After a very good S Galaxy Tab, we were reassured to see Samsung finally shine as much on high end tablets than smartphones. The Galaxy Tab S2 confirms the trend. Adopting a new format closer to the iPad, and a design that goes upmarket, is following the best Android tablet still worthy of that title? It is in any case one of the more pleasant to use
Design and ergonomics. Finesse and size 4/3
> For a long time, since the first Galaxy Tab, in fact, Samsung has opted, like most Android tablet manufacturers, the screen 16: 9 or 16: 10 while the iPad remains true to its 4 / 3. A large screen is necessarily great for video playback. But a tablet, it is used for both movies for playback, and both portrait and landscape mode.
4/3 is a little less relevant to the video, but more versatile, some or the use and orientation, and welcomes the change: Samsung finally dock the iPad format, like other recent Android tablets (9 Nexus, Nokia N1 …) Whatever the origin of this change it is welcome, though perhaps still preferred the 3/2 of the surface 3.
Samsung also took the opportunity to review its tablet manufacturing quality on the rise. The first Tab S was rather successful on this point, but kept it a little “cheap” side of Galaxy Tab including the Galaxy S5 way back, not really what they did best. One would think that the Tab S2 would be based on the materials of the recent Galaxy S6 but it is the side of the Galaxy Series A that the manufacturer has drawn inspiration. We thus find a matte plastic back and a bevelled aluminum border.
We can not really say that design is conspicuous by its originality, but the finish is very good, elegant and discreet design and the tablet still manages to be thinner and lighter than iPad Air 2, to equal (or even outsmart) the Xperia Sony Tablet Z4. One concession: the 2 small pressures to accommodate a cover. The magnets, it’s better
Devices:. Proper technical sheet
Inside the S2 Galaxy Tab, we do not find all latest CPU side, since it is a 5433 Exynos Octa 7 tablet that team. This chip consists of 4 A57 cores at 1.9GHz and 4 cores A53 1.3GHz appeared especially in the Asian version of the Galaxy Note 4. We would obviously have preferred the Exynos 7420 but the latest Galaxy S6 SoC remains sufficient to ensure . good performance
The screen format changes, but not technology: it is always the Super AMOLED with a highly saturated made which can be adapted via parameters. It is true that the first launch of apps like YouTube or Google Play Movies, predominantly red, downright obvious with the default setting. The definition is that of an iPad Air: 2048 x 1536. This is somewhat less than end Sony Xperia Tablet Z4 pixel density level, but it’s still quite readable, and we appreciate the fact that the screen is rolled.
While the price of the Galaxy Tab S2 is also modeled on those charged by Apple, we are delighted to find 32 GB standard, which can be extended via the Micro SD slot, because on his tablets, Samsung still manages to slip in a drawer. Good point for 3 GB of RAM.
As the latest Galaxy S6, the Galaxy Tab S2 incorporates a fingerprint sensor within the Home button. Its implementation has not much to envy the Apple TouchID: detection is instantaneous, and errors in our tests were quite rare to reliably use to unlock
. The tablet is available in Wi-Fi version (compatible b, g, n and ac) or 4G, and incorporates support Bluetooth 4.1.
battery side, it is a little below Xperia Tablet Z4, but at 5870 mAh, it is obviously a good average
In use:. a comfortable experience
There is not much to say about the use of the Galaxy Tab S2: it is just what a good tablet is supposed to do. The screen is perfectly readable, if a little too saturated with the default setting, the interface is smooth and responsive overall, and the ecosystem of Android tablet optimized applications is now fairly complete, including office with the arrival of the Office suite.
And just oblige with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote preinstalled. It is good, however we would also be able to uninstall them, which is impossible. Obviously, there is always a significant amount Apps Samsung, which sometimes overlap with those of Google.
On the positive of the ROM Touchwiz because there include the still dual mode window, which has recently made small on iOS (although the iPad version is inspired rather snap Windows 8). Always nice to be able to use two apps side by side, even in the absence of official support in Android, it is limited to certain applications (in significant numbers today), and it gives the sometimes bizarre results.
