Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra review:

In a largely competitive tablet request dominated by Apple’s iPad, Samsung continues to hold its own with what’s nicely considered the stylish iPad volition – the Galaxy Tab series.

Those were lately streamlined with the release of the Galaxy Tab S8 models. With the Tab S8 Ultra being the biggest and baddest, in the goodest way.

But is it … too big? Is the price too high? We are about to find out.

One thing is for certain, however … For its decoration price, starting at$ 1100 and going up to$ 1400.

The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra brings the largest, most protean and point-rich Android experience you can get on a tablet.

Android suckers and iPad deserters – you can not overlook this bone! Read on …

Jump to
Design| Display| Performance| Software experience
S Pen| Voluntary keyboard case| Camera and mic| Speakers| Battery
Should you buy it?

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra9.0
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra

The Good

Premium, sturdy figure
Great front cameras and mic
Huge, beautiful AMOLED display
S Pen stylus included
Samsung DeX
Has a vibration motor
MicroSD card niche for expandable storehouse, up to 1 TB

The Bad

With bezels that slim accidental traces are a problem
Disappointing hinder cameras
Precious accessories
No bowl in the box
DEAL
1100 at BestBuy
DEAL
900 at Samsung
DEAL
850 at Samsung

Design and make quality

What we’ve then’s one beautiful, striking tablet. Its huge widescreen display,super-small bezels and that notch make it stand out from the usual crossbeams.

Its reverse is distinctly Samsung – meaning you get a familiar, vertical, lozenge- shaped camera module, coming to which is a lustrous area where your S Pen stylus snaps on magnetically.

And yes, that S Pen comes included in the box – whether you need it or not – you get it.

The tablet might be huge, but it’s veritably thin, and maybe most importantly – nicely light, at1.60 lb (0.72 kg).

Now is this huge tablet going to get uncomfortable as you are holding it in bed, while watching a movie or gaming?

In my experience the answer is no – despite its deceptively huge confines. The Tab S8 Ultra feels fine to hold for a long period. Surely not a kiddies tablet, however!

In a recent Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra bend test we saw that this essence and glass sandwich is erected like a tank too, despite how huge and thin it is.

You can bend it if you try hard enough, but breaking it – you will have to put a whole lot of trouble to negotiate that.

It’s safe to say that this tablet is as durable as it’s beautiful. And if you are upset about further reasonable effects like diurnal clangs and scrapes, there are always cases you can get for some ease of mind.

By the way, if you love various tablets, you are out of luck then, because the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra only comes in one color – Graphite, while the lower Tab S8 models both have three colors to choose from.

Display

I know the notch is maybe this tablet’s most defining point, or most controversial, but really – it’s actually a enough small notch that slightly cuts into the display.

So it’s enough easy to forget about. We will talk further about it latterly, in the camera section of this review.

Now, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra comes with a huge14.6- inch”Super AMOLED” display at a resolution of 2960-by-1848 pixels. The pixels-per- inch (PPI) is 239 PPI, which might not sound important on paper.

But you really will not notice any pixels from a normal viewing distance.

The12.9- inch iPad Pro is lower, yet a bit sharper than this, but again – normal day-to- day operation, it does not really count.

What does matter is that this is a widescreen 1610 display, so it’s near-perfect for watching pictures and vids. And the fact that it’s AMOLED makes this sweet deal indeed sweeter.

We are talking pitch blacks, pictorial colors and – perk point – press-smooth 120 Hz refresh rate!

You can bring that down to a more traditional 60 Hz if you want, but why would you? Maybe a small boost in battery life? Nah, you should really enjoy this gorgeous, huge and smooth display as it’s out the box!

Now if you allowed there was nothing to complain about, well, then it goes … With bezels this thin, you will be getting accidental traces all the time; at least I do.

No matter how precisely I try to hold it by the edges, it’s an issue. More accidental touch rejection would’ve been nice. And then is hoping Samsung adds it in an forthcoming update, although there is been zero pledges made.

And this begs the question – did this tablet really need to have similar bitsy bezels. Or is it just a visual thing, a show-off, like numerous consider twisted- edge phones to be – it looks nice. But it creates further problems than it solves.

