Samsung Introduces Galaxy Tab S4: S835, 7300mAh Battery, Samsung DeX
by Anton Shilov on August 2, 2018 4:00 PM EST- Posted in
- Tablets
- Samsung
- Android
- Galaxy Tab S
- Snapdragon 835
Samsung this week introduced its new 10.5-inch Google Android-based tablet. The new Galaxy Tab S4 uses Qualcomm’s high-performance mobile SoC, is outfitted with a premium sAMOLED display, and an advanced audio subsystem with the Dolby Atmos badge to satisfy users looking forward mobile entertainment. In addition, the Galaxy Tab S4 now supports Samsung’s DeX platform that enables to run productivity applications on desktop displays as well as Samsung’s Knox security platform.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 is based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC (four Kryo 385 Gold cores, four Kryo 385 Silver cores, Adreno 540 iGPU, 64-bit LPDDR4X memory, etc.) that is equipped with 4 GB of RAM, and 64 or 256 GB of NAND flash storage (expandable by 400 GB using a microSDXC card). The tablet has a 10.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a 2560×1600 resolution, which is a bit larger than the monitor used on the Galaxy Tab S3. As for imaging capabilities, the device has a 13 MP rear sensor as well as an 8 MP front sensor, both equipped with a flash.
Wireless connectivity features of the Galaxy Tab S4 include a 4G/LTE Cat. 16 modem (on select SKUs), a 802.11ac Wi-Fi controller with MIMO support, and Bluetooth 5.0. Wired I/O includes POGO contacts for keyboards as well as a USB Type-C connector for various peripherals. In addition, the tablet has a whole set of sensors people come to expect from this type of products, including an accelerometer, a compass, a gyroscope, a proximity sensor, an iris scanner, and so on.
With a powerful SoC, a high-quality screen, and a stereo audio subsystem co-developed with AKG, the Galaxy Tab S4 will certainly attract attention of those who would like to consume content on their tablets. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Tab S4 also supports Samsung’s DeX platform that enables desktop-like experience on Android-based tablets (e.g., open up multiple windows, re-size windows, drag and drop content, etc.). Furthermore, DeX enables to attach the Galaxy Tab S4 using a USB Type-C to HDMI adapter if more screen real estate is needed. To take full advantage of DeX, users will need the optional Book Cover Keyboard that is sold separately. In addition, the Galaxy Tab S4 now fully supports Samsung’s Knox mobile security platform to protect valuable and confidential information.
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 | |
| Specifications | |
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 4 × Qualcomm Kryo Gold at 2.35 GHz 4 × Qualcomm Kryo Silver at 1.9 GHz |
| Graphics | Adreno 540 |
| Display | 10.5-inch 2560×1600 |
| Storage | 64 GB or 256 GB + microSD up to 400 GB |
| Memory | 4 GB LPDDR4 |
| Battery | 7300 mAh Up to 16 hours |
| Wireless | LTE Cat.16 DLCA, 4X4 MIMO on select models 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Dual Band Bluetooth |
| Connectivity | Type-C Charging USB Type-C to 3.5-mm Audio |
| Camera | Rear Camera: 13 MP Autofocus Front Camera: 8 MP Fixed Focus |
| Dimensions | 249.3 × 164.3 × 7.1 mm 482 grams (Wi-Fi), 483 grams (LTE) |
| Android | Android 8.1 |
| Price | $649 |
Tablets have always been a mixed-bag type of product for everyone. On the one hand, high-end tablets are powerful enough for productivity applications. On the other hand, most people use them to consume content rather than create anything. Consequently, many companies nowadays tend to release inexpensive tablets running cheap SoCs and targeted at children and undemanding consumers. As a result, high-end Android-based tablets have become rare birds. In fact, among big brands only Samsung and Huawei release such products. In a bid to maximize sales and address needs of demanding consumers both companies have been expanding functionality of their high-end Android tablets in a bid to make them more attractive. For example, last year Samsung started to offer its S-Pen stylus with its Galaxy Tab S3 tablets and this year Huawei followed the suite with its M5 Pro devices. Meanwhile, the addition of DeX and KnoX enables the Galaxy Tab S4 to substitute notebooks in certain cases (once equipped with a keyboard). Evidently, Samsung is bringing capabilities of its tablets closer to capabilities of laptops and Apple’s iPad Pro devices.
