9.7 or 8.0? - Galaxy Tab S2 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I can buy a brand-new, unopened-in-box Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 or 8.0 on Craig's List for $300. I'm deliberating which one I should get. I'm leaning towards the 8.0 because of its portability. (I'm coming from a Galaxy Tab S 8.4.) Which one would you get and why?
--Ron

dutch_in_seattle said:
I can buy a brand-new, unopened-in-box Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 or 8.0 on Craig's List for $300. I'm deliberating which one I should get. I'm leaning towards the 8.0 because of its portability. (I'm coming from a Galaxy Tab S 8.4.) Which one would you get and why?
--Ron
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Click to collapse
9.7, because I use it mainly for reading and browsing desktop mode websites.

I bought the 8" and previously I had the Note 8.
I prefer the 8" for portability, light, easy to hold.
I had a 10" before, not Samsung and I don't feel I'm missing anything by having the 8.
I wish they had upgraded the Note 8 but mine no longer kept a charge for more than 1 -2 hours.
Shofar

Almost certainly the 9.7 model. Its still highly portable and the extra screen area makes all the difference.

I went from a Note 8 to a Note 10.1 to the S2 9.7. I'd definitely recommend the 9.7". It's extremely light and portable and it seems like there's a bit of a better accessory selection for the 9.7"".
Oh, and according to math the screen is approximately 1.7" bigger

I had the 8 for a day, cause i thought it would be nice to have a smaller tablet, and it just wasn't working for me. So i went and got the 9.7 version and it's much better, for me.
Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

I prefer 8.0 and using it now, great for reading and gaming in hand. Previously I always get bigger edition +/- 10" tablet and I was wrong getting it, it is too big and troublesome on handheld gaming.

Or should I just hang on to my trusted, first-generation Tab S? It would cost me about $100 to upgrade to the S2 if I take buying a case and tempered glass screen protector into consideration.
--Ron

I looked into this a bit more. I took my Tab S 8.4 to Best Buy and did a thorough side-by-side comparison with a Tab S2 8.0. I've concluded it's really not worth upgrading to a Galaxy Tab S2 from my original Tab S. It would cost me too much to upgrade, particularly with a new case and a tempered glass screen protector, and the upgrade simply isn't worth it. So I'm going to hang on to my trusted Tab S.
--Ron

Well, actually... I just found a Galaxy Tab S2 on Craig's List with an official Samsung book cover, which I was able to negotiate down to $280, so I might take the plunge after all.
--Ron

had a note 8.0 before,and I love the 9,7 screen,also its just 80g heavier (including the cover),so its not more a strain on the hand than the note 8.0 was.
did I mention I love the screen ?

I think everyone thinks it's not worth the upgrade. Me Inc. Until you get the Tab S2
And after a couple days you realise it really is we worth kt

I took the plunge. I was able to sell my Tab S 8.4 with official Samsung book cover for $260 on Craig's List and buy a brand-new-in-box Tab S2 8.0 with its official Samsung book cover for $280 (also on Craig's List), so I basically upgraded for 20 bucks. Quite a good deal! I'm going to set up my new Tab S2 tonight. Am very curious!
--Ron

I ordered a Used Like-New condition S2 8.0 from Amazon Warehouse Deals for $300, which is actually just $285 after my Prime Card 5% discount, plus $10 for the skinomi glass skin protector.
9.7 is less comfortable in one hand for me, but it's a matter of preference, you probably know which size tablet you prefer if you've ever owned one or used a friend's or seen one in a best buy.

dutch_in_seattle said:
I took the plunge. I was able to sell my Tab S 8.4 with official Samsung book cover for $260 on Craig's List and buy a brand-new-in-box Tab S2 8.0 with its official Samsung book cover for $280 (also on Craig's List), so I basically upgraded for 20 bucks. Quite a good deal! I'm going to set up my new Tab S2 tonight. Am very curious!
--Ron
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Click to collapse
I amm very interested in getting either a S 8.4 or S2 8.0 mainly for reading books, can you offer your insights? THanks!

