Review: Samsung GALAXY NotePRO LTE

Tested

Review: Samsung GALAXY NotePRO LTE

Review by Andrew Yew

A few months ago, I reviewed Samsung’s GALAXY Note 10.1 (2014 Edition), and suffice to say, I liked the device. No other Android device has nailed the stylus as good as the GALAXY Note line, and I give Samsung due credit for that. Now it has released a GALAXY Note for the working professional, the GALAXY NotePRO. It comes with the same innards, the same display resolution, but is bumped up to an enormous (compared to the 10.1in model) 12.2in, and rocks a new user interface. So, is it just nice, or is it too big?

Larger Than Life
The first thing you will notice about the GALAXY NotePRO is its size. With a display that measures 12.2in diagonally, the slate stretches the definition of a tablet by a bit. It is better categorised as an ultraportable sans keyboard than a traditional tablet. It’s no lightweight either. At 753g, you can definitely wield it one-handed but the heft is noticeable. With Samsung breaching the 10.1in convention, one wonders if other manufacturers will start coming up with their own tablets in this form factor.

Some Differences
Compared to the GALAXY Note 10.1 (2014 Edition), little has changed in terms of specifications: a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, LTE connectivity, 3GB of RAM and 2560 x 1600 pixels of eye candy. The major changes are the interface and operating system – the tablet runs Android 4.4 KitKat, overlaid with TouchWiz with a little extra thrown in. The large display allows for up to five windows to be simultaneously open, along with a full-sized touch keyboard popping out as well. As for the additions, they are meant to be used for the mobile professional, like Cisco WebEx, KNOX and Huacom Office.

Still Snappy
Despite the many enterprise-oriented additions, the Galaxy NotePRO is still one zippy tablet. Navigation through the interface is smooth and it blazed through the benchmarks, maxing out 3DMark’s Ice Storm and Ice Storm Extreme scenarios. The S Pen is exactly the same make as the GALAXY Note 3 and 10.1 (2014 Edition), and recording notes and sketching is still as intuitive as ever. The full-sized keyboard makes use of the increased display real estate, and makes typing on a tablet less of a chore. This is definitely an appreciated move in my books. Its price of RM 2,999 might keep some people away from outright purchasing it, but in a world where bring you own device (BYOD) policies are starting to pick up, this might be the mobile warrior’s new best friend.

Price: RM 2,999
Dimensions: 295.6 x 204 x 8mm
Weight: 753g
Display: 12.2in, 2560 x 1600 pixels
Processor: 2.3GHz Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800
Memory: 3GB
Storage: 32GB, expandable via microSD
Operating System: Android 4.4 KitKat
Battery: 9,500mAh