Samsung Galaxy Tab S4

Release Date Aug 1st, 2018

Samsung Galaxy Tab S4

76

Check price on Amazon

90+ 0

80-90 6

70-80 4

60-70 1

0-60 0

Phone Arena

85

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 is a prime example of this new breed of “productive tablets” — instead of trying to fit in an awkward tablet-PC hybrid sector, they proudly flaunt their touch-first interface with all of its pros and cons. Its included S Pen is excellent for those who want to draw or people who simply like to take notes by hand and its plethora of features makes it a good device for both work and entertainment.

So, is it worth $650? The price may be a li-i-ittle steep, considering the hardware inside is not the newest-and-best in the market. But if you want a tablet that can swap between being a workstation and an Android-powered entertainment machine with the snap of a finger, there are few tablets out there that can do it the way the Tab S4 does it.

Pros
  • Premium look and feel
  • Samsung DeX straight on the tablet
  • Beautiful and fluid software
  • S Pen is among the best styluses out there
  • Quad speakers with a very good stereo split
Cons
  • The quad speakers sound just OK
  • Hefty build and glass back make it hard to handle sometimes
  • Last year’s flagship chipset
  • Iris scanner can be a bit awkward on a tablet
  • Underwhelming cameras

ZDNet

82

The Apple iPad may be the most popular tablet and it is indeed a great device, however the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 has functionality that makes it a better tablet for the enterprise. This functionality includes Samsung DeX integration, mouse support, S Pen functionality with Air Command utilities, and multi-window capability. You can also use the tablet as a touch pad, digitizer, or touch keyboard when connected to an external monitor.

With the Microsoft Surface Go, Google Pixelbook, and other devices in the same price range it may be tough to justify the Galaxy Tab S4. If you are a Samsung smartphone user and want that same experience on a larger display with the same ecosystem, then it may be a good option.

Pros
  • Solid design with crisp, clear display
  • Outstanding stereo speakers tuned by AKG
  • S Pen support
  • Samsung DeX integration
  • microSD expansion card slot
Cons
  • Lightweight S Pen with no silo for storage
  • Poorly designed Book Cover keyboard accessory

PCMag

80

In some ways, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 feels like it has a bit of an identity problem. It offers a fantastic multimedia experience with its sharp screen and great audio, but if you want a tablet just for entertainment, the $329 iPad has similar features and even more apps for half the price. The Tab S4 also has a solid set of productivity uses with DeX mode, but real work is likely better accomplished with an inexpensive Chromebook, which will have larger keyboard and can also run Android apps. Or you can spend more on a Windows-powered 2-in-1 that can run all the desktop programs you need without compromise.

Still, the Galaxy Tab S4 is the best Android tablet you can buy today.

Pros
  • Sleek build
  • Gorgeous display
  • Loud speakers
  • Great stylus for drawing and note-taking
  • Excellent Wi-Fi connectivity
  • Dex brings desktop-like experience
Cons
  • Expensive
  • Keyboard accessory costs extra
  • Mediocre camera
  • Android-powered tablets still can’t do everything Windows tablets can

Tech Advisor

80

Android tablets are few and far between these days so it’s great to see Samsung continuing to offer an alternative to the iPad. Even if it is at a fairly steep price.

This year, the tablet isn’t hugely different when it comes to design but does have a larger screen and even more of a focus on using it for productivity as a laptop replacement. This comes mainly from the DeX software being built-in but we’re not entirely convinced by it.

T3

80

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 isn’t perfect, but it’s the nearest I’ve seen an Android tablet get to being a recommendation over the latest iPad range. There aren’t many improvements over the Galaxy Tab S3, and this is the most high-end spec and premium feel tablet the company has ever made.

The display is absolutely beautiful, the design looks slick, the internals are powerful enough, plus the added S Pen stylus is a useful added extra you don’t get with every other tablet.

Pros
  • Beautifully sharp and bright display
  • Enviable design that grabs the eye
  • S Pen stylus is impressive and comes with it
  • Top audio quality for a tablet
Cons
  • Average battery life
  • Doesn’t come with keyboard case
  • Outdated chipset inside

Stuff

80

If you’re waiting for a tablet revolution, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 isn’t it. This is just another solid high-powered tablet that makes doing some real work in Android a bit easier than its predecessors.

