Tablet computers samsung galaxy tab s2 8.0. Samsung Galaxy Tab S2: the thinnest flagship tablet in the world

I remember very well the birth of the compact Android tablet segment: the first Galaxy Tab, HTC Flyer and a bunch of Chinese with terrible screens and assembly. And yet, the potential buyer had no choice, because Steve Jobs did not even want to look in the direction of compact tablets. After the release of the first iPad with a Retina display, I could only once again complain about the lack of a compact version with the same wonderful display. But when Apple decided to release the first iPad mini, my disappointment knew no bounds, because the company installed a display with a resolution of 1024x768 pixels! Of course, the situation was corrected next year and I still consider the iPad mini 2 one of the most successful models. The third generation, in my opinion, is a passing one, it could be safely called the iPad mini 2s, but the latest iPad mini 4 is a miracle how good it is. But the market for Android tablets also did not stand still: screen resolutions, battery life, speed and stability of firmware grew, in general, now the choice between tablet Android and iOS is no longer as obvious as it was two or three years ago. The more interesting it will be to compare the two best compact tablets of the end of 2015.

Appearance, body materials

Let's start with the design of the iPad mini 4. There are three different body colors available to the user: silver, dark gray and gold, I personally recommend the silver model to everyone, it reminds me of the company's MacBooks and looks the best. However, fans of the traditional strictly black will appreciate the dark gray body. You can’t say much about the design of tablets in general, most of them have rounded edges, most of the front side is occupied by the display, so only the back cover is left for manufacturers to “play with appearance”. Apple has traditionally used aluminum for its manufacture: it is practical and cool looking, not for nothing that some companies copy this approach.

The case in the Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 is made of matte plastic with a soft-touch coating. Unlike most devices that use such plastic, the S2 8.0 case does not get dirty as much, and the fingerprints themselves are less visible. I had a black model in my hands, it has a calm design without pretentious elements, which, in my opinion, is a plus.

From the point of view of appearance, the iPad mini has a slight advantage, and aluminum is still more practical than plastic with a soft-touch coating, but this does not mean that the Tab S2 is significantly worse in materials or design.

Sound

Both devices are equipped with high-quality stereo speakers with excellent volume margin. In my opinion, the iPad mini 4 has more emphasis on the voice of the performer, and on the Tab S2 on the instrumental part.

Control elements

I will not consider the power buttons and volume rockers now, but will focus only on the central button below the screen (and the two touch buttons next to it in the Tab S2). D both tablets in the central button inscribed fingerprint scanners, working at +/- the same speed. A small plus of the iPad mini scanner is its integration into the system and the ability to access it by third-party applications, this is very convenient for the same 1Password, unfortunately, this control has not yet been unified in Android.

In the Galaxy Tab S2, two touch buttons are located on the sides of the central key: “recent applications” and “back”. This is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the rejection of on-screen buttons in favor of touch ones allows you to increase the usable screen area, and on the other hand, when using the tablet in landscape orientation, you will touch the touch buttons with your thumb, and this is a big minus that Samsung does not pay attention to from year to year attention.

In iPad mini 4, the lack of touch keys allows you to easily hold it in any orientation, the chance of accidentally pressing the physical button is much lower than the touch one.

Dimensions

As you can see from the table above, we have a clear leader in terms of size and weight - Galaxy Tab S2, the tablet is a little thinner and lighter. In everyday use, the difference is almost imperceptible, but if you take both tablets in your hands, you immediately feel that the S2 is slightly, but lighter.

Screen

Before we move on to the comparison of displays, I would like to draw your attention, dear readers, to the fact that we have two tablets with the best screens on the market, so when I say that one of them wins / loses in any qualities, it is important to understand that we are talking about a 5-10% loss, and not a twofold difference. When comparing, I used the responsive mode on the Tab S2.

SuperAMOLED matrices are usually scolded for poor white color transmission, well, let's start our comparison with it. I was surprised to find that even the white display in the Tab S2 renders better than the iPad mini 4. In direct comparison, you can see that the mini 4 screen is a little yellow and not as bright.

When displaying black, the iPad mini 4 shows very good results for an IPS matrix, but with this color, the advantage is traditionally on the side of SuperAMOLED. If you open a completely black picture, then you get the feeling that the display is completely off, while on mini 4 the image looks like a dark dark gray screen.

Galaxy Tab S2 on the left, iPad mini 4 on the right

If we talk about the color image, then the difference when comparing identical photos, although it was minimal, is still the advantage on the side of the Tab S2, the colors on it look a little brighter, a little juicier.

Galaxy Tab S2 on the left, iPad mini 4 on the right

The viewing angles of both tablets are close to the maximum, and the Tab S2 also wins in terms of brightness: both maximum and minimum brightness are adjusted in a larger range.

Galaxy Tab S2 on the left, iPad mini 4 on the right

Another small advantage of the screen in S2 over mini 4 is a separate reading mode, which is enabled in the settings or directly from the notification bar.

Theoretically, the iPad mini 4's screen should have won when comparing small text, due to the PenTile in SuperAMOLED matrices, but even with a very small font, I could not see the characteristic red halos on the S2.

In defense of mini 4, I’ll say that although the screen in it is inferior in all respects to S2, it is still very good, and if it weren’t for a direct comparison, I wouldn’t even notice that this display is at least somewhat bad .

