14 DAY TRIAL // Samsung power AMOLED tablet-duo was unleashed upon the world not so long ago. In the US, the tablets are already up for pre-order, but Sammy will be making them available only starting from June 27.
Considering that the tablets come just a few months after Samsung rolled out the Galaxy TabPRO and NotePRO lineup of high-end professional devices, it makes sense to ask the following question: will the new flagship Galaxy Tab S tablets manage to sell at all? In what follows, we’re going to try and answer that question.
Reasons why the Galaxy Tab S will sell
The first reason that comes to mind is that these tablets really come with amazing quality. For one, they are one of the slimmest on the market today. At 6.6mm / 0.26 inches thin, they are even more airy than the iPad Air.
Another major positive point is the super crisp AMOLED display, which Samsung says will make a real difference compared to the whole LCD experience, bringing blacker black and whiter whites to the table, among other benefits.
However, the advantages of AMOLED screens are a double-edge sword and some customers might not find them all that appealing.
But we’re discussing the positive spins of Samsung’s new slate in this section. Apart from the powerful specs to be found under the hood, the tablets are the first to arrive with the same fingerprint scanner we have seen on the flagship Galaxy S5.
Furthermore, Samsung is throwing in a bunch of pre-loaded content and new feats, in the form of Kids Mode, Ultra-Power Saving Mode, S-Note, S-Translator, Samsung Link and Samsung’s brand new Milk service, a feature that will be available only for US customers.
Galaxy Tab S owners will also be able to enjoy 3 months of Marvel Unlimited subscription, thus being granted access to popular magazines coming from Conde Nast, such as Vogue.
Also in the US, those signing up for a Tab S pre-order will be eligible to win a “once in a life-time tech makeover,” with prizes consisting of a Samsung UHD 4K 65-inch Smart TV, SHAPE Speakers, a Galaxy S5 smartphone and much more.
Plenty of reasons to consider picking up one of these devices.
Reasons the Galaxy Tab S will not sell
As mentioned above, the new AMOLED tablets arrive a few months after Samsung pushed the high-end Galaxy TabPRO and NotePRO devices into the wild, which take advantage of LCD technology. But are business customers being given more options than they can handle and is the market ready for so many premium devices being thrown in all at once?
Another aspect to consider is whether you really need an AMOLED display. While Samsung argues that these screens consume less battery and the colors look more vibrant and attractive, opinions vary in this respect.
Some may feel that these screens offer oversaturated and unnatural colors, and will appreciate the reasonable quality of LCD more.
But let’s move on to what really matters to consumers, pricing. The 8.4-inch Galaxy Tab S will sell for $399 / €294, while the larger 10.5-inch model can be yours for $499 / €368.
How does that compare to other popular offerings on the market? Well, for example, the Apple iPad mini with Retina display (Wi-Fi model and 16GB of RAM) starts at the same $399 / €294 as the 8.4-inch Tab S.
On the other hand, the Galaxy TabPRO 8.4 (16GB of storage) is a little cheaper than the 8.4-inch Galaxy Tab S, selling for $329 / €243.
As for the larger Galaxy Tab S, its price is comparable to the iPad Air’s with 16GB of internal storage, as they sale for the same $499 / €368.
The Galaxy TabPRO 10.1 (with 16GB of internal storage) is currently being offered for $399 / €293, so if you don’t mind LCD technology, you’ll manage to save up to $100 / €74.