The biggest conundrum when it comes to the Android ecosystem has always been the tablet. Initially, the approach that a lot of Android manufacturers took was to just supersize the mobile experience. However, it has slowly become more evident that the tablet isn’t just a supersized screen. In fact, it has become a required commodity for some to keep productive. That behaviour change is what has led to the tablets becoming what they are now – productivity devices.
Samsung’s latest attempt at this is the Galaxy Tab S7 series which takes a more holistic view in how to empower productivity. It brings a whole bunch of new improvements and brand new features that make working on the go with it that much more enjoyable, accessible and effective. That said, let’s walkthrough some of the first impressions you get from the tablet.
Initial Setup
Like any other Samsung or Android device, the tablet turns on pretty fast. The first thing you’re going to see is the setup interface asking you to sign in to your WiFi or to all the different accounts you want to have on your tablet. If you’ve got a version capable of mobile connectivity, it will ask you to insert and unlock your SIM.
Samsung SmartSwitch
Setup was a breeze and, if you’re coming from another tablet, the Tab S7+ will prompt you to use Samsung’s SmartSwitch to seamlessly transfer your data over to the new tablet. This includes all your settings such as WiFi and your accounts.
However, we chose to set it up as a new device. It took less than 10 minutes to get my essentials like WiFi, Google Account and more setup. Then it was on to setting up our apps which was simple enough. We downloaded apps such as Microsoft Office, Any.Do and more. We tried to make sure we got the apps which Samsung was touting as optimised for the Tab S7+.
Premium Finish with Heft
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ gives a pretty first impression. It’s design is clean with clean, rounded edges and screen that covers nearly the whole face of the tablet. On the back you have a pristine machined aluminium body with a brushed finish. The camera is emblazoned with a black, reflective bar which also acts as an indicator as to where the magnets for the S Pen are.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ is the one of the most premium feeling tablets I have had the pleasure of using from Samsung. The angular design and rounded edges give the tablet a more premium feel. I was pretty impressed with the initial feel of the device as well, it had a good amount of heft and the build itself felt sturdy and well-built. The Mystic Black colour makes it look even more premium and gives it a sleek, timeless look.
The S Pen Mightier than Before
The S Pen of the Tab S7+ brings along with it a whole array of new features but more importantly, it has been redesigned to feel so much more natural in hand. The smooth, rounded body of the S Pen make it more ergonomic and the positioning of the button this round is in a place that feels a lot more natural – even clicking the button some how feels more satisfying.
The new S Pen features bring a layer of productivity that hasn’t been around in previous entries. However, the biggest improvement that comes to mind is the amount of apps that can now effectively take advantage of it – from apps like Adobe’s Photoshop and Illustrator to the Microsoft Office suite, the level of integration and compatibility of the S Pen puts it on par with it’s largest competition – the iPad.
First Impressions After 24 Hours
The Galaxy Tab S7+ leaves an impression alright. The first 24 hours of using the tab felt a lot like using and setting up a new laptop. The keyboard, which comes together with the Tab S7 series in Malaysia, allows a sense of freedom to be productive answering emails and even typing out articles. To be very frank, it was hard to not try to do everything on the tablet.
The interface is smooth and feels more optimised than before. There’s sense of refinement in the overall experience – at least in the first 24 hours compared to the tablets before. Things felt cleaner, more organised and built for productivity. The best part of the tab is that every thing is in reach – the tablet, the keyboard and the S Pen; making it easy to seamlessly transition from answering emails to sketching to reading and highlighting.
When it comes to tablets, Android has had the shorter end of the stick – particularly when it comes to optimisation and overall usability. However, Samsung has steadily been imbuing their approach to tablets with more and more features and software enhancements that have steadily made their Tab S one of the best Android tablets out there. This year, with their Galaxy Tab S7+, they’ve created one that gave me one of the best first impressions I’ve had from an Android Tablet.
Buying a new gadget is always special. Somehow it feels like an achievement. I remember the first time I bought my smartphone a Samsung Galaxy S. That was in the turn of the millennium and it felt like a big achievement. It was a great feeling, a special feeling.
