I tried Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S10 FE, and it’s shockingly good for $500

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S10 FE is unquestionably a jack of all trades, however after utilizing it for roughly two weeks, I can confidently say that it is a grasp of none. Is {that a} dangerous factor, although? For a fan-edition gadget, not essentially — I believe it really performs to its benefit.

Initially anticipated in 2024, the brand new tab sequence is lastly out after a several-month delay, giving Samsung ample time to ship the mid-range pill with Android 15-based One UI 7 preinstalled. The Tab S10 FE’s 10.9-inch show is nice sufficient for doodling, taking notes, studying, and lightweight work, and when paired with its iterative chip, RAM, and digicam upgrades, the pill tries its finest to supply a flexible expertise and fill the void left by the now-gone base Tab S10.

Associated

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S10 series goes all in on AI

This yr, the tech large is releasing two new tablets, the Tab S10+ and the Tab S10 Extremely, alongside its Galaxy S24 FE smartphone.

Worth, availability, and specs

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S10 FE was introduced on April 2 and it subsequently went on sale on April 10. Starting at $500 for the 128GB Wi-Fi iteration, the pill’s value can go as excessive as $600 for the mobile model. It is obtainable to buy immediately through Samsung’s official web site or by means of main retailers and e-sellers like Greatest Purchase and Amazon. Out there colours embody blue, grey, and silver. For this evaluate, I used a grey 128GB mobile Galaxy Tab S10 FE.

The brand new mannequin is accompanied by the Tab S10 FE Plus, which boasts a much bigger 13.1-inch display screen, a ten,090mAH Li-Po cell, and a heftier beginning price ticket of $650. Functionally, although, barring the 2 important variations talked about, the tablets are basically the identical, and which one of many two you resolve to purchase (if any) in the end depends upon whether or not you like a ten.9-inch or a 13.1-inch pill.

On the spec entrance, the brand new pill is, no less than on paper, an improve over its predecessor, the Tab S9 FE. For reference, a number of of the Galaxy Tab S10 FE’s strengths stem from its software program. Entry to One UI 7 instantly, paired with Google’s AI smarts helps the gadget cement its spot as a succesful mid-to-high-range pill, however its iterative chip improve is not something to scoff at both.

Its 4nm Exynos 1580 affords higher efficiency than its predecessor’s Exynos 1380, full with 4 cores at 1.95GHz, three cores at 2.60GHz, and one core at 2.91GHz that push a single-core rating of 1,377 and a multi-core rating of three,928 on Geekbench 6. This isn’t top-of-the-line efficiency by any means, however the 10.9-inch pill doesn’t wish to make the pretense of being a flagship contender.

In my expertise, the Tab S10 FE by no means didn’t put up stable efficiency throughout on a regular basis duties like scrolling by means of social media, common looking, studying information, video calls/conferences, and typing through apps like Google Docs (a part of this evaluate was even written on the Tab S10 FE) — all concurrently. Switching between apps and multitasking was usually a easy expertise, with stutter-free animations on the pill’s 90Hz show (extra on that later).

What I preferred in regards to the Galaxy Tab S10 FE

Samsung goes all in on AI, as anticipated

Samsung touts the Galaxy Tab S10 FE as an AI-first gadget, in order that’s how I went about testing it initially.

Accessing Google’s AI smarts, particularly Gemini and Circle to Search (CtS), is a seamless course of on the Tab S10 FE. Usually reserved for its S-series flagship smartphones, the pill unlocks energy button Gemini entry, which makes invoking Google’s AI assistant a breeze. In case you’re not a Gemini fan, the facet button may be custom-made to set off Samsung’s Bixby or the ability off menu.

Equally, triggering CtS is so simple as long-tapping the house button, permitting you to question Google Search about on-screen parts. I solely use CtS in very area of interest circumstances, however Gemini (as an assistant) is a special story. What began out as Bard slightly over two years in the past has advanced right into a full-fledged on-device AI assistant.

