do list, as well as combinations of actions with the control key.

For myself, I would opt for a smaller model, it is more versatile. The larger one is even suitable for solving some work issues, especially in a standard case with a BT keyboard.

Considering the presence of OTG, you can also connect a mouse here and work for a while, just like on a laptop. But for myself, I settled on 8″ models, they are much more convenient to handle on the go, you can hold them in one hand, and you can also insert a SIM card if necessary. For example, in another country.

In general, the models are cool, among Android tablets, I can say without a twinge of conscience - the best. And you can compare it with the iPad forever; these are two different camps and, often, two models of use. For games better than iPad, for work - Tab S2. For creating music and video - iPad, for communication and watching videos - Samsung. In general, everyone is free to decide for themselves. One thing remains - cost. The 9.7″ model will cost $430, and the 8″ model will cost about 560. We already have this, so the prices are quite normal, even when compared with the same iPad.

Video review of Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 and 9.7

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Summer 2015 Samsung company introduced a new top-end tablet - SamsungGalaxyTabS2 , which is available in two versions: with a 9.7- and 8.0-inch Super AMOLED screen. Given its flagship status, the device has an impressive display, an advanced hardware configuration that provides high functionality and multitasking, as well as an elegant, thin and ergonomic body made in a signature style. That is, the new product is perfect for work and entertainment.

Read our review to see how successful the device turned out. To begin with, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the technical characteristics of the new product:

Manufacturer and model	Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 (SM-T710NZKESEK)
CPU	Samsung Exynos 5433 (4 x Cortex-A57 @ 1.9 GHz + 4 x Cortex-A53 @ 1.3 GHz)
Graphics adapter	ARM Mali-T760 MP6
	Super AMOLED, 8", Quad HD (2048 x 1536, 320 ppi), touch, multi-touch (up to 10 touches), protective glass
RAM
Persistent memory
Card reader	microSD (up to 128 GB)
SIM card slot
Interfaces	1 x micro-USB 2.0 1 x 3.5mm audio
Multimedia	Acoustics
	Microphone
	Main	8 MP (f/1.9), autofocus, video recording in 1440p format
	Frontal	2.1 MP (f/2.0), video recording in 1080p format
Networking capabilities	Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5 GHz, VHT80 MIMO), Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, GLONASS, Wi-Fi Direct, MHL, ANT+
	Screen rotation sensor, fingerprint scanner, gyroscope, light sensor, geomagnetic sensor, Hall sensor, RGB sensor
Battery	Lithium polymer, non-replaceable 4000 mAh
Charger	Input: 100~240 VAC eg at 50/60 Hz Output: 5 VDC e.g. 2 A
	198.6 x 134.8 x 5.6 mm

	Black/White/Gold
operating system	Android 5.0.2 Lollipop + TouchWiz 4.0
Official guarantee	12 months
Products webpage	Device page

Appearance, arrangement of elements

Design The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 is an excellent example of rigor and style, which successfully emphasizes the status and high cost of the device. The new product looks like an improved and highly modified version of the first generation Samsung Tab S. The list of changes includes: aspect ratio is now 4:3 (instead of widescreen 16:9); additional bevels appeared on the side edges on the back side; the base of the case has become metal (as evidenced by the chrome chamfer along the contour of the sidewalls); the front panel is covered tempered glass with a high-quality oleophobic layer, and back panel made of practical soft-touch plastic (instead of a matte panel with a dotted texture).

Thanks to the almost square shape of the body, the tablet is great for working with documents and surfing the Internet, but is less optimized for watching widescreen videos. In terms of weight and dimensions, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 (265 g and 198.6 x 134.8 x 5.6 mm) confidently outperforms the Apple iPad mini 4 (298.8 g and 203.2 x 134.8 x 6.1 mm). The device is light and thin - it is very comfortable to hold in weight (the grip is confident, accidental clicks on the screen are excluded), including thanks to the modest frames around the display (on the side - 6.4 mm, on the top and bottom - 18 mm).

The arrangement of functional elements is standard and quite successful: a light sensor, a front camera, a mechanical “Home” button and touch “Back” and “Menu” buttons on the front panel; microSD card tray, power key along with volume rocker - on the right side; stereo speakers, a micro-USB port and a 3.5 mm audio port are on the bottom side; microphone - on the top; the main camera lens and grooves for fixing the tablet in a branded case are on the back panel.

The Home button with a built-in fingerprint scanner deserves special attention. Here it is the same as in a top-end smartphone - very fast (it takes a split second) and almost always recognizes a fingerprint at the slightest touch.

The build quality and rigidity level of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 do not cause any comments. All structural elements fit very tightly, and during operation nothing creaks or presses through.