Operating system

I could compare every little thing in Android 5.1 with TouchWiz installed and iOS 9.2, but I will not do this, as this is unlikely to help you make a choice, so I will tell you my general impressions.

In my opinion, Android will suit more advanced users who understand what they want from a tablet and appreciate its ability to customize and replace standard applications. I will not deny that the possibilities of working with the file system in Android are much higher than in iOS. Plus, now there are many good applications specifically for Android tablets, and the difference between it and iOS is no longer so noticeable.

On the other hand, iPad mini 4 and iOS 9.x is a solution for unpretentious users who will work with the tablet out of the box and are unlikely to notice any restrictions from Apple.

It is also worth considering your previous user experience, of course, it will be easier for the owner of the iPhone to get comfortable with the iPad, and for the Android user - with the Galaxy Tab S2.

Performance

There are three parameters by which I evaluate the performance of devices: the speed of the desktops and the settings menu; browser speed and work with the most productive games.

I deliberately flipped through the desktops on the devices at the same time, launched various pages in the browser and played the most powerful games on them. And it just so happened that we have parity on all three devices. However, there is one “but”, at the moment there are more beautiful and powerful toys for iOS, more so far.

Offline work

The battery capacity of Galaxy Tab S2 is 4000 mAh, iPad mini 4 - 5124 mAh. The difference of 25% in capacity is also clearly visible in everyday work: for example, Tab S2 discharges in about two to three days during everyday use (one and a half hours of active screen per day at automatic brightness), and iPad mini 4 under the same conditions - in three days. four days. But that all changes when we compare video time, where the Tab S2 lasted 12 hours versus the iPad mini 4's 7 hours.

Camera

I believe that people take pictures from tablets much less often than from smartphones, but on trips I see more and more tourists with iPads or the same Galaxy Tab, so I asked Roman Belykh to give a little comment on the quality of shooting

The quality of the photos is approximately the same if we are talking about detail. The main difference is the noise. The Galaxy Tab S2, due to its high-aperture optics (F1.9 aperture), produces a relatively clean picture compared to the iPad mini 4 (F2.4 aperture). The viewing angle is wider in the Samsung camera. In general, for the Galaxy Tab S2 tablet, the module and optics are very good, and the iPad mini shoots at the level of the iPhone 4.

iPad mini 4	Galaxy Tab S2

Yes, version 4.0 LE, all popular profiles are supported, incl. A2DP GPS Cold start takes about five seconds Mobile data GSM/3G/LTE, voice calls GSM/3G/LTE USB On-The-Go There is Not

As you can see, the Galaxy Tab S2 has a more recent version of Bluetooth, USB OTG support, and of course, the presence of voice calls. You can argue for a long time about the need or uselessness of phone calls from the tablet, but the fact remains: with the Tab S2 you can make a call in case of emergency, but with the iPad mini 4 you can't.

Also, for the sake of interest, I compared the speed of both tablets in LTE mode, the same SIM card was used, measurements were made from the same place.

Conclusion

First, let's look at tablet prices: The iPad mini 4 is available in six different sizes: 16GB, 64GB, and 128GB with LTE and Wi-Fi Only:

• 16 GB Wi-Fi - 33,000 rubles
• 64 GB Wi-Fi - 41,000 rubles
• 128 GB Wi-Fi - 49,000 rubles
• 16 GB Wi-Fi+LTE - 43,000 rubles
• 64 GB Wi-Fi + LTE - 51,000 rubles
• 128 GB Wi-Fi+LTE - 59,000 rubles

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 has only two versions:

• 32 GB Wi-Fi - 32,000 rubles
• 32 GB Wi-Fi+LTE - 36,000 rubles

First of all, I would like to note that we have two excellent tablets in front of us, personally, I could easily use any of them as the main one without any problems. Therefore, some particulars play a role, for example, the Apple iPad mini 4 has a more interesting design, there are more productive toys for it, an aluminum case can also be an advantage for someone. The Tab S2 has a slightly better display, significantly longer video playback time, support for voice calls, and is cheaper with more storage, plus let's not forget the microSD card slot, as there are now 200 GB cards.

To be honest, I am a loyal user of Apple technology, but if the tablets are +/- similar in direct comparison with the Tab S2, then you expect a similar pricing policy, but in reality we see that the 64 GB version of the iPad with Wi-Fi costs 9000 more 32 GB version of S2, and for modification with LTE you will have to overpay 15,000 rubles. Unfortunately, the protective pricing policy makes Apple technology less attractive to the mass user, it remains the lot of wealthy buyers who love the company's products, but this is a much smaller niche of consumers. Of course, the Tab S2 is also more expensive than last year's generation, but the increase in price in the case of this model is not so drastic, and the high prices of the iPad make this model one of the best among compact tablets for reasonable money.

