Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series First Impressions

Along with the Samsung Galaxy S22 series, we also got an early experience with the Galaxy Tab S8 series. These are our early impressions of them!

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra in Graphite

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series feature three models varying in size. There's the 11-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab S8, the 12.4-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+, and the 14.6-inch Samsung Galaxy S8 Ultra.  All of these will feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 octa-core processor for performance.

For the cameras, a 13MP main camera  + 6MP ultra-wide-angle sensor with flash will be present across all three models. The Galaxy Tab S8 and S8+ will feature a single 12MP ultra-wide selfie camera while the Tab S8 Ultra will feature a dual selfie setup with a 12MP wide + 12MP ultra-wide configuration.

In the Philippines, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 starts at PHP 41,990 while the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+ and Tab S8 Ultra are priced at PHP 63,990 and PHP 77.990 respectively.

Are these tablets worth the price? Let's find out!

Build Quality/Design

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series back design

Looking at the Galaxy Tab S8 series, all three feel premium due to the materials used which are aluminum and glass in front. They all look pretty similar to the Galaxy Tab S6 and S7 series. They all seem slimmer and more streamlined though. They also feel more lightweight and solid. It has a matte texture that is not a fingerprint magnet.

In terms of dimensions, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 measures 165.3 x 253.8 x 6.3 mm, Galaxy Tab S8+ measures 185 x 285 x 5.7 mm, and the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra measures 208.6 x 326.4 x 5.5 mm. In terms of weight, they weigh 507g, 567g, and 726g respectively.

At the back, you will see the camera bump with an LED flash residing on a black strip. The rest of the back is pretty muted of any design except for a small Samsung branding beneath the black strip. Overall, the look is pretty streamlined and sleek. It also has curved edges all around as well.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra screen

In terms of the screen, there are differences among the devices. The 11-inch Galaxy Tab S8 features a 2560 x 1600 WQXGA LTPS TFT 120Hz screen while both the 12-inch Galaxy Tab S8+ and Tab S8 Ultra features a 120Hz Super AMOLED screen. The Tab S8 and Tab S8+ have a punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera while the Tab S8 Ultra resorted to a notch due to its dual-selfie setup. There's no mention of Glass protection or water resistance here for all though.

Topside of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series

Holding it on the usual landscape tablet orientation, you will find the power button, volume buttons, and SIM card tray. There are also two mics here.

Bottom of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series

On the bottom side, you will find the magnetic attachment mechanism for the Book Cover Keyboard case.

The right side of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series

On the right side, you will find two speaker grilles and the USB-C charging port.

The left side of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series

On the left side, you will find two more speaker grilles and another mic.

In terms of performance, all three feature the 4nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 octa-core processor with the Adreno 730 GPU. RAM and storage size for the Tab S8 and Tab S8+ range between 8GB to 12GB and 128GB/256GB respectively. The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has up to 16GB RAM and up to 512GB storage. All can have expanded storage via microSD card up to 1TB.

For battery, the Galaxy Tab S8 has an 8,000mAh battery, the Galaxy Tab S8+ has 10,090mAh, and the Galaxy Tab S8+ has an 11,200mAh battery. All will have up to 45W Super Fast Charge 2.0 technology. Hopefully, these battery sizes can translate to long battery life as well.

As of the moment

How did they fare so far?

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series looks promising. All three models look amazing and promise top-notch performance. The different sizes also call for different use cases and can be a big factor when choosing your preferred model.

The screens were vibrant and bright. The S Pen integration is on point and we had fun utilizing it during our usage. The Super AMOLED screens in particular have good saturation and contrast with deep blacks.

We will test this more in the future so stay tuned for our full review!

What do you guys think?