Display

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 uses a proprietary 8-inch (there are versions with 9.7-inch) Super AMOLED touchscreen display with a resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels (320 ppi). This is quite enough to display a detailed and clear picture. Subpixels are arranged according to the usual PenTile scheme, which can only be noticed when directly compared with IPS matrices. As a result White color has a slightly greenish tint, which is absolutely not noticeable during everyday use.

Overall, the screen is characterized by incredible contrast, rich color reproduction and maximum viewing angles.

There is an opportunity to customize the picture to your taste. Several ready-made profiles are available: “Adaptive Screen”, “Cinema AMOLED”, “Photo AMOLED” and “Main”. Lovers of bright, realistic or calmer shades will have plenty to choose from.

The brightness adjustment range is sufficient for comfortable work on a sunny day or in complete darkness. Multi-touch technology correctly and promptly processes up to 10 simultaneous touches.

Audio subsystem

The new product is equipped with stereo speakers that provide quite loud and very high-quality sound with a good frequency range (there is even slight bass) and a high degree of detail, including at maximum volume. In horizontal orientation, the speakers have almost no overlap.

The sound in third-party headphones (gaming and vacuum Vivanco HS 200 WT) is simply excellent in all situations. There is a good volume reserve.

The branded player has excellent functionality. In addition to ready-made profiles and manual settings equalizer, the effects “SoundAlive+” and “ Tube amplifier", which allow you to optimize the sound for any headphones.

Camera

The tested model boasts two cameras: the main one (8-megapixel CMOS module with f/1.9 aperture and autofocus) and the front (2.1-megapixel CMOS module with f/2.0 aperture and fixed focus). The first can shoot video in 1440p resolution (1080p with ESI), and the second can shoot video in 1080p at 30 fps.

Traditionally for Samsung, both cameras shoot very well, especially video. Of course, it’s far from the level of flagship smartphones, but for the tablet class it’s very good. The created photo and video materials have good color rendition, contrast and sufficient sharpness, as well as wide viewing angles. The HDR mode is also well implemented. An unimportant result can be expected only in insufficient lighting. It is worth noting that on a tablet screen, photos and videos look more impressive and interesting than on a PC, due to the features of the display used. In any case, you will not be ashamed of the photographs you receive.

The camera's proprietary software is identical to that used in flagship smartphones. It offers extensive customization options and additional functionality by downloading mini-applications.

Examples of photo and video shooting

An example of daytime shooting from a tabletSamsung Galaxy Tab S2 in a resolution of 2560 x 1440 at a speed of 30 fps

User interface

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 runs Android 5.0.2 Lollipop OS, which is complemented by the proprietary TouchWiz 4.0 shell. In general, everything is almost identical: nice appearance (close to stock Android) and high functionality. The tablet is immediately ready to work with both multimedia and office files thanks to pre-installed software.

There are traditional functions: “Split window mode” (working with two applications simultaneously); Briefing news aggregator (can be disabled); multifunctional “Smart Manager” (antivirus, energy saving, optimization of RAM and permanent memory); support for multiple profiles, etc.

The settings menu has a large number of items. It gives access to almost all the functions and parameters of the new product. It is possible to edit the quick settings tab (9 items) and search for the necessary menu settings by name.

The shell works quickly and smoothly - no problems were noticed during testing.

Performance and communication capabilities

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 is powered by a high-performance in-house processor - Samsung Exynos 5433, based on the ARM big.LITTLE design. It combines 4 high-performance ARM Cortex-A57 cores with an operating frequency of up to 1.9 GHz and 4 energy-efficient ARM Cortex-A53 cores (up to 1.3 GHz). The graphics are handled by the ARM Mali-T760 MP6. The volume of LPDDR3 RAM is 3 GB, and the permanent memory is 32 GB (10.65 GB available to the user). You can expand this space using memory cards microSD format(up to 128 GB). This platform supports OTG mode, which allows you to connect an external USB drive or peripheral devices.

As expected, the tablet demonstrates excellent performance. The capabilities are more than enough for any basic tasks, working with two applications, surfing the net, watching videos (including 4K Ultra HD), as well as running the most demanding modern games. However, it all depends on the optimization of a particular game for a given hardware platform. For example, WoT Blitz, Unkilled, Modern Combat 5 and GTA San Andreas without any problems and run very smoothly on high graphics settings and in native resolution. But Asphalt 8: Airborne is clearly displayed in a lower resolution than the screen allows - ladders are visible to the eye and strange jerks appear at times. During prolonged use, the tablet body becomes only slightly warm.

The built-in video player supports all modern audio and video formats, as evidenced by the results of the AnTuTu Video Tester benchmark.

Testable Samsung model Galaxy Tab S2 (SM-T710NZKESEK) does not support the radio module, but it is available in the SM-T715NZKESEK modification. Communication modules are represented by dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.1, MHL and ANT+.

