On Wednesday, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Tab S8 series of flagship tablets at its Galaxy Unpacked event. The lineup comprises the Galaxy Tab S8, Tab S8+, and Tab S8 Ultra. The devices made their debut alongside the highly-anticipated Galaxy S22 models.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Features and Specifications
The vanilla Galaxy Tab S8 features an 11-inch WQXGA LTPS TFT display with a resolution of 2560×1600 pixels, giving it a pixel density of 276ppi. The device is capable of a 120Hz refresh rate, making it suitable for gaming and web browsing with a smooth, stutter-free scrolling experience. The Galaxy Tab S8 is powered by a 4nm octa-core chip that could be the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC. The processor is paired with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage expandable up to 1TB using a dedicated microSD card slot.
The base variant of the tablet is loaded to the brim with connectivity features, such as 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth v5.2, GPS/A-GPS, and a USB-C port. The tablet sports three onboard microphones and quad speakers tuned by AKG with support for Dolby Atmos. The Galaxy Tab S8 boots Samsung’s One UI 4 skin based on Android 12. It has Samsung’s upgraded DeX mode that allows you to resize windows and adjust their transparency. It also allows the tablet to be used as a secondary touchscreen display to boost productivity.
The Galaxy Tab S8 is powered by a humungous 8,000mAh battery that can be recharged in just over a couple of hours with support for 45W fast charging. The tablet is available with Wi-Fi only and with a 5G option. In the camera department, the Galaxy Tab S8 packs a dual-camera setup on the rear with a 13MP primary sensor and a 6MP ultrawide camera. On the front, the tablet has a 12MP ultrawide camera for selfies. The camera array is capable of 8K 60fps video recording as well.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+ Specifications
The slightly pricier Galaxy Tab S8+ shares most of its internal specifications with its cheaper sibling. The notable difference is the larger 12.4-inch WQXGA+ Super AMOLED display with an impressive 2800×1752 pixel resolution, resulting in a pixel density of 266ppi. Although the pixel density is marginally lower than the Galaxy S22, the AMOLED display should be better at color reproduction and have sharper contrast than the TFT screen on the Galaxy Tab S8. The other additional features you get with the Galaxy Tab S8+ are an in-display fingerprint scanner and a larger 10,090mAh battery.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra Features and Specifications
The top-of-the-line Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is in a different league. It shares the processor and connectivity options with the Tab S8 and Tab S8+, but several other specifications have been beefed up. It features the largest display of the lot, measuring 14.6 inches. The Super AMOLED screen has a 240ppi pixel density and a resolution of 2960×1848 pixels. It is also Samsung’s first tablet to feature a notched display.
The total onboard RAM has also been upped to 16GB in the Tab S8 Ultra. It is available with up to 512GB of onboard storage with support for expansion up to 1TB via a microSD card slot. The battery has an 11,200mAh capacity, although that brings the total weight to 728 grams. On the front, the Tab S8 Ultra gets a dual-camera setup comprising a 12MP wide-angle and a 12MP ultrawide camera.
Colors, Pricing, and Availability
Samsung has priced the Galaxy Tab S8 to start at $700 while the Tab S8+ begins at $900, and the Tab S8 Ultra starts at $1,100. The Korean manufacturer started accepting pre-orders on February 9, and the tablet range will be available for retail sale in select markets from February 25.
The lower-end Galaxy Tab S8 and Tab S8+ come in Graphite, Pink Gold, and Silver, while the Ultra model is only available in Graphite.
Based on the spec sheet, Samsung’s new range of tablets is all set to rival the likes of Apple’s iPad Pro and Huawei’s tablets. Would you consider buying a Galaxy Tab S8? Tell us in the comments section.