Samsung has made a powerful, really nice looking tablet with a 120Hz screen and great S Pen functionality. For £619 it seems a good deal – however, it’ll be all down to Android feels on this device and whether the trade-offs might mean there are better options elsewhere.
Key Specifications
- Review Price: £619
- 128GB of Storage
- Snapdragon 865 and 6GB of RAM
- 120Hz adaptive refresh rate display
Samsung has just unveiled a duo of Galaxy Tab S7 tablets alongside the Galaxy Note 20 Ultraand Galaxy Watch 3, here’s our first look after spending some time with the smaller of the two.
With its two new high-end tablets, Samsung is clearly going after the iPad Pro. The Tab S7 is the smaller and cheaper of the two and while it doesn’t have all the bells-and-whistles of the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus there’s still plenty on offer for Android tablet fans to get excited about.
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Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 release date and price
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 will cost £619 when it hits shelves later in August. You can pre-order it from today (August 5) and claim either a gaming bundle or a free case.
There’s a larger Tab S7 Plus available too for £799. This has a bigger OLED display, 5G support and in-display fingerprint sensor.
There are two real standout parts of the Galaxy Tab S7: the display and the new design. This is the most striking Android tablet from Samsung yet, with flat sides and rounded corners. This 11-inch version is light enough to clutch in one hand and feels like it’s going to be an ideal size for note-taking with the included S Pen and watching videos on-the-go.
While I didn’t have the 11-inch iPad Pro to hand, it certainly seems like the Tab S7 packs a similar footprint.
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The front of the tablet is taken up by the device’s display and there’s an embedded fingerprint sensor on the side for secure unlocking. You’ll have to pay more for the 12.3-inch version to get an in-display fingerprint sensor. The only other port is USB-C for charging.
It’s a simple design but it looks sleek and that’s more than can be said for many Android tablets in 2020. You’ll be able to pick it up in a few colour options: cosmic grey and cosmic black.
Flip the tablet over and there’s a distinctive glossy stripe cutting through an otherwise matte finish. This is the charging point for the included S Pen (it can attach to the side too, but it won’t charge there) and it’s got some magnets to keep the pen in place. I’m not entirely sure having the pen charging on the back is the best solution – what if I want to rest it on the table? – but at least it’s a wireless solution.
The screen is the other star here. Like the iPad Pro, it’s an adaptive refresh panel that can range from 1Hz to 120Hz. Unlike the Galaxy S20, the screen here isn’t stuck at 120Hz (or 60Hz) all the time and it can alter itself depending on what you’re doing in the hope of stretching the battery further. We’ll have to run our usual in-depth review process over the tablet to see how true this claim is. From first glance, it’s a suitably smooth screen, with a sharp 2560 x 1600 resolution and HDR support. It’s not an OLED panel like the Plus version and the blacks aren’t quite as deep and colours not quite as punchy. Still, it’s a very good display.
Screen aside, the two tablets have similar internals. There’s a Snapdragon 865+/Exynos 990, 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. You’ll find a 13MP and 5MP camera on the back and an 8MP camera on the front for video calls and selfies.
Usually, the biggest issue with Android tablets is apps. Very few feel at home on a big screen there isn’t the choice of creative-focussed apps you’ll find on iOS. Samsung has attempted to change this by tweaking Android to work better on the big screen and adding in a few extra multitasking tweaks, like the ability to have three apps open side-by-side. There’s also the DeX desktop view for a more traditional layout and Samsung has added a lot of new features to the Notes app to tie it with Office 365. It’ll now sync notes across devices for example, and you’ll be able to access them on other devices.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 – First impressions
Samsung has made a powerful, really nice looking tablet with a 120Hz screen and great S Pen functionality. For £619 it seems a good deal – however, it’ll be all down to Android feels on this device and whether the trade-offs might mean there are better options elsewhere.
Trusted Score
FAQs
For streaming, work, typing up quick memos, taking notes for work/school,fast response time and wonderful essential tool and relax time, love to draw using various apps and the s-pen, it's come in handywh8en ,y phone was broke and I didn't have the money to replace it right away with the tablet being lte compatible.
