Samsung has in the form of the Samsung Galaxy Tabs already a lot tablets launched but with the Note-series the company tablets brings who more than the offer strictly necessary. The Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 has namely interesting specifications and features the known S-Pen who the hearts of artists must do faster let knocking. It is an 8 inch tablet that is located in the same segment include the Google Nexus 7 and Apple iPad mini.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 – Specifications
The Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 on paper about some interesting specifications, including a fast quad-core processor, 2GB of memory and a microSD card reader. Of course, the S-Pen and Samsung’s TouchWiz interface is not missing. Below is a brief overview of the main specifications.
- Samsung 1.6GHz quad-core processor
- 8 inch display with a 1280 x 800 resolution
- 2 GB RAM
- 16GB of storage memory
- MicroSD reader for memory expansion
- 1.3MP camera to front
- 5MP camera on back
- Bluetooth 4.0
- Infrared (remote)
- GPS
- S-Pen
- Wifi
- MicroUSB port
- Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with TouchWiz
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 – Design and Hardware
Design
The Galaxy Note 8.0 looks like a big Galaxy S4 smartphone and there are enough similarities with the Galaxy Note phablets already a while on the market. The rounded corners and the choice of smooth and shiny plastic I personally find the similarities with the Galaxy S4 something more effective. Of course, the display is protected by Gorilla Glass 2.0 and is the S-Pen neatly integrated into the housing.
At the front of the Galaxy Note 8.0 is not only top of the webcam for video chat but can be found. Different buttons down the tablet The middle button is a real button that you can actually print while the two buttons that flank the home button are touch sensitive and can be. Now also activated by the S-Pen.
The Galaxy Note 8.0 is very thin and light with 7.95 mm with 340 grams. By relatively wide margins (slightly less than an inch) around the screen holds the tablet in portrait mode fine fixed. About the sense of quality (luxury feeling) and design is however debatable. It remains plastic and I’m not personally devastated.
Screen
With 8 inches and a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels you will encounter many reviews about how limited or outdated this resolution actually is. I myself am not so negative about the screen and would even describe it as more than decent. Android is really not more different resolutions to wait and color, contrast and PPI together provide a perfectly usable, fine and quiet screen. However, there is in my review unit a light spot in the middle of the screen which is visible on dark backgrounds. For more products from Samsung I have seen this problem and it can make you doubt about the quality and build quality.
S-Pen
Samsung’s S-Pen has become a major force in the Note-line. In cooperation with the digitizer in the screen of the Galaxy Note 8.0 it is possible to draw with this stylus and write on the Note phablets and tablets, with enormous pressure sensitivity for control and precision. The S-Pen has always been more applications and are now supported things like stroking a part of the screen to create a screenshot. Within the software from Samsung.
The buttons at the bottom of the tablet can now be activated with the S-Pen. Incidentally, to make the pen. No direct contact with the screen An inch away from the screen registers the stylus al.
Battery
Although 4600 mAh not is nauseous for a battery fell the in practice anyway what against. With heavy use I could squeeze about 6 hours while I still always hope for about 10 hours at modern tablets. For normal use, however, it is also not such a huge disaster, as long as you realize that you put the tablet to the infusion daily.
Connections
Just like most products from Samsung comes the Galaxy Note 8.0 with a MicroUSB connection for connect to the computer or charger. It remains very nice to find on a tablet. Standard connector Since our review model came without box and charger was no problem pulling it. Correct cable from the tray.
The microSD card for expanding the memory is also very welcome for many. I never find myself so many applications but for those whole mountains documents or movies / music “to drag along ‘with it is of course very convenient to have. Removable memory.
Cameras
Unfortunately I can not a direct copy of the camera paragraph from previous reviews post here again. The cameras on the Galaxy Note 8.0 are not really good or really even good, depending on the available light. The camera on the front is fine for a Skype call and the 5 megapixel camera on the back is fine for most basic applications but not really for capturing memories. It is also not clear to me why the camera on the back quite far protruding into the design, in a ‘bulge’ is incorporated so. Indeed, it is not so that the sensor is large enough to justify their actions.
Speakers
The speakers of the Galaxy Note 8.0 may be quite far turned up in volume but the sound is nothing to write home about. Nice for a YouTube video but it does sometimes take on. The super small recesses and the unfortunate placement is also tremendously easy to connect with your hands, so to take all the sound. Way the speakers off Clumsy course if you want to hear what happened while playing a YouTube video.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 – Software
Samsung is known that they considerably tinkering with the appearance of Android before their products come in the hands of consumers. Their own skin called TouchWiz and Opinions are quite divided. Also on the Galaxy Note 8.0 TouchWiz look back and tighten the skin so on Android, in this case Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.
Samsung’s TouchWiz skin can be beautiful or ugly but found next to the skin, there is additional software that offers something extra when it comes to mulitasken and use the S-Pen. In terms of multitasking you should consider the additional possibility that you get on the Note 8.0 to run simultaneously on the screen so. Two apps side by side You can use many apps and display them in different proportions in the display. This function calls up a special menu on the left side of your screen. There are also so-called floating apps, small apps that you can levitate. “About” the rest of your screen Think of a calculator that you can float for some quick calculations. About your Office (Polaris) file.
