- Samsung's Galaxy Tab S8 tablets are set to compete directly with Apple's iPad Pros.
- What sets the Galaxy Tab S8 tablets apart is the included S Pen stylus for drawing and taking notes.
- The Galaxy Tab S8 tablets start at $700 and are available for preorder now from Samsung and Amazon.
Samsung revealed its new Galaxy Tab S8 lineup of premium tablets alongside its new Galaxy S22 phones on February 9. The tablets start at $700, which puts them in direct competition with Apple's iPad Pro.
All of the Galaxy Tab S8 models come running on the same advanced Qualcomm processor that also spins the wheels in Samsung's Galaxy S22 series. That's to say, they should deliver excellent performance capable of running pretty much any app or game smoothly and quickly.
What sets the Galaxy Tab S8 apart from iPads is the S Pen stylus that comes included with every model — iPad owners who want to use the Apple Pencil have to buy it separately (starting at $100). The S Pen stylus is handy for drawing and taking notes, and it's a nice touch to include it.
Samsung
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 price and release date
The Galaxy Tab S8 starts at $700, the Tab S8 Plus at $900, and the Tab S8 Ultra at $1,100. They're available for preorder now from Samsung's website.
Galaxy Tab S8 and S8 Plus preorders will receive a free Slim Book Cover Keyboard, and Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra preorders get a free Backlit Cover Keyboard.
Samsung
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8, S8 Plus, S8 Ultra specifications
| Specification | Galaxy Tab S8 | Galaxy Tab S8 Plus | Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra |
| Display | 11-inch; 2,560 x 1,600 LCD; up to 120Hz refresh rate | 12.4-inch; 2,800 x 1,752 AMOLED; up to 120Hz refresh rate | 14.6-inch; 2,969 x 1,848 AMOLED; up to 120Hz refresh rate |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| Memory and storage | 8GB+128GB / 12GB+256GB; microSD up to 1TB | 8GB+128GB / 12GB+256GB; microSD up to 1TB | 8GB+128GB / 12GB+256GB / 16GB+512GB; microSD up to 1TB |
| Battery and charging | 8,000mAh; charging up to 45W | 10,900mAh; charging up to 45W | 11,200mAh; charging up to 45W |
| Cameras | 13MP main camera + 6MP ultra-wide | 13MP main camera + 6MP ultra-wide | 13MP main camera + 6MP ultra-wide |
| Front camera | 12MP ultra-wide | 12MP ultra-wide | 12MP ultra-wide + 12MP main |
| Audio | Quad-stereo speakers; Dolby Atmos support | Quad-stereo speakers; Dolby Atmos support | Quad-stereo speakers; Dolby Atmos support |
| Authentication | Fingerprint sensor on power button | Fingerprint sensor on power button | Fingerprint sensor on power button |
| Accessories | S Pen and charging cable included | S Pen and charging cable included | S Pen and charging cable included |
| Price | $700 | $900 | $1,100 |
Should you preorder the Galaxy Tab S8?
I haven't tested the Galaxy Tab S8 series yet, but based on my experience with last year's Galaxy Tab S7, they should be great tablets. With that said, they are expensive and could be overkill for many people's needs. For most tablet buyers, even Android phone users, we recommend the standard $330 10.2-inch iPad.
I'm not a fan of the wide 16:10 aspect ratio that Samsung uses for its tablet screens — it's good for watching videos, but not great for apps. The iPad's 4:3 aspect ratio is more square, which is better for using apps, and it still works fine for video.
Alternatively, you could wait for the cheaper Galaxy Tab S8 FE. Samsung has yet to officially announce this model, but it typically releases FE versions of its tablets sometime after the main models launch. Like the $530 Galaxy Tab S7 FE, we expect a Tab S8 FE to come with a lower price tag and some performance trade-offs, like a lower resolution screen and lesser cameras.
That's all to say that you should wait for the Galaxy Tab S8 review before preordering.
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