The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 is probably another attempt by the South Korea tech giant to win against Apple's iPad. And while it did outwit Apple's tablet line with its outrageous thinness, there's no denying that it's not big of an upgrade from its predecessor, the Galaxy Tab S.
The latest tablet from Samsung comes in two variants, but both sport the same thin body that puts tablets in the market to the average-sized category. At 5.6 mm, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S is thinner than the iPad Air 2 and the iPad Mini 4 with 6.1 mm width and the iPad Pro with 6.9 mm width.
The device is clad in a polycarbonate shell, but the metallic trim gives it a more polished and premium feel. What's good about this body is it helps the Galaxy Tab S2 to maintain a light 256 grams weight, according to New York Daily News.
As if hinting that its main target is Apple's tablet line, Samsung has decided to ditch its 16:9 bigger variant for a 4:3 aspect ratio in both the 8-inch version and the 9.7-inch model. Maybe Samsung realized that though the 6:9 ratio was perfect for watching movies and shows, it didn't really go well with other functions such as reading, viewing and navigating the web.
Despite being a successor to the Galaxy Tab S models, the new Galaxy Tab S2 models have lower pixel densities. The 8-inch variant comes with 1536 x 2048 resolution with 320 ppi while its Galaxy Tab S counterpart has 1600 x 260 resolution with 359 ppi. The same is true with the larger variants. The Galaxy Tab S2 9.7-inch version has a pixel density of 264 while its Galaxy Tab S counterpart has 288 pixel density. However, to the average age, these changes are not at all noticeable.
In terms of performance, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 delivers more efficient performance as it comes with the Octa-Core Exynos 5433 processor that is also found in the Galaxy Note 4. In terms of battery life, the 9.7-inch device has a 5,870 mAh battery, which lasts for up to 5 hours and 11 minutes when viewing videos over Wi-Fi, PC mag has learned. The 8-inch model, on the contrary, comes with 4,000 mAh battery only.
Camera-wise, the 8-megapixel rear camera and the 2.1-megapixel front shooter are decent enough to capture good photos provided there is ample natural light.
The only feature that brings the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 a notch higher than its predecessors is the presence of the fingerprint scanner on its home button.
The starting price for the 8-inch version is $400, but if you are after its bigger version, you need to add an extra $250 as the the 9.7-inch is valued at $650.