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S4 will be available starting August 10 for $649.99 and $749.99 for the 64 GB and the 256 GB model, respectively. The company will bundle a stylus with its new tablets, but the aforementioned POGO keyboard will cost $149.99
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Source: Samsung
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HStewart - Thursday, August 2, 2018 - link
I would agree about the Surface Pro - but I would disagree about iPad Pro. A while back I was thinking about iPad Pro - but to be honest the user interface is too dull for such a class tablet - I purchase a Samsung Tab S3 and use it every day, I like it so much I decided to switch my phone from iPhone 6 ( yes it older ) to Samsung Note 8.By the way when I was looking at iPad Pro - I ended up purchasing a Sasung Galaxy TabPro S. Full Windows tablet - but to be honest unless I doing work that requires windows application on my desktop - the Tab S3 is just simpler.
I would be curious about DeX stuff but it would never replace Windows Desktop applications.
Impulses - Friday, August 3, 2018 - link
Even Surface Go makes the value proposition kinda questionable here IMO...WorldWithoutMadness - Thursday, August 2, 2018 - link
Mmmm.... let's wait for surface go LTE price and people will know which is a more functional deviceEj24 - Friday, August 3, 2018 - link
Looks like they switched from 4:3 to 16:10. Shame. Portrait orientation will be pretty awkward and skinny on this one and landscape will be comically wide and short.fteoath64 - Friday, August 3, 2018 - link
True, all for cost cutting measure, I presume. 16:10 screens parts from old models, SD835 older cheaper chips etc. Just retrofit and viola, got a new model at what they think is a competitive price.erple2 - Sunday, August 12, 2018 - link
The only real experience I've had with a tablet was with the Nexus 7, and for that device, the 16:10 aspect ratio was pretty good. The few times I needed a landscape mode (mostly watching movies on it on a plane for hours), it was fine, but it wasn't so skinny that I didn't like looking at articles like this in portrait mode. Now, I don't know if that scales differently on a 10-11" device.Interestingly, for note taking on paper, I prefer normal A4 or 8.5x11, but on a digital tablet, I prefer something skinnier (like the 16x10 or 16x9 Aspect ratios). I think it has to do with the ease of scrolling in the interface vs. just picking up another piece of paper. Weird.
I suspect that this has more to do with re-using the existing manufacturing of the S3 and S2 Tab devices.
Barilla - Friday, August 3, 2018 - link
I love Android, but the current state of Android tablets is just sad. Apple puts an upgraded version of their phone SoC into iPad and treats it as a productivity device as much as media consumption one, working with developers to provide tablet-optimized apps. Meanwhile most vendors (including Google themselves) basically gave up on Android tablets in any segment above the very bottom, and even their attempts at making something high-end are laughable. This S4 tablet should be priced at 300$ to compete against the entry level iPad, and even then it would be a questionable choice. There are still almost no tablet-optimized apps on Android. The audio latency is still a joke. Touch latency lags behind Apple by miles.I find it really hard justifying buying android tablet over iPad at this moment.
PeachNCream - Friday, August 3, 2018 - link
I feel like I can get enough work accomplished on an Android phone that the advantages of the addition of an Android tablet don't really justify owning another device with overlapping capabilities. It's not about cost either, but more about a set of minor quibbles like having to move files between a phone and a tablet and fussing with keeping another battery charged up. Windows tablets seem more justifiable since they can fill a fundamentally different role due to the underlying x86 processor and associated software options so if I were going to dabble in a tablet, I'd want to go for a Windows one to hypothetically get rid of an existing Windows laptop.oRAirwolf - Friday, August 3, 2018 - link
Looks like I'll be sticking with the pixel c a while longer. I'm glad to see there is no hardware button on the front, and I love AMOLED screens, but I think it is ridiculous to make a tablet in any aspect ratio other than 4:3 or 3:2. I can deal with the pixel C's funky aspect ratio because it is close enough to the aforementioned ratios, but also has stock Android, which I vastly prefer over anything Samsung does.lilmoe - Sunday, August 5, 2018 - link
Great job Sammy! Ridiculous pricing as usual! Especially for the accessories that would _potentially_ make a "high end" Android/Dex tablet useful.This should have been equipped with 8GB RAM, UFS storage and an Exynos 9810 to be acceptable at this price and last long enough to make it a viable buy. You can even get away with selling the same model with the these specs for 2-3 years before the next refresh to make up development costs.
I mean, they really blew it. DeX would be THE solution to the Android tablet problem had they done it right. Shame.