Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Review: Clever new tablet could replace your laptop
If you are thinking about getting a new laptop you might what to consider this new Samsung tablet instead.
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If you are thinking about purchasing a tablet there are more choices than ever before.
Samsung’s latest release has taken the ordinary tablet and flipped it on its head. The Tab S7 range isn’t just for checking emails or online shopping, it’s a content creation device that could do away with the need for a laptop.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 is an Android powered tablet with an 11 inch display that can do double duty for work and entertainment. It would suit a student, corporate executive or anyone who just wants to binge streaming videos.
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HANDY NOTEPAD TOOL
The Tab S7 is available with a stylus, which means you can use it to take notes with natural pen strokes that look and feel like the real thing. Notes can be triggered even when the screen is off so you won’t need to search for an app or even unlock your device to jot something down. The notes also synchronise to the cloud making them accessible on your phone or computer. Samsung has added audio recordings into the note taking session too. This means that you could tap on one of your notes to hear what was being said in that university lecture at that exact point in time. This is extremely handy when your notes are either illegible or incomplete.
PERFORMANCE
The Tab S7 has 5G connectivity so you won’t be waiting for items to download or experience buffering during online video and gaming. The large screen uses a 120Hz display meaning your scrolling and shifting images will appear smooth and without any lag.
The internal performance of the Tab S7 is 25% faster than its predecessor and can even handle playing Xbox games on the device. With all of this performance Samsung has still managed to keep battery life longer than a workday with up to 14 hours of video playback.
A LAPTOP REPLACEMENT
The Tab S7 on its own is a powerful and capable tablet but it is the option to combine it with the Book Cover Keyboard that takes it to another level.
The keyboard accessory includes a full size keyboard and a touchpad, similar to a laptop. This means you can use a cursor and also type pages and pages of text without touching the screen once.
The S7 has a built in kick stand too so it will sit on a table just like a laptop could.
A laptop isn’t just about having the correct form though, it functions differently to a tablet. Samsung knows this and added a desktop experience mode to the tablet called DeX. This mode changes the entire interface of the tablet to best suit the keyboard and mouse and also allows for windows to be used, like you would see on your laptop.
The USB-C port on the Tab S7 allows you to connect a larger monitor or even a wireless mouse and headset. You can now join your virtual meetings, carry out presentations, work on large Excel files and so much more. When you’re done, the Tab S7 is easy to carry away with you weighing only 575 grams and 5.7mm thin.
WHAT ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW
While you don’t have to use a Samsung phone with this tablet, there are benefits. Galaxy devices can work together to synchronise your notes or memos. Pictures taken on either device can be visible immediately so you won’t need to transfer anything between the phone and tablet.
If you’re working on the Tab S7 and a call or text comes to your phone, you’ll be able to handle it from the tablet without touching the phone at all. Since Samsung is making products for all corners of the home you could control your TV, air purifier or control music all from the SmartThings app on the Tab S7.
The general idea here is to keep you focused on what’s important without shifting attention to another device or remote control.
Samsung and Microsoft have also worked together to allow their suite of applications to work effectively on the Tab S7 for work and play, including the use of MS Teams and Outlook for corporate life.
The Tab S7 from Samsung is the device that takes us from using tablets for purely consuming content and truly enables us to create content, and work like never before on a tablet.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 range starts from $1,149 RRP in Silver or Bronze variants and a minimum storage capacity of 128GB.
Geoff Quattromani is a tech journalist and commentator across print, online, TV and radio. You can hear more from him here.
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