While the Android tablet market may not be what it used to be, Samsung still is one of the major players in the tablet space. We got a chance to try the latest Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE.
Design
Samsung has come a long way with respect to the design characteristics of Galaxy Android tablets. We have already seen the Galaxy Tab series range from the small 7-inch models to the mega-sized 18.4-inch Galaxy View. Even though the new Galaxy Tab S7 FE is seen as a mid-range product, the device features a premium build with a metal aluminum frame and seamless rounded corners as seen on many flagship smartphones.
The main display is a 12.4-inch TFT screen with 84% screen-to-body coverage. The bezels around the display are also quite thin for more screen estate. The large display features a screen resolution of 2560 x 1600 (WQXGA) and the aspect ratio is wider at 16:10. However, the maximum brightness only reaches 243ppi density and we wish it could have been a bit more for better visibility during outdoor situations.
While it may not be an AMOLED panel like other Samsung flagship devices, the viewing angles of the TFT display are quite impressive and the screen produces vibrant colors which are good for watching movies or your favorite shows. The tablet is only 6.3mm thick which explains how sleek it looks and the unibody design weighs only 608g. It’s very comfortable to hold and does not really feel heavy when carrying the tablet.
The volume rocker and the power button/side key are located on the top left portion of the tablet, along with the SIM card tray (that also can be used as a MicroSD card slot) on the opposite end. On the left side of the tablet is the USB-C power connector and there are also pins located under the tablet to interface with a dock. The tablet also features dual AKG-tuned speakers that are located on both left and right sides of the tablet.
The speakers are really loud and well-balanced that produces great audio quality while watching videos, hearing your favorite tracks or when playing a game. However, we did notice that if you hold the tablet in landscape mode, there are chances that you could accidentally cover the speaker grills that may reduce the audio. So, it all comes as to how you hold the device. And just as the frame, the rear side also gets the aluminum treatment for the premium look and feel. The camera on the rear side is located on the upper right portion.
While Samsung does mention that the camera housing features a minimalistic design, we can clearly see that the camera island slightly protrudes outward and this is even more evident when you place the tablet with the rear side facing downwards on a flat surface. The tablet will slightly wobble on a flat surface. The SAMSUNG branding is located on the upper left portion and the AKG insignia on the bottom end. And since the tablet is capable of 5G, we can see the antenna lines running on the left and right sides of the device from the rear side.
The front-facing camera features a 5MP sensor and the rear camera comes with an 8MP autofocus sensor. The front camera is located at the center on the top bezel so users will be able to place themselves at the center of the frame during video calls. There are also three mics embedded around the display for better audio reception. Both the cameras are capable of 1080p videos at 30fps.
With a large display, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE would not be complete without the S-Pen. The included S-Pen features a soft tip and operates on low latency, giving users the feel and experience of using a real pen. The stylus also does not require any charging so you don’t need to worry about the battery life of the S-Pen, and it can be easily magnetized to the sides of the tablet so you can carry it easily on the go.
Specs and Performance
Even though the specs of the tablet may be of the mid-range category, we were quite impressed with how snappy the device performs for our day-to-day tasks. The heart of the tablet is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G SoC, a chip that is based on the 8nm fabrication process and the integrated GPU is the Adreno 619 that should help for some decent gaming performance. The Galaxy Tab S7 FE comes in three different configurations: 64GB ROM/4GB RAM, 128GB ROM/ 6GB RAM, and 256GB ROM/ 8GB RAM. Samsung sent us the base model that features 64GB of storage and 4GB RAM for review.
The tablet also runs on Android 11 OS with the Samsung One UI 3.1.1 included. The performance of the user interface is snappy most of the time and 4GB is more than sufficient for normal tasks. With the inclusion of S-Pen functionality, Samsung has included almost all the features that you are familiar with S-Pen, including the Samsung Notes app. Take a screenshot and you can crop the content along with the notes you write on the app. You can also include hashtags that help to keep your notes organized. The app also suggests titles for each note.
Samsung also included a social media app called the PENUP that lets you bring out the best of your artistic skills and interact with users of similar interests. Then there is the Clip Studio Paint app that lets you illustrate and create comics with storytelling and inking. However, the app is free to use for only 6 months. The tablet also comes with another free note-taking app called the Noteshelf, where users will be able to access hundreds of different notebook covers and paper templates.
The tablet also houses a large 10090 mAh Li-Po battery with support for a 45W fast charge via the USB Type-C port. We were able to easily go through a day of use on a single charge while using the tablet for watching video clips, browse the internet, and more. We also tested the battery performance using the PC Mark 10 Work 3.0 battery test and the tablet lasted for 15 hours and 22 minutes, starting from 100% full charge to 18% of battery life. That’s quite interesting since Samsung mentions that the tablet can last up to 13 hours. Regardless, this all depends on what you do with the tablet.
We also ran some benchmarks such as PC Mark, 3D Mark, GeekBench 5, and Antutu. Please take a look at the scores below.
Benchmarks
Verdict
There is no doubt that Samsung is still one of the preferred choices when it comes to Android tablets. And we had fun using the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE. The display and its thin bezels are one of the striking features of the device. The viewing angles and the colors are also good. And taking advantage of the large display with an S-Pen is also an added bonus.
Write down notes, scribble whatever comes to your mind, crop screenshots, bring out your artistic skills, create GIFs, and more with the S-Pen and its features. The S-Pen’s soft tip and its low-latency performance give you the experience of writing with a real pen. Easily clip on the S-Pen with the side-mounted magnets to carry around. The tablet has a thin body profile with a premium build and the performance of the device is satisfactory. And the battery of the tablet should easily last you for a day of use.
