Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO 10.1 Preview

Introduction

In January of 2014, Samsung introduced us to a brand new range of Android tablets – the Galaxy Tab PRO series. These are built with one intention in mind – to deliver a non-compromise experience through the use of well-polished, tablet-optimized software running on a high-end hardware configuration. And now, we have our hands on the Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO 10.1, which is the “middle child” of the family, standing between its 8.4-inch and 12.2-inch brethren.

Now, we know that you're eager to find out whether the tablet is any good or not. Well, so are we, which is why we're about to get up close and personal with the Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO 10.1. One thing should be taken into account, however. The unit we're handling is a prototype, meaning that what you're about to read is just a preview of the device. Still, it should give us a good idea as to whether the tablet is worthy of attention.

Design

With the Galaxy Tab PRO 10.1, Samsung is playing it safe, sticking to its tried and tested design formula. The device is built of plastic and sports a metal-like trim on the sides. Upon flipping the tablet around we see its back plate, which has been treated to a faux-leather finish – a trait becoming increasingly popular among Samsung's gadgets. Overall, we're satisfied with the tablet's appearance. It is not the prettiest tablet in existence, but it doesn't look bad either.

We're happy to report that the Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO 10.1 is one feathery light tablet. At 469 grams (for the non-LTE variant), the slate is lighter even than the iPad air. Little strain is put on the user's wrist as a result of this, which makes the Tab PRO 10.1 comfortable to hold for prolonged periods of time. The bezels surrounding its display are of average size – not too thin to leave no room for our thumb to rest on, but not too thick to spoil the looks of the device. This, together with the non-slippery texture on the device's back, makes it easy for us to get a good hold onto the tablet.

As is typical for Samsung's Android devices, the Galaxy Tab PRO 10.1 has a slightly raised physical “Home” button underneath its screen, while the “Back” button next to it is of the capacitive kind. What's new, however, is that instead of a “Menu” button, we find a key for our recent apps. The “Menu” key has been implemented into the tablet's user interface and appears only when it is needed, in case you're wondering.

On the top side of the Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO 10.1 are positioned the power and volume buttons. We find nothing wrong with their design as they're both well exposed and easy to operate. On that very same side we also find a built-in infra-red blaster, which allows the tablet to control various types of home appliances, including TVs and set-top boxes. Loudspeakers are found on the left and right sides of the device for a nice stereo effect while watching video.

Display

The 10.1-inch, Super Clear LCD screen on the Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO 10.1 is one of the device's biggest assets. It has a resolution of 2560 by 1600 pixels, which produces an impressive pixel density of 298 ppi. We should mention that the panel uses a PenTile sub-pixel arrangement instead of the traditional RGB one, but that's of little importance given the display's sheer pixel count.

Interface

Magazine UX is an almost ideal solution for tablets because of its good use of screen space. Multi Window lets us enjoy proper multitasking on a tablet.

Samsung deserves a thumbs up for launching the Galaxy Tab PRO 10.1 with Android 4.4.2 KitKat out of the box – the latest version of the platform available as of this writing. But to no surprise, the UI of the operating system has been heavily modified on many levels. Layered on top we find a fresh new interface named Magazine UX, which basically builds upon the well-known TouchWiz by extending its already rich array of features.

The great thing about Magazine UX is that it is built from the ground up with tablets in mind. It takes full advantage of the available screen space by filling it with tiles of all kinds. Yes, we're calling them “tiles” since they remind us of the way Microsoft's Modern UI is laid out. These can behave as shortcuts to apps, as widgets, or as aggregated news feeds on topics of your choice, powered by Flipboard. And you can rearrange them to your liking, which is also nice. All in all, we're pleased with Samsung's new approach to UI design, as similar as it may look to the Modern UI found on Windows 8 tablets. It does a good job at giving quick access to up-to-date news and our frequently used software, all the while being simple enough for both novice and experienced users to get the hang of it.

Traditional home screens, where app shortcuts and third-party widgets can be placed, are still available, should you prefer using these instead of Magazine UX. But if that's the case, you might be a bit disappointed to learn that at least one Magazine screen has to remain enabled.

As we mentioned above, many features found in previous TouchWiz versions – Smart Stay, Blocking Mode, S Voice, and KNOX – haven't been omitted. Multi Window, which lets us use two active apps side by side, is also present, allowing us to enjoy a true multitasking experience instead of having to switch back and forth between opened apps.

Functionality

While Magazine UX feels different as a whole, Samsung has chosen to not modify some of the core applications in its interface. The Contacts app, for example, has a very familiar look, with people listed on the left side of the screen and info for the highlighted contact listed on the right. We have a search bar at our disposal, and the options to sort contacts in groups, so all in all, there's nothing about the Contacts app that we find lacking.

We're delighted by the on-screen keyboard offered by the Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO 10.1. It offers large, well-spaced keys, accurate word prediction and correcting, and quick access to items placed on our clipboard. Furthermore, we appreciate having three different keyboard layouts – classic, floating, and split.