Sure, this Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra surely beats the iPad Pro when it comes to bezel size. But I have noway gotten accidental traces on an iPad Pro … So there is commodity you should really keep in mind that you will be dealing with, if you get the Tab S8 Ultra.

And one last thing about the display – a point scanner is bedded into it. It’s dependable and quick, and if you are a stager Samsung stoner. You are likely formerly oriented to that secure unlock, since it’s the same as on former Galaxy Tab models.

Display Measures and quality

	MAXIMUM BRIGHTNESS HIGHER IS BETTER	MINIMUM BRIGHTNESS (nits) LOWER IS BETTER	COLOR TEMPERATURE	GAMMA	DELTA E RGBCMY LOWER IS BETTER	DELTA E GRAYSCALE LOWER IS BETTER
Apple iPad 10.2-inch (2021)	502 (Excellent)	1.8 (Excellent)	6235 (Excellent)	2.19	1.30 (Excellent)	2.78 (Good)
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra	592 (Excellent)	1.7 (Excellent)	6434 (Excellent)	2.02	3.25 (Good)	2.55 (Good)
Apple iPad Air (2022)	510 (Excellent)	2.12 (Excellent)	6508 (Excellent)	2.19	1.12 (Excellent)	2.36 (Good)
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+	467 (Good)	6.2 (Good)	6650 (Excellent)	1.96	1.93 (Excellent)	4.94 (Average)
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	460 (Good)	1.7 (Excellent)	6842 (Excellent)	2.05	2.94 (Good)	7.67 (Average)
Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2021)	622 (Excellent)	2.1 (Excellent)	6940 (Excellent)	2.2	1.84 (Excellent)	5.54 (Average)
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite	483 (Good)	9 (Average)	7053 (Good)	2.07	2.18 (Good)	2.83 (Good)

Performance

The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, while its GPU is an Adreno 730.

When it comes to RAM and storehouse, you have several options, which, of course, increase in price as you go up
What does this gibberish mean in mortal speech.

Well, it will not crush the iPads in performance, but the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is surely one important Android tablet. And whether it’s professional work or gaming you will be using it for – it will handle it.

Playing Minecraft on this huge screen might look ridiculous from hence, but boy is it a great experience, and the fact that we are dealing with an AMOLED display means the more graphically-violent games (e.g. Asphalt 9, PubG Mobile) look indeed more gorgeous and immersive than usual.

Geekbench 5 single- core
Geekbench 5multi-core
GFXBench Car Chase on- screen
GFXBench Manhattan3.1 on- screen
Jetstream 2
3DMark Wild Life Extreme (Highest)
3DMark Wild Life Extreme (Lowest)

NAME

Advanced IS BETTER
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra 1229
Apple iPad Pro12.9- inch (2021) 1713
Apple iPad Air (2022) 1704
Apple iPad10.2- inch (2021) 1325
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 962
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 706
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite 348
Add phone
VIEW ALL

* Note that the model we’ve is the base 8 GB RAM 128 GB of storehouse one.

Software experience Samsung DeX, home screen customization

Samsung DeX in action-Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra review Notch your average tablet
Samsung DeX in action

Samsung brings a familiar, point-rich Android software experience then, as we would’ve hoped for. At the time of this review, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is running Android 12 with One UI4.1 on top.

Samsung’s One UI Android overlay brings neat little features like a screen archivist. But there are also bigger effects that are super hello to see.

Alternate Screen is a point that allows you to use this tablet as an fresh display for your Windows computer, or indeed as a delineation tablet for it ( also to how you’d use a Wacom tablet).

Connecting is veritably quick and fully wireless, over Wi-Fi, with minimum quiescence!

But if you know me, there is one Samsung point I can not conceivably praise enough. The thing that pushes Samsung’s decoration tablets over iPads for me – Samsung DeX.

Tapping just one button transforms the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra from a traditional- looking Android tablet with a familiar interface. To commodity that looks really close to Windows or MacOS.

 

Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra review Notch your average tablet

All of the unforeseen you get a taskbar (or a wharf) with a Launch menu. Apps open in popup windows for an ultimate Android multitasking experience. You can snap those windows to the screen corners too!

DeX is just beautiful, and seeing it then on the huge Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is relatively instigative. Of course, you can use the included S Pen stylus, or an external mouse to navigate, or indeed better – get yourself Samsung’s keyboard case that comes with a trackpad.

