Theres also Dolby Atmos support, which you can enable in the Settings menu. Being an Android fan (yes, we exist! Seriously, dont even consider it unless your backpack has space or theres room on your desk for this monster. I used the front-facing cameras in our well-lit office and was impressed by the quality. A 90-minute movie drained just 16% power - we should note that the movie didnt have the same aspect ratio as the tablet screen, so not all the display was on, but thats a useful average to go off. The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is the priciest tablet weve ever seen from Samsung, which makes sense due to its size and power. He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. The back of the slate is coated in glass. As our review pictures show, we didnt receive these with our testing sample. Theres also a three-pin connector at the bottom which is used for accessories. Choose between the portable-but-powerful Tab S8, the laptop-replacing Tab S8 Ultra, or the just-right middle child Tab S8+. This is a stylus that works a lot like the Apple Pencil (and you dont need to buy it separately). We can not guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset - thats the top-end chip used by Android devices at the time of the tablets release, and its also used in the standard and Plus slates. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8: Which should you buy? If you never liked Android, then Android 12 wont convert you. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra's front-facing 12MP cameras make you look your best during video calls. Functionally, though, we found the S Pen very convenient to use. The Book Cover Keyboard looks great on the Tab S8 and keeps it protected against accidental drops. Prior to working in TechRadar freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist. Samsungs peripheral feels flimsy in comparison. New York, If you are interested in using our specs commercially, check out our, All versions of Samsung's Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra are on sale at cool discounts, Rare Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra deal slashes a cool $130 off Samsung's beastly tablet, Instead of the iPad becoming more like a MacBook, its the opposite! Both the Galaxy Tab S8 and S8+ have the exact same dimensions, weight, display quality, magnetic S Pen strips, and stylistic etchings along the back edges as their predecessors. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. OneUIs appearance differs from stock Android design - some people will like it, but others wont. Frankly, all of the Tab S8 series are too expensive to buy just for casual streaming. We wouldnt be surprised if people opt for the Galaxy Tab S8 or S8 Plus instead, as their main differences are simply their 11-inch and 12.4-inch displays ( there are other small changes too). As for the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, it has extremely thin bezels that maximize the 14.6-inch display to nearly reach the edges of the tablet. Though Apples slates are brighter than the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, the screen is still bright enough for indoor and outdoor use. Those values were derived with the keyboard attached and with the Tab S8 Ultra locked to 60Hz. Merch store The former is the one youll use for selfies while the latter is useful for video calls as you can get multiple people in your field of view and the camera can follow you around a select area if youre presenting. That suggests youll get a good few hours of streaming TV, writing documents or editing video without the battery dying. When we put the tablet through a Geekbench 5 multi-core test, it returned a score of 3,279, which is pretty commendable, though weve seen higher scores from Android phones. By All three devices launched with One UI 4.1 based on Android 12. Flaws aside, this is one of the best Android tablets (and one of the best tablets in general) weve reviewed thanks to its performance and elegant design. RAM:8GB/12GB/16GB Two interesting things to note here are the small camera bump, which houses two lenses and a magnetic streak that you connect the S Pen stylus to - more on that in the Accessories section below. But if you can stomach the price, youll find the peripheral indispensable. The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra only comes in one color: Graphite, or dull gray. Its not better than previous versions, nor is it worse. Price and availability On the other hand, anyone looking for a productivity device for their desk has a tougher choice between the Tab S8 Plus and Tab S8 Ultra. So which should you pick? New York, NY 10036. This accessory is the key to making the Tab S8 Ultra function like a laptop. My review unit came with the Book Cover Keyboard. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra's included S-Pen lets your creative side shine. Terms of use We found the device useful both as an entertainment companion and as a second screen for our work laptop. 