With Google Assistant on its method out, and Bixby…properly, being Bixby, Gemini feels just like the pure selection, particularly once you take multi-extension prompts into consideration. Workspace apps, Telephone, Messages, WhatsApp, Google Dwelling, and YouTube (Music) are simply a number of the apps Gemini is built-in with, permitting you to make use of the tab whereas controlling sensible house units, discovering new songs on YouTube Music, sending messages with out switching apps, and extra — all through pure language instructions.

Nonetheless, Google’s AI isn’t the one one Samsung boasts with the Tab S10 FE. Its suite of Galaxy AI instruments shines by means of, too. One UI 7’s Now Bar feels at house, providing at-a-glance stay info on the lock display screen and the standing bar. The dearth of an always-on show, paired with the bar not taking on the complete width of the show (till expanded) does make the expertise really feel sub-par when in comparison with smartphones. However that — the latter particularly — is fixable with a subsequent software program replace (the Tab S10 FE will get seven years of updates). The absence of always-on, however, does not essentially break the function. This serves as the proper segue to the Pill’s 10.9-inch LCD. Much like Samsung’s older-gen FE tablets, the Tab S10 FE doesn’t boast an AMOLED show, and that’s noticeable at first look if you have not touched an LCD panel gadget shortly.

I’ve used Samsung’s Tab S9 Extremely (AMOLED) up to now, and I every day drive a (2021) 11-inch iPad Professional (IPS LCD), and the Galaxy Tab S10 FE’s show is clearly extra akin to the latter. It is a compromise that Samsung needed to make to have the ability to provide the Fan Version gadget at a aggressive value level, however with me utilizing an IPS LCD pill every day, the inferior show high quality wasn’t essentially a trouble.

That is not to say that the inherent limitations of LCD know-how aren’t there. In case you decide up the Tab S10 FE after spending time with a higher-end pill or a brand new smartphone, its colours will not seem as vibrant, blacks will not be as deep, and you will discover the decrease distinction ratio.

This would not seemingly be a difficulty for on a regular basis duties like looking, scrolling by means of social media, studying articles on Pocket-Lint, or watching YouTube movies. In case you’re prioritizing colour accuracy for skilled photograph modifying or designing, or in search of deep blacks for HDR content material, you are seemingly not contemplating the S10 FE as a viable possibility anyway.

Regardless of the power-hungry LCD, the Tab S10 FE’s battery fares exceptionally properly, simply lasting me roughly 5 to 6 days per cost, with occasional video streaming, DeX utilization, note-taking, and web-browsing. In case you plan to make use of the pill as a piece gadget, anticipate to get slightly over a day’s price of utilization.

The battery dimension, 8,000mAh, is similar as 2023’s Tab S9 FE, however with the extra environment friendly Exynos 1580 because the brains of the operation, the pill does appear to final a bit longer. In case you do run out, the pill helps 45W charging, which persistently obtained me from 0 to 60 % in 35 minutes, and 0 to one hundred pc in slightly over one hour and ten minutes.

Only a heads-up — when it is time to plug in, charging is strictly BYOB (and by that, I imply deliver your individual brick, not your go-to bubbly beverage).

Elsewhere, the pill’s 90Hz refresh fee will get the job achieved with out making animations look too uneven, although for the additional $50 Samsung is charging for the brand new pill (in comparison with the Tab S9 FE), a 144 or 120Hz refresh fee would have made much more sense.

I additionally actually just like the pill’s fingerprint sensor. My expertise with Android pill fingerprint scanners has usually been unreliable. And whereas my iPad’s Face ID usually capabilities excellently, it isn’t at all times an excellent unlocking answer.

With the Tab S10 FE, the fingerprint scanner in itself is an enormous win — and it being a responsive and correct one is a cherry on high. That, nevertheless, leads me to a significant gripe.

What I did not like in regards to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE

Face Unlock is disappointingly not usable

Though fingerprint biometrics on the Tab S10 FE carried out a lot better than I had initially anticipated, Face Unlock was unusable for me. This isn’t a criticism of the function being hit and miss — I wasn’t even in a position to set it up.