Contents of delivery:

• Tablet
• Charger with USB cable
• Instruction

Specifications

• Android 5.0.2, update to 5.1.1 soon, TouchWiz skin like on Samsung Galaxy S6/Note 5
• Screen 7.9 inches, SuperAMOLED, 2048x1536 pixels (326 ppi), 4:3 geometry, automatic backlight adjustment, maximum outdoor brightness for text readability (auto mode), additional screen settings modes;
• Chipset Exynos 5433 (as in Note 4), 8 cores up to 1.9 GHz, MALI T760
• 3 GB RAM, 16 GB built-in, memory cards up to 128 GB
• Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual band
• LTE support
• Fingerprint sensor
• GPS/GLONASS
• Li-Ion 4000 mAh battery, HD video playback time up to 12 hours (maximum brightness), games about 6 hours
• Weight - 265/272 grams (Wi-Fi / LTE), dimensions - 134.8 x 198.6 x 5.6 mm

Positioning

The Tab S line is Samsung's flagships, which were created to compete directly with the iPad, the company has never hidden this, moreover, introducing the first generation of Tab S in the US, they put the iPad up so that anyone can compare the quality of the screens and their differences. It is clear that the screen is not the only parameter for choosing such a device, but they differ like heaven and earth, the difference is visible to the naked eye, we even had a detailed analysis of the differences between these devices and their screens.

Samsung's ideology has always been to give more technology and features for the price of the iPad, to present the most technologically rich device. Not forgetting its convenience. In the Tab S2, history repeats itself completely with one difference - the tablet market has dipped dramatically over the past year, and this applies to all major manufacturers, including Apple. Therefore, Samsung focused on updating the line without introducing any new, sensational features. The task was to make flagship tablets that are comfortable in daily use, become the most powerful devices on the market in terms of performance (in the Android segment at least), and at the same time offer high-quality cameras and good battery life.

The positioning of this device is typical for flagships - everything is without compromise, there are the best components, the most productive solutions. For geeks, it's a shame that the tablet is built on the same platform as the Note 4, with some stretch they can be called twin brothers. But we must remember that Note 4, which appeared almost a year ago, overtook the market by 1.5-2 years. Even today there are no similar solutions from other companies, which makes this device the best in its segment. In short, if you are looking for the most powerful tablet, with the best screen and camera, without regard to its cost, then the Galaxy Tab S2 will definitely be among the options. And it will be one of the priority options.

Design, dimensions, controls

Externally, the tablet turned out to be different from the first Tab S. Another screen geometry, a frame, like in Note 4, around the case, it is made of metal, with a polished edge. Moreover, the edge is only on the front surface, and behind the plastic - the tablet is comfortable to hold in your hands, it does not slip.

For most consumers, the flagship must be made of metal, although this is not always convenient and correct. Upon impact, the metal beats the glass that protects the screen, but the plastic does not deform the case in such a way. The question of what the manufacturer should use, plastic or metal, has long turned into a philosophical one. But in practice, the difference is noticeable with constant use of devices - for example, the Tab S2 weighs only 272 grams (for the LTE version, the Wi-Fi version weighs even less - 265 grams), while the iPad Mini weighs 341 grams. Minimum difference? How to look. If you take the tablet in your hands from time to time, you will not see any differences. But if you are playing or watching a movie, the Tab S2 will be more comfortable, it does not pull your hand and is not felt in it. A child can easily hold it.

The thickness of the device is a parameter that every manufacturer exercises, in the Tab S2 the thickness is 5.6 mm (iPad 7.5 mm). It is very thin, but this parameter does not affect the characteristics in any way. Thin and thin, after all, thinness is visually pleasing, in the hands it does not play a big role. The dimensions of 134.8 x 198.6 x 5.6 mm are excellent for this kind of device.

On the trip, I got so used to the fact that the tablet is light and small that I got used to carrying it in the side pocket of my shorts, where it was not felt at all. An attempt to put the iPad there failed, it was noticeably heavier and hit the leg when moving.

The back wall is made of soft-touch plastic, it almost does not get dirty, does not scratch, and is pleasant. The camera lens protrudes, but this is normal for such models. There are two “buttons” on the case for installing a branded case, they may seem superfluous to someone, like me, I don’t wear cases on tablets, preferring to wear them like that.

On the bottom end you can see two speakers, this is not a snag, there are physically two of them, and they sound loud enough. The location of the speakers on one side of the case is not indisputable, I would like them to be blown apart. But the sound in most situations does not suffer, it is impossible to cover both speakers with your hand. In terms of volume, the tablet clearly outperforms the iPad, however, the sound quality is higher.

At the same end is a microUSB-connector, as well as a microphone. The tablet has two microphones, they are needed for the noise reduction system to work. Let me remind you that the tablet can be used as a regular phone, with or without a headset.

On the left side are a paired volume rocker, a power button, a little lower - a slot for a nanoSIM card (the choice of such a card format is surprising and doubtful), as well as a slot for memory cards.

On the front panel under the screen, exactly in the middle is a physical key, on the sides - two touch. Due to the size, it is convenient to work with the keys, no problems arise.

The build quality of the device is five plus, there are no problems. The disadvantages include the fact that, due to the thickness of the model, I had to sacrifice the usual Corning Gorilla Glass 4 coating, there is a “lightweight” version with a thinner outer layer. As a result, the screen is quickly covered with small scratches. You can see them only in the off state, it is, of course, impossible to feel them with your fingers.

The tablet can be purchased in black or white, below you can see what the white device looks like, it is no less interesting than the black one that I had in the review.

Screen

In order to understand how high-quality the screen in the Tab S2 is, you need to look at it in life. This is perhaps the best screen in tablets that exists today. Here are its specifications - 7.9 inches, SuperAMOLED, 2048x1536 pixels (326 dpi), 4:3 geometry. Now let's talk about what he can do in practice.

