Early thoughts on the Galaxy Tab S2?

I wrote up a big review and AndroidForums gave me an error and lost it all.....so here is the abbreviated version:

I picked up the 32GB WiFi Only version over the weekend and had some time to kick the tires a bit.

Tablet is very fast, despite not hitting top scores on the benchmark apps. I did some gaming & productivity stuff over the weekend and didn't notice any lag whatsoever. 4:3 aspect ratio is great for web surfing & emailing / social media stuff. Screen resolution looked just as good as on my Nexus 10, despite having a lower DPI.

Battery did a GREAT job during standby / non-use. That said....it did burn down pretty quick after running Hearthstone for a while. Since it's a less than 6,000mAh battery, it charges relatively quick for a tablet (probably about 2x as fast as my 9,000mAh N10 battery)

I was disappointed to find some missing hardware Galaxy users are familiar with: IR Blaster, NFC, Vibrator Motor. This means no universal remote in your tablet, no NFC file transfer or mobile payments, and no vibrating notifications / alerts or haptic feedback for hardware & software buttons

Smart View 2.0 works great on the Tab S2, but ironically enough....isn't available to download from Google Play (yet). I had to download it to my Galaxy S4 phone, back-up & send it to the Tab S2 via ES File Explorer & a WiFi connection. This application is probably the coolest thing you can do on your tablet with a Sammy TV. Got to cook dinner in the kitchen while the game is on? No problem. Kids / Wife wants to watch Netflix on the TV while the game is on? No problem!

SideSync is another cool Samsung proprietary app that will allow you to mirror & use all software / hardware on the remote device. Theoretically, I could make a call / text on my phone via my tablet & SideSync app. Seems like a really cool use case until you find out that you have to have SideSync running on both devices to connect. It's not like the more integrated iPhone / iPad synergy where that software is just running in the background...all the time, allowing you to answer a phone call from your tablet when the phone isn't accessible.

All in all, its an amazing tablet.......but might turn some folks off, as it seams they shifted their cost on these devices from useful hardware components to aggressive build dimensions & higher quality build material. If you're looking for the closest thing Android has that appeals to the iPad audience, this is it!

I also bought the S2 8, 32GB WiFi Only version. RajCaj above pretty much covered the specs. I have never had a Samsung device so i didn't have any previous knowledge of what the "usual" pre-loaded software was supposed to be. I like my iPhone just fine but wanted an Android pad for its "flexibility". I also have an older Nexus 7 which is why I upgraded to something newer. The S2 is immensely faster and the software that is loaded seems more user friendly. The screen seems a lot bigger because of the design. It's also a lot sharper and brighter than the Nexus 7. The 4:3 ratio is fine for me since i don't watch too many movies on it. I like that an SD card can be added; I got the 64GB one. I'll post updates if i find any surprises, good or bad.

I'm surprised there's so little activity on the S2 Forum.
Three days ago my 2012 Galaxy Note 10.1 went into a 'locked loop' and have just replaced it with a 9,7 inch S2 with 32 GB and 4 G as well as wifi. I've also added a 128GB sd card.
The setting up has gone extremely well and after two days I'm absolutely delighted with the device - long may this continue! It's quick, feels solid although remarkably thin, and the display is stunning whilst the sound from the built in speakers is acceptable. I've just watched the film Les Miserables (2012 version) on the S2 and that is quite demanding in terms of colour contrast/depth and sound quality.
My biggest complaint is the scarcity of covers that are available in the UK. There are no quality cases yet on the market so I've temporarily resorted to purchasing an inexpensive version to provide some sort of protection. It really is not very good but ......... better than nothing!

ExAviator said:

I'm surprised there's so little activity on the S2 Forum.
Three days ago my 2012 Galaxy Note 10.1 went into a 'locked loop' and have just replaced it with a 9,7 inch S2 with 32 GB and 4 G as well as wifi. I've also added a 128GB sd card.
The setting up has gone extremely well and after two days I'm absolutely delighted with the device - long may this continue! It's quick, feels solid although remarkably thin, and the display is stunning whilst the sound from the built in speakers is acceptable. I've just watched the film Les Miserables (2012 version) on the S2 and that is quite demanding in terms of colour contrast/depth and sound quality.
My biggest complaint is the scarcity of covers that are available in the UK. There are no quality cases yet on the market so I've temporarily resorted to purchasing an inexpensive version to provide some sort of protection. It really is not very good but ......... better than nothing!

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Same here....I'm surprised there hasn't been more activity around the tablet as a whole.

It's supposed to be Samsung's "flagship" tablet, so you'd think there would be similar backing / support from Samsung that they provide to their "flagship" phones.

Also, I'm in the US and there is a lack of accessory options here as well. Samsung only offers 1 style of case (book cover) and is available in only 3 colors. Over the last 2 weeks, I've stopped by my local Best Buy, Walmart & Target with no luck finding a black Samsung cover for my 9.7" Tab S2.

There are Tab A accessories all over the place (who even knew Samsung released the Tab A?), but nothing to be found for the Tab S2. And to add insult to injury, the Tab A cases are nearly identical to the Tab S2 form factor and would work if Samsung hadn't made the connection pins on the Tab S2 just slightly smaller than those on the Tab A. LOL

Hi, guys. I just ordered an S2 9.7 and should be getting it this Tuesday (it's Sunday now). I bought it primarily as a PDF reader since the widescreen aspect ratio on my other tablets just isn't doing it for me. I know what you mean about cases, but I've been looking for a sleeve instead since the unit will be living inside my backpack 90% of the time. Plus, I want to keep it naked in order to keep it as light as possible for reading sessions. The sleeve I ended up going with was the PDAir one which you can find here. Pricey, but good reviews.

Cya.

Maels7romX said:

Hi, guys. I just ordered an S2 9.7 and should be getting it this Tuesday (it's Sunday now). I bought it primarily as a PDF reader since the widescreen aspect ratio on my other tablets just isn't doing it for me. I know what you mean about cases, but I've been looking for a sleeve instead since the unit will be living inside my backpack 90% of the time. Plus, I want to keep it naked in order to keep it as light as possible for reading sessions. The sleeve I ended up going with was the PDAir one which you can find here. Pricey, but good reviews.

Cya.

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Thanks - this sleeve looks excellent but I prefer a case as I want to be able access the screen readily. Also whilst I can purchase from USA retail outlets from the UK, it takes much longer and customs clearance can be a pain.

Just got my new S2 (T-Mobile version) and mine vibrates - not sure if other versions of the hardware leave out the vibration motor. I'm very pleased with the tab so far (3GB of RAM and AC wireless are awesome) and the only negative thing I can find about it so far is the sound quality from the speakers. The speakers were definitely better in both my Galaxy Tab 3 and 2.

My Tab S2 would let me read the Arizona Republic on-line perfectly UNTIL the update to Android 5.1.1 two days ago. Now only the first page appears, it is blurry, and there are no pages following. Is this a problem due to 5.1.1 ? The Republic's help desk closed at 11 am today and I'd really like to read my Sunday newspaper. Any suggestions?

I bought a Logic case (UK) with mines from PC world. £12 with a little discount since I bought the tablet and though not top class, perfectly adequate