Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra review: Undoubtedly overpowered
The best Android tablet that you shouldn’t buy.
By Andrew Myrick last updated April 07, 2022
(Image: © Android Central / Andrew Myrick)
OUR VERDICT
Samsung positions the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra as a potential laptop replacement thanks to DeX mode and that beautiful screen. Chances are, it’s even lighter than your laptop while sporting a big enough screen to enjoy work and games. But Android tablets are still in a weird spot, and the Keyboard Cover is just plain expensive.
FOR
- Big and vibrant display perfect for work or play
- Samsung DeX offers a pretty unique experience
- Ultra-slim and lightweight
- One UI tries to optimize all of the apps that it can
AGAINST
- Most Android apps don’t look good on a screen this large
- Some apps don’t work in DeX at all
- The Keyboard Cover is optional and over-priced
- You’ll need to bring your own 45W charger
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For years, I have bemoaned the fact that Android tablets have been pretty laughable, and some of that has to do with my affinity for Apple’s iPad. And as an owner of both an iPad Pro 12.9 and an iPad Mini, I was hoping that this would be the year that Samsung could finally take up the mantle and compete with Apple. As we anticipated the Galaxy Tab S8 lineup was announced alongside the Galaxy S22 series, but instead of sticking to just two models, Samsung opted to go all-out with the Ultra mantra.
From the moment that the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra was shown off, I was determined to get my hands on one. Not necessarily to be reminded that the Android app experience on even the best Android tablets is bad (I also own a Galaxy Z Fold 3), but to see if the integrated DeX mode could really change up my workflow and take over some of the use-cases that have previously been reserved for the iPad Pro.
Before getting into my time with Samsung’s biggest and baddest tablet on the market, let’s jump into a bit of the specs. This behemoth of a tablet measures in with a massive 14.6-inch Super AMOLED display, while being powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset. As we touch on a little later, there are three different configurations, but I went for the “goldilocks” approach with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Also, I’ve spent the last few weeks using the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra with Samsung’s Book Cover Keyboard, so I’ll give some thoughts on that as well. Sponsored LinksOnline Data Entry Job in USA from Pakistan. Salaries Might surprise youUSA Job from Home | Search AdsClick Here
SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB S8 ULTRA: PRICE AND AVAILABILITY
The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is actually offered in three, different, configurations. The base model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage comes in at $1,100. If you want to add a bit more RAM and double the storage, you’ll have to fork up $1,200, and the “beast of them all” equipped with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage is an eye-watering $1,400. It’s a bit different to see three different configurations, but on the bright side, there is a microSD card slot if you don’t want to shell out the $1,400 for the top-end model.RECOMMENDED VIDEOS FOR YOU…CLOSEhttps://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.513.0_en.html#goog_20707085720 seconds of 57 secondsVolume 0% PLAY SOUND