To begin with, these weeks I often flew a DJI Phantom 3 quadcopter, and in order to watch real-time video from it (transmits at a distance of up to 2 kilometers in HD quality), I installed Galaxy Tab S2. A little trick, in the settings you need to set automatic brightness control, then the maximum brightness of the backlight will double compared to the standard one when the tablet realizes that it is outdoors. Under direct sunlight, the picture remained fully readable, there was no need to look for a shadow. The photo does not convey this, it seems that the screen has faded, in life it is readable.

Now let's talk about what SuperAMOLED is criticized for, saying that it has too bright colors. In the settings, you can choose one of five operating modes (adaptive is the default, AMOLED Movie, AMOLED Photo, Basic, Reader).

In principle, it is worth stopping at the adaptive mode, it perfectly adjusts the image to the displayed content, plus it handles external lighting conditions. That is, the adaptive mode will turn on the settings for reading itself, realizing that you are reading a book or a page in the browser.

But if you do not want to trust this mode, then you can customize everything for yourself. And then the colors will not be so aggressive or become muted, it all depends on you. Other tablets do not have such technologies or they are in their infancy, in the same iPad, the ability to adjust the font size has only recently appeared, and nothing like the technology described simply exists. You cannot select a screen color temperature on the iPad. Someone can quite rightly say that this is not necessary on the iPad. Perhaps that is the case for you. Most likely, you just haven't seen what a quality screen is, and therefore continue to consider the iPad's faded screen to be acceptable. He is not bad in his class, but has long become average, nothing more.

I repeat that if the display was excellent in Tab S, then in the second version it became amazing. Good, clean picture, high brightness in the sun, pleasant viewing of photos and videos.

The screen geometry has become the same as in the iPad - 4:3. I like it less than 16:10, because I like to watch videos on my tablet. There are black bars right there, like on the iPad. But on the other hand, the quality of the picture covers everything. This is a tablet with the best screen on the market, which is recognized (grudgingly or through gritted teeth) even by ardent critics of all Samsung products.

Battery

The built-in Li-Ion battery has a capacity of 4000 mAh. At first glance, this is not much for a tablet, we are used to seeing 5000-6000 mAh batteries in such devices. But given that it uses an energy-efficient chipset and a new version of the screen that consumes less than previous models, the operating time in different modes has increased.

For example, when playing video in HD resolution (MX Player, hardware acceleration, AVI, maximum brightness), the operating time is about 12 hours. If you turn on the automatic backlight adjustment or reduce the brightness, then the operating time will increase to 13-14 hours. This is noticeably more than any tablet in this class. And if we take into account the weight and dimensions of the tablet, then we can consider it a kind of record.

When using a SIM card in a tablet, when you call and write SMS, everything is not so rosy. It will last a day or more with an average load (2 hours of screen, about an hour of calls). The cellular module eats up the battery quickly enough. If we confine ourselves to data transfer, then everything will be typical for such devices, comparable to the same iPad - about 7-8 hours of work. Here, for example, how long the device worked for me when watching three episodes of the series (2 hours 15 minutes), working in other applications (half the brightness of the backlight, automatic mode).

In games, you can achieve a maximum of 7-7.5 hours of work, depending on the screen settings. But in games, the maximum number of cores is used, which negatively affects the operating time, the tablet noticeably warms up.

If you want to maximize battery life then don't use Chrome, Samsung's browser is much more energy efficient. The difference in operating time will be almost twice! As for me, Google urgently needs to do something with the energy efficiency of Chrome, it eats up the battery of mobile devices too quickly, although it is convenient in other aspects.

Traditionally, there is a power-saving mode, when you can limit processor performance, turn off the backlight of touch keys, degrade animation, and so on. Unfortunately, in this mode, you cannot select individual items, only enable them all at once. From the pleasant - you can set the automatic inclusion of this mode when the battery is discharged to a certain level (5, 15, 20, 50%).

In maximum power saving mode, the display turns gray and background data transfer is limited. This mode is unique from other companies and is directly related to the capabilities of the display.

The full battery charging time is about 3.5 hours (2A), fast charging mode, unlike the same Note 4, is not supported. In total, the Tab S2 is optimal in terms of operating time, if you keep in mind its capabilities and performance.

Memory, memory cards, performance

The tablet uses the same processor that we saw in the Note 4, the Exynos 5433. This processor was far ahead of its time and offered a very high performance bar, it remains one of the best on the market. They don’t look for good from good, and for a tablet in which the screen resolution is lower than in the same Note 4, they decided to use it. Many expected that this would be a new generation of processor, but there is simply no need for it - it could only be needed when using high-resolution screens. The technical characteristics of the processor are as follows - 4 cores with a frequency of up to 1.3 GHz, 4 cores with a frequency of up to 1.9 GHz. Fast RAM (1066 MHz). However, look at the results of synthetic tests.

The amount of internal memory is 32 GB, you have about 24 GB of space available for your programs and data. You can install a memory card up to 128 GB, there is almost no difference in access speed, so the applications stored on the card will work just as fast. There are versions of the tablet with 64 GB of internal memory, they will not be delivered to Russia.

The amount of RAM is 3 GB, which is quite enough for any tasks. In the interface, the device works very quickly, there are simply no slowdowns.

Communication options

Samsung is consistently refusing to use the infrared port to control household appliances, it was installed on most top models in 2014, including it can be found on the Tab S, it is not here. As well as the tablet lost support for NFC, which is doubly disappointing, since for most the presence of this technology makes using the device more convenient (quick pairing with other phones or tablets with one touch).

