Samsung has officially unveiled the Galaxy Tab S7 and Tab S7 Plus (05-08-2020). Currently they are only available for pre-order in the UK, and are expected to be fully released for purchase anytime from 21st August 2020 onwards. In the US the tablets will be available this Fall 2020.
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Samsung have now unveiled their latest tablet, but instead of producing one high-end tablet they have now unveiled two. The Tab S7 and Tab S7 Plus. As with their phones, the new tablets have adopted Samsung’s two-tier model as well, unlike the singular Tab S6. But like the Tab S6, both tablets will ship with Samsung’s S Pen, which can be magnetically attached to the back of the tablet.
The Tab S7 and Tab S7 Plus will both be available in three different colors – Mystic Black, Mystic Silver and Mystic Bronze.
The tablet enclosures appear to be made of aluminium, and have two different thicknesses (Tab S7 6.3mm, Tab S7 Plus 5.7mm) with multiple weight variances between each version, starting at 498g (Tab S7) to 575g (Tab S7 Plus). So overall, they are thin and light.
Connectivity
In the UK there are four versions in total available for pre-order. Both the Tab S7 and Tab S7 Plus have Wi-Fi only versions, while with the cellular versions, the Tab S7 has 4G and the Tab S7 Plus has 5G.
In the US there will also be four versions available. Both tablets will have Wi-Fi 6 versions. But with cellular, both the Tab S7 and Tab S7 Plus will have 5G and no 4G versions.
Regarding the US 5G versions, both tablets will have mmWave and Sub-6 5G connectivity. However, for the UK I could not see any confirmation regarding the 5G specifications for the S7 Plus 5G version.
With Bluetooth, the US versions have Bluetooth v5.0, but once again, no firm confirmation for the UK, even towards if it has Bluetooth on Samsung’s website. But don’t worry it most definitely does (99.9% sure).
Display and Sound
Following Samsung’s two-tier model, the biggest difference between the tablets is the screen size. The Tab S7 has an 11.0” screen while the Tab S7 Plus has a 12.4” display. This is also a difference from the Tab S6, which has a 10.5” screen.
The Tab S7 comes with an LCD screen (LTPS LCD), while the Tab S7 Plus comes with an OLED display (Super AMOLED). Both have high resolution QHD screens, with the Tab S7 Plus being able to support HDR (HDR10+).
Another interesting addition to both tablets is the 120Hz refresh rate. According to Samsung the tablet “intelligently adjusts the refresh rate based on your content”. So although the tablet display is capable of 120Hz, in practice we will have to see how well the display adjusts, and also what settings might be available to control this.
Unless you are going to do heavy gaming, this addition probably won’t matter much, or justify the cost. However, if you are going to be writing and drawing with the S Pen a lot, then the 120Hz refresh rate will be a significant improvement.
The tablets also feature quad speakers tuned by AKG with Doubly Atmos.
Performance and Storage
Both the Tab S7 and Tab S7 Plus feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus Mobile Platform. This is currently one of Qualcomm’s top processors. According to Samsung both the Tab S7 and Tab S7 Plus have an Octa Core processor with core clock speeds ranging from 3.09GHz + 2.4GHz + 1.8GHz. Compared to the Tab S6, Samsung claim the new processor to generally be faster.
For those who are into playing back high quality video. The Snapdragon 865 Plus is capable of supporting the following video codecs: Dolby Vision, H.265 (HEVC), HDR10+, HLG, HDR10, H.264 (AVC), VP8, VP9. It also mentions that it is capable of powering a display with a color depth up to 10-bit.
For a full breakdown of what the Snapdragon 865 Plus can do, go to Qualcomm’s official page: https://www.qualcomm.com/products/snapdragon-865-plus-5g-mobile-platform
When it comes to RAM and Storage both tablets will have versions with 6GB to 8GB ram and 128GB to 256GB storage available. However, for the UK, things start to get very unfair. In the UK with both tablets you will only be able to purchase the 6GB ram with 128GB storage option at exceedingly high prices. Compared to the UK’s Tab S6 options, that’s ridiculous, a downgrade and not worth the money. Plus, if that really is what’s happening, then it’s a bit insulting.
Is there a 512GB version of the Tab S7?
But then it starts to get further confusing. According to Samsung’s UK website, both tablets are apparently going to have three levels of storage available with varying ram, as follows:
- 6GB ram + 128GB storage
- 8GB ram + 256GB storage
- 8GB ram + 512GB storage
That’s weird, because Samsung’s pre-paid checkout, Amazon and John Lewis options say otherwise.
