Living With the Galaxy Tab S8
I've been spending a lot of time with Samsung's newest Galaxy phones lately, so I thought I'd also take a look at the new Galaxy Tab S8 tablet. I'm a long-time iPad user, but it's been a while since I've tested an Android tablet, and I've found a lot that's changed, plus there are a number of special features that Samsung offers.
Perhaps the biggest difference is the focus of tablets in general. I primarily use my iPad for reading, whether it's websites or through applications like The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, or a variety of magazines. Pretty much any tablet can do that of course—more on that later—but the emphasis for the Tab S8 or for the new iPads for that matter is now more on productivity applications, including using a pen for drawing, video conferencing, or simply watching video. It's these functions where Samsung has concentrated with the Tab S8, generally with very good results.
Samsung offers three versions within the Tab S8 family. The basic Tab S8, which I tested, has an 11-inch 2,560 by 1,600 pixel LCD display, that I thought looked quite good. Samsung is also offering a Tab S8+ with a 12.4-inch AMOLED display, and the even bigger Tab S8 Ultra, with a 14.6-inch display and dual front cameras. Of course, with a bigger screen size comes bigger batteries and more weight—I'm perfectly happy with an 11-inch tablet, as generally, I'm not looking for a full replacement for a Windows or macOS PC.
The Tab S8 itself looks much like you'd expect, with a silver-colored back and edges and rounded corners. It has a little strip on the back where you can magnetically attach and charge the included S-pen, next to the rear-facing camera. The front is mostly screen, with relatively small bezels, though bigger
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