[Q] Going from Z3TC to Tab S 8.4? - Galaxy Tab S Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hi fellas,
I recently bought a Sony Z3TC to use as my daily driver and therefore replacing my Note II. Although I love the tablet, I found two things I really hate. The lack of a private speaker, making it only possible to take calls using the loudspeaker - which isn't that convenient unless you carry a BT headset around with you.
The other part is the camera, which is so-so. Although I'm not that used to "fancy" cameras (like the ones on the Sony Z3 for example), I still find it annoying to be without a proper flash. I've been comparing photos taken with the Z3TC and Tab S, and find the Tab S to come out on top - not by a lot in daylight, but more so in darker scenarios.
So I'm basically wondering if you guys can recommend an Tab S 8.4 - or if I should wait for the "new" slate which is supposed to be released in Korea later this month. Although I live in Sweden, I'm sure we'll be able to buy the new slate with improved specs soonish enough. I keep reading on this forum regarding the sluggish performance of TouchWiz on the Tab S. Is it really that bad? The Z3TC is flawless in that regard, which I truly love. See, my Note II somehow feels slower and slower for each day that passes. Should I prepare for a similar experience with the current Tab S?
Is there anyone on this forum who's using his/hers Tab S as a daily driver / phone replacement and care to give me some opinions whether it's an good idea or not?

Gone the other way
Hi
I just went the other way due to the stutter/lag present on the Tab S. The Exynos processor is not man enough to shove around all those extra pixels, and TouchWiz is a pig. Loving the Z3TC, but I also have a phone so not trying to use it for voice calls. If you are outside the US, then all versions of the Tab S are Exynos (not snapdragon). The Exynos based Tab S 8.4 LTE uses an intel chip to do the 3g/4g stuff and this its-self has issues with 3g/4g handover. I had to flick mine in/out of flight mode to regain connectivity all the time. If you are inside the US then the LTE version is Snapdragon 800 based, and the WiFi version Exynos based.
I also find the battery life on the Z3TC to be way way better than that of the Tab S 8.4
Nigel

Related

[Q] will note 10.1 2014 see Note 4 improvements?

