Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra review

• Display: 14.6-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1848×2960 pixels and a 120 Hz refresh rate
• Processor: Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
• RAM: 8/12/16 GB
• Storage: 128/256/512 GB, expandable via microSD card
• Rear camera: 13 MP
• Front camera: 12 MP
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot, 5.2, A2DP, LE
• Ports: USB Type-C 3.2, magnetic connector headphone jack
• Battery: 11200 mAh
• Operating system: Android 12 with One UI 4.1
• Dimensions: 326.4 x 208.6 x 5.5 mm
• Weight: 726 g (Wi-Fi), 728 g (5G) (1.60 lb)

Design and build quality

Consider the tablet’s design and build quality before making a purchase. With measurements of 326.4 x 208.6 x 5.5 mm (12.85 x 8.21 x 0.22 in) and a weight of only 726 g (Wi-Fi), 728 g (5G) (1.60 lb), the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is incredibly lightweight and portable.

A metal frame provides additional strength and rigidity to the tablet’s mostly plastic body. The back panel has a matte finish, which is pleasant to the touch and less likely to show fingerprints, but could scratch easily. The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has a solid construction with few loose parts and no obvious seams or gaps.

The tablet is well-made and feels sturdy, but it is not completely resistant to dings and drops. Since it is not rated for resistance to dust or water, you should be careful with it and keep it out of extreme conditions.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has an acceptable design and build quality overall, with a thin and lightweight body that is well-constructed and feels good in the hand. This tablet is not the most sturdy option available, and some customers may prefer one with a metal or glass body.

Display

The display is a crucial component of any tablet, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has a large and impressive display that should please most users.

In terms of size and resolution, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has a 14.6 inches AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1848 x 2960 pixels. This results in a pixel density of 240 ppi, which is more than enough for most tasks and provides plenty of screen real estate for multitasking or watching movies. The display also has a 16:10 aspect ratio, which is well-suited for video content and provides a more cinematic viewing experience.

The quality of the display is generally excellent, with rich and vibrant colors that pop off the screen. The display also has excellent viewing angles, with minimal color shift or distortion when viewed from the sides. The display’s brightness is also impressive, with a maximum output of 500 nits that allows it to be easily readable in most lighting conditions.

The display also has a number of special features that enhance the overall viewing experience. One of these features is the high refresh rate of 120 Hz, which provides smooth and fluid scrolling and animations, making the user interface feel more responsive. The display also supports HDR content, allowing it to display a wider range of colors and greater contrast, which can make movies and TV shows look more cinematic.

Overall, the display on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is excellent, with a large size and high resolution that provide plenty of screen real estate and detail, as well as excellent color accuracy, viewing angles, and brightness. The high refresh rate and HDR support are also nice bonuses that enhance the overall viewing experience.

Performance

Performance is an important factor to consider when choosing a tablet, as it affects how smoothly and quickly the device can handle various tasks. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has a powerful processor and plenty of RAM that allow it to handle most tasks with ease.

In terms of the processor and RAM, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is powered by a Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor and comes with 8/12/16 GB of RAM. This is a top-of-the-line processor that is more than capable of handling most tasks, including multitasking, streaming video, and running resource-intensive apps. The 8/12/16 GB of RAM also ensures that the tablet can run multiple apps at the same time without experiencing any lag.

In terms of speed and smoothness of operation, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra performs exceptionally well. The high-end processor and ample RAM allow it to handle most tasks with ease, and the high refresh rate of the display helps make the user interface feel smooth and responsive. The tablet also has a solid-state drive (SSD) that helps improve the speed of file transfers and load times for apps and games.

In terms of gaming performance, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra performs admirably, with the powerful processor and ample RAM allowing it to handle most modern games without any issues. The high refresh rate of the display also helps to provide a more immersive and smooth gaming experience.

Other relevant performance metrics for the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra include its battery life, which is fairly good but not exceptional, with the tablet lasting around 8-10 hours on a single charge depending on usage. The tablet also scores well in benchmarks, with excellent scores in various tests that measure overall performance.

Overall, the performance of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is excellent, with a powerful processor and ample RAM that allow it to handle most tasks with ease, as well as good gaming performance and solid battery life.

Software and User Interface

The software and user interface are important aspects of any tablet, as they determine how the device is used and how easy it is to navigate. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra comes with the latest version of Android at the time of its release, along with some additional customizations by Samsung.

In terms of the version of Android, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra ships with Android 12, which is the latest version of the operating system at the time of its release. Android 12 brings a number of new features and improvements, including improved privacy controls, a new notification system, and support for Google’s latest apps and services.

Samsung has also made some additional customizations to the user interface, adding its own skin called One UI on top of Android. One UI is designed to be easy to use and navigate, with a clean and modern design that puts the most important features and controls within easy reach. It also includes a number of Samsung-specific features, such as the ability to use the tablet as a remote control for other devices, or to use it as a second screen for a Samsung phone.

In terms of ease of use and navigation, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is generally easy to use, with a simple and intuitive interface that most users should be able to pick up quickly. The One UI skin does add some additional features and options, but these are generally easy to find and use.

The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra also comes with a number of pre-installed apps, some of which may be useful to some users and others that may be less so. Some of the useful apps include Google’s suite of apps, such as Gmail, Maps, and YouTube, as well as Samsung’s own apps, such as Samsung Health and Samsung Notes. There are also a number of third-party apps pre-installed, such as Microsoft Office and Spotify, which may be useful to some users.