Then you unbox the device, a delicate mix of glass, and plastic, and metal these days. It felt like a trophy at that time. Then you have to set it up, which is a pain in the butt.
Setting up your device for the first time is always quite a painful process. It takes out plenty of your time. You have to transfer as much data as possible from one smartphone to the other. In the old days, some of the most important data on your device is your contacts. You can do that with a simple Google sign in now. But the rest of the device, not so easy.
Since I switch to a smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S, I have never turned back to switch to another manufacturer. Since I have switched to the Note series from the Samsung Galaxy Note2, I have never turned back. Now, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra is here, and we have to get our hands on it.
First Set-Up
We did, and then we have to set it up like any other phone. In that regards, I switched out from a Samsung Galaxy Note9 to this Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. Thank the heavens, we have the Smart Switch app that simplified data transfer from one phone the other, to a certain degree.
The first set-up of the device is quite painless. Since I am coming from another Samsung device, it is a simple turn on the Smart Switch app on the older device and get them to pair. When I switched out my Samsung Galaxy Note5 to a Samsung Galaxy Note9, I had to do the transfer via a wire. Now, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 does it wirelessly with the Samsung Galaxy Note9; neat.
Smart Switch App
The whole process is quite painless if you do it correctly and should be done within an hour depending on your smartphone. We did something wrong and had to reset twice to get the data transferred correctly. It took us about 40 minutes (when we got it right) for all the necessary data to reach the Galaxy Note20 Ultra.
It was worth it though, once done the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 looks exactly like the Note9 in terms interface. You get the same background you’ve set on your older device and even the same lock screen. Of course, you have to set up your fingerprint sensor and facial recognition again.
Things like your Google Account has already been signed into and you can access almost everything else that is singed in with Google account without having to sign in again. Of course, you have to sign into your Samsung account and Microsoft account again. Facebook is mostly already set up too if you transferred your data with Smart Switch app. Other things like Twitter and Instagram requires you to sign in again though.
If you want to, you can even transfer all the older photos that you took with your older device to the Samsung Galaxy Note20. That is what we did, and everything we had from the old Samsung Galaxy Note9 is now in the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. We only wish that the app also helps us mimic all the app settings and accounts we had. We were quite annoyed to find that certain apps are not signed in and most of our games progress has been reset.
Naked and Vulnerable
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 review unit that we got does not come with a device case to protect it from the world. When we checked with Samsung’s rep, there is a chance that the retail unit might not come with an included case too. In that case, we do suggest that you procure one the moment you get your Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra unit though. You would want to slap a case on its back because of the huge camera bump.
The device is not particularly thick, which makes the camera bump a little bit of an odd stand out. It is half the thickness of the S Pen and definitely thicker than your 50cent coin. You might need to stack two coins and it will just clear the height of the bump.
It is not a small bump either. It has to fit a large 108-Megapixel sensor along with two supporting sensors at that. Just in case you do not remember, the camera sensors are now larger as well. The term ‘stick out like a sore thumb’ plays very well here.
Still, the bronze that was presented on the Samsung Galaxy Note20 is a unique touch to smartphones. While every other manufacturer is doing all they can to get their device’s backs to look like they came out of the North Pole, Samsung goes back to basic with their flagship productivity machine.
The bronze is not even in a glossy shade for style points. They didn’t really bother with creating fancy effects either. It is just a matte finish that even feels nice in your hands. The only thing about it is that it is quite slippery in your hands. That is why we advise you to buy a case too.
We do really like the matte texture to the back of the device though. While it is nothing new, it is quite refreshing at this time and it does look good to a certain degree. Still you might just cover it up with a case anyway.
Battery Concerns
Out-of-the-box, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 comes with about 50% in battery charge when you turn it on. That should be enough for you to do your set ups or the data transfer. Once set up is done, the battery is still good enough to play around with and to do all extra set ups. While that is good news, it might disguise its actual battery life though.
