The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 tablet is the latest tablet from tech giant Samsung, and it’s been making a lot of waves in the tablet world because of its awesome design and build quality. The device features a slim, lightweight design that makes it easy to carry around, as well as an impressive aluminium frame to keep it looking neat and shiny.

From a design standpoint, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 has an elegant look to it; it has been purposefully designed to catch people’s attention and make them say, “Wow, that looks great.” So, in this article, I’ll go over the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8’s design and build quality to give you a better idea of how much effort the Samsung team put into making this a great-looking tablet.

Table Of Contents

Dimensions and Weight – Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Tablet
Display – Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Tablet
Materials and Finish
Form Factor and Ergonomics – Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Tablet
Colour Options
Accessories – Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Tablet
Conclusion
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Related posts to read: Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Review.

Dimensions and Weight – Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Tablet

The Tab S8 Plus retains the Tab S7 Plus’s basic design. It measures 10 x 6.5 x 0.2 inches and weighs 1.1 pounds, which is standard for a tablet of this size. It is also 6.3 mm thick, which is relatively thin. It was small and lightweight enough for me to carry on a recent work trip.

Even when playing games for extended periods or reading on the couch, the Galaxy Tab S8 feels comfortable in the hand. When attached, the Book Cover Keyboard Slim adds some bulk, but not enough that you’ll feel the extra weight in your backpack. It has a screen-to-body ratio of 83.77% which is not too bad but it also means that the display will have a bit of bezel encroachment.

Display – Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Tablet

Speaking of displays, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 comes with a screen size of 11-inch WQXGA 1440p (2,560 x 1,600 pixels) LCD display that has a 120Hz refresh rate and gives you 279 pixels per inch of screen. The screen is as vibrant and colourful as its predecessor and scrolls smoothly thanks to the adaptive refresh rate, which dynamically increases the refresh rate up to its maximum of 120 Hz rather than staying set at 60 Hz.

To save battery life, you can set the refresh rate to 60 Hz in the tablet’s display settings. If you’re looking for a tablet to use for professional creative work, this one might not quite fit your needs, but it’s more than adequate for Instagram, Netflix, and playing games.

The Tab S8’s display struck me as vibrant and fairly stunning at maximum brightness when I was watching TV and playing games, and this impression was confirmed once I brought the tablet into my testing facility. I began taking measurements and discovered that the Tab S8’s display had a maximum brightness of 480 nits in the middle and an average brightness of 463 nits for the entire screen.

That is brighter than Android tablets like the Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 (390 nits average brightness), but it still falls short of the brightness of the iPad 2021 (472 nits) and the 11- or 12.9-inch iPad Pros (571 nits and 562.6 nits, respectively).

During my own testing, I discovered that the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 is sufficiently bright to use outdoors in the middle of the midday sun. Even at maximum brightness, you will still see a lot of your own reflection in such circumstances, and the screen is sadly effective at picking up fingerprints.

The aspect ratio, however, is also a concern. In my opinion, 16:10 tablets are particularly useful for video streaming. On this tablet, rather than any iPad, movies, games, and other content all seem better.

The Tab S8 isn’t really comfortable for me in portrait mode, though. Compared to its bigger siblings, the 11-inch display also makes it feel a little more confined all the time. Samsung would have been better off using a 3:2 aspect ratio to combine media consumption and productivity, which would have improved the display’s already excellent appearance.

I can see why some features need to be eliminated to control expenses, but this was a design decision that confused me. However, the display on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 is a fairly good display that is bright and produces very vibrant colours, which makes watching movies and TV shows very enjoyable, but it could also be better if they had changed the aspect ratio.

Materials and Finish

The smallest Galaxy Tab S8 tablet from Samsung creates a great first impression thanks to its even gaps, “notch-less” webcam (because it is built right into the frame), and solidly mounted tactile buttons.

The tablet’s chassis, which is made of armour aluminium and excludes the SIM slot and the side buttons, gives it a low weight of 507 grammes and makes it scratch-resistant. The tablet is more than strong enough for daily usage, although you could bend it easily if you wanted to. The front of the Galaxy Tab S8 is protected with Gorilla Glass Victus+, adding to its durability. All of which gives it a very vibrant, almost glossy metallic finish.

The included Samsung S Pen attaches magnetically to both the top frame (next to the physical buttons) and the back. An area directly below the camera on the back cover is for this purpose, and you can also charge it wirelessly there. If you look closely at that magnetic spot at the back of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8, you should be able to spot the Samsung logo behind it.

