Samsung Galaxy TabPro S Review: A Premium, Ultra-Thin Windows Convertible
Samsung Galaxy TabPro S and Specs
It looks like Microsoft’s grit is paying off. After years of shepherding its Surface tablets, Microsoft seems to have convinced its partners that there is a market for premium, Windows-based ultra portables. HP’s Spectre x2 caught our attention late last year and Dell’s XPS 12 and Lenovo’s Yoga (technically a convertible) impressed us more recently. Now Samsung, another major Android tablet maker, has taken the wraps off its own Surface alternative, the Galaxy TabPro S. The tablet runs Windows 10 Home and features many of Samsung's key mobile innovations, like a gorgeous AMOLED display.
All of the tablets we just mentioned mimic the Surface’s 2-in-1 design by including a keyboard. You trade away the ultra-thin profile of the tablet with a 2-in-1, but the keyboard’s few extra millimeters buy you productivity by turning the tablet into a laptop equivalent. Besides, 2-in-1s (including the Galaxy TabPro S) have a detachable keyboard, letting you cut the dead-weight when all you want is a tablet form factor.
Samsung’s website offers just one option for buyers who want to customize their Galaxy TabPro S: black or white exteriors. When it comes to the hardware, you’re either sold on the whole package – or you aren’t.
That hardware includes an Intel Core m3-6Y30 dual-core processor, 4GB of memory, and a 128GB solid-state drive, putting the Galaxy TabPro S on roughly the same footing as the entry-level Microsoft Surface Pro 4. The Core m3-6Y30 is a dual-core processor that runs at up to 2.2GHz and features Intel HD Graphics 515. The Core M series is designed for slim, mobile devices that don’t have the room for active cooling, making it a common-sense choice for ultra-slim 2-in-1 systems.
The Super AMOLED display gives you 12 (diagonal) inches of touchscreen real estate. Samsung routinely touts the rich colors of Super AMOLED displays and is building the screen technology into many of its devices, including the Galaxy S7. The display on the Galaxy TabPro S has a resolution of 2160 x1440 (FHD+), which is sharper than the resolution of the HP Spectre H2 we recently reviewed, but not as sharp as the 2736x1824 display on the Microsoft Surface Pro 4.
Mobile devices usually have few ports, but the Galaxy TabPro S takes the trend further than most tablets: it has only a 3.5mm audio jack, a USB C port, and the keyboard cover port. The keyboard itself doesn’t have any ports (aside from connector for the tablet). I’m surprised to see that Samsung didn’t at least include a microSD card slot on the Galaxy TabPro, given that it brought the card slot back in the Galaxy S7 after hearing from customers who wanted storage expandability.
If you want to connect devices, you’ll need to rely on the tablet’s Bluetooth 4.1 connectivity. The Galaxy TabPro S has 802.11ac Wi-Fi as well, but cellular connectivity is not an option. The device includes Samsung Flow, which lets you create a connection between certain Galaxy phones and the TabPro S. Flow can send notifications to your tablet and lets you quickly access your phone’s hotspot functionality, among other features.
The Galaxy TabPro S may be short on ports, but it has two 5MP cameras. The rear camera offers 1920x1080 FHD video recording and has auto focus. It also features 4X digital zoom for snapping photos. The TabPro S' design and build quality are something special...let's take a closer look...
All of the tablets we just mentioned mimic the Surface’s 2-in-1 design by including a keyboard. You trade away the ultra-thin profile of the tablet with a 2-in-1, but the keyboard’s few extra millimeters buy you productivity by turning the tablet into a laptop equivalent. Besides, 2-in-1s (including the Galaxy TabPro S) have a detachable keyboard, letting you cut the dead-weight when all you want is a tablet form factor.
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| Operating System | Windows 10 Home 64-bit |
| Processor and Graphics | Intel Core m3-6y30 Dual Core and Intel HD Graphics 515 |
| Display | 12-inch Diagonal AMOLED FHD+ (2160 x 1440) Touchscreen |
| Memory | 4GB RAM |
| Storage | 128 GB SSD |
| Primary Battery | 39.5W Battery |
| Keyboard | Detachable Keyboard with Touchpad |
| Camera | 5MP Front, 5MP AF Rear with 4x Zoom; FHD (1920 x 1080) Video Recording; Samsung Flow; SideSync Compatible |
| Networking | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2.4G+5GHz, VHT80 MIMO, Bluetooth 4.1 |
| Battery Life | 10.5 Hours Video (Per Samsung) |
| Audio | Dual Speakers |
| Expansion Slots | None |
| External I/O Ports | 1 USB C 3.1, 1 3.5mm Audio Jack |
| Power Adapter | Fast-Charging Travel Adapter |
| Dimensions | 11.43 x 7.83. 0.25 in. (without keyboard); 1.53 lb |
| Warranty / Pricing | One Year / Starting @ $899 -- Find The TabPro S @ Amazon |
Samsung’s website offers just one option for buyers who want to customize their Galaxy TabPro S: black or white exteriors. When it comes to the hardware, you’re either sold on the whole package – or you aren’t.
That hardware includes an Intel Core m3-6Y30 dual-core processor, 4GB of memory, and a 128GB solid-state drive, putting the Galaxy TabPro S on roughly the same footing as the entry-level Microsoft Surface Pro 4. The Core m3-6Y30 is a dual-core processor that runs at up to 2.2GHz and features Intel HD Graphics 515. The Core M series is designed for slim, mobile devices that don’t have the room for active cooling, making it a common-sense choice for ultra-slim 2-in-1 systems.
The Super AMOLED display gives you 12 (diagonal) inches of touchscreen real estate. Samsung routinely touts the rich colors of Super AMOLED displays and is building the screen technology into many of its devices, including the Galaxy S7. The display on the Galaxy TabPro S has a resolution of 2160 x1440 (FHD+), which is sharper than the resolution of the HP Spectre H2 we recently reviewed, but not as sharp as the 2736x1824 display on the Microsoft Surface Pro 4.
Mobile devices usually have few ports, but the Galaxy TabPro S takes the trend further than most tablets: it has only a 3.5mm audio jack, a USB C port, and the keyboard cover port. The keyboard itself doesn’t have any ports (aside from connector for the tablet). I’m surprised to see that Samsung didn’t at least include a microSD card slot on the Galaxy TabPro, given that it brought the card slot back in the Galaxy S7 after hearing from customers who wanted storage expandability.
If you want to connect devices, you’ll need to rely on the tablet’s Bluetooth 4.1 connectivity. The Galaxy TabPro S has 802.11ac Wi-Fi as well, but cellular connectivity is not an option. The device includes Samsung Flow, which lets you create a connection between certain Galaxy phones and the TabPro S. Flow can send notifications to your tablet and lets you quickly access your phone’s hotspot functionality, among other features.
The Galaxy TabPro S may be short on ports, but it has two 5MP cameras. The rear camera offers 1920x1080 FHD video recording and has auto focus. It also features 4X digital zoom for snapping photos. The TabPro S' design and build quality are something special...let's take a closer look...
