Tech Tools: Samsung TabPro S

The tablet market is in all-out warfare at the moment, and it’s not just about winning over consumers. While companies have been trying to make their mark with devices that will bridge both work and leisure, often they lean a little more to the play side of things.

But that has changed in recent months. Microsoft is making a concerted play for the market with its Surface devices; Apple has unveiled not one but two versions of the iPad Pro.

Samsung's contribution to the melee is the TabPro S, a hybrid device that runs Windows 10 but will also link in with your Samsung Android phone to allow you to throw your device's screen onto the tablet.

That 12in screen is, like many Samsung devices these days, Super Amoled, and it looks great. I couldn’t find fault with it, putting it through a variety of uses from word processing to video. It is hard to beat Samsung in that regard.

It is difficult to avoid comparing the TabPro and the Surface. They both run Windows, they’re both aiming clearly at the same market. The TabPro is slightly thinner and lighter, and it makes a few changes that the Surface could learn from.

First off, there’s the power adapter. The TabPro has opted for the USB C type charger that you will see on the Apple MacBook, but in this case you will have a set-up you would expect with a mobile phone: a small plug and a USB cable. That’s all you need.

However, it means that you only have a USB C port. Any device you want to connect to it will need to go through that one port – unless you shell out extra for the dock or the USB adapter. Both of those, while useful, will mean spending extra. The Surface, on the other hand, has a full-size USB port you can plug your USB stick into, or hook up another peripheral. It’s up to you to decide if you want the slimness of the TabPro S or the extra connectivity of the Surface Pro in a slightly thicker package.

One good decision Samsung made was regarding the keyboard cover. If you are planning to use this device for work, you’ll need a keyboard of some description. More often than not though you have to shell out extra for an essential tool. Not so with the TabPro S – it’s included in the box.

The keyboard cover is a decent size, although the keys seems a little close together if you’re used to the island-style keyboards, but it’s comfortable enough to use compared with the cramped offerings you are sometimes stuck with on mobile devices.

There’s a trackpad too, despite the giant touchscreen in front you, so if you feel more comfortable using a keyboard/mouse combo, you’re sorted here. It also feels sturdy enough that you can type with it in your lap reasonably comfortably, and it pairs to the device via Bluetooth, which can be set up using Near Field Communications.

But as a work tool, the Surface has one clear advantage. It comes with a choice of chips, starting from a Core M and moving up to the i5 and i7, putting it on a par with most normal PCs. The TabPro uses the Core M and that’s it.

However, I found the TabPro was decent in terms of speed and performance, so unless you are throwing some seriously heavy tasks at it, the Core M is a good trade-off for a lower price.

The good

Everything you need is in the box: unless you want a stylus, or more than one USB port. The keyboard cover comes as standard, so you don’t have to incur the extra expense of that, but you will have to buy your own pen.

The display is – in true Samsung fashion – Super Amoled, so it’s crisp, clear and bright.

The not so good

The single USB C port means you’ll need an adapter if you want to hook anything else up to the tablet. That’s going to cost extra. That keyboard cover does two angles: upright for working, lower down for watching movies or playing games. Unlike the Surface Pro 4, that’s all you get. If that doesn’t suit, you’ll have an issue.

The rest

The device is powered by an

Intel

Core M chip, which works well enough unless you pile too much on it.

The verdict

Overall, the Samsung is a decent Windows machine in a fairly sleek package.