Samsung announced its latest high-end Android tablets: the Galaxy Tab S7 and Tab S7 Plus. Both models will be available in silver, black, or bronze.
The Tab S7 and S7 Plus are meant to pull double duty as both content consumption devices and productivity machines. As a result, they both have optional keyboard cases available that allow you to use them like a traditional laptop. Both models also come with Samsung’s S Pen stylus in the box, which magnetically attaches and charges on the back of the tablet.
The most noticeable difference between the Tab S7 and S7 Plus is their sizes: the S7 has an 11-inch display, while the S7 Plus has a 12.4-inch model. Look closer, and you’ll spot other differences, like the fact that the Plus model has an OLED panel, while the S7 makes do with a more traditional LCD. Both run at 120Hz for smooth visuals and both are larger than the 10.5-inch screen that was on the Tab S6. But they have a 16:10 aspect ratio, which makes them better suited for watching video than productivity, and both models have considerably smaller surface area to work with compared to their iPad Pro counterparts.
The most important features that make a tablet suitable for multitasking and productivity are a good keyboard cover and useful software. Samsung continues to refine its tablet’s keyboard cover, which we found abysmal in the past. With the Galaxy Tab S7 and S7+ though, the company has updated its keyboard to feature a new row of function keys at the top and a wider trackpad than the cramped version from before. The trackpad also now supports multifinger gestures like pinch to zoom and triple-finger app switching.
When you snap the keyboard onto the Tab S7, the system will automatically load Samsung’s DeX desktop interface for Android. Although I still have my reservations about DeX mode, the company has updated its software to make it easier to use with multiple screens. Just like with the Note 20, DeX now works wirelessly, too, so you can use a compatible TV as an extension for your tablet or phone’s contents. Samsung also worked with Microsoft to integrate Word, Excel and PowerPoint into the Tab S7 and S7+ so you have better productivity apps built in.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 S7+.
Samsung has refined its stylus to near-perfection, but this iteration brings about improved latency of 9ms, which puts it on par with the Apple Pencil. It’ll also support the Air Actions feature that let you use the S Pen as a remote control and do things like draw a circle in mid-air to switch camera lenses.
Given these specs, it’s not surprising that the Tab S7 will start at $649 when it goes on sale this fall, while the S7+ will start at $849. Don’t forget you’ll have to pay separately for the keyboard and a data plan to get cellular connectivity. That’s still cheaper than the starting price for the 11-inch iPad Pro ($799) and the 12.9-inch version ($999). Samsung’s tablets will be available in three colors, one of which being the Bronze tone that appears across its device lineup this year.