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This, combined with DeX mode, effectively converts the tablet into an Android laptop. Design Not official: The information for this phone is preliminary and could be incomplete or inaccurate. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Visible: Which is best for you? This configuration has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage and comes in graphite. Battery life improved on the S7 plus 5g once I upgraded to Android 12. Creatives will make good use of the S Pen, especially with such a large canvas to work on. The tablet retains its overall svelte look even when connected to the Book Cover Keyboard. Anyone who has used a Galaxy Tab S7 or Tab S7+ will find that their 2022 counterparts look and feel remarkably similar. Glossary That does mean the Ultra has a small notch for the selfie cameras, but in most cases, you won't find it particularly noticeable. Tab S7 or Tab S7+ owners may be wondering if it's worth upgrading to the Tab S8, given how similar they look and perform to one another. Bigger and better displaysThe Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series sticks to the same specs that made the Galaxy Tab S7 fantastic, but adds in the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, 8GB of RAM instead of 6, faster Wi-Fi speeds, and better cameras for Zooming. Is that enough of a change to recommend buying the newer model? If youre buying the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, wed highly recommend getting a case. A tablet like this absolutely needs a protective shell, and if youre not the type to clad their tech in cases or folios, were not sure the Tab S8 Ultra will last very long for you. Theres also a microSD card slot near the bottom right side, though youll need to use the included tool to open the compartment housing the slot. Michael spent years freelancing on every tech topic under the sun before settling down on the real exciting stuff: virtual reality, fitness wearables, gaming, and how tech intersects with our world. In our battery test, which tasks the tablet with endlessly surfing the Internet over Wi-Fi with its screen set to 150 nits of brightness, the tablet lasted 9:22:58. By TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Versions: Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra Wi-Fi SM-X900; Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra 5G SM-X906, Disclaimer. The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is available to purchase from Samsungs website (opens in new tab) for a starting price of $1,099, though you can get a discount by trading in a qualifying device. The power will also be useful for intensive creative apps and functions.At the Tab S8 launch event, Samsung announced that previously-iOS-exclusive video-editing app Lumafusion will, at some point, be brought to Android slates, and thatll certainly require all of the Ultras processing power. Its responsive enough to use, but it doesn't feel as snappy or as fast as Windows. Ports:USB-C, microSD On the back, youll find 13MP and 6MP cameras. Movies look phenomenal on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra's display. With the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, we can see that someone at Samsung has watched Spinal Tap because the company has really taken the popular line turn it up to 11 to heart. This size is great for watching movies, sketching, working - everything, really. The cheaper Galaxy Tab S8 and Tab S8+ have the same rear cameras, but the Ultra is the only one with two cameras on the front. What's more frustrating is that those minuscule bezels make it extremely precarious to hold without accidentally touching the screen or straining your hands. It feels like itd be easy to snap the tablet in half with your bare hands. Future-proofed with the latest tech, they're sure to last you much longer and justify the high cost. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is a huge tablet. However, it couldnt match the iPad Air 4s impressive 4,262 score. The two front cameras are both 12MP: one has a wide-angle lens while the other is ultra-wide. In the constant game of one-up-manship between Samsung and Apple, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro has owned the title of biggest tablet for quite some years now, but the Tab S8 Ultra shows Samsung turning its own slate size up to 11 (metaphorically, not literally), with its giant 14.6-inch display. There are other alternatives I can mention, but suffice it to say that you can buy a number of great laptops for about the same price as a Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. NY 10036. FAQ Mobile version Thanks to the pens thickness, it felt like holding a proper pen and not a fragile stylus. But can the Tab S8 Ultra actually become your primary work machine? In terms of what hasn't changed, the Tab S8 and S7 share the same display resolution and brightness, battery size though the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 will be more efficient than the older Snapdragon 865+ charging speed, quad speakers, expandable storage, and weight. We've chosen nine reliable Tab S8 chargers that hit that spec if you need one. