Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 WiFi (3GB + 32GB) Review | 168 Data compared

The TechRadar review of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S highlights its brilliant Super AMOLED display (2560 x 1600 resolution) and incredibly thin, lightweight 6.6mm chassis as standout features. Pros include a long-lasting battery, fast processor, and a microSD card slot for storage expansion. However, the tablet's cons focus on a plasticky, "pock-marked" build that feels less premium than the iPad, alongside a fiddly fingerprint scanner that requires an awkward swipe. While offering a top-tier display for media, the review concludes that many Android apps remain unoptimized, and the device features somewhat unappealing, functional design choices.

The Business Insider review praises the Samsung Galaxy Tab S as a top-tier Android tablet with a stunning 6.6mm thin design, featuring a vibrant Super AMOLED screen and excellent portability. While the display and light weight are major pros, the review notes drawbacks in the "tacky" dimpled plastic back, "kitschy" bronze trim, and an unreliable fingerprint sensor. Despite useful Samsung software features, the review concludes the tablet is held back by the lack of optimized Android tablet apps, suggesting the iPad remains a better choice at the same $399+ price point.

The Ubergizmo review describes the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 as a high-end, elegant device with a slim, lightweight 465-gram chassis that is ideal for media consumption. A major pro is the 10.5-inch Super AMOLED display (2560 x 1600), which offers vibrant, high-contrast visuals, aided by an adaptive mode that adjusts settings based on the application in use. Powered by the Samsung Exynos 5 Octa 5420 and 3GB of RAM, the tablet offers strong, competitive performance and solid battery life for everyday tasks. While the 8-megapixel rear camera provides decent photo quality, the fingerprint scanner is noted as a significant con, described as unreliable and difficult to operate due to its strict swiping requirements. The tablet features side-facing stereo speakers for decent audio, though some performance limitations, such as lower benchmark scores in graphics compared to competitors, exist. Ultimately, while deemed a "very good" and robust tablet, the review notes the device struggles to stand out from other flagship competition.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 features a superior 10.5-inch Super AMOLED display with 2560 x 1600 resolution and a thin, lightweight design, making it an excellent, albeit plastic-built, entertainment device. Performance is driven by an Exynos 5 Octa CPU and 3GB of RAM, offering smooth operation and over 9 hours of battery life, with added value from £589 in "Galaxy Gifts". Key drawbacks include disappointing "tinny" speakers, a non-updating Magazine UX, and a lack of HD streaming support from certain services. AVForums

The 2014 Samsung Galaxy Tab S is distinguished by a superior Super AMOLED display and a thin, lightweight design available in 8.4 and 10.5-inch models. While featuring useful Magazine UX software, the device suffers from a dimpled plastic build that feels less premium than competitors, alongside occasional software stuttering and a limited Android tablet app ecosystem. Key strengths include a microSD card slot, solid nine-hour battery life for video, and advanced multitasking, though its SideSync feature is criticized for being buggy.

In a 2014 review, WIRED gave the Samsung Galaxy Tab S an 8/10 rating, highlighting its exceptional Super AMOLED display and slim, lightweight design, positioning it as a strong competitor to the iPad. The tablet features a powerful octa-core processor, 3GB of RAM, expandable storage via microSD, and functional multitasking tools like SideSync. Despite the high-quality screen, the tablet is criticized for its plastic, dimpled back construction, which lacks a premium feel, and for having mediocre audio with poorly placed speakers. The TouchWiz interface was also noted for featuring unnecessary software bloat that could clutter the user experience. Ultimately, the Tab S was commended for its superior media consumption capabilities and performance, even if its build quality did not match that of its metal-clad rivals, according to the review.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 is lauded for its stunning 2560 x 1600 Super AMOLED display and ultra-thin, lightweight design, positioning it as a premier media-consumption device. While the octa-core processor and 3GB of RAM deliver solid performance, the software is hampered by a heavy TouchWiz interface, and the plastic back, featuring a dimpled texture, feels less premium than competitors. Notable advantages include nearly 14 hours of battery life in video tests, microSD expansion, and effective multi-window multitasking, though the built-in speakers lack depth and the camera quality is mediocre. Ultimately, the tablet is praised for its vibrant screen, but the review notes significant software bloat. Despite these minor gripes with materials and software, the device is considered a top Android alternative for high-end display technology.

The 2014 Android Police review identifies the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 and 10.5 as top-tier Android tablets, largely driven by their exceptional 2560x1600 Super AMOLED displays and premium, slim build. Key pros include the vibrant screen quality, long-lasting battery, and the inclusion of microSD storage. While performance is generally snappy, the review notes cons such as occasional stuttering within the TouchWiz interface, a frustrating, unreliable swipe-based fingerprint scanner, and capacitive buttons prone to accidental presses. Despite these software-related drawbacks, the hardware is considered among the best available, making them a top recommendation for Android users.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 review on PhoneArena highlights the device as a premium tablet defined by its industry-leading 2560 x 1600 Super AMOLED display, which is praised for vibrant colors, infinite contrast, and high brightness. Key pros include its incredibly thin (6.6mm) and lightweight (465g) design, a functional biometric fingerprint scanner, and a standout 8-megapixel rear camera that captures sharp photos. However, the review notes cons, including a primarily plastic build, occasional sluggishness from the TouchWiz interface, and an average battery life.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 is lauded by PCMag as a top-tier Android media tablet, largely defined by its vibrant 2,560-by-1,600-pixel Super AMOLED display and a lightweight, 0.26-inch-thick design. While the device offers robust performance with an octa-core processor, drawbacks include occasional software lag, "gummy" screen transitions, and Wi-Fi speeds slower than the competition. Despite featuring excellent battery life and a microSD card slot, the tablet ultimately falls behind the iPad Air due to a smaller library of optimized apps.