Search Wi-Fi points and connecting to them is fast, and established connection has the necessary stability and high speed data exchange.

The global geopositioning navigation module supports work with GPS and GLONASS satellite systems. Cold start takes just seconds.

Autonomous operation

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 is powered by a non-replaceable lithium-polymer battery with a capacity of 4000 mAh. Under moderate load with 50% display brightness, it will last up to two days of battery life.

As a result of watching HD video (MPEG-4 / AVC, MKV container, 4 Mbit/s stream) at 50% display brightness with Wi-Fi and GPS modules turned on, the device was discharged in 12 hours. A gaming simulation using Asphalt 8: Airborne with 100% display brightness and Wi-Fi and GPS modules turned on exhausted the battery charge in 5 hours.

Testing battery life using the popular PCMark benchmark (text editing, viewing video content, photo processing, etc.) demonstrated a result of 7 hours at 50% display brightness. The estimated operating time of the new product according to the GFXBench benchmark is 300 minutes.

Charging time from the power supply (5 V at 1.2 A) took approximately 3.5 hours. It was not possible to check the charging from the native power supply due to its banal absence.

Results

SamsungGalaxyTabS2 can be called a business-class car among tablets - presentable appearance, high computing power and ease of use. As usual for a Korean manufacturer, we have one of the most interesting devices On the market. The device combines a record slim body using high-quality materials, a wonderful Super AMOLED display with high detail and rich color reproduction, good sound quality, a productive and energy-efficient hardware platform for performing any mobile tasks, good photographic capabilities of both camera modules and ample communication capabilities. Don't forget about the updated brand name TouchWiz shell, which retained high functionality, but became less overloaded compared to previous versions.

Features of the device include non-standard display proportions (4:3), which is great for working with documents and surfing the Internet, but less optimized for watching widescreen video. You should also remember that there are modifications of the tablet with a radio module and a 9.7-inch screen.

Overall, if you are looking for a worthy alternative to the Apple iPad mini among Android tablets, then the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 will not lose face.

Advantages:

stylish appearance;
high-quality body assembly;
Fingerprint's scanner;
wonderful Super AMOLED display with protective glass and oleophobic coating;
good sound quality from built-in stereo speakers;
high performance and good energy efficiency of the hardware platform;
high-quality digital camera modules;
availability of Bluetooth 4.1, MHL, ANT+ and dual-band Wi-Fi with support for the 802.11ac standard;

I've tested quite a few Android tablets, but each time I put them on the shelf after a few days. The situation changed dramatically when I received a Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 to test. This is the first Android tablet that I want to buy.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 tablet - Reviews

Before this review, I was happy with the second generation iPad mini. The equipment suited my needs perfectly - it was very mobile and had a Retina screen with good quality. That's what I thought until I got my hands on the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 tablet. I'm not exaggerating, it's like switching from an old car to a new Volvo or Volkswagen.

What Samsung has been doing lately with the screens of its mobile devices deserves the highest praise. The first time I noticed this was when Samsung testing Galaxy S6. The Quad HD Super AMOLED panels used simply fascinated me. Incredible sharpness, combined with fantastic (and unrealistic) colors that looked phenomenal. History repeated itself with the release of the Samsung Galaxy Note 5, the screen covers the full range of not only SRGB gammas, but also the much more demanding AdobeRGB. Independent tests have shown that this is the best screen among all mobile devices at the time of testing.

After testing the Galaxy S6 with short adventures on the Note 5, I thought how great it would be to use the same screen over a large area. Luckily, I won't have to wait long because I have the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 in my hands. After the first few minutes spent with this device, I knew that Samsung had done their best this time.

What's new in the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2?

In the case of new smartphones and tablets, the technical specification is not what interests me most. I guess that in this price segment, the equipment simply cannot be bad. This is the case with the Galaxy Tab S2, which has an updated Exynos 5433 processor, supported by 3 GB of RAM. The tablet runs on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop. Built-in memory (32 or 64 GB), which can be expanded using Micro cards SD. The tablet features a Super AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1536 x 2048 pixels (4:3 aspect ratio) and is available in 8- and 9.7-inch versions.

When choosing a mobile device, many are much more interested in other characteristics, namely quality (that is, look, touch and feel), as well as the screen. In these two categories, the S2 Samsung Galaxy Tab is a premium product. The tablet has a very impressive quality of materials used, beautiful elements and details. You can see here that the developers really put their hearts into their work.

The metal body of the tablet is almost impossibly thin. Thickness 5.6 mm, on this moment record low thickness among tablets. The device is also the lightest in its class, with the 8-inch version I tested weighing just 265 grams. I never thought I'd say this, but compared to mine iPad mini Equipped with a Retina display, Samsung's new tablet looks like something from a much higher shelf.