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, Of course, you can also use your tablet as a second screen with your Windows computer if you simply need more display space. While its screen size and processing power certainly make it seem like a laptop in everything but name, the Android operating system isnt up to par with Windows or macOS. While our testing revealed the Tab S8 Ultra's battery life can't match the competition, the tablet lasted long enough to get me through a normal workday. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is most commonly compared with these phones: Youll get updated when important things are happening, and when you engage with our community. We enjoyed our time with the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, even with the comments of what is that? and why is that tablet so big? coming from people who saw us use the thing - opinions were divided on whether it was the coolest thing ever or a little ridiculous. Video calls are the only thing Id use the front-facing cameras for since Im not exactly a fan of taking selfies with a tablet especially one this gigantic. Despite sharing a name, its not the same as the pen that comes with Samsung phones - its much bigger and sturdier. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As with the Galaxy Tab S8, Samsung is only selling Wi-Fi models of the Tab S8 Ultra. Weight:1.4 pounds. Its so big that you can imagine Moses bringing it down from Mount Sinai. Thank you for signing up to Android Central. If youre excited at the thought of this massive 14.6-inch display, youll love the experience of using it. Coverage It's certainly a device we enjoy using. The Tab S8 Ultras speakers get reasonably loud when you crank the volume up to max. He's a semi-reformed Apple-to-Android user who loves running, D&D, and Star Wars. Tello vs. The ginormous 14.6-inch (2960x1848) 120Hz AMOLED display is the Tab S8 Ultras defining feature. Neither of Samsungs new tablets matches the brightness of the 11-inch (571 nits) or 12.9-inch iPad Pro (562 nits). Charging is supposedly done at 45W, and Samsung estimates thatll fill the battery in 82 minutes. Its screen is bright and vibrant and makes whatever youre looking at from YouTube videos, streaming content and games look absolutely stunning. Android app This is a leviathan. Despite some solid upgrades in performance over the Galaxy Tab S7 series, the Galaxy Tab S8 and S8+ only cost $50 more than their predecessors: $700 and $900, respectively. The tablet was unveiled on February 9, 2022 and went on sale on February 25, 2022. As a tablet, this slate functions as well as expected. All three tablets offer 45W charging, so you'll want a charging block and cable capable of hitting that mark. (If money is an issue wed look to another Tab S8 or a slate from Lenovo or Amazon.). The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra's speakers can get plenty loud. Check out the review images of the menu to see if its something you like. Samsung has very little competition when it comes to Android tablets, besides the fact that its old hardware still holds its own today. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra at Samsung for $1,099.99, Samsungs newest SSD is unlike any youve come across before, Microsoft is going to new lengths to get you to switch to Windows 11, You can now play Stray in splitscreen multiplayer, Bad news: Amazon Prime is going up in price, with no new benefits, I came across this unloved browser and now Google Chrome looks even worse, We used an original iPhone in 2022 and its basically useless. This 14.6-inch beast is easily one of the largest tablets weve ever reviewed. sandisk s7 microsdhc Samsung announced the Galaxy Tab S8 series on February 9 at Galaxy Unpacked and released its new tablets on February 25. The Tab S8 Ultra has two front-facing 12MP cameras capable of shooting regular and ultrawide shots. Change Ad Consent Apple's iPadOS has remained the most popular tablet ecosystem for both consumers and app developers for years, and it has very similar perks to the Tab S8 series like the DeX-competing Stage Manager mode. I couldve forgiven the kickstand's finicky nature if the peripheral was priced lower, but for $349, I expect a product on par with Apple's Magic Keyboard. However, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is large and unwieldy to carry around, and it feels pretty fragile thanks to its size. It breaks up the screen a tiny amount, at the top, but the display is so big overall that we barely noticed this intrusion. If you were to buy the same model yourself, it'd cost you a cool $1,399 plus $349 for the keyboard. That isnt the case when using the Tab S8 Ultra as a laptop via DeX mode. But if you don't own either tablet and you spot the Tab S7(+) on sale, we strongly recommend any of the Tab S8 series as a new purchase. We tested the tablet with a few games and found it performed well, although it was admittedly hard to use touch controls on a massive screen. Theres a key accessory that comes with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra: the S Pen. You want a huge portable screen 2960 x 1848 pixels Performance, specs and cameras Or, you can use Samsung's DeX Mode to rely on a traditional desktop UI instead of Android, so long as you have a mouse and keyboard to connect to it. Outside of TechRadar he works in film as a screenwriter, director and producer. Plus, obviously, the Tab S7 series didn't have an Ultra model to begin with. If youre going to listen to music, youre better off using wireless headphones. Michael L Hicks But which should you choose? News Whatever multitasking method you prefer, Samsung's software may support it. You will receive a verification email shortly. There was a problem. The software here is Android 12, with Samsungs OneUI laid over the top. Samsung must have taken the phrase go big or go home to heart when conceptualizing the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. Ive used Android tablets for years and found the Tab S8 Ultra with its Android 12 operating system as snappy and responsive as Im used to. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. On the back, theres a 13MP main and 6MP ultra-wide snapper, which you definitely wont be using for photography (even a budget phone beats them for good-looking pictures), but theyre good for scanning documents, AR functions and reference imagery. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). But when everything works as intended, you can use your computer to respond to messages on your phone, making Samsung Flow a useful productivity tool. The Magic Keyboard keeps an iPad locked in place and the keyboard portion provides a solid and sturdy base. Youll need to buy a case for it, though, because it feels a little fragile. In our charging test, the device took that long just to power up by about 33%. Tools To complement the Tab S8 Ultra, you can purchase the Book Cover Keyboard for $349 (opens in new tab). We'll compare the specs and designs to help you decide which to buy. Even the color options are remarkably similar: the S7 series offered Mystic Black, Silver, Bronze, and Blue, while the S8 comes in Graphite (aka black), Silver, and Pink Gold (which looks near-identical to the Bronze S7). Thats not fast at all. There are quite a few configurations depending on storage, RAM and connectivity, and you can see the prices for all of them below: Not all variants of the tablet are going on sale in all regions, so if you see a gap in the above graph, that's why. After all, tablets are supposed to be relatively portable devices. The Tab S8 Ultra is an impressive machine, but its size and price will be a barrier for some people. Its useful for taking notes, navigating the menus (using the stylus like a fancy alternative to a finger) and sketching. Youll need to shell out over $1,500 for the Tab S8 Ultra and the Book Cover Keyboard. If youre invested in Samsungs ecosystem, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is worth considering if you can afford it. The magnetic S Pen strip is in a silly location - Android simply isnt iPadOS when it comes to functionality - so youll probably need to buy a case to protect it. But the Tab S8+ matches the Ultra in most other specs at a lower price, and even though it's less portable than the Tab S8, the Plus can still be used away from the desk, whereas the Ultra is much heavier and even more uncomfortable to hold. New York, If you're in the market for one of the best Android tablets, we've labeled the three Galaxy Tab S8 models as the top three available across all brands. If you want more storage, upgrading the Galaxy Tab S8 or S8+ to 256GB costs an additional $80. Battery life:9:22 (tested) Youre on a budget The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage space in my review unit certainly give the slate enough power to run and navigate through apps seamlessly. There are four cameras on the Galaxy Tba S8 Ultra - two are front-facers are two are on the rear. Twitter The large keyboard feels good to type on and gave my big hands enough space to move. iPhone 13 price is finally being dropped - but it probably wont save you any money, PS Plus Essential is giving away one of the best JRPGs of recent memory, The best tech tutorials and in-depth reviews, Try a single issue or save on a subscription, Issues delivered straight to your door or device. Motorola Razr (2022) teaser highlights one advantage it has over Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip, 12.4-inch Super AMOLED (120Hz), 2800 x 1752, 14.6-inch Super AMOLED (120Hz), 2960 x 1848, Face Unlock, on-display fingerprint sensor, WiFi 6E (6GHz), Bluetooth 5.25G (optional). Galaxy Tab S8+ is not quite portable or comfortable to hold for long periods. Theres one screen element that is almost unknown in the tablet world, and thats a notch, which houses the two front-facing cameras. There was a problem. 512gb Heres why you can trust us. In the end, your decision will depend on whether you use Apple or Android products; the Tab S8 will pair much better with whatever Android phones or Windows tech you own, while the iPad will obviously sync perfectly with an iPhone or MacBook.