I love my S2 8.0! It runs much more smoothly than the S 8.4. On paper, the specs aren't that much better, but in practice I'm seeing a big performance improvement. I thought that the lower screen resolution and 4:3 aspect would bother me, but they really don't. The screen is still gorgeous, and the aspect ratio works just fine, also for watching videos. If your main purpose is for reading books and web browsing, then I'd say definitely go to the S2 8.0, unless you can find a screaming deal on the S 8.4. You basically can't go wrong with either. I'd suggest to look on Craig's List, where you can find great deals on both the S2 8.0 and S 8.4. I can imagine that many of these tablets will be offered after Christmas.
Good luck deciding!
--Ron

IMO, it's the same amount of inconvenience to lug around an 8 inch or 9.7 inch tablet. The main reason I buy a tablet is for screen real estate, so the 9.7 was a no brainer.
Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk

I love my 9.7. I had a Tab S 10.5 and this is is perfect. Great size, performance is amazing. Much better than original tab S. BTW, both of my tabs are the Verizon versions
Sent from my SM-T817V using Tapatalk

Shofar1 said:
I bought the 8" and previously I had the Note 8.
I prefer the 8" for portability, light, easy to hold.
I had a 10" before, not Samsung and I don't feel I'm missing anything by having the 8.
I wish they had upgraded the Note 8 but mine no longer kept a charge for more than 1 -2 hours.
Shofar
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Click to collapse
Completely unrelated to the current topic, but I wanted to let you know because I had a similar note 8 issue after the kitkat update. What I did was open the back panel using a guitar pick, and then simply disconnect and reconnect the battery. The note 8 has worked fantastically every since, getting the full 8-10hr battery from it.
Edit: I also have the 9.7. I think the format being similar to the ipad air and the 4:3 screen makes it fantastic for reading research papers which is what I do a lot. Web browsing also feels like its a couple notches better because on the phones its either too narrow for reading content in portrait or the menu and url bars are too invasive in landscape. Of course you get big borders when viewing most video content. But if you are like me and watch movies in the dark, say in bed, the borders aren't visible because of the true blacks on the display.

Thanks for your hint on the battery.
I've actually ordered a new battery and will see how it works.
I've ordered the Dot Pen and I hope it works. I really miss the S Pen

Related

Tab S 8.4 compared to Tab Pro 8.4

Hi all,
Currently I have the Tab Pro 8.4, and have the chance to return it to the shop and buy the Tab S 8.4 for £40 extra.
However, after playing with the Tab S in the shop and reading reviews online, I do have some pros and cons of “upgrading” from the Tab Pro the Tab S I hope forum members can help me with.
The Screen on the Tab S is great for watch YouTube and Netflix which is what I do most of the time on the tablet. However, I also take the tablet on holiday with me to review pictures taken with camera and watch media under direct sun light. The lower brightness of the Tab S and the cartoonish look of the screen makes it not as good as the Tab Pro.
The Snapdragon 800 in the Tab Pro seems to be faster compared to the Samsung SOC in the Tab S according to reviews. The Snapdragon 800 also looks to have a major advantages when comes to graphic performance. This is important to me as I use the tablet to play graphic intensive games such as GTA, N.O.V.A and large RPG games.
The other advantages the Tab S have such as finger scan, smaller, lighter body and 1GB of extra RAM are not a major concern to me.
So, are there any Tab Pro users changed to Tab S and are happy with the screen and graphic provenance?
Many thanks
Bigmille said:
Hi all,
Currently I have the Tab Pro 8.4, and have the chance to return it to the shop and buy the Tab S 8.4 for £40 extra.
However, after playing with the Tab S in the shop and reading reviews online, I do have some pros and cons of “upgrading” from the Tab Pro the Tab S I hope forum members can help me with.
The Screen on the Tab S is great for watch YouTube and Netflix which is what I do most of the time on the tablet. However, I also take the tablet on holiday with me to review pictures taken with camera and watch media under direct sun light. The lower brightness of the Tab S and the cartoonish look of the screen makes it not as good as the Tab Pro.
The Snapdragon 800 in the Tab Pro seems to be faster compared to the Samsung SOC in the Tab S according to reviews. The Snapdragon 800 also looks to have a major advantages when comes to graphic performance. This is important to me as I use the tablet to play graphic intensive games such as GTA, N.O.V.A and large RPG games.
The other advantages the Tab S have such as finger scan, smaller, lighter body and 1GB of extra RAM are not a major concern to me.
So, are there any Tab Pro users changed to Tab S and are happy with the screen and graphic provenance?
Many thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you set the Display Mode to Cinema you lose the overblown cartoonish look. Reds become more red and less orange.
Or set it to "Basic" for more natural look.
The screen looks dark and reddish compared with my Note 8.
I love having a choice with "Adaptive Display"
After reading your title I thought you at least needed a video comparison
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xhsMFOwksAM
Nexus 5 via Tapatalk
Had some time to go back to the dealer and spend some time with the Tab Pro 8.4 and after some comparison I feel the Tab S is the better device. There is little doubt that the super amoled on the Tab S is superior, the screen on the Tab Pro seems like just another LCD screen. I thought I could make the pixels out more easily on the Tab Pro, where with the Tab S you cannot see any pixels without a magnifier. My main interest in looking at the Tab Pro is that I thought the lower contrast on the screen might be better for watching video, but after using it for a bit I don't think it's superior at all.
Another issue is the thinner Tab S seems like a much more modern device, even though the difference is less than 1 mm. There is something about that fake leather look on the Tab Pro that makes it look very dated.
Anyways in my case I will be keeping the Tab S.
I only wish that they kept the Snapdragon but I assume when development kicks off we will enjoy possible overclocking of all 8 cores.
Nexus 5 via Tapatalk
Since I use the Samsung book cover on my 10.5 I had almost forgotten how incredibly thin and light this device is naked. Any lighter and it would actually be difficult to maintain a firm grip on it.
P. S. Once it's broken in a bit the cover is much easier to take on an off than the first time.

