In the tech world, there is one constant. If the first iteration of the device is relatively successful, you can expect a follow up to said piece of technology. A little over a year ago, Samsung released the GALAXY Tab S; this year, they’re introducing the “new and improved” model of that tablet, the GALAXY Tab S2. Do take note we are publishing this review as Apple launches their best tablets to date and we were not able to make reference to the iPad.

White Lady

As to be expected from the Korean technology giants, the Tab S2 is a great looking tablet. The aluminium banding around the device and the white plastic shell of the Tab S2 gives the whole device a sense of class. The plastic shell at the back of the tablet is smooth, making it a joy to hold.

Big McLargeHuge

Samsung’s Tab S2 comes in two variations, of which the only thing that differs between them is screen size. There is the 8.4” version, which is of decent size, and then there’s the huge 9.7” version. Apart from that, the screens for both utilise the same Super AMOLED screen that is a signature among Samsung products by now.

E For Energy

Following in the footsteps of the S6 and S6 Edge, the Tab S2 runs on the Exynos octa-core chip and comes with 3GB of RAM, giving the Tab S2 some real power to play with. Storage space on the Tab S2 isn’t anything to write home about since the tablet only comes with 32GB of space, so if you’re looking to watch movies on this thing, you might want to get a spare microSD card at the ready.

Work And Play

During the initial reveal, Samsung pitched the Tab S2 as both a productivity and entertainment machine. This shows as the device comes pre-installed with Microsoft Office by default. Interestingly, the machine does contain iflix, so if you already have a subscription to that particular service, you can get right down to video streaming almost immediately. We tested it on our U Mobile Postpaid 4G network and the stream worked smoothly.

Bright Lights

Now that we’ve got the pleasantries out of the way, let’s get to the meat of the review. I’ve experience the Tab S2 in all its 9.7” glory and I’ve got to say, this isn’t exactly the most convenient thing to lug around. However, all that inconvenience means nothing the instant you use it, for 9.7” means serious screen real estate. A big screen, plus the Super AMOLED tech that powers the tablet means that watching movies on this thing is awesome. While the Super AMOLED doesn’t really do much in the e-books department, the brightness of the screen does help under glaring light conditions. The camera on the Tab S2 is decent, but if you’re expecting something on the level of the S6, you might be disappointed as the tablet sports a weaker camera than the S6. However, that does not mean that the Tab S2’s camera is trash as it is capable of taking pictures of great quality.

Multitask Wonder

There is very little to talk about when it comes to performance as the Tab S2 is capable of handling almost anything without breaking a sweat. Game on it? Sure. Work on it? Why not. Play HD movies on it? Barely fazes it. Anything you can throw at the Tab S2, the tablet can do with ease.

Limited Stamina

One drawback that the Tab S2 does have is the battery life. From my experience, the Tab S2 loses 30% of its battery charge when reading book for 3 hours with low brightness. Watching movies doesn’t make anything better as it consumes around 45% of the battery life in a single two-hour film. While the Tab S2’s does come with quick charge technology, it is of little comfort when you’re using the tablet without any access to a power point nearby.

A Tablet Of Many Purposes

Overall, the Tab S2 is a welcomed iteration of Samsung’s Tab S line of tablets. It’s thin, powerful, and has a great screen to go with it. While the battery life could do with a little bit of improvement, there’s no denying that the Tab S2 is a great device. A word of advice, do try to have a feel for both sizes before getting one.

Byline : by Sia Zhen Ning

Price :n/a
Dimensions : 237.3 x 169 x 5.6 mm
Weight : 389g
CPU : Exynos 5433
Memory : 3GB LPDDR3
Display : 9.7” 2048×1536 Super AMOLED
Camera : 8MP Rear Facing, 2.1MP Front Facing
Battery : 5870mAh
OS : Android 5.0 Lollipop

AnTuTu Benchmark 53122
3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited 19962
3DMark Sling Shot 714

Value 8
Performance 10
Features 9
Design 9
Usability 8

Total Score : 8.8
Verdict : Wonderfully crafted with powerful innards.