This may come off as a silly question, but I haven't seen much in regard to whether or not the note tablet will see the improved features of Note 4. I'd like to think the tablet line up will see the new features with s-pen and whatnot but has anyone heard anything yet?
Thanks in advanced!
@evilpenguin123 its a good question but my guess would be no.
They need to differentiate the different devices so the features on Note 4 will probably be released on the next Note 10.1. Just as I dont expect them to improve the Note 3 features I wouldnt expect them to improve our tablets. Its so they make people want to upgrade.
No. The N2 didn't receive N3 improvements. The N10.1-12 didn't receive N10.1-14 improvements. And the N10.1-14 didn't get all the Pro improvements.
thats why samsung suck.
I have/had a good time with Samsung devices the past 3 years (sgs3 and note 10.1-14) but now it's time to move on. The note is still absolutely amazing for handwriting (I use it every day for work - I'm a teacher) but my next phone will be the Sony z3 compact and I really hope some other manufacturer will make a stylus note taking tablet in the next years. Samsung pretty much owns the market atm.
Their update process and software is just a mess and all over the place. There is soo much potential with Samsung. But it always feels like they put all their energy into one device and make something great but instead of improving upon that they scrap everything and make something totally different and forget about the older devices.
I wish apple would make android devices :silly:
i think developers will port it to our Note
but sadly we dont have much developers here :/
clouds5 said:
I have/had a good time with Samsung devices the past 3 years (sgs3 and note 10.1-14) but now it's time to move on.
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Click to collapse
Here's my take and it's a bit long.
We've reached the point where each generational device update cycle is becoming less meaningful. The M7>M8, SGS4>SGS5, and now the N3>N4 are all evolutionary. It's no one's fault, smartphones and tablets perform certain functions and you reach a point where those functions can only be improved/enhanced so far; be it via h/w or s/w. I have a N3 which I gladly upgraded from an N2 for because of the move from 720P>1080P, much improved performance, a better form factor, and Samsung's latest s/w (EG: S Note). Looking at the N4 the QHD display is a waste (over 300ish PPI the human eye can't register additional detail) and it's larger and heavier than the N3 with the same size display. It's more powerful but the display's going to take its toll and truthfully, how powerful does a smartphone need to be? I could care less about a heart rate monitor, a metal surround vs. plastic, and "enhanced S Pen feel." I'd like OIS and the better camera but outside of that there's nothing really compelling.
Some of Samsung's newer app versions are worse than their predecessors. I'll give you an example. AT&T did something to their network that borked S Voice for N3 users. That means if you have a Gear its voice capabilities become useless. With some screwing around with the APN and using the SGS5 version of S Voice folks got it working again. The amount of functionality removed from S Voice in the SGS5 version to make it "cleaner and flatter" is staggering. Driving mode got stripped of half its features and the ability to use "Hi Galaxy" from anywhere in the device was removed. A security update Samsung pushed fixed older S Voice versions and I couldn't wait to go back. So don't assume "new" S Note, My Files, Scrapbook, et. al., are better just because they're "new."
In terms of upgraded s/w Samsung's failure to keep their apps updated across older devices is actually going to start to hurt them. The N3 and N10.1-14 are really close in terms of app compatibility and versioning across Samsung's proprietary apps (EG: S Note, My Files, Scrapbook). I don't want to get a N4 with new and different versions of the same apps I use on my N10.1-14. It would be a pain in the ass to bounce back and forth between them not to mention potential incompatibility (EG: Current S Note being incompatible with earlier versions). If you think about it, the N10.1-14 is Samsung's "last great tablet." The 4.4 s/w is solid as a rock, M-UX is causing performance issues on the Pro's and S' which we avoided, AMOLED sucks on whites battery wise making it a productivity user's nightmare, we have all the stock widgets (EG: Mail, S Planner) which got shoved in to M-UX for those that have it, and S-800/Exynos 5420 is powerful enough to support a 2,560 x 1,600 display.
So my next device isn't going to be a N4. It's going to be a SM-P605M from Brazil so I can use it with AT&T's LTE bands. Samsung will eventually release a N10.1-15. It'll most likely have a 4K display ( http://www.phonearena.com/news/Is-Samsung-going-to-launch-a-4K-tablet-by-the-end-of-2014_id56929 ) which won't provide much improvement (the human eye being the lowest common denominator) but will suck tremendous amounts of battery and tax the enhanced CPU/GPU that it'll come with making it not much faster or even slower than the N10.1-14. If the N10.1-15 is AMOLED it's either going to gain a ton of weight accommodating a bigger battery or end up getting crappy battery life compared to the N10.1-14's LCD display. I'm guessing the N10.1-14 will get Android 5.0 but pretty much keep the current s/w outside the OS. Fine by me. That would be my preference knowing my N3 is never going to see the N4's improvements; the latter most likely being a good thing.
So as someone who rode the upgrade train with every generation of phone or tablet I'm done. If the N10.1-15 turns out to be compelling and and has the same Samsung s/w as the N4 maybe I'll get both. But that's a big maybe and I'm in no rush. For the first time I'm actually happy and comfortable exactly where I am.
BarryH_GEG said:
Here's my take and it's a bit long
......
......
So as someone who rode the upgrade train with every generation of phone or tablet I'm done. If the N10.1-15 turns out to be compelling and and has the same Samsung s/w as the N4 maybe I'll get both. But that's a big maybe and I'm in no rush. For the first time I'm actually happy and comfortable exactly where I am.
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Click to collapse
I completely agree with you. As I said Samsung doesn't seem to try and improve upon things they try to sell as many devices as possible every year. And they feel the best way to do that is by pushing as many "new" things in newer models as possible.
Every year the new galaxy HAS to be bigger. The s3 was still usable with one (big) hand in most situations but the s4 and s5 had to be bigger. That's their logic: it has to be bigger faster and more pixels every year. All the numbers have to be bigger on the spec sheet. There aren't any top smartphones for single hand use anymore (except sony z3 compact) and I personally don't know anybody that really wants such big devices. And then they do they go for the note anyway! Literally everyone I know has either a "mini" version from samsung/htc/sony, the iPhone or a note 2/3.
And yeah smartphones are "figured out". We know exactly what we can do with them and where the limits are, which have been reached. Now they need to improve battery life and software and usability. Simple specs won't cut it anymore. Another reason why I go for Sony with my next device.
In terms of tablets, again they need to be as light as possible and as comfortable to carry and use on the go as they can get. I'm actually fine with the note 10.1-2014. I have very little to complain except the way Samsung handles upgrades and software Dev.
It's why i said i want an iPhone with android. I don't like IOS but they have great hardware and they usually use their brain when building their devices instead of just making all the numbers bigger for the specs sheet.