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 houses the biggest battery of all the Note series that came before. The thing is, we do feel like it has about the same battery life as the Samsung Galaxy Note9 though. It is not great, but it is not bad either. If you constantly keep your device on, the battery does dwindle a little bit. We suspect that the battery life is driven down by the 120Hz refresh rate.
Once you start to charge it though, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 will prompt you if you want to fast charge it if fast charging is available. That is quite clever as well. If you tend to leave your device charging overnight, you might want to consider turning that function off. That is also a very clever way to preserve your battery shelf life.
120Hz Goodness
Once you start working with the smartphone, you first notice how smooth everything is. The Samsung Galaxy Note20 turns on 120Hz refresh rate by default but limits your resolution at Full HD. If you want the full quad HD treatment, sorry. Still, 1080p is still plenty good looking on the AMOLED display, so we left it that way.
The smoothness of the interface is uncanny though, everything flows really nicely with each swipe. Even the Samsung Keyboard is made to take on 120Hz, the suggested words just flow along as you type, which was a nice touch.
Of course, the other benefit to the fast display is gaming. Unfortunately, this aspect will have to wait until we properly review the device though. Why? We have not even launched any of the games we have on the device.
S Pen – Mightier than the Pen
Okay, that was an exaggeration. It is technically a digital pen, and we maintain that the stylus experience still cannot beat an actual Pen experience. But this, in our first tests, does feel quite close to an actual pen.
No, not the actual pen on paper experience. Instead, you still know that you are writing on glass, a smooth surface. We can liken it more to using market pen on whiteboards. That said, this S Pen is unlike any other stylus experience we are used to. This is coming from a Samsung Galaxy Note9 user.
It is faster than before, they say at 9ms. That means that response is near instant with the S Pen. Before we can start though, S Pen has some setting up and tutorial to do when we first take it out of its housing at the bottom left this time (used to be bottom right).
The first set up is to teach us how to use the three gesture controls that is available for the S Pen. If you do everything correctly, you will get that done within 30 seconds and you are good to go. You have to set up your apps with gesture controls first though, if you want to use them. We have not.
Then we fired up the S Notes app that is native to Samsung devices. We started writing and comparing to older Samsung Galaxy Note devices like the Note10 and the Note9. We fell a little in love after that. The experience is much changed and different now. While it is only a small difference between in the speed, the difference can be clearly seen. Especially when you are scribbling quickly, the scribbles on the Samsung Galaxy Note20 appears to really follow the pen without any visible breaks. We suspect that the 120Hz play a small role in this.
First Impressions After 24 Hours
This, in our humble opinions, could be Samsung’s most important and significant Samsung Galaxy Note ever. They are realising it into a highly volatile and uncertain market. No, not because Samsung is doing badly or that the smartphone market is doing badly. Those are provided also because of the bigger global concern that is the COVID-19 pandemic at this time.
For most, it is business as usual like Samsung. The Samsung Galaxy Note20 is sort of a new normal too. It is bigger, faster, and cleverer than before. It is a statement to the world that the digital pen is ready to take on paper and pen for speed and practicality. It is a new way to work on things.
It does not have the same camera prowess that is the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra’s 100x zoom. But it is a productivity beast when it comes to things that matter. You can use it as your alternative work device if you really want to. It refined the Samsung design philosophy a little bit with better ergonomics on the sides. The top and bottom are flat now, which does give it a slightly edgier and fresher look.
It is huge, even compared to the previous Samsung Galaxy Note devices. But it is never uncomfortable to hold (save for that big camera bump, we have nothing to complain about). It is even more powerful too, with bigger stamina tank. But it is not obnoxious in looks. It looks understated and we like that.
All in all, the experience is one that we have quite enjoyed. We have not gone into detail on the missing 3.5mm jack just yet. We have not even explored the Super-Fast Charging capabilities on the Note20 Ultra just yet. We also have not started talking about the big cameras yet.
Working on the go is getting more and more compact with many users opting for more portable devices. Recently, many users have been opting for Pro tablets which bring enough power for creators while being easy to use on the go for the road warrior. The Galaxy Tab S7 series is Samsung’s latest offering which takes that into account.
