Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e review: Reviving interest in Android tablets | HT Tech

Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e review: Reviving interest in Android tablets

Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e comes with 5.5mm sleek metal body and weighs just 400 grams. It also comes with AMOLED display and Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 processor. Read our full review.

By: KUL BHUSHAN
| Updated on: May 15 2021, 06:17 IST
Planning to buy Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e?
Planning to buy Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e? (Samsung)
Planning to buy Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e?
Planning to buy Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e? (Samsung)

Brand: Samsung
Product:
Galaxy Tab S5e
Key specifications:
10.5-inch WQXGA Super AMOLED (2560x1600), 8-megapixel front camera, 13-megapixel rear camera, Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 Processor, 4GB/6GB RAM, 64GB/128GB storage, expandable up to 512GB via microSD card, Android P, Quad Speakers, and 7040mAh battery.
Price:
35,999 (Wi-Fi only), 39,999 (Wi-Fi and LTE)
Rating:
4/5

Until a few years ago, Indian market was awash with a range of Android tablets. With smartphones becoming bigger in size and laptops becoming more compact, tablets are nearing obsolescence. Apart from Microsoft (Surface) and Apple (iPad), it's tough to recall any good tablet device in the last couple of years. Samsung, however, is still interested in the segment.

Samsung did launch a Tab Active2 rugged tab earlier this year, its latest Galaxy Tab S5e is the first big tablet device for end users. Available at a starting price of 35,999, Galaxy Tab S5e is touted as Samsung's one of the slimmest tabs so far. Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 processor with up to 6GB of RAM and up to 128GB storage, Samsung is making sure its new tab delivers near perfect performance. Let's take a closer look at Samsung's latest device.

Design and display

True to claims, Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e is incredibly slim at 5.5mm and also quite light at 400 grams. Narrow bezels around the display gives a premium feel but not without keeping the experience also on par with modern smartphones. Samsung has also done away with capacitive touchscreen buttons for navigation in favour of on-screen buttons. With Android Q on its way, we can hope more intuitive interface on the device in coming months.

Another highlight of the device is that Samsung has moved the fingerprint sensor to the power button on the side. This allows the device to offer a more seamless unibody design. It has a 10.5-inch display WQXGA Super AMOLED. As you'd expect from Samsung, the display is vibrant and brighter. From watching high res movies to browsing web or reading a document, the display doesn't disappoint at all. Overall, Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e is a very well-designed PC. It's compact and quite comfortable to carry around.

Performance

We were a bit apprehensive about Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 on Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e. After all, it's a mid-range level chip and is trying to run a device like Tab S5e set to be used by mostly power users. Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e, however, delivers near excellent performance, whether you're running a graphic-intensive game such as PUBG or trying to get the device multi-task for your next presentation. The Dex mode is a big feature for users looking for productivity-driven device. The mode allows you to run the device in a desktop-like mode. It's not perfect but still gets most of the work done.

Galaxy Tab S5e interface. The device runs on Android Pie-based One UI.
Galaxy Tab S5e interface. The device runs on Android Pie-based One UI. (Samsung)
image caption
Galaxy Tab S5e interface. The device runs on Android Pie-based One UI. (Samsung)

Audio is another area where Samsung has really improved upon with Galaxy Tab S5e. On-board quad speakers, powered by AKG, are pretty impressive, especially when you're making a Skype video call or watching a movie. The surround sound is immersive and comes with special optimisations for apps like Spotify and different modes such as landscape and portrait.

Powered by a 7,040mAh battery, you can trust Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e to deliver almost two days of back up on moderate to heavy usage. During our usage, we spent a lot of time writing documents, web browsing and streaming videos on apps like YouTube, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. By the way, it also supports HD Netflix streaming.

Our review unit came with an attachable keyboard. Sold separately, the keyboard is a bit smaller than you'd expect. It takes a lot of time to get used to the newer size, especially if you're used to full-size keyboards.

Verdict

If you're still interested in tablets and don't have budget for Surface devices, Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e is definitely worth considering. It's compact and lightweight. The display is equally high quality.

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First Published Date: 30 Jun, 14:03 IST
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