Tab Pro Vs Tab S and Size Differences

Few questions really about the Tab Pro. This will be my first tablet, I think I have convinced myself to finally get one. I am looking at this (Tab Pro) or the Tab S. The draw back for the S is that it has a Exynos Processor which I think will not get as much development as this has or will (due to the snapdragon processor). Is this a fair assessment? With that said, is my safer bet with the Tab Pro? I know it has been out longer but looking at the development here vs S is a big difference. This has more options and interest it seems. Specs wise and screen wise, articles seem to lean towards the Tab S but not by a whole lot. Price isn't to much of a worry but since the Pro is cheaper it helps.
For the Tab Pro, scrolling thought the development, it seems the 8.4" has more development for it? It seems the 8.4 (SM-320) has more threads going then the SM-520 (10"). With that said, it seems the two don't interact well with each other, you need specific roms and kernels for the model you have. Can someone clear this up for me, am I looking at this correctly?
Overall, it seems the Tab pro 8.4" would be the better choice? I have looked at the Nexus 7 but with no sd slot and specs, kinda killed it. I know the Nexus 9 is rumored but still no SD card slot and supposedly its going to be $300-400.
Thanks
The 10" Tab Pro also has Exynos from what I understand. I have a 10" note, and the processor is fine to run the tablet. I'm not sure what you are looking for in developer support, so I can't say if it is available in one model or not. The Tab S appears to be better supported by Samsung, as their new/most current device. If you really are looking at developer support as the #1 goal, then Nexus is the way to go. Might want to hold out for the new Nexus 9.
I will be buying an 8" tablet this fall for a gift. If I had to buy today, it would be a Tab Pro. That could easily change in the next month.

[Q] Galaxy Tab S or S2 ?