The Tab S7 series comes with two devices: the Tab S7 and the Tab S7+. These tablets bring a Samsung’s signature productivity features with a the brand new S Pen like the Galaxy Note20 series that was launched at the same time. The new Tab S7 and S7+ comes equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+. This is paired with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of internal storage respectively.
The Tab S7 comes with an 11-inch, LTPS TFT screen with an WXGA resolution of 2560×1600 pixels. The Tab S7+, on the other hand, comes with a 12.4-inch, Super AMOLED screen with a WQXGA+ resolution of 2800×1752 pixels. Both have 120Hz refresh rate. The Galaxy Tab S7 series come equipped with fingerprint authentication; on the Tab S7 it’s a side mounted key while the S7+ come with an on display fingerprint sensor.
Picture Courtesy of Samsung
The Tab S7 series come with a dual camera setup on the back with a 13-megapixel main sensor and a 5-megapixel ultrawide sensor. On the front, the tablets come with a 8-megapixel sensor.
The Tab S7 series also takes advantage of the growing number of creative apps on Android. In fact, the Tab S7 and S7+ will be one of the first Galaxy devices that will be compatible with Note Shell, Canva and Clip Studio Paint. These apps join a growing number of apps which have been optimised for the S Pen.
Pricing & Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 and Tab S7+ will be available for pre-order starting on 6 August, 2020.
Pricing for the Galaxy Tab S7 starts at USD$649.99 (MYR2,726.64) while the Galaxy Tab S7+ starts at USD$849.99 (MYR3,565.62).
No pricing has been announced just yet for Malaysia.
Samsung’s Galaxy Note series has always been one of the foremost series when it comes to productivity and creativity. With its signature S-Pen and its large display, the series was responsible for revolutionising the smartphone space – the effects of which we still feel until today. This year, the company is looking to do more of the same when it comes to the brand new Samsung Galaxy Note20 series.
The Galaxy Note20 series will consists of only two devices: the Galaxy Note20 Ultra and the regular Galaxy Note; unlike the Galaxy S20 series. However, the gap between the two new flagships is a little more pronounced. The Note 20 Ultra builds on the series’ legacy while the Note20 serves as an entry point for people looking to explore the Note series for the first time.
Swifter Response, More Natural Writing
The new Galaxy Note series comes with a more fortified S Pen. The new S Pen on the Galaxy Note20 comes with a 9ms response time compared to the 42ms in the Galaxy Note10 series. The improved S Pen response time is supposed to provide a more natural writing experience on the smartphone. The higher response time will translate into a more seamless experience and the stroke appearing on the screen as soon as S pen hits the surface. This would also mean that it would be even more natural taking notes and creatives will definitely revel in the feel when their creating on the Note.
That said, the S Pen doesn’t just gain a faster response rate, it also turns into your navigation tool. The new S Pen gains more Air Actions to help with navigation and quick actions. The new Air Actions allows you navigate the Android UI with the S Pen. Gestures like scribbling to cover the screen will trigger a screenshot. It’s hard to describe all of them but it seems like there will be a lot more wizards appearing with Notes in their pockets.
More Features on Samsung Notes and DeX Untethered
Samsung’s Notes app gets a little boost too with the updated Galaxy Note series. It gains the ability to annoted PDFs and even PowerPoint files. Of course, if you’re already a Galaxy Note user, you’d know this functionality is already there with Samsung’s Write on PDF app. However, with the Note20, it comes baked into the Samsung Notes app and users will also be able to export their files to PDF and PowerPoint formats for easy editing.
The productivity features on the Note20 series also get a boost with a new improvement to Samsung’s DeX – it’s now wireless. The untethered DeX experience not only brings the full DeX experience to any capable wireless screen, it also allows your phone to be used as a second screen. This allows you to project and share while keeping items like your messages to yourself. This feature will be compatible with all
The Note20 series also introduces what Samsung is calling Ultra Wide Band (UWB) technology. The new tech comes as Android’s – yep, you read that right, ANDROID’s – answer to AirDrop. The new tech is now being used as a means to quickly and seamlessly share files between phones and has been in development for a while now. The technology is pioneered by a partnership between Google and Samsung. That said, the most interesting feature that we got to see was the Point to Share feature which allows you to share files by simply pointing and tapping on the detected phone. Samsung is looking to use this technology as to develop access keys and more in the future.
