How does the Galaxy Tab S2 stack up to the Galaxy Tab S?
Samsung’s new Galaxy Tab S2 has been given an official unveil, and the tablet brings the company’s stunning Super AMOLED displays to its tablet lineup for the third round (second, if you don’t want to count the Galaxy Tab 7.7 from 2011.) The original Galaxy Tab S was a nice device overall, but how does its successor stack up in terms of the upgrades and changes it brings?
There are a couple of notable changes this time around. First, the Tab S2 switches to a 4:3 aspect ratio for the Super AMOLED display, a move that makes it very suitable for reading and web browsing but will be taking away some of the fun of watching videos and movies. Second, the chipset running the show is more powerful than the one that drove the Galaxy Tab S – it’s an octa-core Exynos 5433 chip clocked at 1.9GHz for the high-power cores and 1.3GHz for the low-power cores.
The screen resolution has gone down from 2560×1600 pixels to 2048×1536 pixels, so the chipset has lesser pixels to push while have more horsepower. That plus the new toned-down and optimized software means the Galaxy Tab S2 should offer flagship-like performance. The 3 GB of RAM is intact, but users will now be able to choose from 32 GB and 64 GB storage variants. There’s a microSD slot included as well, so this is another aspect where the Tab S2 offers an upgrade over its predecessor.
The rest of the hardware is pretty much similar between both generations, though the Tab S2 has smaller batteries inside. That’s not surprising, since the Tab S2 also has a very thin body with a thickness of just 5.6 mm, and is also more premium thanks to the metal frame around the sides. As we said in our hands-on, the Tab S2 feels very nice in the hand, and the thinness is noticeable as soon as you pick it up.
Here’s a comparison chart of the major specs of the Galaxy Tab S and Galaxy Tab S2.
| Specs | Galaxy Tab S2 | Galaxy Tab S |
| Dimensions | 134.8 x 198.6 x 5.6 mm/169 x 237.3 x 5.6 mm, 265/389 g | 212.8 x 125.6 x 6.6 mm/247.3 x 177.3 x 6.6 mm, 294/465 g |
| Display | 8.0/9.7-inch Super AMOLED, 2048×1536 pixels | 8.4/10.5-inch Super AMOLED, 2560×1600 pixels |
| Chipset | Exynos 5433, Quad 1.9GHz + Quad 1.3GHz, Mali-T760 MP6 GPU | Exynos 5420, Quad 1.9GHz + Quad 1.3GHz, Mali-T628 MP6 GPU |
| RAM | 3 GB | 3 GB |
| Cameras | 8-megapixel rear, 2.1-megapixel front-facing | 8-megapixel rear, 2.1-megapixel front-facing |
| Storage | 32/64 GB, microSD slot (up to 128 GB) | 16/32 GB, microSD slot (up to 128 GB) |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, LTE | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, LTE |
| Battery | 4,000/5,870 mAh (8.0/9.7) | 4,900/7,900 mAh (8.4/10.5) |
| OS | Android 5.0 Lollipop | Android 4.4 KitKat (upgradeable to 5.0) |
| Misc | Fingerprint sensor, stereo speakers | Fingerprint sensor, stereo speakers |
Other than the iPads, there really isn’t any competing Android tablet in the market with the specs of the Galaxy Tab S2, and certainly none with the same beautiful displays. Of course, specs only tell half the story, and we will putting the Galaxy Tab S2 through the paces and publishing a full review very soon. What do you think about the Galaxy Tab S2? A solid upgrade, or one that doesn’t exactly give you reason to do away with your original Galaxy Tab S?
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i will not buying this…may be next tab s….i hope….:(..:(
It’s somewhat cheaper or a lot cheaper than the iPad Air depending on usage, if you consider that one starts at 16GB of storage and doesn’t have a microSD slot…
when we will see Tizen Tablets??? or you care only about the Galaxy ???
Have two Tab S 8.4, was waiting for the S2, but got a deal on another Tab S and so glad.
The S2 is another example of Samsung losing creativity and confidence in its own direction, bascially copying an iPad Air layout.
The tablet z4 looks much better specwise
Not buying anything with 4:3 screen ratio anymore. Reason I didn’t buy the Tab A for my partner instead the Tab 4 and the reason I won’t change from my Tab S to the new Tab S2. All new models seem to be downgrading on details which are standard expectations now. Video aspect ratio and battery.