Surprisingly, the Tab S2 will not support Samsung Pay (there is no separate chip for crypto-protection of transactions), but it is pointless to worry about this, since the technology is focused only on the US market in 2015. Using a tablet for payments in the absence of NFC is only possible in the old fashioned way.

Other strengths of Samsung tablets remain here, the antenna for Wi-Fi is dual-band, operates at 2.4 / 5 GHz, 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac, traditionally there is Wi-Fi Direct. Bluetooth version 4.1.

Support for GPS / GLONASS is implemented well, as a device for navigation, the tablet turned out to be successful. BMW chose him as the standard navigator for their 7 Series.

The radio module supports the following frequencies:

• LTE: 700/ 800/ 850/ 900/ 1800/ 1900/ 2100/ 2600
• 3G: 850/ 900/ 1900/ 2100
• 2G: 850/ 900/ 1800/ 1900

Before us is a device that will easily work in LTE around the world.

Camera

If you approach formally, then the cameras have not changed in any way compared to the Tab S, the front one also has a resolution of 2.1 megapixels, the main one - 8 megapixels. But unlike the Tab S, the main camera doesn't have an LED flash. The front camera has become more aperture, as well as the main camera (f = 1.9 versus 2.4 in Tab S).

Look at sample shots and the camera interface. I think you can see the resemblance to the Galaxy S6. Pictures look great on a tablet screen, noticeably better than their actual quality on a PC screen. The reason is the outstanding performance of the display, but not the camera, it is just quite ordinary and inferior to most top-end smartphones on the market. On the other hand, for tablets, this camera is one of the best, as you can easily see by looking at the comparison shot with the iPad Mini (right).

And this is how the tablet shoots in the evening and during the day, and also records video. It will not be able to replace a top-end smartphone, but it is quite good for everyday tasks.

Photo examples

Now I want to dwell on one of the chips directly related to the camera and tablet performance. The Samsung app store has a 3D Capture program that allows you to capture 3D images of objects. Press shoot, go around slowly a stationary object, preferably at the same distance, and in a minute you have a model in front of you that you can twist as you like, export to other programs for editing three-dimensional pictures (file format .OBJ and also .MTL). The built-in editor allows you to clean up the image, remove the background, select individual zones, and it is quite advanced, covering all the features you need. For most, this program will become a kind of toy, but someone will find it the right use.

With my hands, I managed to make a three-dimensional picture of bread on a plate, it was like a kind of miracle. He immediately twisted the picture, showed his friends what happened. I tried to position the tablet motionless and rotate the plate, the shooting did not happen - the tablet requires that it be rotated around the object.

I have always been amazed by such technologies that are becoming commonplace - ten years ago it was impossible to think that something like this would be in a mass device. This is what can be called high technology, and they are becoming publicly available. This tablet is a cheap way to get 3D models. Of course, here the question arises in their detail, quality. But for the mass consumer, this will definitely be the first encounter with such technology and the possibility of using it.

In no case should you consider that 3D shooting will be a feature that will draw attention to this product. It's hard to believe, but this feature is unique, and other companies don't have it (I haven't seen it in any product). Of course, there are dozens of programs for iPad and Android that make 3D objects in .OBJ, but none of them are popular (maybe they are all niche?), and the quality of the resulting files is not very good by description. I do not presume to judge this, for sure among the readers there will be those who have played with such programs and can evaluate their quality better.

Software Features

The model comes with Android 5.0.2, and will be updated to 5.1.1 soon. Inside is a lightweight TouchWiz, which is completely or almost completely identical to what we see on the Galaxy S6. In the review of this phone, I analyzed in great detail all the pros and cons of such a solution, dwelling on all the little things. You can read about it in the review text.

Or watch the video on the Galaxy S6 as an example.

As with other flagship devices, you get free services and apps, like Microsoft's OneDrive gives you 100GB of cloud storage when you sign up. You can get a free subscription to various magazines, navigation and the like.

The multimedia capabilities of the tablet are excellent, it is omnivorous and digests most video formats (AC3 is not supported out of the box due to patent disputes, just install MX Player and everything will work).

I like the fact that you can upload any files to this tablet and immediately start watching and listening to them. As usual, maximum omnivorousness, no need to convert or download anything through a computer, everything is done from the device, it is completely independent.

Bookmarks appeared in the file manager, you can open different pages and copy files from one page to another.

The fingerprint sensor works by touch, there are no problems.

Of the interesting chips, I note that when working with Bluetooth, you can add “trusted devices” to the list. For example, it can be a speakerphone in a car. Then, when connected to such a device, the tablet will remain unlocked. At home, I set up a wireless speaker as such, and there is no need to put your finger on the sensor every time, the tablet is open.

There are a lot of such small chips in the system, each of them does not mean anything, but all together they make the device convenient. For the LTE version, nanoSIM and voice calls are supported, as well as SMS, unlike the same iPad, where a SIM card is only needed for data transfer.

Love or hate TouchWiz, but the shell greatly complements the stock Android, bringing in handy features, there are plenty of them.

Accessories for Tab S2

A standard set of accessories is available for the tablet, including various wired and wireless headsets, but I would like to draw your attention to three accessories that are different from other models and are only suitable for this tablet.

Let's start with the Keyboard Cover, this is a cover in which the keyboard is built in, it is fastened to the magnets on the back surface. This accessory is not available for the 8-inch model, only for a tablet with a large diagonal, which will seem like enough reason for someone to choose it.