Overall, the software and user interface on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra are generally good, with the latest version of Android and a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate. The pre-installed apps are a mixed bag, with some being useful and others being less so, but overall they do not significantly impact the user experience.

Camera

The camera is an important feature on any tablet, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has a decent camera system that should be sufficient for most users.

In terms of camera specs, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has a 13 megapixel and 6 megapixel rear camera, with an aperture of f/2.0 and f/2.2 respectively, and an 12 megapixel and 12 megapixel front camera with an aperture of f/2.4 and f/2.2.

In terms of image and video quality, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra’s camera performs reasonably well, with good detail and color accuracy in most lighting conditions. The camera does struggle a bit in low light, with images and videos coming out somewhat noisy and less detailed. The front camera also has decent image quality, with good detail and color accuracy in most lighting conditions.

The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra’s camera also has a number of additional features that may be useful to some users. These include a portrait mode that allows users to take photos with a blurred background effect, as well as a number of filters and shooting modes that allow users to customize their photos.

Overall, the camera on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is decent, with good image and video quality in most lighting conditions and a number of additional features that may be useful to some users. However, it is not the best camera on the market, and users who are looking for a tablet with a top-of-the-line camera may want to consider other options.

Audio

The audio quality of a tablet is an important factor to consider for users who plan to use the device for listening to music or watching movies. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has good audio quality overall, with decent speaker quality and a headphone jack for users who prefer a wired connection.

In terms of speaker quality and placement, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has a single speaker located on the bottom edge of the device. The speaker has decent quality, with good clarity and volume, but it is not particularly loud or bass-heavy. The speaker’s placement is also not ideal, as it can easily be covered up when the tablet is held in landscape orientation.

The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra also has no 3.5 mm headphone jack. The audio quality through the headphone jack is generally good, with good clarity and dynamic range.

In terms of audio quality through Bluetooth headphones, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra performs well, with good audio quality and minimal latency. The tablet also supports the aptX and aptX HD codecs, which can improve the audio quality of compatible headphones.

Overall, the audio quality on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is good, with decent speaker quality and a headphone jack that allows users to connect their headphones directly. The audio quality through Bluetooth headphones is also good, and the support for high-quality codecs is a nice bonus.

Storage and expandability

Storage and expandability are important factors to consider when choosing a tablet, as they determine how much data the device can store and whether it is possible to add more storage in the future. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has good storage and expandability options, with a range of internal storage options and the ability to expand the storage through a microSD card.

In terms of internal storage options, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is available in 128 GB, 256 GB and 512 GB variants. This should be more than enough storage for most users, as it allows them to store a large number of apps, games, and media files. The internal storage is also a solid-state drive (SSD), which helps to improve the speed of file transfers and load times for apps and games.

In terms of expandability, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has a microSD card slot that allows users to add additional storage to the device. This can be useful for users who need more storage than what is available on the device, or who want to be able to store a large number of media files on the device. The microSD card slot supports cards up to 1 TB in size, which should be more than enough for most users’ needs.

Overall, the storage and expandability options on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra are good, with a range of internal storage options and the ability to add more storage through a microSD card. This should be sufficient for most users’ needs and allows the tablet to be used for a wide range of tasks.

Connectivity

Connectivity is an important aspect of any tablet, as it determines how the device is able to connect to the internet and other devices. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has good connectivity options, with support for both Wi-Fi and cellular connections, as well as Bluetooth.

In terms of Wi-Fi and cellular options, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra supports Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, which is the latest and fastest version of Wi-Fi. It also has a cellular option, which allows users to connect to the internet using a mobile data connection. The cellular option is available on some versions of the tablet and requires a separate data plan.

In terms of Bluetooth, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra supports Bluetooth 5.2, which is the latest version of the Bluetooth standard. Bluetooth 5.0 provides improved range and speed compared to previous versions, and it is backwards compatible with older Bluetooth devices. The Bluetooth performance of the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is generally good, with stable connections and minimal latency.

Overall, the connectivity options on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra are good, with support for both Wi-Fi and cellular connections, as well as the latest version of Bluetooth. This allows users to connect to the internet and other devices easily and reliably.

Miscellaneous

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has a number of additional features and accessories that may be useful to some users, as well as good value for money and generally good customer support.

In terms of additional features and accessories, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has a number of options that may be useful to some users. One of these is a stylus, which allows users to take handwritten notes or draw on the tablet. The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra also has a keyboard cover available as an optional accessory, which can be useful for users who want to use the tablet for typing.

In terms of value for money, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is generally considered to be a good value. It has a competitive price for a high-end tablet, and it offers a good combination of features and performance for the price.

Verdict

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is a good tablet that should appeal to a wide range of users. It has a sleek and slim design, with a large and high-quality display that is well-suited for watching movies or multitasking. The performance is also excellent, with a powerful processor and plenty of RAM that allow the tablet to handle most tasks with ease. The camera is decent, with good image and video quality in most lighting conditions and a number of additional features that may be useful to some users. The audio quality is also good, with decent speaker quality and a headphone jack for users who prefer a wired connection. The storage and expandability options are good, with a range of internal storage options and the ability to add more storage through a microSD card. The connectivity options are also good, with support for both Wi-Fi and cellular connections, as well as the latest version of Bluetooth. The tablet also has a number of additional features and accessories that may be useful to some users, as well as good value for money and generally good customer support.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is a well-rounded tablet that should meet the needs of most users. It has a good combination of features and performance, and it offers a good value for money.