Looking at the spec sheet, this looks less like a S2 than a S+. I can’t see the 5433 offering that much of a improvement over a 5420 exynos, on paper the only real improvement here appears to be on the GPU side. Is the chipset even running on the 14nm finfet dye or is it still the old fabrication? After seeing this, I’m thinking it’s better to get the original TabS if it goes on sale than buy the new model. Also 4,000MaH battery? that’s only a bit bigger than the battery found in a Galaxy S6 Active. if… Read more »
is it running on 64 bit ??????????????
It’s my guess that they are “saving” better specs for the Note series.
Hope so, Note tablet should have same specs as on note 5. Would buy one, don’t care about expandable storage, UFS 2.0 based note tablet would be sleek, 32 gb will be enough for me, if I get 64 gb for $50 extra, would get 64gb.
Are the specs in the table the wrong way around?
I thought this was going to be the new high-end tab. When is the real new high-end tab coming?
haha! i know… if battery wasnt that good in 1st gen Tab S, battery life in 2nd gen is going to be straight up terrible! not even 6000mAh for a 10 inch tablet?! come on Samsung, this is such a rip-off
The only thing that will make me want to upgrade from my Tab S is the UHD capabilities and the larger internal memory, 16GB on my current Tab S jus isn’t enough for high power games and HD graphics. The internal memory was filled in a week, with the addition of Office utensils. But the Screen is the BEST for watching movies and YouTube though.
Nobody mention till now the battery, this stupid race of thickness putting smaller battery must stop. They did the same on the S6. The Smartphones and tablets are already slim enough and personally I prefer some millimeter extra for bigger battery.
Samsung wants to beat iPad butt the bigger and most important plus of it is the buttery times
It looks like a horsesh*t. Tab s has a better degsin. And battery is trash compare to tab S. Pls don’t try to be Apple.
Tab S looks better and at least it has Flash for its camera, now S2 looks like an iPad
OH No, is this upgrade or downgrade from S?
Wait, what’s that CR AP??
Samsung why You no longer want my money?
I waited S6 after S5.. And that was an Iphone.
I waited S2 after my S.. And this is a bad copy of a chinese iPad.
Oh come on!!!
But Galaxy Tab S has microsd slot as well!
It looks like big step behind in terms of screen!
The 3 GB of RAM is intact, but users will now be able to choose from 32 GB and 64 GB storage variants. There’s a microSD slot included as well, so this is another aspect where the Tab S2 offers an upgrade over its predecessor.
Tab S has it (even the SBS comparison shows it) so please, edit it..
Cheers
I have no need for a 4:3 tablet.
Have to say, except for the thinness, there is nothing to overthrow last years iPad Air2. But cannot blame Sammy. Even iPad series is not selling well. Reports are last quarter iPad sales are well under 10 million. Android tablet sales would be even worst, due to the choice of hundreds of phablets. So who would be the prospective customer? They don’t know and so Sammy thinks they would need people who may look for iPad also as an option for new or upgrade. That’s why they are playing with the same aspect ratio of iPad, as they have failed… Read more »
Next ill be w8ing for the pro line up because tab s2 is not an upgrade for my original s 10.5
Any chance Samsung will continue to produce the old Tab S but upgraded to use the Exynos 5433. Many people would like the 16:10 ratio, but want the faster CPU & GPU. I’m sure Samsung would sell more tablets overall if they let people have the choice of the old and new screen ratios, with decent processors for both ratios. If the Tab S2 isn’t significantly better enough to get people to change from Apple and replace all the apps they already have installed and are familiar with, then Samsung might lose all those who want the 16:10 ratio but… Read more »
“There’s a microSD slot included as well, so this is another aspect where the Tab S2 offers an upgrade over its predecessor.” The old Tab S also has a microSD slot. In fact, if you can get the South Korean Tab S 10.5 LTE-A (model numbers SM-T805S, SM-T805K and SM-T805L), which also has the Exynos 5433 processor, Cat6, 32GB and Bluetooth 4.1, then unless you want the 4:3 shape, smaller size, slightly less weight and fewer pixels, why would you pay more for the Tab S2 9.7? The old Tab S will presumably be discounted now that it’s been superseded.… Read more »
Last year specs in a mid year 2015 product. I already have the note 4 korean version with that processor and the crappy mali T-628 MP6 gpu that stutters in a lot of games. No other features that make it interesting over other tablets already out. Why should I go out and buy this when I got a near identical spec phablet that works just as well, albeit with lags? Sometimes you wonder why tablets are on a decline. Basically nothing interesting. Bleh…
4:3? Why Sammie why?
4.3 is the best
sammie is not samsung looooooool