The CNET review of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5-inch highlights it as a premium Android tablet designed for entertainment, featuring a 2,560x1,600 Super AMOLED display, exceptional portability at 6.6mm thin, and a long-lasting 7,900mAh battery. Pros include the vivid screen, useful software features like SideSync 3.0 and an IR blaster, and expandable storage. However, the tablet suffers from occasional touchscreen lag, and the minimal bezel design can lead to accidental inputs, along with a high $500 starting price.

The Digital Trends review positions the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 as a premium competitor to the iPad Air, highlighting its exceptionally thin and light design, along with a high-resolution 2,560 x 1,600 Super AMOLED screen. Key advantages include the vibrant display, expandable microSD storage, 3GB of RAM, and a functional fingerprint sensor for multi-user, though the sensor requires a precise swipe. Drawbacks cited include oversaturated colors, a lack of a black model, and side-firing speakers that are easily blocked. Digital Trends

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 is defined by its spectacular Super AMOLED display, offering deep blacks and vibrant colors in an ultra-thin 6.6mm, lightweight chassis. While the plastic "modern glam" design provides a secure grip, it lacks the premium feel of metal, yet the device remains highly portable. Performance is characterized by exceptional battery life, lasting over 12 hours in video tests and through two days of mixed use. However, the tablet suffers from occasional UI stutter and lag despite its powerful octa-core processor, marring the otherwise fast experience. Featuring useful additions like Multi Window multitasking and SideSync 3.0, the tablet, alongside its fingerprint scanner and 8MP camera, is rated as the best large Android tablet of its time. Despite the superior app ecosystem on iOS, the superior screen technology makes it a top choice, as detailed in the review at Stuff.tv.

The Gizmodo review highlights the Samsung Galaxy Tab S as a top-tier Android tablet, driven by an exceptional, vibrant Super AMOLED display and a remarkably thin, lightweight design. Despite the superior display, the review notes drawbacks including the sluggish TouchWiz software, poor speaker placement that causes muffled audio, and excessive, redundant bloatware. Ultimately, while lauded as the best Android tablet of its time for media consumption, the high price point makes it hard to recommend over cheaper alternatives, though the screen quality makes it a strong contender for specific users.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 features a superior 2560 x 1600 Super AMOLED display with excellent color richness and fine shadow detail, complemented by an incredibly thin 6.6mm profile. Practical additions include a microSD slot for expandable storage and a functional fingerprint scanner. However, the device suffers from inconsistent performance, with the Exynos 5 processor causing stuttering during web browsing and in intensive 3D games. While the screen is vibrant, some users might find it oversaturated. Expert Reviews concludes that despite being a capable Android option, alternatives like the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet may offer better high-end performance. Copy

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S (8.4-inch) is hailed for its superb Super AMOLED display, offering 2560 x 1600 resolution with exceptional contrast and deep blacks, while maintaining a slim 6.6mm profile. A major advantage is the inclusion of a microSD card slot, which allows for affordable storage expansion. However, the device falls short of perfection due to a plastic build that lacks a premium feel, and a fingerprint scanner that is less intuitive than competitors. While the screen is visually stunning, the color balance can appear slightly overblown and, at certain angles, whites may take on a blue tint. The tablet offers a fast, lag-free user experience for multitasking, though the audio performance, while clear, is described as somewhat lean. Ultimately, the Galaxy Tab S is deemed an exceptional Android device for media consumption, but it misses the top spot due to a lack of overall balance compared to the iPad mini. Its combination of lightweight design, high-resolution screen, and expandable storage makes it a strong, albeit imperfect, contender in the tablet market. Copy

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S is distinguished by its 2,560 x 1,600 Super AMOLED display, offering exceptional color, contrast, and sharpness ideal for media consumption. The device features a remarkably thin and lightweight design (6.6mm), a microSD card slot for expandable storage, and an 8MP rear camera. Notable drawbacks include its plastic, less premium construction compared to metal rivals, alongside criticisms of the TouchWiz software and high price point. For a detailed look at a similar, more modern model, visit the Samsung Galaxy Tab S series reviews on T3. What Hi-Fi? Copy

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 is lauded as a top-tier Android tablet, driven by its exceptional 2,560 x 1,600 Super AMOLED display that offers superior contrast and vibrant colors for media consumption. Its design is notably thin (6.6mm) and lightweight (465g), featuring useful additions like a microSD slot and an 8MP camera with flash, though it can struggle with high-end gaming performance compared to competitors. While praised for its screen and design, the device faces criticism for an unreliable fingerprint scanner, the restrictive "Magazine UX" interface, and a weaker app ecosystem compared to the iPad Air. For more details, visit Trusted Reviews. Copy