For example, in Gmail, which has a display panel 2 in landscape mode, you end up with a narrow and unusable interface, instead of switching the portrait display: yes, the app believes that it is always in landscape! Now that even iOS it is put, it is about time that Google looks at a real official support of the split screen at the system level. Meanwhile, despite a few cases, when it works, the functionality remains significant.
The tablet format seemed to us really versatile than the large screen of the previous versions, although with 2 flats . Inevitably, reading any video 16 / 9th will be accompanied by towering black bands, and especially, the side edges are narrow, which would not be a problem if it was not so easy to activate Touch layer by mistake when holding the tablet in portrait
It also regrets the lack of front stereo speakers. Samsung has modeled on Apple and its two speakers left and right on the bottom edge. Knowing that we will mostly use the internal sound to play or watch a video without headphones, preferred Sony or HTC option.
Photos
For fans of the photograph use of a tablet, the Galaxy Tab S2 is doing correctly. It is not extasiera on the details of the images produced: the performances are worthy of a good mid-range with textures still quite smooth, but the colors are rather well made and relatively homogeneous photos
. The same is true on the webcam: a lot of noise, but quite flattering colors. The tablet will not produce the best selfies the world, but for use with Skype or Hangouts, the quality is sufficient.
Performance
As expected, the Galaxy Tab S2 shows good performance, but slightly below the competition. The Snapdragon 810 which equips the Sony Xperia Tablet Z4 did better on the GPU part. We note quite significant differences, of the order of 20 SPF between 2 shelves under GFX Bench between 10 and 15 FPS. By comparison, even if the OS is not the same, the iPad Air 2 distance still 2 tablets a head, above 70 FPS T Rex on the test, and reaching a good 36 FPS on Manhattan ., more demanding (OpenGL ES 3.0)
On Epic Citadel, which uses the Unreal Engine, the finding is reinforced by a throttling visible: going from 46 FPS on the first run to 32 FPS on the second. The tablet Sony itself remains stable over the three measures, around 57 frames per second.
The gap is less important on 3D Mark, at least on the test Ice Storm (Open GL ES 2.0). However, it is widening again on the new test Slingshot (OpenGL ES 3.0)
The processor part in much better off. Geekbench shows multicore performance similar to the Z4 and . slightly compared to the iPad Air 2
In practice, the tablet is doing quite well in games, but the gap is verified: a title like Asphalt 8 is not only more fluid on the Z4 Tablet, but has a less visible aliasing and absentees effects on the Galaxy Tab S2. Samsung did here the cost of fragmentation pushing developers to optimize their titles for some SoC over others.
Run
We did not worry too much about the autonomy of the Galaxy Tab S2, and it was right without flapping endurance records, it easily holds its ten hours, a similar performance to the main competitors.
With the autonomy PC Mark test, which simulates a balanced use (surfing, office automation, video playback and photo editing), the test ends after 6 hours and 36 minutes with screen on all, and set to 200 CDs. In less intensive in terms of the display, so we can consider quite go the distance without having to search the charger as soon as possible.
Our opinion
Samsung Galaxy S2 is a good tablet. Its design is that the manufacturer does best, by far, in the category. Its screen is readable, its performance is satisfactory, and autonomy in the high average. The format change is further appreciate: although our preference is for 3/2 of the surface 3, it really prefers 4/3 to 16/10
However, it is a pity that Samsung has not pushed a. little bit further on the performance and characteristics of the screen to reach the level of the Sony Xperia Tablet Z4 which retains a lead, at least on its data sheet. The Galaxy Tab S2 is nevertheless a solid alternative for those looking for the equivalent of an iPad 2 Android Air, provided you do not expect too much on 3D games. It will put roughly the same price, but the upper internal storage capacity of the basic version and extensibility via a Micro SD slot can also weigh in the balance.
Samsung Galaxy S2
Nice finish, lightness, finesse
Quality Screen
32 GB standard / Micro SD Slot
+ Sensor efficient footprint
– disappointing 3D performance
– System coverage attaches a little cheap
– Some incompatibilities double window mode
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