Tab S or Tab Pro?

The Tab S and Tab Pro are pretty close minus a few spec differences. My main question though, will the Tab Pro get more support due to it having a Snapdragon processor vs the eyxnos? Is it worth sticking it out with the Tab S and see where development leads to? I know the Eyxnos chips are harder and have less devs working on them due to this (from what I have read, source files, coding, etc).
here here here here here here and here are threads on Pro vs S
i should add i had a 10.1 Pro and bought a 10.5 S and Pro was sold next day.
fletch33 said:
here here here here here here and here are threads on Pro vs S
i should add i had a 10.1 Pro and bought a 10.5 S and Pro was sold next day.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What about development though? Will this device get more or does the eyxnos chip scare away devs?
Funny,
Everybody with a Tab Pro are worried it is an orphaned device because all of Samsung's energy is going into the S. I'd like to see sales numbers for both.
My main concern really is development, it can take a ok/good/great device and make it completely amazing.
Root makes these tablets amazing. The development community hasn't embraced these tabs but we still have root and now xposed makes most custom roms null and void. So if you're adament on flashing stuff then you might want to look elsewhere.... We'll there is the upcoming Nexus.
Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk
I had a pro 8.4 and sold it to get a S 8.4. Love the S. Best tablet o ever used.
Part of it is a question of value. The Tab Pro is selling now for $200 refurbished. The Tab S is selling closer to $330. They have around the same performance (tab pro has a little bit of edge). But the tab S has an AMOLED screen and a thinner/lighter body.
If it's performance at any cost you want, then wait for the Dell Venue 7840 (uses tab s screen with 64 bit intel processor) or a Snapdragon 810 processor. Maybe get NVidia's Shield as it's the only tablet today with a 2014 ARM processor. More likely, wait for HTC's Nexus tablet
If form matters most, then the tab s (and don't sleep on the official samsung case, which is the first oem case to displace roocase as my go-to).
If value and compatibility matters most, then the tab pro. Having a Snapdragon 800 means that advances in Nexus 5, 7 and other android device kernels may make it's way into future development. According to Qualcomm the Snapdragon 800/801 is in the Nexus 5, LG G Pro 2, G Flex, G2& G3, HTC M8 & E8, OnePlus One, Samsung Galaxy Note 2014 LTE, Tab Pro, Tab S LTE, Note 3, S5 & S5A & Alpha US, Xperia Z Ultra, Z1, Z1C, Z2, Z3 & Z3C, Amazon's Kindle HDX and Fire, Asus's Padfone and Motorola X 2014.
rp3 said:
If it's performance at any cost you want, then wait for the Dell Venue 7840 (uses tab s screen with 64 bit intel processor) or a Snapdragon 810 processor. Maybe get NVidia's Shield as it's the only tablet today with a 2014 ARM processor. More likely, wait for HTC's Nexus tablet
If form matters most, then the tab s (and don't sleep on the official samsung case, which is the first oem case to displace roocase as my go-to).
If value and compatibility matters most, then the tab pro. Having a Snapdragon 800 means that advances in Nexus 5, 7 and other android device kernels may make it's way into future development. According to Qualcomm the Snapdragon 800/801 is in the Nexus 5, LG G Pro 2, G Flex, G2& G3, HTC M8 & E8, OnePlus One, Samsung Galaxy Note 2014 LTE, Tab Pro, Tab S LTE, Note 3, S5 & S5A & Alpha US, Xperia Z Ultra, Z1, Z1C, Z2, Z3 & Z3C, Amazon's Kindle HDX and Fire, Asus's Padfone and Motorola X 2014.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
also would like to add that if convenience of superior cross product integration is important to you like your tablet blending with your TV's (Samsung's) and your Phone (Samsung) then leaving Sammy for another manufacturer takes that away.
i stick with the best Sammy has to offer in all those items because i really like the cross platform software Sammy offers.
bigmike35 said:
My main concern really is development, it can take a ok/good/great device and make it completely amazing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha, I like how everyone is trying to avoid the question by giving an unrelated answer. Sorry this is coming off a bit negative BigMike but Samsung have poor development and software support ecosystem and they have shown it clearly in the past. Samsung owners will be lucky if they have more then 2 updates for their devices or support for more then 6 months. The company is out there just to make money from quick sales of hardware. Be warn and don't expect too much from Samsung if you're planning on getting any of their galaxy or tab variation devices. To answer your question in short format is neither devices will have any better development in the future from Samsung.