How old is the Galaxy Tab S7? ›
Samsung Galaxy Tab S
| 2014 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S |
|---|
| 2020 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ |
| 2021 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Fan Edition |
| 2022 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 |
14 more rowsA 12.4-inch, 2,560-by-1,600-pixel LCD dominates the front of the Tab S7 FE. The display is bright, with excellent color accuracy, but there's something off about it. I found myself putting it down after an hour of reading or scrolling through social media due to eye fatigue.
Can Samsung S7 Fe replace laptop? ›
If you are looking for a laptop replacement solution for basic productivity work, I think the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE with the optional keyboard case should fulfill most of your needs.
Can Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE replace laptop? ›
If all your work can be done with Android Apps, then yes, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 would be a good substitute for your work laptop. OTOH, if you need some PC specific applications, then the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 is probably NOT SUITABLE.
Which is better IPAD or Samsung tablet for drawing? ›
In both cases, the drawing experience is superb. However, the S-Pen does have one solid advantage – it's bundled in. Buy a Samsung Galaxy tablet that has pen support, and it will come with the S-Pen in the box. Meanwhile, Apple users who want a stylus will have to add on an extra $100 or so to the cost of their tablet.
Can you use a regular stylus on Samsung tablet? ›
you can use a stylus on your Samsung tablet to enter text. There are two ways to do this: Use the on-screen keyboard. Open the on-screen keyboard and tap the letters and symbols you want to type with your stylus.
Can all Samsung tablets use a stylus? ›
You'll be able to draw and write directly on the screen, whether you have a Galaxy Z Fold5, Z Fold4, Z Fold3, Note series phones, Tab S7, Tab S8, Tab S9, S21 Ultra, S22 Ultra, S23 Ultra, S24 Ultra, or Book3! Even if your compatible model did not come with an S Pen, you can find one that's right for you.
Is the Galaxy Tab S7 a good tablet? ›
But the Tab S7 doesn't just stand in Apple's shadow. Its battery life beats the iPad Pro's, and that's just one of the reasons why the Galaxy Tab S7 is one of the best Android tablets around, and one of the best tablets overall.
How many years will Tab S7 get updates? ›
Samsung has promised at least three years of Android updates for all flagships from 2019 and later, and extended that to four for various devices, including tablets, flagships, foldable phones, cheaper Galaxy A-series phones, and Galaxy Watches.
The S7+ uses Samsung's Super AMOLED display and measures 12.4 inches, while the S7 is 11 inches and is an LCD display. On paper, the S7+ should be the clear winner, offering brighter colors and more vivid pictures compared to the S7, but in use, the two displays looked almost identical when playing the same video.
What's the difference between Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 and S7 Fe? ›
The Tab S7 FE has the same 12.4-inch screen. In contrast to the Tab S7 and S7 Plus, the S7 FE doesn't have a fingerprint scanner. In addition, the tablet only has 2 stereo speakers, whereas the other tablets have 4 speakers. The cameras of the Tab S7 FE are different too.
What does Fe mean on tab S7? ›
FE stands for 'Fan Edition'. Simply put, when you speak, we listen. For each generation of the flagship Galaxy S series, we take on your feedback and produce a device packed with all of your favourite features.
What Samsung tablet is good for college students? ›
The Galaxy Tab A9+ is a well-balanced tablet for students, delivering excellent value for its price. While it doesn't have the stunning AMOLED display Samsung is famous for, its 90Hz LCD screen still offers vibrant colors and decent brightness — perfect for watching videos, browsing the web, and working on assignments.
Is s7fe good for students? ›
You cannot do a single piece of work that is done on desktop or laptop. Totally not recommendable for working people and it's price is not for students. A laptop is far far better and best than this poor device.
Which Samsung tab is best for students? ›
Galaxy A9 is an excellent tab by Samsung for digital learning. With expandable memory, save e-books, documents, images, movies and more. With great cameras, A9+ Tab is perfect for connecting and collaborating. Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 brings true power, portability and performance.