Hi Guys,
My 2012 Nexus 10 is showing its age and I am desperate for a new tablet. I waited so long for Galaxy Tab S2, but I am kinda disappointed with its spec. old 5433 SoC and 4:3 screen with downgraded ppi and resolution ! so I am thinking about Galaxy Tab S, what do you think about it after lollipop update ? I heard many users complained about its lags and underpowered SoC, would you recommend it ? also how is the custom ROM community for it ? I can see there are a couple custom ROMs but are there stable enough to for daily usage ? I remember exynos had very limited developer support, so there was not many great ROMs for exynos devices out there, what do you think ? Galaxy Tab S or S2 ?
The S1 is a masterpiece the S2 is a frankenstein monster, 4:3 spit, virtually mono sound spit, so looks plain jane spit, no camera flash spit, no if-red spit, portrait design spit, I though it was an Galaxy Tab A by the photo`s it looks so cheap.
Exynos version has loads of rom`s, snapdragon version hardly any, If you want stability stick to kitkat, if your fine with flashing have fun with different roms.
John
But what about the lags and stutters on kitkat ? I heard lollipop fixed that. is it true ?
I have had no lag or stutter on my 10.5" kitkat , I had it running continuously for 160 days, I never shut it down or restarted it, I only did a restart to re-calibrate my battery but i had no problems with the battery, it was just maintenance.
But i am not a gamer, I mostly watch video`s and browse the internet for at least an hour every day, but white on an oled display eats the battery, if you do a lot of browsing use night mode or get an lcd tablet.
John.
fifthelement said:
But what about the lags and stutters on kitkat ? I heard lollipop fixed that. is it true ?
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Click to collapse
hmm. hard question. I personally would not get either right now. The s2 looks like a step backwards in the key areas, the darn screen.
the s has the lovely screen, but unless you can get a decent deal, its too long in the tooth to spend out a lot for.
its so irritating as there are no tabs which tick all the boxes. the experia z3 is good, but the res is lower, but everything else is up to speed.
dont get me wrong, I really do like my tablet, but who knows what is coming out in the next few months, or will be announced. I hope finally there is something which is progress in all areas.
The Tab S2 has a lower resolution screen than the Tab S (both resolution AND PPI), a significantly smaller battery and a marginally upgraded processor.
I'd wait for the true successor to the Tab S - which will likely a more upmarket SAMOLED tablet, priced higher than the Tab S with a full metal body (Like the Galaxy Tab A) and more of a competitor for the iPad.
I prefer plastic to metal, metal is cold and when bent or dented it does not spring back like plastic also it blocks radio waves so you have to have non metal sections to let the waves in and out, Samsung are masters of durable plastic, you can bend the battery cover of their phones almost in two and it will spring back without any damage try that with metal.
John
So I bought my Tab S around a month ago and I have to say I'm in love with it! After seeing the specs of the Tab S 2 I knew straight away the device for me.
The tab s in my opinion tick pretty much every box the only thing I wish was better is the GPU for gaming (not that it plays games badly - they play well enough) but I can be quite picky and if I'm not getting the max FPS from a game I feel upset! Everything else on the tablet is perfect and I'm the kind of chap that sells his devices every couple of months for the latest better version but this is the first device I've come across that I've not even looked at replacing, well worth the £300 I spent for it. The xperia z4 tablet is now out and it's specs are majorly impressive but it's thick bezels I think make it an ugly design, I love the thin sides of the Tab S, another tablet I've been looking at is the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 but again after seeing it in the shop I think it's quite ugly and put a Bluetooth keyboard, mouse and hancom fine with my tab s and it's replaced my laptop, which I'm selling on eBay at the moment as it hasn't been used since I bought my tablet.
I'm a network manager at a school and have used my Tab S for a hell of a lot including connecting to multiple servers and writing 30 page policies. It's a great little device.
I upgraded to Lollipop but I'm using IronRom instead of stock and I have to say it's very stable and very fast. No lag. On antutu I got around the 4100 mark with all my GPU and CPU over locked it's just as powerful as an S5 phone. I'd recommend it to anyone and already multiple family members and the girlfriend have ordered one after seeing mine.
Sorry this was long but I hope it helped
Comes down to a few questions:
Do you value performance. The Exnos 5420 is a 2 year old processor. The 5433/7410 is a 1 year old processor (though it is a 20nn version of the 7420 in the S6)
Do you value battery life. The Tab S2 8.0 has a battery that is 20% smaller than the original tab. It may be that the 20nn processor and smaller newer screen are more efficient but I don't expect better battery life.
Do you value longevity/updates: The Tab S2 is a year newer so it will have its updates discontinued later than the Tab S.
Does display ratio matter to you: If you mostly read, the Tab S2 may be a dream come true. If you mostly watch videos, it's a disaster.
Do you value internal storage: Other than a best buy limited edition model, the Tab S has 16gb storage. The S2 has 32GB.
It seems like the Tab S2 is a Galaxy Note 4 (international) turned into a tablet. The Tab S was the Galaxy Note 3 (international) turned into a tablet.