At the same time, you can choose just Book Cover, this is a regular cover that allows you to put a tablet to watch videos.

Finally, you can purchase the docking station MT800, which has remained unchanged from the first generation of tablets and is familiar to us. This station has an HDMI connector with support for 4K video, two full-fledged USB connectors, microUSB, Ethernet - you can turn your tablet into a full-fledged computer.

Impression

I did not like the Tab S2 at all in absentia, it seemed that the tablet did not bring anything new, and its subtlety was a tribute to fashion. In life, he changed his mind to the opposite - it is convenient to work with him, and the screen is excellent, no one simply has anything like it. I was especially pleased with the work on the street, however, the super-bright backlight eats up the battery quickly, but on the same DJI quadrocopter you can fly even on a summer afternoon, when the sun burns everything around and nothing is visible on the screens of other devices.

Even if you watch movies all day, you will have enough battery power until the evening, in my usual mode the tablet worked for about 2 days, which is not bad (iPad lands in a day). In a word, I liked the device, but not its price. It is clear that it is necessary to nod on the course, but still the flagship turned out to be expensive and not accessible to everyone - but should flagships be available to many? Question.

The Tab S2 competes in Russia with the first generation of this tablet, primarily due to the fact that the old prices remain on it. However, let's compare. The price for the Wi-Fi version is about 21 thousand rubles, for the LTE version - about 23,000 rubles. Of the minuses - a smaller amount of internal memory (16 GB versus 32 GB), an old version of the OS, without updating to 5.1.1 in the near future, a slightly worse screen with fewer operating modes. The operating time in the first Tab S is slightly lower, but noticeably higher than that of all devices in this class. This line has become a kind of champion in terms of survivability thanks to the technical solutions used by the manufacturer.

The price for the Wi-Fi version of the 32 GB Tab S2 (SM-T710) is 31,990 rubles, for the 32 GB LTE version (SM-T715) – 35,990 rubles. The difference is simply drastic, and the appeal of the first generation Tab S is superior from every standpoint. You lose almost nothing by purchasing the previous model, but the savings are noticeable, enough for one or two devices below the class.

Apple has no direct competitors to the Tab S2 yet, the new model has not been released, so we will have to compare it with the best offer that is now, this is the iPad Mini 3. It would have to be compared with the Tab S, they are classmates, but let's compare with the Tab S2. The initial memory configuration for the iPad is 16 GB, it costs 26,990 and 35,990 rubles (Wi-Fi / LTE) in the official store. There is no 32 GB version, so it will not be possible to compare directly, the next 64 GB version costs 33,490 and 42,490 rubles. It turns out quite an interesting picture, if the LTE versions cost the same, but the Tab S2 has twice as much memory, plus there are memory cards, then Wi-Fi looks a little more expensive. The quality of the screens is incomparable, the model from Samsung wins a lot. As well as battery life, weight and size, many people may like the fact that the iPad case is made of metal. As an iPad Mini owner, I can say that the Tab S2 is noticeably more convenient in everyday life, it wins in all respects. Anticipating the question of why I didn't choose it or its predecessor - I'm not so wasteful that I change tablets annually, the old one does its job quite well. But the battery starts to die a little, it is possible that I will change the old man to a new one in the coming months. Choosing a new tablet today, I would definitely compare the iPad Mini 3 and Tab S2, and then focus on the amount that I have.

In life, Tab S2 and iPad Mini 3 are completely different, they differ radically from each other. The aesthetics, the feel in the hand, the way you use these devices. In a word, see for yourself and decide what you like, here no one can be your adviser. Trying to compare the Tab S2 with Android flagships from other companies is doomed to failure. What other companies call flagships is in no way technically true to that name - the models are weaker, just look at their screens and performance, they play in a different league. However, it is quite fair to raise the question here, do you need everything that the Tab S2 offers, or is it better to save money and buy not a flagship, but something simpler, but the answer to this question is again up to you.

I specifically highlighted the review of the 8- and 9.7-inch models in different materials, as I said above. The difference between these models is fundamental, one is mobile and always accompanies you, the second is suitable for those who spend more time at home or carry a bag with them, where a folder for papers and, accordingly, Tab S2 9.7 will fit. Functionally, these models are identical, only their perception, price and positioning differ, we will talk about this in the review of the older device. As for me, Samsung turned out to be an excellent model, which has, perhaps, everything you expect from a flagship - the best screen on the market, excellent battery life, the ability to make and receive calls, support SMS and full-fledged LTE in any country in the world. The price bites, but the more attractive the previous generation of the device. This is the flagship without any discounts, we just have to wait for the fall and the next iPad Mini to see how Apple can respond to this device. I'm afraid that only iOS9 and an increase in RAM will be the answer, you should not expect fundamental differences. So, Tab S2 will remain the most interesting device in terms of the totality of characteristics that it has. But here the question is how much you are committed to a particular platform, and you can argue about this for a long time and without much result.

This is the flagship tablet of the Korean company. Compared with the older brother Galaxy Tab S2 9.7, the screen size is reduced here, but the “stuffing” of the device remains the same. So this is the perfect option for those who want a premium tablet with a compact screen.

The fingerprint scanner will not only unlock the device with a light touch, but also protect it. By fingerprint, you can even restrict access to individual applications and accounts, thereby increasing the security of personal data.