Aspect ratio 'will be a game changer'

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 is a completely new approach to the philosophy of Samsung tablets, as well as all Android tablets. What has always puzzled me is why almost all tablets come with a 16:9 or 16:10 screen ratio. But in practice, the 4:3 aspect ratio, which for a long time was only offered by Apple, is much better suited. Some time ago, Google also went this route, introducing the Nexus 9 with much more convenient proportions. Now Samsung has also joined the 4:3 Club.

Let's agree that the 16:9 aspect ratio is only suitable for a tablet when watching TV series. Most films have a wider screen and aspect ratio, so black bars are still inevitable. It’s clear to everyone that a tablet is not a TV, much less a cinema. Surely there are those who love to passionately watch soap operas on their tablet? I can’t say that I’m not guilty of this, but everyday consumption of content from the Internet is more important to me, and it looks completely different here.

A tablet is a phenomenal device for surfing the Internet or reading books or magazines, and the 4:3 ratio wins here. I don’t know what to say to convince you of the convenience of 4:3, but it looks like A4 sheets of paper. After all, we are all already accustomed to reading books, documents, magazines and newspapers in the same format.

Another important aspect of the screen is the orientation.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 tablet has a resolution of 1536 x 2048 pixels. In a meaningful version, this gives a pixel density of 320 ppi, and in 9.7" it is 264 ppi.

When reading the text, I did not have any comments about the sharpness. The edges of fonts are cut, regardless of font size. This is important because it makes the content and reading experience very enjoyable. I also like to read on tablet Tab S2 popular magazines.

Another important aspect for me is the images. I really like them to be crisp and clear. The S2's colorful screen measures around 16.5 x 12.5cm, which is slightly larger than a standard print. Photos are printed at 300 dpi, and the pixel density in the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 is even higher, at 320 dpi. Do you have something better? I've never complained about the 300 dpi print quality, so the device's screen is ideal for viewing photos. Moreover, in some respects it is better than paper. I remember looking through old photographs through a magnifying glass to see the details. 300 dpi, unfortunately, did not stand up to the magnifying glass test, while this problem does not exist on the tablet. After all, here any fragment of photographs can be enlarged using a finger gesture, without loss of detail.

New Galaxy The Tab S2 is slightly smaller than last year's predecessor. It should be remembered that the first Galaxy Tab S was larger in both variants (8.4 and 10.5 inches), and had an aspect ratio of 16:10. This makes resolution changes invisible to the naked eye (359 vs 320 dpi). Further increasing the number of pixels would not be wise. Higher resolution means higher power costs, and the new Tab S2's battery is unfortunately smaller than its predecessor's. We are dealing here with an endless struggle between the uncompromising thickness of the device and the duration of operation. Everyone should evaluate what they care about most.

Vivid colors of Samsung Galaxy Tab S2

Galaxy Tab S2 uses a Super AMOLED screen. One of the biggest advantages of OLED technology is the deep blacks that are difficult to distinguish from the bezel surrounding the device. As a result, the screen contrast is at a very high level. Another plus is the quality of the displayed colors, which is a key aspect for a photographer.

The new Samsung tablet display boasts 100% SRGB color gamut display, and up to 94% Adobe RGB. These are results at levels typical of professional solutions, but this is very rare in the world of mobile devices.

Out of curiosity, I checked how the tablet would perform in an online color vision test. I looked at it, in a very interesting web application available on igame.com. It's a lot of fun, and the result goes some way to proving the quality of the color reproduction.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 - I also use it as a companion for mobile image processing. I used the device to do this in Adobe Lightroom Mobile. This is where I encountered a pleasant surprise. My previous tablet only served me to select and grade photos, which could then sync with desktop Lightroom. In the case of the Galaxy Tab S2. I was able to process photos, including white balance and color adjustments. Color fidelity was high enough that I could continue editing in full version programs on an external, calibrated computer monitor.

Bottom line

Samsung has finally created a device for demanding customers who are looking not only for good performance, but also high quality. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 is the first Android tablet I would consider purchasing. At the moment, only the rather mediocre battery life and price are holding me back from purchasing. But the screen, you just have to see it to appreciate the quality of the display. With a clear conscience I can recommend it not only for home use, but also for photographers who want to use it in their work, mobile devices.

The picture quality on the screen is really good, I wouldn't hesitate to use Galaxy tablet Tab S2 in professional photo applications. I see no reason not to use the Tab S2 as a mobile briefcase that you can show off at a meeting with a client.

To everything, one more aspect should be added. Many people pay attention to the package and judge the device only by appearance. In this regard, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 has absolutely no reason to be ashamed. Even for a complete amateur, the device will look like a premium product that commands respect.