And use this tablet exactly as you’d use a laptop! We will talk further about that case latterly on, by the way …

So yes, you do get an amazing Samsung software experience on this tablet, just like you have on aged decoration tablets from the Korean company.

And of course, the dereliction Android home screen is then too, if that is what you prefer.

And it’s nicely customizable – changing the wallpaper or adding contraptions is trivial, but did you know you can also change the color palette of the entire Android interface if you wish to. Samsung has you covered, and it’s each in one menu called”Wallpaper and style”.

Your color palette will apply to Android menus, supported Samsung apps, and indeed your app icons, if you ask. Good stuff! Make this tablet your own, down to the last detail – Samsung gave you the tools!

Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra review Notch your average tablet
Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra review Notch your average tablet

S Pen stylus Quiescence, apps, features, gestures

So as we mentioned, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, like numerous Samsung tablets, comes with an included S Pen stylus. That is a way better deal than having to buy a$ 99 Apple Pencil after you buy an iPad Pro, of course, but the S Pen does feel a bit cheaper, lighter and thinner.

Still, if you are an artist, or just someone who likes to take a lot of handwritten notes – you will most probably find it well suitable.

You can snap the S Pen on both the top right side of the tablet and the reverse – which is the favored place.

Since that is where the S Pen charges, plus the attractions there are much stronger, at least when you remember to snap it with its tip facing the cameras.

A wrong exposure there, or at the top of the tablet, will get you a weak attraction connection and presumably a lost S Pen, so I wish Samsung would ameliorate those S Pen attraction connections.

But in proposition, it’s nice to have two spots on the tablet to dock your stylus on. Just, again, remember to always dock it with the tip facing the cameras.

The tackle really is not an issue, in fact, the S Pen snappily starts feeling good in the hand, and the fact that it has a soft tip is commodity I have praised before – as thanks to it, it really does feel like you are writing on paper when it touches the display.

See, Apple’s Pencil is hard- sloped, so when that hard plastic touches a hard glass display – it does not feel nearly as good or natural.

In any case, what truly matters is the software, right? If you are an artist and you’ve seen Samsung’s marketing for this tablet.

You will know that the company seems to really want you to try out the Clip Studio app, and indeed – it looks promising, like a PC app, with PC-suchlike menus and all.

Problem is, there is a conspicuous stylus quiescence in that app, so I’d hardly believe anyone would seriously use it. Maybe it’s a repairable performance issue, maybe not. But it’s not working well.

The good news is, you have plenitude of other drawing apps you can try out, and those work great – from the egregious Samsung Notes app, which you can indeed spark with an S Pen gesture, to Noteshelf and PINUP.

The ultimate is one I enjoyed the most, but it does have frustrating limitations, like not allowing you to add a third subcaste unless you register an account … Oh, my” favorite”…

Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra review Notch your average tablet
Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra review Notch your average tablet
Speaking of apps that bear an account and/ or plutocrat – you can also download Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop Express, among other options.

Samsung Notes is indeed integrated with your tablet out the box, so for taking notes – you are set – that app is enough great. And it has lovely little traces, like it makes a little pen-on- paper sound as you are writing, which I know might sound like a simple gimmick but I love it!
The S Pen stylus does have a button on it. Which you can click to pierce a list of stylus-friendly apps and features from anywhere. You can also pierce those via a floating icon, again from anywhere.

As always when it’s Samsung and Android we are talking about – you have tons and tons of options to make this tablet your own.

And to find your perfect notes app and drawing app to use with the included stylus, should the derelictionpre-installed options not suit your requirements.
And for those who might be wondering – this is indeed a Bluetooth S Pen, so it does charge and you do get S Pen Air Gestures to play around with.

Those can be, for illustration – you press and hold the S Pen’s key while drawing a indirect arrow in the air, like you are holding a magic wand and casting a spell – to get to your recent apps.

Or you press and hold the S Pen crucial and swipe up in the air, or right, left … Those are all customizable gestures.

If you ever wanted to feel like a wizard out of a Harry Potter movie – set up all the Air Gestures you want and go wild.

But maybe the most simple and useful trick is using the S Pen as a remote camera shutter. Again – you have a ton of delightful options then; whether you will find them useful is over to you.

