The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is its ultimate weapon to unseat the iPad Pro – or at least offer Android users an alternative that is, in many ways, superior.

No. this is not meant to Apple bash but to point out that versus the Apple iPad Pro:

We cover the essentials in a 5-minute read and then attach our test results for those that need to know more. We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed.

We covered the release of the Galaxy Tab S8 family Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series comes in standard, plus, and ultra and the main differences are screen size (11” LCD, 12.4” sAMOLED and 14.6” sAMOLED).

As they all use the same processor, performance is pretty similar. My pick is the S8+ – it has a more manageable screen size.

This is a huge tablet – a two-hand hold – and you need to remember that it is all glass on one side, very narrow bezels (that you can have edge detection issues with), and a vast Armor alloy back – and it is $2K. To our dismay, we nearly dropped it several times – it is not something that fits well on your lap. Take care of it by getting a keyboard/trackpad cover or a slipcover.

There is no denying that the fantastic Super AMOLED screen is the prime reason to buy. But remember that the 12.4” S8+ also has this screen,  so you have a choice.

It earns Exceed because an AMOLED screen is rare on a tablet. But in a practical sense, it is a 60 or 120Hz (not adaptive) refresh rate, and while it claims HDR10,+ we suspect it downmixes that to the screen 16.7m colours. Great for video content, and the speakers add presence to movies.

It is colour accurate, and you could do further calibration with its colour temperature and RGB adjustments.

The screen is very good in sunlight but a little reflective in direct light. Off-angle viewing (with all OLED) is excellent.

I don’t want to get into arguments over Apple’s M1 and the SD8 Gen 1 because they run different operating systems that manage memory and other things very differently.

Suffice to say that the SoC (System-on-a-chip) has the most processing and graphics power in the Android world, and you can play any game, run any app and flog it under load – it can cope.

But we need to mention Samsung flagships are throttled – user discovery prompts action where Samsung may detect test software and manipulate results. As such, we cannot be sure our tests are accurate. For example, it Throttles 13% and delivers GIPS figures (precisely the same as the S22 Ultra) that we suspect are about manipulated by about 8-10% in Samsung’s favour. Samsung has offered to correct this detection in a future patch.

Still, all that aside, it’s a spectacular performer.

This is a serious device, and frankly, 8GB RAM and 128GB storage are not enough. Yes, you can use up to 1TB MicroSD, but its speeds are 88/36 versus 1080/202MBps. And while you can attach a portable SSD, It cannot be mounted as storage, so you can’t use it for live video recording etc.

Samsung has 12 and 16GB models overseas, and we hope they will make it here.

It has a low 1.5ms G-t-G response at 120Hz, and the processor can play most games at full rate. PUBG Mobile runs a constant 40fps high quality and 60fps at the next lower detail level.

 But the narrow bezels lead to lots of false ‘presses’ – edge detection needs improvement for this and typical use. We are also concerned that its size makes it easier to drop, and gamers should look for external handles (we cannot find any).

Wi-Fi 6E AX, but we could only test on a Wi-Fi 6 router. It reaches 2161Mbps (2400 maximum) and would be faster again with 6E. Dual-band GPS is fast and accurate (it is in the Wi-Fi version too). BT 5.2 allows for multipoint, and you can use a pair of compatible Samsung buds to music share. While the SoC supports NFC, the tablet does not – no deal-breaker.

Where the Apple iPad Pro has it over this is its Thunderbolt 4 support (40Gbps) versus the USB-C 3.2 Geb 1 (5Gbps). Most expansion dongles will give you HDMI Out (generally 1080p@60Hz, but some are 4K@30Hz), USB-A, power passthrough and more, so you can use cabled keyboards and mice.

Samsung Desktop eXperience (DeX) can load directly to the screen (as well as casting to a monitor over Wi-Fi or via USB-C to HDMI Cable). If you have the Book Cover Keyboard, you can use this ‘Windows-like’ Android desktop, albeit you need a mouse for any productivity. So, we recommend a Logitech K400 Plus keyboard touchpad for $99.95.

Using it as a Wi-Fi Direct screen on a Windows PC makes it very useful as an extra screen for remote workers.

Our review unit was Wi-Fi only, but we suspect that the 4/5G version would have good reception as there are four massive antennae – one on each corner. It has all Australian bands. You cannot use it as a phone without a SIP app like Google Duo.