Overall this tablet should be able to handle everything from high-end games to creative work with Photoshop and Video Editing. However, although 6GB of ram is good and should be able handle a lot, 8GB ram would make a big difference with these tasks.
More information on the Galaxy Tab S7 and Tab S7 Plus
Battery and Charging specs
- Both the Tab S7 and Tab S7 Plus support 45W super fast charging with battery capacities of 8,000mAh (Tab S7) and 10,090mAh (Tab S7 Plus).
What ports do the Tab S7 tablets have?
- The Tab S7 tablets have one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port and a microSD card slot. But no headphone jack.
Tab S7 and Tab S7 Plus fingerprint readers
- The Tab S7 has a fingerprint reader built into its power button, while the Tab S7 Plus has the fingerprint reader in the screen.
Tab S7 camera specs
- The Tab S7 has three cameras. On the rear there are two cameras, a 13MP Main and a 5MP Ultra Wide, accompanied by a flash. On the front there is a single 8MP camera.
New S Pen with the Tab S7
- The new S Pen which will ship with both Tab S7 tablets has had a slight redesign. It now features a more rounded form factor and elongated tip. On top of that, in combination with the Tab S7s 120Hz refresh rate, Samsung claim you can write with life-like precision and accuracy, due to a significant reduction in lag.
What will the Tab S7 tablets ship with?
- In the UK, both tablets will be shipping with an S Pen, travel adapter, USB Type-C earphones, USB Type-C to Type-A cable and SIM ejection pin.
What version of Android will the S7 tablets have?
- Both tablets will be running Android 10 with Samsung’s One UI.
Pricing
Samsung certainly have pushed the price up on their tablets compared to the Tab S6, especially when we’re talking about what you get for your money’s worth.
But to make matters worse for UK customers, if Samsung are only going to sell the 128GB version, then the prices are ridiculous and not worth it, when compared to what you get with the Tab S6. Otherwise, the Tab S7 would be more worth it if you really needed the improved S Pen functionality with 120Hz screen refresh rate.
UK Prices
*Prices are for 128GB versions
- Tab S7 Wi-Fi – £619.00
- Tab S7 4G – £719.00
- Tab S7 Plus Wi-Fi – £799.00
- Tab S7 Plus 5G – £999.00
US Prices
- Galaxy Tab S7 will start at $649.99
- Galaxy Tab S7 Plus will start at $849.99
Unlike Samsung with mobile devices, Samsung are not the most popular tablet producer, as the iPad has the lead.
Although Samsung are being less competitive by pushing their prices up, I suspect they want to make more of a mark-up per tablet sold. However, another factor may be, they want to look like a more luxury brand rather than just a commodity. This is something which Apple appear to strive for themselves.
In addition to these points, Samsung are most likely attempting to use the Tab S7 to challenge the laptop market. With the addition and improvements of Samsung DeX, the Android system on tablets and phones is able to work and look more like a traditional Windows or Mac operating system. If this were the case, then that would also help explain the increase in price of the Tab S7 and other devices, as with DeX you could then compare the Tab S7 to a more powerful laptop, which would not be cheap either.
Regardless, I do find it funny how Samsung seem to constantly play the underdog to Apple. Even though Samsung have a higher market share in mobile devices alone, and produce many other electronics, they still seem to follow in Apple’s footsteps, rather than their own in many instances.
UK pre-order promotional deal
During pre-order in the UK you are able to claim a Games Pack or Book Cover when purchasing from Samsung or other select retailers. The games pack includes a game controller and a 3 month subscription for Xbox GamePass Ultimate. The book cover offer does not say anything about including a keyboard, so it is just a cover.
Tab S7 Book Cover – Quick Look
The book cover is pretty simple. It only comes in one color, which is black, and upon further research for more visuals, it doesn’t look very protective or secure, just stylish.
The book cover appears to be able to contain both the tablet and the S Pen, as it has a slot for the pen. The case clearly has a heavy reliance on magnetism. It appears to cling magnetically to the tablet, and the pen slot also appears to rely on a magnet to hold the pen. Personally, I would not want to put this case near any electronics, let alone buy it for being secure or tough.
The cover can be closed (like a book) to enclose the tablet, and can be folded to work as a stand with two different angles – 50° and 65°.
