Ahead of Mobile World Congress 2019 (MWC 19) Samsung has announced a new Android tablet, the Galaxy Tab S5e: its thinnest and lightest Android tablet to date.
The Galaxy Tab S5e is more affordable than the current Galaxy Tab S4 and is right in the middle of the 2019 product line-up which looks like this:
- Galaxy Tab A 10.5 ($329)
- Galaxy Tab S5e ($399)
- Galaxy Tab S4 ($649)
At $649, the competition is fierce between the Galaxy S4 and Chromebooks at the same price point (Chromebooks can run Android apps), and the best option depends a lot on your needs and wants.
For instance, the Galaxy S4 tablet has a much better display and pen experience than a lot of these Chromebooks, which may be more comfortable to use, thanks to a larger display and full-size keyboard.
But the $399 Galaxy Tab S5e still has an excellent display (10.5”, AMOLED, 2560×1600, 16:10 ratio). The lower price point partially comes from a more affordable processor option (Snapdragon 670) that is still able to handle multimedia and productivity tasks with relative ease.
With four AKG-tuned speakers and a Dolby Atmos sound capability, the Tab S5e and its 81.8% screen to body ratio should be an excellent tablet for video streaming. That’s what tablets are the most used for.
Gaming performance should be noticeably lower than what you would get on the Galaxy Tab S4, but something’s got to give, and that’s entirely expected at this price point.
What truly sets the Galaxy Tab S5e for now is the Bixby 2.0 smart assistant from Samsung. Shipping with the latest Android P, it also features a brand new user experience (UX) for Samsung’s SmartThings, which is the Samsung HUB for all Internet of Things (IoT) such as home security, WiFi connectivity, etc.
The Galaxy Tab S5e can receive an optional keyboard cover ($129.99) for maximum typing speed and comfort. Unlike the more affordable Galaxy Tab A10.5, it runs Samsung DEX, a Samsung interface that turns Android into a Windowed environment, like a regular computer.
We’ve tested it with the Galaxy Tab S4, and it is also available on high-end devices such as the Galaxy Note 9. While it’s not perfect, it’s true that it does provide a productivity boost for anyone who has to often switch from one app to another, or look at two things simultaneously.
The Galaxy Tab S5e will launch next quarter for $399.99, with the optional keyboard selling for $129.99. As usual, a 4G LTE version will also available at some point, although that has not been communicated for now.
| Galaxy Tab S5e | |
|---|---|
| Display | 10.5″ sAMOLED 2650×1600 (16:10 ratio) |
| Sound | AKG-tuned Quad-speakers, Dolby Atmos |
| Camera | 13MP (rear) + 8 MP (front) |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, 8-cores |
| Memory | 4GB (RAM) + 64GB (internal) + microSD (512GB max) |
| Battery life | ~14 hrs of video (says Samsung) |
| Productivity | Optional keyboard, no pen option |
Filed in . Read more about Android Tablets and Samsung.