This is a tough question for me. I re-bought the Tab S 8.4 for 190 (ridiculous deal best buy had a few months ago) after leaving it late last year to try other tablets (The Xperia Z3 Tablet and the Venue 7840). I also bought the Tab S 8.4 on day 1 last year (great deal, $350 for the tablet, Samsung cover, and 16gb sd card) to replace my Tab Pro 8.4 that I bought on day 1. I'm leaning towards getting it if the same deal is in play.
I have asked basic maths for help:
smaller side of t800 is 5.87 inch and of t810 is 5.82 inch...
So I do not see any advantage for browsing in new generation...
rp3 said:
Comes down to a few questions:
Do you value performance. The Exnos 5420 is a 2 year old processor. The 5433/7410 is a 1 year old processor (though it is a 20nn version of the 7420 in the S6)
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Click to collapse
Unfortunately yes he is right here as the Tab S processor is a year older, though I find it very quick and non-laggy when using IronRom on lollipop. As stated above the one thing I'd change is GPU performance but remember you always have over clocking when you root!
rp3 said:
Do you value longevity/updates: The Tab S2 is a year newer so it will have its updates discontinued later than the Tab S.
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Click to collapse
Best thing about android is that you can flash a custom ROM so updates never bother me as I can always flash a latest build of Cyanogenmod if needs be.
rp3 said:
Do you value internal storage: Other than a best buy limited edition model, the Tab S has 16gb storage. The S2 has 32GB.
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Click to collapse
I have 16GB internal storage on my Tab S including a 128GB memory card. Everything including apps is stored on my memory card thanks to the app "foldermount" you must be rooted though, I don't think the Tab S 2 has expandable storage but I could be wrong.
Good Point the S1 beats the S2 in both horizontal and vertical resolution, so the S2 is not really better for browsing, though you have to turn the S1 10.5" to portrait mode as it`s an landscape tablet while the S1 8.4" is an portrait style already.
http://www.phonearena.com/phones/co...ch,Samsung-Galaxy-Tab-S-10.5/phones/9385,8662
http://www.phonearena.com/phones/co...nch,Samsung-Galaxy-Tab-S-8.4/phones/9384,8663
John.
ivanox1972 said:
I have asked basic maths for help:
smaller side of t800 is 5.87 inch and of t810 is 5.82 inch...
So I do not see any advantage for browsing in new generation...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you all for your responses and opinions, I guess I would go for a Galaxy Tab S. but I will wait until S2 is released so I can get a good deal. I expect galaxy tab s gets a discount when s2 is released.
S1 - just bought my third for the household, was holding out for the S2 but so glad i did not wait for a iPad Air copy.
This morning I read that the S2 comes with Android 5.0.2 and started to laugh. Seriously 5.1.1 has been out for months including on a few Samsung devices. At the glacial pace that Samsung updates their tablet OS versions Android M will have been out for at least three months before the S2 gets v5.1.1, what a joke.
That on top of an older processor makes you wonder why they even bothered. I'm very happy to have bought my S 10.5 at almost $70 less retail, a few months ago, rather than this laughable new flagship tablet. Samsung's advantage of the best screen technology in the industry is getting sabotaged by very odd engineering decisions. It seems like the tablet division is run by their B team.
Sent from my SM-T800 using XDA Premium HD app
Frankly speaking, I would never buy an S2 over the Tab S. At the moment on the Tab S you can have Lollipop, Xposed, custom kernels with F2FS, and the tablet flies, literally.
Yeah, but with the S2 you have like errr emm eerrr nothing help!!!!
John.
stopa10 said:
Frankly speaking, I would never buy an S2 over the Tab S. At the moment on the Tab S you can have Lollipop, Xposed, custom kernels with F2FS, and the tablet flies, literally.
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Click to collapse
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P28m9cwa47E
Samsung tab s2 hands on and comparison with tab s. In English . According to this guy tab s2 has much more per and pricing will be matched to tab S.
ivanox1972 said:
I have asked basic maths for help:
smaller side of t800 is 5.87 inch and of t810 is 5.82 inch...
So I do not see any advantage for browsing in new generation...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, the advantage is that is almost the same viewing area but in a smaller and lighter package. Also, much more natural than the awkwardness that 16:10 is in portrait on such a large tablet as the tab S IMO. YMMV.
yohandesilva1 said:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P28m9cwa47E
Samsung tab s2 hands on and comparison with tab s. In English . According to this guy tab s2 has much more per and pricing will be matched to tab S.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That video sure did nothing to change my mind that the S2 is a step backward. Especially the comparison of reading the magazine which showed nothing visually while the video playback did demonstrate the smaller picture and unused screen black bars. Is Samsung going to pronounce, to video watchers, that the black bars on video playback is actually a way to extend your battery life? Which maybe needed as the thinner design and aspect ratio has reduced overall battery size. It is going to be tough to polish a turd and sell it at a flag ship price.
After reading the S2 details I'm still amazed that the OS is v5.0.2 and it does not have the same processor that the S6 phone uses. What were they thinking?
Sent from my SM-T800 using XDA Premium HD app