Hancom Office is what comes on the Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO 10.1 for all your professional needs. Basically, it is an office solution compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. And it is a capable one indeed. Seriously, the software is very suitable for creating both basic and complex documents while on the go, especially with its intuitive, touch-screen optimized user interface. If you've ever used Microsoft's Office, than you should be feeling right at home with Hancom's alternative.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO 10.1 is compatible with WebEx, which is professional-grade solution for video conferencing. In a nutshell, the software enables two or more people to attend an online meeting in order to collaborate on projects, exchange files, provide help or instructions through the built-in desktop sharing feature, and more. This is a feature that might come in handy if you're a business professional.

Remote PC is also on the list of software pre-loaded on the Galaxy Tab PRO 10.1. As the name implies, it is an app allowing one with a Samsung account to access and control their computer over the internet.

Processor and memory

You'll find a different SoC inside the Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO 10.1, depending on whether you're holding the Wi-Fi-only or LTE-capable model of the device. The former is equipped with an octa-core Exynos 5 SoC, while the latter relies on the popular quad-core Snapdragon 800 SoC. We know we're repeating ourselves here, but these chips are actually powerful enough to handle anything thrown at them. Yes, even when over 4 million display pixels need to be pushed around. And don't let the difference in number of cores get you confused. These two chips should be more or less equally potent in real life. 2GB of RAM are on board the Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO 10.1, which is a reasonable amount even for a device built for heavy multitasking use. Of course, we can't draw any conclusions about the tablet's performance at this time since we're handling a non-final unit, but we're confident that the device won't be a slouch.

There are 16GB of storage built into the Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO 10.1. When we take the non-removable system files into account, we end up with under 11GB available for our apps and media. For a tablet, that's an acceptable amount of storage space, but it isn't all that much when you think about it. If you're into storing media locally onto your device, we'd recommend getting a microSD card for the Tab PRO 10.1. Or just wait for the 32GB model to hit the shelves, that works too. It is worth noting that 50GB of free Dropbox storage for 2 years are included with the device.

Web browser and connectivity

No complaints here. We find the excellent Internet browser on the Galaxy Tab PRO 10.1 with support for tabbed browsing and built-in Reader Mode, which comes in handy when reading large articles. In plain words, this mode increases font size and removes non-essential content from the page, leaving only the body of the article.

The base Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO 10.1 tablet connects to the internet only over Wi-Fi, but a 3G/4G LTE model is also in the works. Naturally, you get GPS, Bluetooth 4.0, and Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac as well with this tablet. NFC and FM radio connectivity, however, aren't supported.

Camera

Like all other Samsung tablets bearing the PRO title in their name, the Galaxy Tab PRO 10.1 comes with an 8MP main camera and a 2MP secondary one in the front. Naturally, the main snapper supports auto-focus, and it is nice to see that an LED flash has been added to help out in low-light situations. Feature-wise, you get many extras not offered by the competition's slates, including HDR and Panorama modes, as well as Burst Shot and a mode allowing us to remove moving objects from the shot.

Multimedia

There's nothing new about Samsung's Gallery application as it is identical to the one found on other recent Samsung devices. We don't mind, however, as the app is pretty good the way it is. It lists the folders containing images on the left, while the images in the highlighted folder are listed on the right, each with its own, resizeable thumbnail. Images can be grouped chronologically, or by location, if that's your cup of tea. The mandatory image editing tools come built into the software, allowing us to crop or rotate the picture, as well as to add stickers or effects to it.

The Music player has a rather simple interface. It isn't beautiful, but it is straightforward to use and has any core feature that a music player needs, and then some. Music is organized in tabs, with album art displayed next to each item. Effects come built into the app, along with a 7-band equalizer and an intelligent volume normalizer. When the app is in the background, music playback can be controlled from the home screen widget, from the notifications panel, and even from the lock screen. Furthermore, Samsung has implemented its Adapt Sound feature, which can fine-tune sound reproduction in a way that matches the user's headphones and hearing.

Speaking of music reproduction, the sound coming out of the tablet's built-in speakers is of high volume and good quality. The speakers' placement on the left and right sides of the device is adequate as we get a nice stereo effect while watching videos.

The IR blaster on the Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO 10.1 lets the device act as a remote control for your TV or set-top box, and that's a very welcome feature. In fact, in select countries, the WatchON feature will turn your tablet into a full-fledged TV guide, showing what's playing on each channel. Tap on your show of choice and the tablet will automatically switch to the channel it is on.

With its widescreen display, the Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO 10.1 is ideal for watching videos and even full-length movies. Just be aware of its lack of DivX codec support – something that has to be rectified by downloading a third-party video player. All other popular video file formats, however, are playable with the tablet's stock Video app. The app comes with support for Samsung's Popup Play feature for watching videos in windowed mode.

Expectations

With a starting price of $500 (in the US), the Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO 10.1 ranks among the most expensive 10-inch tablets on the market. But with its lightweight design, top-notch hardware configuration, and rich arsenal of software features, it seems to be worthy of belonging to the high-end tablet segment. In fact, Samsung's 10.1-inch PRO tablet appears to be packing enough punch to be considered a viable alternative even to Apple's equally priced iPad Air.

Based on our experience with a non-retail unit, we'd say that the only underwhelming thing about the Samsung Galaxy tab PRO 10.1 is its non-premium, uninspiring construction. Sure, its plastic build isn't bad, but it doesn't really catch the eye either.

But that aside, we have high hopes for the Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO 10.1, and we're looking forward to take a retail unit for a spin. Expect our full review soon!