Augmented Camera features for a better Creator Experience
Last year, Samsung explored the Note series’ prowess when it came to creator experiences. This year, the series take another leap with more creator focused features primarily focused on the camera.
The new Note20 series will be the first Samsung device to have an improved Pro Video mode which gives creators better control of the camera when they are creating. The new pro video mode brings granular sound control; allowing creators to play with volume levels and also choose their sound source. This will allow users to choose between the device mics as well as Bluetooth devices such as the Galaxy Buds Active. The camera also has variable zoom speed just in case you need that extra splash of drama.
The camera also comes with the capability to shoot 8K video with support for lower resolutions. Users can select frame rates of up to 120fps for resolutions below 4K. You can even use DisplayPort over USB-C or USB-C to HDMI for video out.
Powerful Specs that Allow You to Get More Done
As always, the Galaxy Note series comes supped specifications to keep you ever at the ready. The Galaxy Note20 and Note20 Ultra come with top of the line processors capable of 5G connectivity. They will be coming with either the Exynos 990 or the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ depending on your region. This will be complemented by either 8GB or 12 GB of RAM and a minimum of 256GB onboard memory. The Galaxy Note20 Ultra will have expandable memory via microSD card slot while the Note20 will not.
The Galaxy Note20 Ultra will be coming with a 6.9-inch, curved Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with Quad HD+ resolution of 3088×1440 pixels. The Galaxy Note20, on the other hand, will be coming with a 6.7-inch flat Super AMOLED+ display with Full HD+ resolution of 2400×1080 pixels. They will both come with the signature S Pen with all its bells and whistles as well.
On the camera front, the Note20 Ultra comes with a triple camera setup which has a 108-megapixel main sensor complemented with a 12-megapixel ultra wide sensor and a 12-megapixel telephoto camera. The Note 20 comes with a similar setup replacing the 108-megapixel sensor with a 12-megapixel main sensor and the 12-megapixel telephoto sensor with a 64-megapixel telephoto sensor. The Note series ditches the 100X Space Zoom for a more sensible 50X Space Zoom on the Ultra while the regular Note20 has 30X Space Zoom. The front camera is a 10-megapixel wide sensor. Both smartphones come with Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) and Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS), however, the Galaxy Note20 Ultra comes with Laser Autofocus.
The Galaxy Note20 series will be 5G capable with 4G connectivity being the standard across all regions. The phones will support both the Sub6 and mmWave bandwidths for 5G – support for actual 5G connectivity will depend on your carrier/telco. The Galaxy Note20 and Note20 Ultra will also support WiFi 6 (802.11 ax). This comes in addition to normal WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac. The smartphones will also have Bluetooth 5.0 LE and GPS connectivity.
The Note20 will be powered by a 4,300mAh battery while the Ultra will have a larger 4,500mAh battery. Both will support fast charging. This includes wireless fast charging. They will also be capable of Wireless PowerShare as well.
Pricing & Availability
The Galaxy Note20 will be available for pre-order starting September 6, 2020 for USD$999.99 (MYR4,194.84) internationally. In Malaysia, prices will be starting at MYR3,899 for the Note20 and MYR4,299 for the Note20 5G. It will be available in Mystic Green, Mystic Grey and Mystic Bronze.
The Galaxy Note20 Ultra will be available starting at USD$1,299.99 (MYR5,453.30) internationally. In Malaysia, it will be retailing at MYR5,199. It will be available in Mystic Bronze, Mystic Black and Mystic White.
Pre-orders for Malaysia kick off on 6 August, 2020. Pre-orders of the Note20 Ultra will be entitled to a free pair of Galaxy Buds Live worth MYR699 while Note20 pre-orders will be entitled to a free of Galaxy Buds+ worth MYR599.