Help Me Decide

Howdy, folks.
I'm in the market for a tablet, and not familiar with the Samsung lineup, so I could use some guidance here.
First, I'm not sure I understand the difference between the A and S series. I assume it's a CPU issue, and I seem to recall a Tab A that I played around with didn't have an accelerometer and/or GPS, which are both critical for me.
Then we get to the firmware. I need to run Xposed and Xprivacy. Obviously that means I'll need to be able to root the machine. Would I be correct in assuming that I'm stuck with getting an S2, or is it possible to downgrade an S3 so I can benefit from the better hardware specs?
My choices seem to be an S2 at $480 or an S3 at $550 except that the S3 ships with a pen and LP, if I'm not mistaken, which knocks me out of the box in terms of running Xprivacy unless I can downgrade the OS.
Anyway, your input here would be helpful, and any pointers on unlocking / rooting would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
I think since late 2014, the Samsung tablets were split into just two lines, the Tab S, the high-end line, and the Tab A, the low cost line. In my humble opinion, the Tab A line is utter crap and it hasn't been updated effectively since 2015. If you want a cheap low end tablet, you might as well just buy one of those sub-100 dollar Amazon Fire tablets. Their specs are in the neighborhood of those Tab A tablets, but Fire tablets are much cheaper. Quite sadly, I think Samsung's high end line Tab S has also lost its way. I mean, I certainly love the idea of a high end Android tablet, but not at 500-600USD, specially when it comes with outdated flagship SoC, like the Snapdragon 820.
I love my Tab S 10.5, but if I am forced to replace it tomorrow, I'll probably get the Huawei Mediapad M3. Its hardware specs are high end enough to check nearly every box, and it costs under 300USD.
Excellent suggestion. I was wondering about alternatives to Samsung.
How would you compare the M3 to the S3? Can it be rooted? The new Samsung got excellent reviews for both construction and performance, and I confess the pen has appeal. I also wanted a 10"-ish screen, and the Huawei comes in at 8, so while the price is right, you give up a fair amount of screen.
I can pick up the S3 32 gig with a keyboard case for $550, which was more than I wanted to spend, but i can live with it since I'm not the type to buy a new device every year. Or even every two or three years, for that matter.
Sent from my HTC 10 using Tapatalk
I have purchased 5 Tab A devices, 3 T280 and 2 T555. Me the missus and little one have the T280, my mother and I have the T555. Both have an accelerometer and GPS. I don't know of a Samsung tablet that doesn't unless you meant gyroscope?
The Tab A T280 is stuck on Lollipop and the T550 runs Nougat.
I don't have issues with either for how I use them.
I also own the Tab S, but I use the Tab A T555 far more as it's light, comfortable to hold and runs just fine.
BillTheCat said:
Excellent suggestion. I was wondering about alternatives to Samsung.
How would you compare the M3 to the S3? Can it be rooted? The new Samsung got excellent reviews for both construction and performance, and I confess the pen has appeal. I also wanted a 10"-ish screen, and the Huawei comes in at 8, so while the price is right, you give up a fair amount of screen.
I can pick up the S3 32 gig with a keyboard case for $550, which was more than I wanted to spend, but i can live with it since I'm not the type to buy a new device every year. Or even every two or three years, for that matter.
Sent from my HTC 10 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
The first thing I do when looking for a new tab is xda support, if you can't get a custom rom for it, forget it!
M3 support is thin to non-existant, they are just getting it to root, and no TWRP ( I think) , other than that its the best hardware for the price. Tab s2 is good, Tab A fair, s3 just starting.
Xposed is now officially on NU, the main framework has been released, modules compatibility varies.
For that amount of cash, your in ultrabook / chromebook territory.
A tablet that does not fit in a pocket, and costs the same as a dell ultrabook with 256 gb hdd and an i5, is a bad choice maybe?
I use my t705 as a pocket device, with the aspect ratio it just fits, and the fact that's its also a very cool phone makes it a nobrainer.
Also remember the folding screens are just months away, once they are out most of the current tabs will be obselete real quick.
I want something larger format (~10") for use when doing demos for customers, casual browsing or web work away from my desk or when traveling for short spans. An 8" screen is not of interest.
Sent from my HTC 10 using Tapatalk

I can't find a tablet that checks all the boxes, is S4 the closest?

