Full review of the Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4!

When Samsung released their gigantic Galaxy Note Pro 12.2, we knew it was destined to become a niche device. Its relatively high price tag and unwieldy size meant relegated it to a more specialist role for people looking for a high productivity tablet. Today we’re going to be reviewing another tablet from Samsung’s Pro lineup, one that has most of the productivity features that we liked from the Note Pro 12.2 in a form factor that’s infinitely easier to use and handle.

Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 specs

• 2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor
• 2GB of RAM
• Adreno 330 GPU
• 8.4-inch Super LCD display, 2560×1600 resolution
• 16GB internal storage, expandable via microSD up to 64GB
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
• 8-megapixel rear camera with BSI
• 2-megapixel front facing camera
• 4,800mAh Li-Ion battery
• Android 4.4 Kitkat

Solid design both inside and out

Samsung has this penchant for making arbitrary screen sizes and not going with standard conventions. We’ve seen that in the Note Pro 12.2, Galaxy Tab 7.7 and so on and so forth. The Tab Pro 8.4 continues this tradition, though upon closer inspection you’d see the method in the madness: the extra .4 inches that differentiate it from Samsung’s earlier tab, the Tab 3 give the device a 16:10 aspect ratio that makes it perfect for watching movies.

The extra quarter of an inch also makes the Tab Pro 8.4 a bit taller than most tabs, though that’s not really a problem since the Tab Pro 8.4 doesn’t really take up much real estate. You’ll also find that you’ll forget that you put the Tab 8.4 inside your bag when you’re out and about since it only weighs in at a lightweight 331 grams.

Like most of Samsung’s Galaxy products, the Tab Pro 8.4 has plenty of nice rounded corners and tapered edges, which makes it easy to hold and operate the tablet one-handed. The volume and power buttons are all located on the right side of the tab when oriented vertically, with the home button located on the bottom of the bezel flanked by the two capacitive touch keys. The 3.5mm jack and the USB ports are at the regular locations, namely on the top and bottom of the device. There’s a microSD slot on the left side of the device should you decide that the 16GB of internal storage on the Tab Pro 8.4 doesn’t cut it.

The speakers of the Tab Pro 8.4 are located on the bottom if you have the tablet oriented vertically. The speaker layout is problematic especially when you start using the tablet in the landscape orientation, as your palms tend to block the speakers when you’re using it two handed – necessary for many Android games.

The Tab Pro 8.4 sports the same faux-leather treatment much like Samsung’s other more premium devices, down to the stitching on the back. Some people like the design, some people don’t. We fall in the former category, as we know it’s difficult to make plastic tablets feel premium. In that regard, Samsung has done a good job.

Gorgeous, pin-sharp display

One of the nicest things about the Tab Pro 8.4 is its beautiful, 8.4-inch Super LCD display. It has a display resolution of 2560 x 1600, which makes everything extremely sharp. While the Tab Pro 8.4 shares the same resolution as its relative, the Note Pro 12.2, the smaller size of the Tab Pro 8.4 means that it has a higher pixel density, coming in at a whopping 359 ppi. That number isn’t that impressive when it’s on a phone, but when it’s on a display of this size it’s truly an achievement. The use of a TFT LCD rather than an AMOLED display is also a welcome addition, since the display is able to reproduce more natural colors.

The gorgeous display combined with the 16:10 aspect ratio made the Tab Pro 8.4 a natural choice when watching full HD content. If you’re looking for the ultimate tablet for multimedia – the Tab Pro 8.4 definitely fits the bill as far as the display is concerned.

Has many of the same software features that made the Note Pro 12.2 great

Being part of Samsung’s new Pro line up tablets, the Tab Pro 8.4 has many of the same software features and enhancements that aims to help you with productivity. Samsung’s Magazine UX is present in device, and much like the Note Pro 12.2, you can customize your experience depending on your preference. The Tab pro 8.4 can also open multiple windows at once, as well as remotely connect to your home PC via the Remote PC application. The list of productivity apps are substantial: Hancom Viewer (for opening spreadsheets and Word documents), WebEx and e-Meeting.

Hardware that can plow through anything

The Tab Pro 8.4 has some serious hardware under the hood – 2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM and an Adreno 330 GPU. Those impressive specs give the Tab Pro 8.4 serious grunt when it comes to tackling whatever you throw at it. The Tab Pro 8.4’s AnTuTu score of 33107 reflects the performance of the top of the line hardware (sort of) on the Tab Pro 8.4. Real world use confirmed that benchmark score – general navigation through the Tab Pro 8.4’s various screens was buttery smooth, and going through the custom UI. Android games are a pleasure to play on the Tab Pro 8.4, with Dead Trigger 2 and Asphalt 8 working flawlessly without any lag whatsoever. The only time that we noticed lag was when we started opening multiple windows, with the Tab Pro 8.4 finally saying uncle when we had 4 windows open at once.

Mediocre camera

We never advocate people using tablets to take photos, and this isn’t about to change with the Tab Pro 8.4. That being said, there will be instances that you will be forced to use the camera on your tablet to take photos, and you’ll be happy to know that the camera on the Tab Pro 8.4 will do in a pinch. It’s pretty mediocre compared to the ones on other devices out there, but it’s perfectly acceptable if you absolutely need to take a photo using the tablet.

Good battery life, but could be better

The 4,800mAh battery on the Tab Pro 8.4 isn’t what you’d consider plentiful, especially when you consider the size of the device. Still, the Tab Pro 8.4 managed to last around 7 hours and 23 minutes on our battery loop test, which consisted of a video playing on a loop, brightness 50% and with Wi-Fi on. With normal use, that translated to around a day’s worth of browsing, gaming and viewing movies. Much like anything battery related, your mileage may vary.

Verdict: one of the best tablets you can buy if you’re looking for a high-performance Android tablet

While the Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 isn’t exactly what you’d call affordable, it has one of the best combinations of hardware we’ve seen yet on an Android tablet. It’s dazzling 8.4-inch display should be enough to get you excited if you’re considering it as your next tablet. It’s fast, pleasing to the eyes and has one of the sharpest displays on an Android tablet yet – three things that make its Php 18,990 price worth it.