Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 and 10.1 Review
by Jarred Walton on March 22, 2014 9:30 PM ESTSamsung Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 Subjective Analysis
Visually, the Tab Pro 10.1 looks very similar to the 8.4, only larger. There are a few little differences, however, like the fact that the 10.1 is designed to be held and used primarily in landscape orientation. Again, we have the same potential issue with the navigation buttons being integrated into the display bezel – if you’re not in landscape mode, “you’re holding it wrong.” What it really boils down to however is personal preferences. I just finished saying out I tend to like the 8-inch class tablets as a nice middle ground between smartphones and laptops, but I can certainly see the draw in larger devices. The bigger display can work better at times (i.e. if you’re watching a movie with a friend), and depending on your eyesight it might simply be easier to read.
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The I/O and port options are identical to the Pro 8.4, with the only real difference being their locations. The micro-USB port is on the bottom again (but in landscape mode this time). The stereo speakers are moved to the left and right sides near the top, which creates a better soundscape in my experience (though headphones would still produce much better audio). The headset jack is on the left just above the speaker in the corner, the microSD slot is behind a cover on the right, and the power and volume controls are on the top edge near the left side along with an IR port in the center.
Like the Pro 8.4, the display is again beautiful, and the colors are actually better as well (particularly white levels). Samsung does have three screen modes on the 10.1, and considering the other similarities I was surprised the same option didn’t exist on the 8.4. Anyway, you can choose between Dynamic, Standard, and Movie modes, with an option to automatically adapt the display based on your current app. We’ll see in a moment how those modes compare in terms of color quality, but if you’re not a stickler for having accurate colors you’ll probably never notices. This is a tightly bonded display, so you almost feel like the content is resting on the surface of the device rather than residing below the glass. Reflections can still be a problem (especially in sunlight), but that’s pretty much the case with every tablet out there; in general the display can get bright enough to remain usable outdoors.
Other than being larger and heavier, the feel is otherwise identical to the 8.4. There’s a metal trim around the outside edge with a slightly rounded edge, and the back has a faux-leather (plastic) finish. We received the white model for review, though you can also buy the Pro 10.1 in black if that’s your preference. I find white tends to not show fingerprints and smudges as much, though actual dirt and grime can become a problem over time. The in-hand feel is excellent, with slightly rounded corners that don’t become uncomfortable to hold. Battery life is also quite a bit better than the 8.4, thanks to the larger battery capacity and perhaps the change in SoC as well.
I mentioned performance being better on the 8.4 in many of our benchmarks, but let me clarify that a bit before we get to the actual scores: in practice, the difference is often imperceptible. Yes, there are cases where the 8.4 might score 20% higher in benchmark frame rates, but there are other instances where the Exynos CPU cores appear to be faster. Most of the time, you can use either one and not really worry about the lower level details. With graphics, however, I do notice the difference between the devices. Angry Birds Go! for example just runs a bit better on the 8.4 than on the 10.1. If you’re looking for a device that can handle all the latest games well, I’d go with the 8.4; if you’re more interested in browsing the web, checking contacts, etc. and want the larger display, there’s nothing wrong with the Pro 10.1 – and if you want a really large tablet, you can always look to the Galaxy 12.2 models. I already feel like 10.1 is a bit large and heavy for a tablet, though, so you’d need a very specific use case to convince me that a 12.2-inch display is the way to go.
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TestKing123 - Tuesday, March 25, 2014 - link
It's true the Yogo 2 Pro is in an entirely different segment/market than an Ipad or Android tablet, but I found I'm using this device far more often than any of my other tablets. The screen is 13.3 but a beautiful QHD display (higher than Retina), very responsive and incredibly fast. The major apps are all on Windows 8 anyways, though I don't care for the App store that much. I can use it as a tablet or PC with a flip of the backside, and I can run all my business software AND play some decent PC games as well.It literally made by tablet collection (and I love buying the newest tablets) obsolete.
johnny_boy - Sunday, March 23, 2014 - link
I think the lg g pad 8.3 makes a good lower cost competitor to the tab pro 8.4. It's sporting previous gen snapdragon soc but 2gb ram and basically the same dimensions and weight. I personally don't think the extra cost of the tab is worth it over the g pad.RobilarOCN - Monday, March 24, 2014 - link
Have you owned a G Pad? I recently sold mine and switched to the Tab Pro 8.4. You might want to have a look at the XDA forum section for it. Despite an amazing aluminum body, the screen on the G Pad is terrible. I paid $350 for it (got it before LG heavily discounted it and then released the google play edition). It is hands down the dimmest tablet screen I have ever used. I was lucky enough not to get one of the "crappy" ones (of which there are apparently many), I didn't have the blue line of doom on the screen or excessive light bleed around the edges (Both of which are very common). Still, even at 100% brightness, it is dimmer than a Nexus 7 or a tab pro at 50%. Impossible to use in sunlight (I took it on vacation). Also the battery life was not good. There is a reason that LG dropped the tablet price by $100 within a month of it's release. Too bad because it has a lot of other amazing things going for it. The screen is the deal breaker though. So yes, the extra cost makes it a big difference... Plus LG is discontinuing the $250 version in favor of the $350 google play edition. A $50 difference for a vastly better screen, faster SOC and better battery? Abolutelywintermute000 - Monday, March 24, 2014 - link
if u can't ROM away the custom magazine UI then no sale. Haven't kept up but aren't Sammy devices getting harder and harder to mod?Woody - Sunday, March 23, 2014 - link
Haha!! what age do you consider "getting old"This is exactly what I'm thinking when I look at screen size these days....thinking about switching from my Galaxy S series for a Galaxy Note for this very reason.
Or I could just get reading glasses. ughh!
frozentundra123456 - Sunday, March 23, 2014 - link
Nice, but more than I would pay for any android device.martixy - Monday, March 24, 2014 - link
That moment when you skim the specs and notice that the display size is always bigger than the stated physical dimensions of the device.It takes a second...
skrewler2 - Friday, March 28, 2014 - link
You mentioned the Note 2014 having the same specs on the first page, but didn't include these in any of the benchmarks to confirm they are indeed the same tablet with just the inclusion of the S-Pen?Also, you didn't include a comparison between the Note / Note pro / Galaxy / Galaxy pro in your closing thoughts.
I got my Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition on special for $400 back in Jan (also w/ a bunch of goodies.. Google store credit, Samsung store credit, Dropbox, evernote pro, a bunch of other stuff). I was kinda bummed that shortly after I purchased it that the Note Pros came out, but other than 10" vs 12" it's hard to tell what exactly is different between them. I remember coming to the conclusion that the Pro model adds some features for businesses / BYOD, notably for compliance and security.
Does it just come down to Note 10.1 2014 being 10" and Note Pro 12 being 12"? Doesn't seem worth the $300 price premium. I also just ran the Sunspider benchmark on my Note 2014 and consistently get scores around 500ms.
maximumGPU - Monday, March 24, 2014 - link
Thumbs up to Jarred for being very active on the comments section and replying to questions or concerns.az_ - Monday, March 24, 2014 - link
I am wondering, why aren't you comparing these Pro tablets to something with Windows, just to other android tablets and the iPad? I guess if someone is trying to use a tablet to do work the Surface Pro 2, Surface 2 and Dell Venue Pro 8 would be on his radar as well.Some of the benchmarks are cross platform (all browser based ones) and you can run an emulator for android and run the benchmarks on x86 windows.
Come on guys, be a bit more creative with the reviews.