It’s been a few days since I received the Tab S4 and using it has been a pleasure. The display is stunning in typical Samsung fashion being Super AMOLED. The back of the tablet is glass, with a metal band around the edges. It’s light yet feels premium, which it is based on the cost. So far, the battery life has been very good though I have yet to drain it down to empty.
And then there’s the software, Android 8.1 with Samsung’s own custom skin which is surprisingly not too heavy. Samsung also provides a secondary environment for desktop use called DeX. It mimics a PC with separate app windows, a taskbar and start launcher. Using DeX works best when there’s a physical mouse and keyboard connected. I picked up Samsung’s keyboard and cover which works ok, with small keys but useful nevertheless. I’ve paired it with a Logitech bluetooth trackball mouse which works well.
Performance has been good as well, with the unit rocking a Snapdragons 835 processor from 2017. In my limited time using the device, it has performed more than adequately under average load.
I have not activated the LTE currently but plan to do so a little later, and will update this post accordingly.
When all is said and done, the Tab S4 is probably the best android tablet I’ve owned so far.