It has to drive a big screen, and no matter how power efficient the AMOLED and SoC are, it maxes out at more than 11 hours of screen-on use (1080p video loop at 50% brightness/volume and aeroplane mode). The same test at 120Hz was just on 8 hours.

PC Mark and Accubattery confirm that the actual 60Hz screen-on use with Wi-Fi is about 8 hours. If you run it at 120Hz, that reduces to about 5 hours. Heavier loads will reduce that further.

No charger is supplied – it is 10V/4.5A/45W capable. If you buy a third-party USB-C PD charger, make sure it specifically supports 10V/4.5A/45W, or it will only charge at between 15-25W. Charge time is around 1 hour and about 2.5 hours with a 15W charger.

It has one of the best sound signatures of any tablet tested because a) it can use larger speakers, and b) it has two on each side. It uses the same 2-channel amplifier as the S22 smartphones. To be clear, it is not 4.0 sound.

The speakers are on the landscape (short) sides and have a wider sound stage. It downmixes Dolby Atmos to 2.0, increasing the sound stage a little.

The maximum volume is around 80dB (a little above average), and it is fine for personal use.

The speakers have some mid-bass – impressive. The mid-high-treble is well controlled and removes the harshness, and gives a feeling of directionality. While it is a fairly neutral sound signature (good), it allows Dolby Atmos and the device EQ to tailor the sound to your tastes.

BT 5.2 supports SBC, AAC, aptX, LDAC and a Samsung scalable codec for its devices. It is loud, clear, and superb over BT headsets.

This new single-button S-Pen has Wacom support (very accurate), BT connection and Wireless charging – making it more useful. It has the usual 4096 levels of pressure and docks/charges on the back near the camera hump. That is a little dicey as the magnets are not that strong and it was often knocked off the perch. Fortunately, a replacement is only $59.99. The tips are replaceable as well.

Pre-installed software includes Samsung Notes (notetaking and sketching app with text recognition and more), ClipStudio Paint (trial) – a sketching tool with layer support and loads of brush options, and there’s a handwriting keyboard too. LamaFusion (trial) provides video editing.

Third-party S Pen apps are also available – Autodesk Sketchbook, Concepts, and Wacom Bamboo Paper to name a few.

Samsung’s smartphone policy is up to four years of upgrades and five years of security patches – Exceed.

This makes owning one better and more secure for longer. That means Android 12 may reach Android 15!

One UI 4.1 is a light touch over Android and allows for its Samsung customisations. But we are growing more concerned at the need to sign up for a Samsung Account to access anything in its Theme or Galaxy App store – it is bad enough that Google knows all about us.

Our advice is not to use Samsung apps that substitute for Google ones, especially if you brand swap and want seamless changeovers.

The camera has more limited functionality than its smaller smartphone siblings, but it uses the same camera App and the Qualcomm S8 Gen 1 AI. It produces great day and office light shots, albeit with fewer functions. In all, it is way better than social media class shots. We won’t rate its performance.

The selfie uses two 13MP – one set up for single selfies and the other for groups. Again, perfect in day or office light.

Video is 4K@30fps with EIS (electronic image stabilisation). Here the extra mic on the rear camera jump really works well.

It is huge, and you will either love or hate that. But it also has a smaller 12.4” brother, the S8+, that is $300 cheaper and may be more for your needs.

It took me a while to get used to it over my usual 12.4” Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE, but now I have experienced AMOLED and the Qualcomm SD8 Gen 1 SoC, it will be hard to go back.

And you definitely need the Keyboard cover/trackpad/stand (not reviewed) if you want to make the most of this device. Make sure you buy the version with the trackpad.

I am not going to recommend you rush out and buy it because, like its competitor, the iPad Pro, you need a ‘use case’. Otherwise, you are wasting money when all you need is a Galaxy Tab A8 starting from $369. It is just as good for movies, music, web surfing and all the general tablet stuff.

You buy this because you have a real use for the S Pen, DeX, or need to run some pretty powerful art Apps like Clip Studio Paint, LamaFusion, Adobe PaintCan, Adobe Illustrator Draw etc.

Still, it is nice to aspire to the best.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

CyberShack offers consumers a one-stop-shop for the most current information in the tech space, including news, lifestyle and products, as well as reviews on the latest gadgets and games. It also runs competitions and has links to the latest episodes of Cybershack TV.