Tablets like this are getting rarer, though, and almost nothing else can stand up to the iPad Pro series as well.

Sure, the speakers could be bassier, the apparent lack of AR support is a shame and the S-Pen isn’t quite as smart as Apple’s Pencil.

Pros
  • Cheaper all-in than a rival iPad Pro
  • DeX makes laptop-like use less of a joke
  • Bold screen
Cons
  • The back is fingerprint central
  • Doesn’t have the latest-greatest CPU
  • Speakers lack real bass

Mashable

75

I really like Samsung’s thinking with the Tab S4. It tries to have things both ways and mostly succeeds. I much preferred and succeeded in working on the Tab S4 whereas I couldn’t on an iPad Pro and didn’t want to continue on a Surface Go.

The Tab S4 reminds me of new Chrome OS-powered tablets (productivity) trying to get play cred with Android apps, only it’s the reverse. The end goal is still the same: a tablet’s that truly functional for both work and play.

But even though I mostly liked using the Tab S4, its pricing is hard to stomach — $650 for a tablet is already a lot to ask.

Pros
  • DeX mode is actually usable for doing real work
  • Top-notch display
  • Long battery life
  • Comes with S Pen
Cons
  • Book Cover Keyboard costs extra
  • Not many DeX-optimized apps
  • Fragile glass back

TechRadar

70

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 tries to push Android tablets to the next level with 2-in-1 desktop-like software, and while it’s what we want to see from even the iPad, the idea doesn’t automatically make it the best tablet. It’s overpriced, the touchscreen isn’t as responsive in Dex mode, and too many apps aren’t optimized.

There several fixes Samsung needs to make before we can recommend this tablet to everyone. The window resizing and closing needs to be easier and Google software needs to stop crashing in Dex mode.

Pros
  • PC desktop-like Dex interface
  • Comes with the S Pen stylus
  • Large 10.5-inch screen
Cons
  • Dex touchscreen detection is off
  • Keyboard design is unintuitive
  • Expensive for what it delivers

Digital Trends

70

Samsung has several hits with the Galaxy Tab S4 — it’s the best Android tablet you can buy — but it has a few misses as well.

Should you buy it? If you are desperate to own an Android tablet, then yes. If you want to be able to be productive and then swap to tablet mode to consume media, then maybe. You should skip it if you want a portable laptop to do serious work on. If you also just want a powerful tablet — and don’t care if it’s Android or iOS — then go for an iPad.

Pros
  • Fantastic, high-resolution screen
  • Day-long battery life
  • Great, portable size
  • Good performance
  • Decent 2-in-1 solution
Cons
  • DeX is still a work in progress
  • Not enough tablet-optimized apps
  • Expensive

Laptop Mag

70

When it comes to brilliant tablet displays, the Tab S4 stands at the top of the mountain with a ton of color and brightness. The S Pen also remains a useful tool. And while we would have preferred a newer Snapdragon 835 processor, the Tab S4’s performance is pretty snappy. However, Samsung will have to make DeX mode more seamless before the Tab S4 becomes a true productivity powerhouse, and the lack of a touchpad on the keyboard is a real bummer.

Overall, the Galaxy Tab S4 provides an intriguing mix of mobile apps and productivity that’s definitely worthy of consideration.

Pros
  • Beautiful, bright display
  • Strong sound
  • Speedy performance
  • Productivity-first DeX mode
  • S Pen offers great tricks
Cons
  • Cramped keyboard
  • No touchpad
  • DeX has room to improve

The Verge

65

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 is a great effort to make the ideal Android tablet. Samsung DeX makes the Tab S4 truly special, but the lack of optimized apps for Android and DeX modes means your software choices are quite limited. Samsung did a remarkable job of making the Tab S4 seem like it’s more than the sum of its parts. I just wish the parts were better.

The Tab S4 definitely has one of the best-looking tablet displays of the year, and it’s not just because of Samsung’s use of display tech and color balancing. The Tab S4 has great cameras on the front and back. On its own, the Tab S4 is a powerful media-consumption device.

Pros
  • Gorgeous screen
  • Excellent battery life
  • DeX is great for multitasking
Cons
  • Android apps for tablets are still mediocre
  • Requires you to buy keyboard / mouse for Dex to be useful
  • Face / iris scanning is hit or miss