For added context, my time with 2023’s Tab S9 FE was additionally marked by subpar face unlock efficiency. The pill would solely acknowledge me in probably the most perfect lighting conditions. And it wasn’t only a ‘me’ difficulty — again then, I had a few of my housemates register their faces, and the Tab S9 FE persistently didn’t authenticate them, too. This time round, I used to be outright unable to arrange face biometrics.

Once I first arrange the Tab S10 FE, I tried to allow Face Unlock to keep away from having to do it later. Sadly, the pill crashed as quickly because the function started scanning. It did not make an amazing first impression, and I needed to arrange the pill yet again. “No biggie, although, that should not occur once more,” is what I assumed. That wasn’t the case — the pill crashed once more.

I chalked it as much as the preliminary setup being buggy, and proceeded with a four-digit pin, hoping that I might be capable of arrange Face Unlock later through Settings. Oh boy, was I fallacious! The pill crashed each time I attempted the biometric technique (two extra extremely compressed GIFs are coming your method). I gave up after a number of makes an attempt and grew to understand the useful fingerprint scanner much more.

I am certain that this is not a widespread difficulty, in any other case it might have been throughout Samsung’s group discussion board and Reddit. Although it is not an remoted one both, and it positively left a foul style in my mouth. I discovered similar reports about facial recognition inflicting Samsung tablets to crash, although these stories have been from 2022, and the difficulty was subsequently fastened with a software program replace.

Going into this pill evaluate, I anticipated the Tab S10 FE’s cameras to be common at finest. Tablets aren’t essentially my go-to for capturing reminiscences, and in no significant method did the Tab S10 FE handle to sway my choice. Taking photographs with it is not actually a sensible strategy. If it have been as much as me, I might remove the rear digicam placement on all tablets. I might a lot moderately see producers make the most of the vacant house to suit a entrance shooter that is really on par with a number of the finest flagships, not simply on paper.

Though the Tab S10 FE boasts a greater digicam system than its predecessor (13-megapixel rear vs. 8-megapixel rear), I discovered that the photographs it produces aren’t essentially any higher. They’re usually smooth, uninteresting, and blurry, with movement being its greatest bane. Images shot throughout peak lighting circumstances are the one ones that you may depend on. You’ll be higher off relying in your telephone for core reminiscences, and the pill just for the occasional one.

The 12-megapixel selfie shooter, much like built-in laptop computer webcams, is respectable for video calls, however that is in regards to the extent to which you’d wish to make the most of its capabilities.

These gripes culminate with a $50 value hike. 2023’s Tab S9 FE launched for $450 — the Tab S10 FE begins at $500.

The brand new pill is not the identical as its predecessor, however aside from the chip bump and a RAM increase (which you already have to pay further for), it does not boast any significant upgrades both. It is basically the identical dimension, options the identical IPS LCD 90Hz show, sports activities the identical battery dimension and charging velocity, and an equivalent look too.

One UI 7 bears the brunt of providing upgrades price contemplating, but when we begin paying a premium for software-side upgrades, we would all be broke very quickly. Oh, and Samsung’s older tablets, together with the Galaxy Tab S8 and S9 sequence, are poised to get One UI 7 in Might, adopted by the Tab S9 FE in June, begging the query of what worth the Tab S10 FE affords for its $50 greater beginning value, particularly contemplating that Samsung’s older tablets can steadily be discovered on sale.

Must you purchase the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE

A stable possibility for college students

In case you’re available in the market for a pill that may proceed to be supported with software program updates for the higher a part of the following decade, however you don’t want to spend greater than what a brand new mid-range pill usually instructions, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE may simply be a match for you.

It’s going to be a wonderful pill for college students aiming to multitask on a display screen that is larger than their smartphone, or informal customers in search of a large-screen gadget to jot notes or stream their favourite motion pictures and exhibits on. Google and Samsung’s AI smarts are a bonus on high, able to aiding you with homework, brainstorming concepts, and even summarizing prolonged papers on the fly.

Visible purists, energy customers, photographers, and people in search of a extra highly effective general expertise may wish to discover options with a better price ticket.

This gadget was offered to Pocket-lint by Samsung.

Model

Samsung

Storage

128GB/256GB

Working System

One UI 7

Ports

USB Kind-C 2.0