I find myself using my iPad less and less. My television has gotten bigger and it has Twitter and YouTube built in and a high-definition screen and even my phone has mushroomed in size over the last couple of years. Sometimes, I even use both of them at once. I’m not alone it seems, and while laptop sales see a resurgence and companies continue to launch new smartphones the technology business has found itself with a squeezed middle, the tablet.
If I were to start using a tablet again it would need to have some of the appeal of the portability of a tablet, but also some of the features that I rely on my laptop for, like Windows and Microsoft apps and, a keyboard. Samsung is making a play for this market with their Windows 12” TabPro S.
Unboxing the TabPro S reveals a remarkably slim and light tablet. It weighs less than 700g and at just 6.3mm thick it’s portability is obvious, and surprising for a device with a large screen. There’s a pleasant surprise to be had unboxing this gadget as you’ll discover the included keyboard which attaches magnetically to the body of the tablet. Apple and Microsoft ask you to pay for tablet keyboards, so this is a welcome money saver from Samsung.
Setting up the device is straightforward and using your Microsoft account gets your mail, contacts and documents synced up quickly. The magnetic keyboard snapped on and I was a little disappointed to find that the keyboard acts as a stand for the TabPro. The viewing angles are fine though, and whilst the keyboard isn’t as stylish as the it’s cousin on the Microsoft Surface Pro it was easy to type on and I was able to use the TabPro for Excel and Word with no difficulty.
The Samsung moved through apps quickly and it has a good technical specifications. It has 4GB of Ram and a 128GB drive, which should be ample for most users. It’s powered by an Intel Core M chip at 2.2Ghz which surprised me. Some competing devices have speedier Intel processors but Samsung have engineered this device well, and I found no lag or delays, particularly when using the brilliant Edge web browser or Microsoft Office apps.
The stand out feature of this device though is its screen. The impressive AMOLED screen has a resolution of 2,160 x1,440 pixels and it’s sharp even when viewed from the side. The screen size and wonderful resolution make it ideal for watching videos while commuting or even for work presentations. There are two decent cameras, both 5MP and video conferencing worked well with a well defined, crisp picture.
Samsung have designed this tablet to be travelling device and with only a USB-C port it lacks connectivity options meaning you’ll be more likely to use Dropbox or Onedrive for file storage, but it’s not a critical omission.
Samsung have had a tough run recently but the TabPro S reminds us why they’ve risen to the top tier of the tech business. The keyboard-stand and connectivity could be better, but with brilliant battery life, a stunning screen and its sleek looks this keyboard included tablet is a great option for home, work and the long or short journey in between.
