Specs comparison: Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 vs Galaxy Tab S5e
Samsung’s newest tablet, the Galaxy Tab S5e, has made a surprise appearance today, ahead of its release in the second quarter of the year. The ‘e’ in the tablet’s name makes it clear that the Tab S5e isn’t the kind of upgrade you’d expect over the Galaxy Tab S4, but when it comes to the Galaxy Tab S3, the Tab S5e does have some interesting specs.
A bigger, more high-resolution display, a larger battery, higher internal storage options, and the latest version of Android are a few things the Galaxy Tab S5e has going for it. The processor under the hood isn’t a flagship-grade chipset like the S3’s Snapdragon 820 was, but it is a more modern mid-range chip that should hold its own for even demanding tasks.
Of course, whether the Galaxy Tab S5e is a tablet worth buying or upgrading to is something only a full review can tell. But for now, those wondering how the Galaxy Tab S3 and Tab S5e compare on paper can check out the specs comparison table below. For more details on these tablets, check out our devices section.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 vs. Galaxy Tab S5e
| Galaxy Tab S3 | Galaxy Tab S5e | |
| Display | 9.7-inch Super AMOLED, 2048 x 1536, 4:3 Aspect Ratio | 10.5-inch Super AMOLED, 2560 x 1600, 16:10 Aspect Ratio |
| S Pen | Yes | No |
| Operating System | Android 7.0 Nougat, upgradeable to Android Oreo | Android 9 Pie |
| Processor | Snapdragon 820 Quad-core (2×2.15 GHz Kryo & 2×1.6 GHz Kryo), 64-bit, Adreno 530 | Snapdragon 670, Octa-core (2×2.0 GHz & 6×1.7 GHz), 64-bit |
| RAM | 4GB | 4GB/6GB |
| Storage | 32GB | 64GB/128GB |
| microSD Card | up to 256GB | up to 512GB |
| Rear-facing camera | 13MP, Autofocus, LED flash, 4K Video Recording | 13MP, Autofocus, 4K Video Recording (30fps) |
| Front-facing camera | 5MP | 8MP |
| Loudspeakers | Quad Stereo, Tuned by AKG (Dolby Atmos support with Oreo update) | Quad speakers, Tuned by AKG with Dolby Atmos support |
| Wireless Connectivity | LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 2.4G+5GHz, MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.2 with LE | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 2.4G+5GHz, VHT80 MU-MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth v5.0 |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou |
| USB | USB 3.1 Type-C | USB 3.1 Type-C |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, Ambient Light, Fingerprint, Gyroscope, Hall, Magnetic, Proximity, RGB | Accelerometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, RGB Light Sensor |
| Keyboard Case | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions | 169.0 x 237.3 x 6.0mm | 245.0 x 160.0 x 5.5mm |
| Weight | 429g (Wi-Fi) / 434g (LTE) | 400g |
| Battery | 6,000 mAh with fast charging | 7,040 mAh with fast charging |
- Model: SM-T720
- Dimensions: 245.0 x 160.0 x 5.5mm
- Display: 10.5” (266.7mm) Super AMOLED
- CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 670
- Camera: 13 MP, CMOS
- Model: SM-T820
- Dimensions: 237.3 x 169.0 x 6.0mm
- Display: 9.7” (246.4mm) Super AMOLED
- CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 820
- Camera: 13 MP, CMOS
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I on a Tab S and then I decided I wanted to upgrade so I bought a tab S3 supposedly refurbished and after two days I think I’m returning. It will not fast charge in fact it it’s a very slow charge not good enough to use apparently. Read on the net that this is a common problem with many of the Samsung tablets and I’m hoping it doesn’t extend to the newer ones like this 5e. Where the charging just breaks down to a crawl. Anyone have suggestions whether I should go to the tab S4 instead or this… Read more »
There is a mistake in your description: Tab S3 is eligible to Android Pie 9 upgrade and that’s scheduled for August 2019.
Another thing is the micro SD capacity. All modern phones (starting let’s say from 2013) can accommodate all existing micro SD capacities
I’d have bought one if it had an S-pen and an LTE option. The S-pen is a real miss, I think, since the S3 and S4, and now all iPads have stylus support. The iPad can be had with stylus support for $279 on Amazon this week (albeit with no pen included).
The tab s4 is just too expensive. I think I may be looking at an iPad for the first time after two Nexus, a tab S2, and current tab S4 tablets.