However, thanks to the magnetic black strip mount for Samsung’s stylus, the Tab S8 can keep its front-facing camera on the right side of the tablet. As a result, the Tab S8 is far superior for video calls to friends and family or while attending a meeting. Given Samsung’s emphasis on productivity with its tablets, the S Pen is a welcome upgrade.

Form Factor and Ergonomics – Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Tablet

There is enough of a bezel around the display to give you room to rest your thumb and fingers, which is a crucial tablet consideration and the reason you don’t want an edge-to-edge screen here. The metal body’s squared-off edges make it comfortable to hold. The tablet has a USB-C port along the bottom edge for charging or connecting peripherals, such as various monitors because it supports DisplayPort, and a port for the Book Cover Keyboard Slim is located on the left edge.

The power button, which also houses the fingerprint reader, the volume rocker, and the microSD card slot are all located along the right side. The microSD card slot is housed in a safe chamber that you may access with a small, pointed object (Samsung includes a tool for opening the microSD compartment in the box). You only have USB-C or Bluetooth options if you were hoping for a headphone jack. That’s where Samsung’s very nice Galaxy Buds come in, and I can say unequivocally that they’re a joy to use.

As far as ergonomics go, you won’t find a more portable yet large tablet to put in your hands. The squared-off edges give it a nice grove to hold, and unlike its larger siblings, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 is the smallest tab out of the bunch and is easily the best one to hold.

I mean, the 14.6-inch display on the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is almost comically large. How anyone goes about holding that massive screen and feeling any kind of comfort is beyond me. On the bright side, if you purchased it with a case or keyboard, then you get a nice kickstand that you can use to prop it up and type or watch shows with, and the kickstand also has a nice slot that you can use to keep your S-Pen if you are travelling around with it in a bag.

Colour Options

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 is available in three different colours: the silver I tested, a darker graphite, and pink gold that leans more towards the lighter shade than the darker one. Regarding limited edition releases, Samsung has not provided any information regarding the fan edition release or any special colours they want to implement.

Accessories – Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Tablet

Together with the Samsung S Pen, a USB-C cable (Type C to Type C), a SIM tool, a quick start guide, and warranty information, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 5G is shipped with all of these items. The Samsung store offers additional accessories, including book covers, headphones, and smartwatches. There is also a matching 45-watt power supply converter for sale for about $50.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 has a two-year warranty, according to my German buddy. With its Care+ plan, Samsung also provides additional protection against damage and theft; however, prices may vary depending on the region.

S-Pen

I appreciate that Samsung included an S Pen with every Tab S8 and that it is sturdy and comfortable in my palm. On the Tab S8’s display, using it to sketch and take notes seems accurate and fluid with no obvious lag. Given that the screen can respond to input more often, the variable refresh rate of the display (up to 120 Hz) may have something to do with this.

The S Pen’s recognition of 4096 different pressure levels makes it possible to write and draw with extreme precision. You may launch the note app by tapping the little pen icon on the right side of the screen and then writing notes or drawing doodles. You may also grab screenshots and add text to them using the pen menu. Because you may add additional programmes to the list, it also serves as a quick-start bar.

I do wish the tablet had a slot for the S Pen to slip into when not in use, just to give it a neater appearance and make it simpler to keep the pen from getting lost. Once you get the hang of it, though, it magnetises to the back pretty strongly and is simple to connect and detach without looking. All in all, I think the S-Pen is the best part of the Galaxy Tab S8, and the number of things that you can do with the S-Pen is only limited by your imagination, your creative endeavours, and your drawing skills, of course.

Book Cover Keyboard

To fully utilise the productivity aspects of the Tab S8, it’s a good idea to connect a keyboard. Fortunately for us, Samsung sells its own detachable Book Keyboard Cover Slim for $139.

After you get the knack for it, it’s relatively simple to connect the cover because it magnetises to the tablet. The tablet is well protected by the cover from the constant risk of scuffs and scratches, and it feels strong in its design. The S Pen can be stored in a compartment in the fold of the cover when not in use, and a strip has been taken out of the back to provide a place for the camera on the back and the S Pen.

Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy S8 is a very well-designed tablet in terms of design and build quality. It is neither too big nor too small, though, at 11 inches, some may find it too small, but I prefer the 11-inch tablet. If you want something larger, there’s always the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus and S8 Ultra.

I like the pink-gold colour option because it is different from the usual colours Samsung provides and makes it look distinct. It also has a nice aluminium frame with a distinct metallic finish that ties the whole look together. All in all, I really like the design of the Samsung Galaxy S8. It feels a bit like the old version but has a few new things, too.

Image Gallery – Understanding The Design and Build of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Tablet

Understanding The Design and Build of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Tablet