Samsung’s New Galaxy Tablets Are Razor-Thin and Razor-Sharp

The 10.4-inch Galaxy Tab S. Photo: Samsung

Today, Samsung announced two devices that will comprise its flagship “S” series of tablets: The 10.4-inch Galaxy Tab S and the 8.4-inch Galaxy Tab S. There’s no mystery as to which tablets they’re meant to compete with.

In terms of weight, screen size, pixel density, and slimness, the new tablets compare favorably to Apple’s iPad Air and iPad Mini. The new tablets are also priced the same as Apple’s 16GB/Wi-Fi models of each version: $500 for the 10.5-incher and $400 for the 8.4-incher. At one pound, the larger Tab S weighs the same as the smaller-screened iPad Air, while the smaller Tab S (10 oz.) is both lighter and larger-screened than the iPad Mini (11.6 oz.).

Both wafer-thin tablets measure in at just 6.6mm, so they can limbo under the 7.5mm bar set by Apple’s latest iPads. One of the reasons the new Samsung devices are so slim is that they’re equipped with OLED screens, which don’t need the backlight panel that LCD screens need. But that doesn’t just makes them skinny. OLED’s inky blacks, sharp contrast, and vivid colors should make them look good, too.

The 10.5-inch and the 8.4-inch Tab S also have a 2,560 x 1,600 screen resolution, which adds up to a slightly higher pixel density than the current-gen iPads. Samsung’s 10.5-incher clocks in at 287ppi as compared to the iPad Air’s 264ppi, while the 8.4-inch Tab S has a 359ppi screen as compared to the iPad Mini’s 326ppi display.

At launch, you won’t get as many configuration options as you do with an iPad. Both tablets are available in a 16GB capacity (with a microSD slot that supports up to 128GB of additional space), and for now, the Tab S will be Wi-Fi-only. Later on this year, Samsung plans to launch LTE versions of the tablet for the major U.S. carriers.

A side-by-side comparison. Photo: Tim Moynihan/WIRED

Both are equipped with Android 4.4 KitKat running on a Samsung Exynos 5 Octa CPU with 3GB RAM. The eight-core CPU can jump back and forth between a 1.9GHz quad-core processor and a 1.3GHz quad-core processor depending on the task. Battery life should be ample for the 10.5-incher, thanks to a 7,900 mAh unit on board; the 8.4-incher has a 4,900 mAh battery.

The tablets are compatible with the Gear 2 watch and can team up with Samsung’s Galaxy S5 phone, too. Like Apple’s recently teased Continuity feature, SideSync lets you use the tablet to make and take calls through a Galaxy S5 via a Wi-Fi Direct connection. The tablets’ home buttons are fingerprint scanners, which can be used for login and PayPal authentication.

The Tab S design echoes that of Samsung’s Galaxy S phones. There are golf-ball-like dimples on the back, and of the two color variations, the titanium bronze version looks pretty sharp. A separately sold Book Cover case made of synthetic leather and suede can be used as a two-position stand; it attaches to the back of the Tab S via plastic snaps that fit into recesses built into the back of the tablet. There’s also a hard plastic chiclet keyboard for the 10.5-inch model, which connects via Bluetooth.

If you’re intrigued, you can preorder either size of the tablet now. You’ll have to wait until July for the Galaxy Tab S tablets to ship though.