NixxonExxo said:
Haha, I like how everyone is trying to avoid the question by giving an unrelated answer. Sorry this is coming off a bit negative BigMike but Samsung have poor development and software support ecosystem and they have shown it clearly in the past. Samsung owners will be lucky if they have more then 2 updates for their devices or support for more then 6 months. The company is out there just to make money from quick sales of hardware. Be warn and don't expect too much from Samsung if you're planning on getting any of their galaxy or tab variation devices. To answer your question in short format is neither devices will have any better development in the future from Samsung.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think he means development by Samsung. I believe he is referring to custom roms.
My first and last samsung tablet was 7.7 after then i bought only ipad and nexus tabs , my latest tablet was iPad mini RETINA i sold it 2 days ago and i bought TAB S 8.4 / man i cant believe this tablet is for samsung it is awesome i love it wow
Tab pro has whiter screen ...., tab s has yellow white!
Tab pro has Snapdragon and 2gb ram but it' s more powerful than exynos and 3gb of tab s!
Although i already bought tab s, if could return in time i was gonna choose tab pro and saved some money!
Tab s has lags & hiccups everywhere!
johnpaok said:
Tab pro has whiter screen ...., tab s has yellow white!
Tab pro has Snapdragon and 2gb ram but it' s more powerful than exynos and 3gb of tab s!
Although i already bought tab s, if could return in time i was gonna choose tab pro and saved some money!
Tab s has lags & hiccups everywhere!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my Tab S 10.5 is far superior to my Tab Pro 10.1 when it comes to performance. the difference is HUGE. both are the Best Buy Wifi Versions
Why choose tab pro, just go for tab s
100 percent i recomend Tab S
Definitely take Tab S. The screen is awesome, especially when you watch movies or HD pictures in dark room besides, Tab S is slimmer and lighter.
bigmike35 said:
The Tab S and Tab Pro are pretty close minus a few spec differences. My main question though, will the Tab Pro get more support due to it having a Snapdragon processor vs the eyxnos? Is it worth sticking it out with the Tab S and see where development leads to? I know the Eyxnos chips are harder and have less devs working on them due to this (from what I have read, source files, coding, etc).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At the moment I'm personally using Galaxy Tab S 10.5 and I have a White Tab Pro 12.2 and a Black Tab Pro 12.2 .
Then pro has a really nice back with stiches which looks really nice but I prefer the Tab S as it looks nice with the gold around it. It is also slimmer and lighter. The pro uses LCD technology while the tab s uses AMOLED. Amoled gives better colours and consumes less power. The tab pro has usb3 while tab s has usb2 which is strange. Personally i think the winner is Galaxy Tab S. Processor wise dont listen to people saying Exynos is bad as its not. If you debloat your tablet it will work smooth without lag and also exynos uses less power so battery will last longer.
I had the Tab Pro 10.1 WiFi version and Tab S is "out for delivery" right now... I sure hope as hell that Tab S is better, because the Pro was pretty bad.
I was recently thinking about selling my Tab S and get the Tab Pro since its a lot cheaper. Plus I thought it had a lot of dev support. However when I compared the specs, it didnt make sense to sacrifice on screen technology, less ram and a larger device to save a few bucks. I got Tab S for 299 when I gave bestbuy a crappy old android tablet for 100 off towards Tab S. Then I looked into Tab Pro forums. Yes they have a few more roms but its not like its getting nexus level love over there. I am sticking with Tab S for now. I got a heavy debloated rom on Skyhigh kernel. Its alot better than stock. Tried Aosp port for a little while which was excellent for daily use but no Netflix was a dealbreaker for me. With time I hope to see more support for this tab.

[Q] The Tab S 10.5" or the Nexus 9?