About that voluntary Book Cover Keyboard

 

Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra review Notch your average tablet
Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra review Notch your average tablet
Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra review Notch your average tablet

Still, the stylish accessory Samsung can vend you is the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra Book Cover Keyboard, for the not- veritably-low price of$ 350.

If you buy this tablet and wish to get real serious about it. But, you get both a nice glamorous kickstand (- rent-defensive case) for your tablet, and a veritably neat, large, backlit keyboard, plus a trackpad.

The kickstand bit can be used independently indeed without the keyboard, so that is really cool.
And truly, put together, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra with this keyboard case is relatively commodity to behold. It not only looks beautiful and laptop-suchlike.

But that keyboard and trackpad will add plenitude of functionality to your experience, especially if you are rocking the tablet in DeX mode. I can see people (who can go this package) using it for academy work or indeed light office work.

The keyboard has three backlight situations, and although it does not get super bright – it does not need to. It’s perfect for night jotting. And there is no light bleeding from around the keys.
That trackpad is lovely too, nice and smooth.

A Windows-like mouse cursor pops up when you start using it. And you do get touch gestures like two fritters over and down to snappily pierce all of your apps, or three fritters up to see your presently running apps …

The keyboard indeed has a devoted DeX roadway for snappily entering it, so Samsung knows you will be using this baby for work, not just play.
My only grouch is with the trackpad and it’ssemi-fixable – by dereliction the mouse cursor seems to accelerate and brake unnecessarily sluggishly. And it’s moving sluggishly in general, but thankfully at least the ultimate can be acclimated.

That weird mouse acceleration, still, is chivying me, and I am sure it will bug you as well. Because it’s not commodity you encounter while using Windows or MacOS, or indeed iPadOS with a trackpad. Hopefully Samsung makes some adaptations in an update.
But hey, overall – if you are heavy into DeX, you want to use this tablet like a PC – this keyboard case from Samsung will probably be worth buying for you. After a while of using it with DeX I indeed forgot this was an Android tablet …

To be fair – again, this isn’t a cheap case, plus it adds a bit of weight, and for the average stoner it will presumably be gratuitous, so do not rush- buy it. Really suppose about whether you will need it first. Because chances are you formerly enjoy a laptop, and indeed this entire package most probably will not be suitable to replace it, or indeed just feel as nice to use.

Camera and microphone quality

 

Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra review Notch your average tablet
So on the reverse the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has two cameras – a 13 MP main bone and a 6 MPultra-wide, plus a flash next to them.

Those are … not particularly emotional, as you can see for yourself from our videotape samples. Theultra-wide angle camera in particular is legal potato- grade, and it makes me suppose .

What is the point of indeed having it. Just so we can say our decoration tablet has further than one camera on the reverse?

Well, as it turns out, when it comes to taking prints, it actually performs creditably, and so does the main camera. Principally, you probably will not enjoy using this tablet for vids, but for prints – it’s fine.

The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra’s microphone quality is really good, and whether you are in a meeting right in front of the tablet, or a many way down from it talking in the wind like I did – you will sound nice and clear. And speaking of effects that are of unexpectedly good quality …

Let’s turn our attention to what you really want to know about – those two frontal cameras that needed a notch, because the rest of that bezel is just too thin for them.

Well, I am happy to say that the front cameras of the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra are amazing for a tablet, and whatever bitsy immolation that notch might be in the eyes of some of you – it was worth it.

Both the main and theultra-wide front cameras of this tablet produce solid prints and vids, and it’s safe to call it one of the stylish tablets you can get for your videotape conferencing needs.

Everyone differently in that Drone meeting might look medium or frame terrible, but you will look enough sharp yourself!

Main camera- Front camera samples-Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra review Notch your average tablet
Main camera
Ultra-wide- Front camera samples-Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra review Notch your average tablet
Ultra-wide
Front camera samples

There are a many not- so-great specialized effects I noticed about the tablet’s cameras, however. You can not switch between the hinder main andultra-wide cameras while recording a videotape, yet you can do so with the front cameras.

Also, although it can record at 4K, the maximum frames-per-second (FPS) from the hinder camera is only 30 FPS, indeed though 60 FPS is generally available these days. Indeed worse, theultra-wide hinder camera is impaired if you record at 4K, as it’s able of 1080P, 30 FPS at stylish.