Enjoy the picture on Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 SM-T710N 32Gb Wi-Fi Black will allow juicy and bright 8 inch Super AMOLED screen. It has a QXGA resolution that is 2048 x 1536 pixels. The 4 to 3 display height to width ratio, together with the light and thin body, allows you to carry your tablet wherever you go. And thanks to the improved multitasking mode, now you don’t have to constantly minimize applications. You can use the browser and work with text files at the same time, simply by dividing the screen into two parts, and you determine the size of these parts yourself.

With 3 GB of RAM, paired with an octa-core processor, four high-performance cores running at 1.9 GHz and four at 1.3 GHz, you can not worry about the smooth operation of the interface and applications. During everyday tasks, maximum performance is not used, allowing you to save battery power, which, with a capacity of 4000 mAh, allows you to work on the Internet for up to 9 hours in a row. And you can watch videos up to 14 hours in a row without recharging. The amount of built-in memory is 32 GB, of which the user can use 25.2 GB for data storage, expandable with MicroSD cards up to 128 GB.

In tablet computer Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 SM-T710N 32Gb Wi-Fi Black supports the following data transfer methods - Wi-Fi (a / b / g / n standards) with support for Wi-Fi Direct and Bluetooth version 4.1. Thanks to the support of GPS and GLONASS, the device can be used as a navigator, and the display size will allow you not to peer in order to consider the desired route.

The main camera with a resolution of 8 megapixels with a fast lens, provides decent photo quality and allows you to record video at a resolution of 2560 x 1440, even in low light conditions. And for making video calls, the 2.1 megapixel front camera is perfect.

Information about the make, model, and alternative names of a particular device, if any.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Used materials, suggested colors, certificates.

Width Width information refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	198.6 mm (millimeters) 19.86 cm (centimeters) 0.65 ft 7.82in
Height Height information refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	134.8 mm (millimeters) 13.48 cm (centimeters) 0.44ft 5.31in
Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement.	5.6 mm (millimeters) 0.56 cm (centimeters) 0.02 ft 0.22in
The weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement.	272 g (grams) 0.6 lbs 9.59oz
Volume Approximate volume of the device, calculated from dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped.	149.92 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 9.1 in³ (cubic inches)
Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale.	The black White
Housing materials The materials used to make the body of the device.	Metal Plastic

SIM card

The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.

Mobile networks

A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.

GSM GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is designed to replace the analogue mobile network (1G). For this reason, GSM is often referred to as a 2G mobile network. It is enhanced by the addition of GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) and later EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) technologies.	GSM 850 MHz GSM 900 MHz GSM 1800 MHz GSM 1900 MHz
UMTS UMTS is short for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. It is based on the GSM standard and belongs to 3G mobile networks. Developed by 3GPP and its biggest advantage is to provide more speed and spectral efficiency with W-CDMA technology.	UMTS 850 MHz UMTS 900 MHz UMTS 1900 MHz UMTS 2100 MHz
LTE LTE (Long Term Evolution) is defined as fourth generation (4G) technology. It is developed by 3GPP based on GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA to increase the capacity and speed of wireless mobile networks. The subsequent development of technologies is called LTE Advanced.	LTE 800 MHz LTE 850 MHz LTE 900 MHz LTE 1800 MHz LTE 1900 MHz LTE 2100 MHz LTE 2600 MHz LTE 700 MHz

Mobile technologies and data rates

Communication between devices in mobile networks is carried out through technologies that provide different data transfer rates.

Operating system

The operating system is the system software that manages and coordinates the operation of the hardware components in the device.

SoC (System on a Chip)

System on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device in one chip.

SoC (System on a Chip) System on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components such as processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation.	Samsung Exynos 5 Octa 5433
Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is made. The value in nanometers measures half the distance between the elements in the processor.	20 nm (nanometers)
Processor (CPU) The main function of the processor (CPU) of a mobile device is the interpretation and execution of instructions contained in software applications.	4x 1.9 GHz ARM Cortex-A57, 4x 1.3 GHz ARM Cortex-A53
Processor bit depth The bit depth (bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance than 32-bit processors, which, in turn, are more productive than 16-bit processors.	64 bit
Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands by which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute.	ARMv8-A
First level cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently accessed data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small and much faster than both system memory and other cache levels. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for them in the L2 cache. With some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2.	32 kB + 32 kB (kilobytes)
Second level cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1, but in return it has a larger capacity, allowing more data to be cached. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or RAM.	2048 KB (kilobytes) 2 MB (megabytes)
Number of processor cores The processor core executes program instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing many instructions to be executed in parallel.	8
Processor clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	1900 MHz (megahertz)
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The graphics processing unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is used most often by games, consumer interface, video applications, etc.	ARM Mali-T760 MP6
Number of GPU cores Like the CPU, the GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle the graphical calculations of different applications.	6
GPU clock speed Speed ​​is the clock speed of the GPU and is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	700 MHz (megahertz)
The amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost when the device is turned off or restarted.	3 GB (gigabytes)
Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device.	LPDDR3
Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels means higher data rates.	dual channel
RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its speed, more specifically, the speed of reading / writing data.	825 MHz (megahertz)

Built-in memory

Each mobile device has a built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed amount.

Memory cards

Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.

Screen

The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.

Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the image quality of information directly depends.	Super AMOLED
Diagonal For mobile devices, the screen size is expressed in terms of its diagonal length, measured in inches.	8 in 203.2 mm (millimeters) 20.32 cm (centimeters)
Width Approximate Screen Width	6.4in 162.56 mm (millimeters) 16.26 cm (centimeters)
Height Approximate Screen Height	4.8in 121.92 mm (millimeters) 12.19 cm (centimeters)
Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side	1.333:1 4:3
Permission Screen resolution indicates the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means sharper image detail.	2048 x 1536 pixels
Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be shown on the screen in clearer detail.	320 ppi (pixels per inch) 125ppm (pixels per centimeter)
Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for the color components in a single pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors the screen can display.	24 bit 16777216 flowers
Screen area Approximate percentage of screen space on the front of the device.	74.27% (percentage)
Other characteristics Information about other functions and features of the screen.	capacitive Multitouch

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that are recognized by the mobile device.

rear camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the device and can be combined with one or more secondary cameras.

Sensor Model	Samsung S5K4H5
Sensor type Information about the type of camera sensor. Some of the most widely used types of sensors in mobile device cameras are CMOS, BSI, ISOCELL, etc.	CMOS BSI (backside illumination)
Sensor size	3.6 x 2.7 mm (millimeters) 0.18in
Pixel size	1.103 µm (micrometers) 0.001103 mm (millimeters)
crop factor	9.61
Svetlosila	f/1.9
Focal length	3.23 mm (millimeters) 31.02 mm (millimeters) *(35 mm / full frame)
Image Resolution	3264 x 2448 pixels 7.99 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution	2560 x 1440 pixels 3.69 MP (megapixels)
Video recording speed (frame rate) Information about the maximum recording rate (frames per second, fps) supported by the camera at maximum resolution. Some of the most basic video recording speeds are 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps.	30 fps (frames per second)
Characteristics Information about additional software and hardware features of the rear (rear) camera.	autofocus digital zoom Self-timer Scene Selection Mode

Front-camera

Smartphones have one or more front cameras of various designs - a pop-up camera, a PTZ camera, a cutout or hole in the display, a camera under the display.

Sensor Model Information about the manufacturer and model of the sensor used by the camera.	Samsung S5K6B2
Sensor size Information about the size of the photosensor used in the device. Typically, cameras with a larger sensor and lower pixel density offer better image quality despite lower resolution.	2.4 x 1.8 mm (millimeters) 0.12in
Pixel size Pixels are usually measured in microns. Larger pixels are able to capture more light and therefore provide better low-light performance and a wider dynamic range than smaller pixels. On the other hand, smaller pixels allow higher resolution while maintaining the same sensor size.	1.25 µm (micrometers) 0.001250 mm (millimeters)
crop factor The crop factor is the ratio between the size of a full-frame sensor (36 x 24mm, equivalent to a frame of standard 35mm film) and the size of the device's photosensor. The number shown is the ratio of the diagonals of the full frame sensor (43.3 mm) and the photo sensor of the specific device.	14.42
Svetlosila Luminosity (also known as f-stop, aperture, or f-number) is a measure of the aperture size of a lens that determines the amount of light that enters the sensor. The lower the f-number, the larger the aperture and the more light reaches the sensor. Usually, the number f is indicated, which corresponds to the maximum possible aperture of the aperture.	f/2.2
Focal length Focal length indicates the distance in millimeters from the sensor to the optical center of the lens. The equivalent focal length (35mm) is the focal length of a mobile device camera that is equal to the focal length of a 35mm full-frame sensor that would achieve the same angle of view. It is calculated by multiplying the actual focal length of the mobile device's camera by the crop factor of its sensor. The crop factor can be defined as the ratio between the 35mm diagonals of a full-frame sensor and a mobile device sensor.	1.87 mm (millimeters) 26.97 mm (millimeters) *(35 mm / full frame)
Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of cameras is resolution. It represents the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in an image. For convenience, smartphone manufacturers often list resolution in megapixels, giving an approximate number of pixels in millions.	1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution Information about the maximum video resolution that the camera can record.	1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels)

Audio

Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.

Radio

The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.

Location determination

Information about navigation and location technologies supported by the device.

WiFi

Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication to transfer data over short distances between different devices.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between different types of devices over short distances.

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to communicate.

Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, which is also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by the device.

Browser

A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.

Video file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support various video file formats and codecs, which store and encode/decode digital video data, respectively.

Battery

Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge they need to function.

Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)

SAR levels refer to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body while using a mobile device.

Head SAR (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear in a conversation position. In Europe, the maximum allowable SAR value for mobile devices is limited to 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by CENELEC in accordance with IEC standards following the 1998 ICNIRP guidelines.	0.345 W/kg (watt per kilogram)
Body SAR (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device at hip level. The maximum allowed SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by CENELEC following the 1998 ICNIRP guidelines and IEC standards.	0.472 W/kg (watt per kilogram)
Head SAR (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear. The maximum value used in the US is 1.6 W/kg per gram of human tissue. Mobile devices in the US are controlled by the CTIA and the FCC conducts tests and sets their SAR values.	0.957 W/kg (watt per kilogram)
Body SAR (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device at hip level. The highest acceptable SAR value in the US is 1.6 W/kg per gram of human tissue. This value is set by the FCC, and the CTIA controls whether mobile devices comply with this standard.	1.593 W/kg (watt per kilogram)