So I am looking for a new tablet and I read that some people are not impressed with the nexus 9. I have always been a fan of the quality of samsung though. They seem to have a premium feel to it.
So my question si this? Is the Tab S 10.5" Still a very good choice? Even over the specs of the Nexus 9?
I would never get the first 64bit tablet. Let other suckers live through the year of bugs its going to cause with apps.
Tab pro: OLED screen. Also bigger screen if that's what you want.
Tab con: samsung bloat ware. Can't root without voiding warranty.
Nexus pro: it's a nexus. Pure android. Lollipop on day one. Better processor.
Nexus con: Ars and android police, the two reviews I've seen so far, are lukewarm. Built not great, lousy camera.
The tab built feels fine to me. I got it for the OLED screen. Ideal tablet would be tab body and screen with snap dragon or tegra cpu and nexus software.
Tab S with CyanogenMod, it flies...
Nexus 9.this tablet lags.
I noticed that the price of the 10.5 Tab S dipped down to $400 last night on Amazon. I was mildly tempted, but the lack of updates when I owned the original Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Player 4.0 burned me enough to want to avoid Samsung if I can. Also, the hardware buttons are a turn off if they stay illuminated like they did on my Galaxy Player and I would prefer a 4:3 aspect ratio.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/nexus-9/general/hot-t2929315
i would check out the link above user are reporting that there nexus 9 the back is getting hot
i was thinking about getting nexus 9 but now am passing am now planing on getting ipad air 2 or samsung S 10.5 i may get the samsung S 10.5
Yeah reading more reviews the nexus 9 is just not good for the money. Disappointing.

Need some suggestions and clarification.

I am using mi Pad 1 for almost a year. Now I am considering to buy a new tab. I have a budget of around 200$. Galaxy tab S2 8.0 Nook edition is available on eBay for around 200$. Should I buy it now or wait for Tab S3 release hopefully that will bring a price cut to original tab S2? Any suggestions on it would be helpful.
Is there any real difference between Tab S2 and S2 Nook?
Can I flash tab S2 ROMs on Nook edition?
It seems to be the exact same tablet from what I can tell after looking at the specs, the only difference seems to be the barnes and koble added digital freebies and apps. I have the original Samsung galaxy tab s2 and it's an amazing device so I would definitely go for it contigent upon what was just mentioned. The only awful thing about the tablet is the fingerprint reader, from what I read it's using the same technology as the s5 for this. As for roms yes I don't see why it would be an issue as it seems to be an identical tablet, I have the t715 model and as far as I'm aware there aren't any stable roms for it currently or if there is, there must be a very limited number since I can't really find any.

galaxy tab S2 or zenpad 3s 10?

hi all,
i have a 10" galaxy tab pro that still works but is starting to feel to dated.
looking for a replacement and these 2 seem like the best options now.
the s2 was pricier but it's older and the prices currently are close (at least in europe) to the ones of the zenpad.
so which do you think is a better option?
I would recommend the Zenpad 3s 10 for the bigger battery, better price, quick charge 3.0, the fact that it will get Android 7.0 for sure and the 1GB of ram in favor. The only downsize if you ask me is the more 100 grams of weight and maybe the fact that the tab s2 has super amoled. Do let us know what you've got
some good points there. thanks.
the price doesn't apply to where i live tho, both cost around the same here now.
but the specs look a bit better, the screen on the asus is not amoled but looks pretty good too. thanks.
Buy an second hand/reconditioned S1 10.5" all the rest are INFERIOR
John.
i would agree with you regarding the aspect ratio, i much prefer a wide screen 16:9 or similar. But the S1 is also already too dated (almost the same as my old tabpro, it just has more ram and amoled instead of ips screen).
Unfortunately all newer tablets are have ipad aspect ratio that sucks for media consumption
erase111
temp9300 said:
hi all,
i have a 10" galaxy tab pro that still works but is starting to feel to dated.
looking for a replacement and these 2 seem like the best options now.
the s2 was pricier but it's older and the prices currently are close (at least in europe) to the ones of the zenpad.
so which do you think is a better option?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please don't go for that Zenpad 3s 10.
I was in the same situation as you 2 months back and purchased the tablet form Amazon. The tablet is only good in paper compared to tab s2. Poor display and poor graphics quality in games. I only play a few games and they stuttered big time. And the battery life is actually quite worse than tab s2. I returned the tablet to Amazon by paying the return shipping myself.
I bought a used tab s2 after that, and this is a much superior tablet despite what the spec comparison would suggest to you.
Tab s2 would be better. Like other said these specs are good on paper not to mention you will most likely end up with mtk processor which isnt as popular as snapdragon or exynos. Plus you can see tab s2 has some community development at-least.
Thanks for the help. Went ahead with the tsb s2 and im happy so far
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OLED beats IPS every day!

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