Samsung Galaxy TabPro S Review: A Premium, Ultra-Thin Windows Convertible
TabPro S Design and Build Quality
Without the keyboard cover, the Samsung Galaxy TabPro S is just a quarter-inch thick. That’s thinner than the Surface Pro 4 and even the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. The tablet is also slightly lighter than both of its aforementioned competitors, weighing in at just 1.53 pounds. As thin as the Samsung Galaxy TabPro S is, it feels rock solid. The tablet doesn’t flex and the magnesium-alloy edge easily withstands the bumps of everyday use.
The display provides very bright and rich colors, thanks to the individual pixel-lighting of Super AMOLED display technology. The screen also handled my swipes and taps without trouble, and I was able to write my signature with my finger just fine. With more businesses using tablets to accept people’s signatures, that’s worth noting.
The edges of the Galaxy TabPro S are very clean, thanks to the dearth of ports. The power and volume buttons are easy to press and are the same color as the edge of the tablet, so they don’t interrupt the smooth look of the tablet’s edge. The USB C port and stereo jack sit at the lower-right side of the tablet when it is in notebook mode.
Attach the keyboard and you have the equivalent of a laptop, albeit with noticeably fewer ports. The keyboard doubles as a portfolio case, wrapping around the back side of the Galaxy TabPro S and attaching via a magnet.
The keyboard is high quality, but some design choices might throw-off users who spend big chunks of their time typing. For one thing, the keyboard lies flat on the desk. This makes the Galaxy TabPro S keyboard very sturdy, but it doesn’t provide the long-use comfort that a tilted keyboard does. Several other 2-in-1’s, including the Spectre X2 and the Surface Pro 4, are designed to tilt the keyboard upward a bit for better ergonimics.
Another design choice that might irk some users is that the keys have very little space between them and are totally flat. The result is that I occasionally tapped the wrong key and sometimes had trouble finding keys (even the spacebar) by touch. The keys are responsive, though, and I think it’s a fine keyboard for writing emails and other light use.
I really like the touchpad, which responded well to all of my swipes and taps. The touchpad has built-in buttons in the corners. If the keyboard is a base hit, the touchpad is a homerun.
The Galaxy TabPro S has few included accessories. The travel charger is very small and won’t take up much room in your bag. An S Pen is also in the works, but hasn’t made an appearance yet. Apple and Microsoft both offer pens for their 2-in-1s, but whether that matters to you depends on how you plan to use the tablet. I doubt most users will miss the pen in everyday use.
The display provides very bright and rich colors, thanks to the individual pixel-lighting of Super AMOLED display technology. The screen also handled my swipes and taps without trouble, and I was able to write my signature with my finger just fine. With more businesses using tablets to accept people’s signatures, that’s worth noting.
Attach the keyboard and you have the equivalent of a laptop, albeit with noticeably fewer ports. The keyboard doubles as a portfolio case, wrapping around the back side of the Galaxy TabPro S and attaching via a magnet.
The keyboard is high quality, but some design choices might throw-off users who spend big chunks of their time typing. For one thing, the keyboard lies flat on the desk. This makes the Galaxy TabPro S keyboard very sturdy, but it doesn’t provide the long-use comfort that a tilted keyboard does. Several other 2-in-1’s, including the Spectre X2 and the Surface Pro 4, are designed to tilt the keyboard upward a bit for better ergonimics.
I really like the touchpad, which responded well to all of my swipes and taps. The touchpad has built-in buttons in the corners. If the keyboard is a base hit, the touchpad is a homerun.
The Galaxy TabPro S has few included accessories. The travel charger is very small and won’t take up much room in your bag. An S Pen is also in the works, but hasn’t made an appearance yet. Apple and Microsoft both offer pens for their 2-in-1s, but whether that matters to you depends on how you plan to use the tablet. I doubt most users will miss the pen in everyday use.