With respect to the S-Pen, Samsung has also opted for deep integration. Of course to use the stylus for notes and drawings in itself good but there are also additional applications as annotating screenshots, PDF files and making selections (which can also be used again as screenshot). Can also be used to see the pen of such e-mails. Previews This is done over an email to hover (hang) by the pen something and then a pop-up with the first few lines of text. In any case, there are several ways in which the S-Pen without actual contact of the screen interacts with the tablet.
Samsung also provides for a lot of them own apps, often referred to as a S. Think of S-Note, S-Voice but also alternatives to the standard software such as the S-Planner (calendar). The presence of a lot of ‘double’ apps make the otherwise not much clear for the user, this is a source of confusion for many. In addition, Samsung also provides apps along for entertainment, including the Readers Hub, Game Hub and Samsung Apps. All alternative ways to arrive. Interesting content and apps.
Nature UX is the name of several other design elements within TouchWiz. A water effect in the unlock and the included backgrounds. Also in terms of icon design often opts for Samsung own versions. Also this course you can find beautiful or ugly, personally I am not fond of because in my experience is pretty inconsistent.
Finally, there are many other Geinig present that can be such a mode (Reader Mode) you can turn on and then all e-reader related apps get a slightly finer background so it easier on your eyes and how the Galaxy Note 8.0 called your eyes keeps an eye to decide whether the screen sleep (off) can. This feature worked for me not. Both with and without glasses was the software / sensor apparently not recognize my eyes and so had it or not look at any effect screen.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 – In use
It is perhaps a slightly separate statement but my feeling is the Galaxy Note 8.0 tablet not for beginners. This is a separate description because a tablet in principle simply a product to operate simple and easy must are natural, but the Galaxy Note 8.0 is more than that. The S-Pen is not only a tablet to consume but also a tablet to take to create. That’s nice to say about a tablet but not the reason why I do not think this tablet for beginners. I mean nevertheless somewhat negative and is mainly due to the complicated skin and storage of additional features that Samsung has built in software.
TouchWiz with all its additional functions regularly namely ensures confusion. There are several ways to invoke the same functions different apps for the same purpose and it is in itself a somewhat sloppy skin with different sizes, icons, water effects to unlock the device and mountains widgets. There is a good reason that Samsung a ‘simple mode’ built into the software. For people who just want to use the device and do not want a week of discovery is this more stripped down and simpler version of the software could very welcome. If you take the trouble to the capabilities of the software and all those extra apps and opportunities to discover apps you do of course have a very powerful device. In practice I am however not encountered really situations where both the floating apps as split-screen app really seemed the most sensible solution.
The S-Pen is an impressive piece of engineering and although a lot better than, say, a capacitive stylus on an iPad is not nearly as practical as an old-fashioned pen. Write on glass just somehow lacks the proper resistance to exercise enough control at least for someone with bad handwriting like mine. If I was good at drawing than I probably just more fun to had this stylus and I can well imagine that there are people who really can take off the feet. The additional functionality that Samsung for the S-Pen has built are interesting, especially the selection of parts of your screen for a screenshot. The pop-up previews for email I found in practice, however, more annoying than practical.
The Galaxy Note 8.0 is powerful enough and has a lot of RAM and so is the experience – despite the tough skin – delicious rap and fortunately another fine stable. Big pluses course. Browsing, e-mail and launching apps is all at least as fast as competing tablets, maybe sometimes faster. Of lags, delays or crashes is also no question.
My biggest irritation, however, had to do with the touch sensitive buttons at the bottom of the tablet. Beautiful that you will now also can activate them with the pen, but this makes it too easy for them by mistake with your finger or part of activating your hand. I have tremendous often both the backup and the menu button accidentally activated. Especially in landscape (sideways) it was a big problem because the sides of the tablet the natural place to rest. Your thumbs.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 – Conclusion
At the end of the day I’m still a bit disappointed backward. The Galaxy Note 8.0 is thin and light but plastic and therefore does not feel very high on. The S Pen is fun and sophisticated but for me nothing more than a gimmick. The TouchWiz skin is me more in the way than it helps, and you just feel a bit of an asshole as you have to admit that the simple mode setting is probably just the best. The screen is fine in terms of resolution, contrast and color reproduction but My model is a clear light leakage.
Yet I can imagine that people are who very charmed are of the Galaxy Note 8.0. Perhaps because they are fans of TouchWiz and the large amount of possibilities as floating and splitcreen apps or talent to have a tablet with a pen appear to conjure. (Even) beautiful creations The Galaxy Note 8.0 offers there in any case the right tools for, and with 8 inch so also reasonable the space. Also you get absolutely a quick and powerful tablet with which content consume and produce no problem is.
If you do not provide these items for great value then the Galaxy Note 8.0 is probably not the best choice. It is a price of 379 EUR for the WiFi-only version and 519 euros for the 3G variant is a costly device and there are alternatives that cost less when the TouchWiz interface and / or the S-Pen interests. I think a tablet like the Google Nexus 7 (249 euros) for a lot of Android enthusiasts, wiser, or an iPad mini (339 euros) for the no OS preference and just want a tablet that is light and thin, with a world of apps to install.
Negatives
- Confusing TouchWiz interface
- Battery life is disappointing
- Touch sensitive buttons sometimes awkward
Pros
- Fast and powerful performance
- expandable memory
- Advanced S Pen stylus