1) headphone jack (has it)
2) at least 4G ram, modern processor, nice screen, 64 GB internal storage or more, 10" screen or more (has it)
3) waterproof/IP6x rating (doesn't have it)
4) Active XDA community (has it)
5) Is easy to root, unlock bootloader, flash custom roms, etc... (not totally clear, looks easier than my old Xperia Tabs).
Any feedback on #5 would be great, or if anyone wants to talk me out of getting one or getting a different one I'm listening. Would get the S5e if it were waterproof or had a headphone jack. Still annoyed that Sony apparently developed some new tablets and then shelved them at the last minute.
NexusLush said:
1) headphone jack (has it)
2) at least 4G ram, modern processor, nice screen, 64 GB internal storage or more, 10" screen or more (has it)
3) waterproof/IP6x rating (doesn't have it)
4) Active XDA community (has it)
5) Is easy to root, unlock bootloader, flash custom roms, etc... (not totally clear, looks easier than my old Xperia Tabs).
Any feedback on #5 would be great, or if anyone wants to talk me out of getting one or getting a different one I'm listening. Would get the S5e if it were waterproof or had a headphone jack. Still annoyed that Sony apparently developed some new tablets and then shelved them at the last minute.
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Click to collapse
I have the Tab S4 64GB LTE + Wifi Version (I wanted the 256GB but it was never released in my country) I would say go for it. I'm extremely happy with the Tab S4 and anxiously waiting for the Pie update (rumoured to be out by April) It performs great and I use it in my office daily. I plug the tab to an USB-c dongle that's hooked up to a monitor and use Dex on it. It may not be perfect but it gets the job done for me. It performs well and barely lags. The only thing I hate about it is how most Android apps aren't really optimized for tablets. There is no fingerprint scanner which is fine for me since the Iris and face unlock are quite reliable. This only becomes annoying for me with my password manager. It doesn't support iris scanning to log in, so I end up using a pin code.
The only advantage I see with the Tab S5e is the cheaper price, fingerprint scanner, option for more RAM (unless you can get a Tab S4 from Korea) and smaller body frame.
Not really related but I have tried the Tab S3, and that one was slow. Watching YouTube videoes were annoying; videos would stutter and the Youtube App would freeze and then crash. I never had any of those experiences with the Tab S4 and it is a definite improvement over its predecessor. I've had mine for 7 months and still runs smooth as the day I got it. I also have substratum running on mine and it works well!
Based on your requirements the I think you'll prefer the Tab S4 for the headphone jack. The XDA community is great. I'm just not too familiar with the rooting/unlocking bootloader on this device though so I can't say anything about that.
I hope you find the tablet you are looking for. Cheers.
Rooting is quite easy on my tab S4 WiFi. All needed to be done was follow the instructions. Be noticed that rooting procedure does indeed trip knox.
It is lacking when it comes to development of custom ROM. There are only a few available roms and they're all based off official Samsung firmware. I would love to see something like lineageOS on this thing but having my fingers crossed for now. My guess for this is the high price of this tablet which made it not as widely available as others for more active developments. The s5e pricing looks quite promising and I think once released it will prove to be more popular than S4. If you're more into custom ROM then I would recommend leaning toward the s5e instead. That said, the S4 is still the top performing tablet as of now and I absolutely loving this damn thing.
This tablet isn't rated for water resistance. It might survive a splash or two but not submerge in water.
Face and iris unlock work generally quite well but it's not as fast as finger scanner. I often alternate between glasses and it sometimes confuse the tablet. Doesn't work well in the dark either.
mintjustin said:
Rooting is quite easy on my tab S4 WiFi. All needed to be done was follow the instructions. Be noticed that rooting procedure does indeed trip knox.
It is lacking when it comes to development of custom ROM. There are only a few available roms and they're all based off official Samsung firmware. I would love to see something like lineageOS on this thing but having my fingers crossed for now. My guess for this is the high price of this tablet which made it not as widely available as others for more active developments. The s5e pricing looks quite promising and I think once released it will prove to be more popular than S4. If you're more into custom ROM then I would recommend leaning toward the s5e instead. That said, the S4 is still the top performing tablet as of now and I absolutely loving this damn thing.
This tablet isn't rated for water resistance. It might survive a splash or two but not submerge in water.
Face and iris unlock work generally quite well but it's not as fast as finger scanner. I often alternate between glasses and it sometimes confuse the tablet. Doesn't work well in the dark either.
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Tab s5e will not support s pen as far as I'm aware. So not even in the same league as the s4
I just upgraded after patiently hoping for some sort of Dex equivalent for my Tab S3. Octa makes a big difference imo with snappier responses and I really love Dex so that i don't need necessarily need my bigger laptop when I travel.
I really wish Brydge made a keyboard for this device. So frustrating they only make it for the Pixel Slate (who in the world who would Chrome OS on x86)
Took the plunge today after 2 weeks of contemplation between the iPad Pro 11 and Tab S4. I don't know why it took me so long, given that I absolutely love it. I had my reservations having used the iPad Pro for the past 3 years. But the package (S-pen included, cellular model, expandable storage) for almost half the price of the latest iPad Pro, is just too good imo. Also, that display is absolutely stunning, I compared a 4k video on Tab s4 vs S10+ and preferred the tab Tab S4 screen (even though it could just be the size differential) . There are concerns chipset is old and ram is not enough, but for tablet I don't think that's an issue. I just hope it ages well, whether it'll still be as good in a year or two's time.

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