GADGET GIZMO REVIEW Samsung Tab S2

GADGET GIZMO REVIEW  Samsung Tab S2   Samsung revamped it's tablet range with the Tablet S last year and now they have launched its successor -the Tab S2. The Tab S2 is the world's slimmest tablet at an impressive 5.6mm uniform thickness. Weighing just 392 grams, the Tab S2 is also one of the lightest Android tablets with a 9.7-inch display. The weight has been kept down at the cost of materials used.While the sides are metal, the overall body is plastic. However, the matte finish and the champhered edges give it a high-end premium feel. Up front is the gorgeous 9.7inch super amoled display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels. In our opinion this is the best display we have seen on any tablet -viewing angles are great, colours really pop and the brightness is excellent.Underneath the display is the home button that incorporates a fingerprint sensor along with back and recent touch sensitive buttons. The right side has a SIM slot, microSD slot, power button and volume keys. On the bottom edge is the MHL port (you can connect to a larger display like a TV or projector).Overall we feel the placement of buttons is ergonomic and the slim and lightweight design makes it great for travel. Specifications include Samsung's own octa core Exynos processor with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage. Inspite of the slim design, Samsung has managed to include a microSD slot for expansion which is impressive -we wonder why couldn't they do the same for the S6, S6 Edge or Note 5 too.Performance is superb as expected. Games such as Real Racing 3, Need for Speed: No Limits as well as 4k videos ran without any issues. What further impressed was the battery life -a single charge lasted over 3 days with an hour of video watching every day , half an hour of gaming, browsing, social media, two email accounts and camera usage. In standby, the battery discharges by 1012% a day -impressive. As with most tablets, the camera is the weak point of the Tab S2 also. The rear and front camera both suffer from visible noise. The image quality is acceptable to share on social media though. Video recording is done in 1440p resolution and is actually good enough to view on a large screen TV . The speaker volume on the tablet is also average -volume is good enough for personal listening only . You get Android 5.0.2 on the tablet with Samsung's TouchWiz user  interface. The TouchWiz is similar to one you find on the newer Galaxy smartphones, i.e., there is less bloatware and it is fast and light.Samsung did announce that the Tab S2 will receive the Android M update soon, so you dont have to worry about being stuck on an older version of Android.You also get 4G connectivity and voice calling support which adds to the overall value of the Samsung Tab S2. It's not often that a tablet impresses not just on its hardware but also design, performa n c e a n d f e at u re s. T h e Samsung Tab S2 is one such tablet. The only issue is that it is overpriced compared to competition like the Lenovo Yoga tablets. Samsung needs to work on their pricing to make the Tab S2 a success. If you are on the lookout for a premium Android tablet and dont mind the price, the Tab S2 is highly recommended.

karan bajaj ET21OCT15