At least the front cameras can both record at 4K, 30 FPS, but yeah, no 60 FPS to be plant then …

Then is commodity funny – on Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra runner, the Korean company says in respects to the camera experience” Impress your musketeers and followers with likeworthy,ultra-clear images that will elevate your social status.”

No comment on that, just participating it … Man, I feel my social status being elevated as we speak. Speaking of speak …

Speakers

Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra review Notch your average tablet

The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra packs four speakers, two on each side. They sound commodious and can get really loud, for sure able of filling a room.

Unfortunately they are nowhere near as bassy as indeed the lower 11- inch iPad Pro, so if you love bass you will need to whip out some wireless headphones or a good Bluetooth speaker.

Because yes, there is no headphone jack then, but considering how thin this tablet is, it’s not indeed physically possible to fit one. So it’s enough important accessible.

Read More:https://www.phonearena.com/news

In any case – commodious, loud and clear speakers over then, just the lack of bass is a bit disappointing, especially if you’ve been spoiled by the iPad Pro.

Battery

The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra packs a 11200 mAh battery, and Samsung’s claim of all- day battery life holds true. Whether you plan on using this tablet for work or academy, it should get you through the day without a problem.

Of course, you can always turn down the refresh rate, stop apps from refreshing in the background. And do the other Android battery- saving tricks to squeeze indeed more out of this tablet, but you presumably will not need to.

Hey, remember when Samsung was making fun of Apple for the whole”no headphone jack” thing, followed by the whole”no included bowl in the box” thing?

Well now that you mention it, then is a delightful fact – Apple gives you a bowl with your new iPad Pro. But Samsung doesn’t give you a bowl with this tablet. You do get a USB Type-C charging string out the box, but yeah, no charging slipup.

But if you are planning on getting a good one – you will be happy to know that the Tab S8 Ultra does support fast charging pets at over to 45W.

Browsing test 120Hz
3D Gaming 120Hz
NAME HOURS
Advanced IS BETTER
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra 7h 55 min
Apple iPad Pro12.9- inch (2021) 10h 35 min
Apple iPad10.2- inch (2021) 10h 52 min
Add phone
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Should you buy the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra?

 

Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra review Notch your average tablet

First and foremost – you need to ask yourself if you really want such a huge tablet. The whole”portability” aspect is kind of lost on that bone. No matter how thin and light it’s – you will presumably need a pack for it.

Alternate, unless you buy it through a deal, the Tab S8 Ultra with its maximum 16 GB of RAM is$ 1400. If you want the whole laptop-suchlike experience for, say, academy work – the voluntary Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra Book Cover Keyboard is another hefty$ 350 off your portmanteau.

Sure, for that$ 1750 you will get the ultimate power stoner Android experience, top-of-the- line, but still … It’s quite the price to pay for that luxury.

So then is what other tablets you may want to consider before you pull the detector on this one

See More:Motorola Edge+ (2022)

Galaxy Tab S6 Lite – Indeed in 2022 I consider this to be the best- value Samsung tablet. You still get the nice figure quality, you still get an S Pen stylus, but you will be saving a whole lot of plutocrat.

Be sure to check out our Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite review, in case that much cheaper tablet formerly offers everything you need.

iPad Pro12.9- inch – Okay, say you are ready to drop the big bucks for a productivity tablet, and you are certain you want it big.

In terms of performance and pro app options – nothing really beats the iPad Pro, so it might be the further sensible investment.

Be sure to check out our iPad Pro (12.9- inch) review, see if perhaps dropping the dough on that one makes further sense to you.

But still, should you buy the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra if you want the stylish Android tablet available right now. The most protean Android experience? And the answer is clearly yes.

If you are a brassbound Android stoner, you will presumably love this tablet, and there is no other like it.

Just be sure that you really want a huge tablet, and set your prospects consequently. Because for utmost druggies, much cheaper tablets like the Tab S6 Lite can offer the same rudiments.

Pros                                                                       

Premium, sturdy figure
Great front cameras and mic
Huge, beautiful AMOLED display
S Pen stylus included
Samsung DeX
Has a vibration motor
MicroSD card niche for expandable storehouse, up to 1 TB

Cons

With bezels that slim accidental traces are a problem
Disappointing hinder cameras
Precious accessories
No bowl in the box