I am not an Android guy. Although I am always fascinated by Android devices and products. I have owned quite a few Chinese knock-offs and a few Xiaomi brand phones but nothing ever lasted. In retrospect, I didn’t give them much of a chance. I am an Apple guy. I love Mac and Apple products. What I don’t like? The price. What I do like? The quality. Apple has maintained quality products for some time. I’ve had many iPhones, iPads, Mac Pros, Macbook Pros, Macbooks, Mac minis, and iMacs. Our whole office here in Ghana is on mac. Why? Reliability and longevity. Ok, so I’ve got the fanboying out the way, on to the subject of this post.
Why did you buy this thing?
Well, simply put, on one of my trips back to the US earlier this year, my 13″ Macbook Pro died and I needed a replacement. I loved the 13″ size for going back and forth to the office and it was a good “beater” laptop. I have a loaded 16″ Macbook Pro that I prefer to keep in pristine shape for editing video and graphics. I figured let’s try the 12.4″ tablet and see if it can handle what I am throwing at it.
I LOVE THIS TABLET.
I am typing on it right now for this post. I was skeptical of having an Android tablet after having a few knock-offs and bad experiences with them, but this thing just keeps getting better. The only downside? No iMessaging or integration of Mac apps. I can live without that. In fact, it has me wondering if I should switch all of my note-taking, list-making, and stuff to Google apps.
Speed
This thing is fast. I’m not just talking fast, I’m talking lighting fast. I am constantly shocked at how responsive and quick everything is. Websites load fast, apps load without hesitation, and streaming is a joy. With the Qualcomm SM7225 Octa-Core processor, this thing delivers. My kids use iPad devices for streaming and sometimes school. My son has one of the later models of the regular iPad. This Samsung tab smokes it. I mean trail of fire smokes it.
Screen
The screen on this device is one of the best I’ve ever seen or used. I’m serious. I like it better than the iPads I own. It’s clear, and crisp and the 4K video looks incredible on it. Let’s put it this way, I’d rather watch Netflix on this tablet than on my 16″ Macbook Pro. Even when viewing bad or old footage on YouTube, I’ve found the quality is amazing. I’m not sure what they’re doing over there at Samsung but they better keep doing it. If you don’t believe me, go find one on display at a store. You’ll be a believer quickly. Even with fingerprints of my own and my kids, this thing is still crisp and clear. For what it’s worth, I do not put on-screen protectors on my devices. I don’t like the loss of clarity and function with screen protectors.
Battery Life
I have yet to have this thing die on me. Granted I don’t use it enough to kill the battery. Even after two days of not being on the charger, it was still at 60%. I couldn’t believe it. Time will tell how long that lasts but if it’s this good to start with I don’t feel worried about that at all. Maybe when I fly again back to the States I’ll test how long it lasts on a flight.
Accessories
With this tablet, I bought the Amazon suggested keyboard and case made by Fintie. For all intents and purposes, it’s not a bad case. Do I wish I had bought the Samsung keyboard and case? Sure. But the cost was a bit high and I didn’t think it was a deal-breaker on the tablet. The Fintie case works well enough and offers a few options for pen storage. I do like that the tablet came with a tablet pen which is a good selling point, even if you don’t use it.
Conclusion
All in all, this tablet is a winner. The screen alone is worth the price but as an added bonus the speed just feels unmatched. If I had to go back and choose again, I’d likely choose it again. If you’re an Apple person, like I am, this is a worthy device to add to your arsenal.
Want to buy one? Go here!