Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 review: By the dozen

Hardware overview

The Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 follows the design of the Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014). That means landscape is the default orientation and the hardware keys are placed along one of the long sides.

Those are the App Switcher, Home and Back buttons. The capacitive App Switcher and Back keys work with the S Pen, but they stay fixed in place, which is now an even bigger problem on the larger tablet (if you hold the tablet in portrait, the keys are hard to reach). It's time Samsung considered on-screen buttons on tablets.

Above the screen is the ambient light sensor and the 2MP/1080p video-call camera. The screen bezels are just big enough to allow room for your thumb when handling the large slab.

Standard Samsung keys • camera and ambient light sensor

The sides of the Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 have the same grooved metallic texture we saw on the Note 3 phablet. It adds a nice accent to the otherwise all-black exterior. A white version of the Note Pro 12.2 is also available.

The top side of the tablet features the Power button and volume rocker. Those are virtually impossible to reach with one hand, but then so is almost everything else about this tablet.

Also on top is the IR blaster and a microphone pinhole.

There's an IR blaster on top, along with a microphone, the power key and a volume rocker

The Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 has stereo speakers on the short sides. The S Pen compartment is on the right, along with the microUSB 3.0 port (back compatible with microUSB 2.0) and the microSD card slot, which is sealed by a plastic flap.

microUSB 3.0 port, microSD card slot and S Pen sheath

The 3.5mm audio jack is on the left side of the tablet and there's nothing on the bottom.

The second loudspeaker and the 3.5mm audio jack

The massive back is home only to the 8MP camera and its LED flash. While we're not fans of tablet photography (especially with a tablet this size) the camera does have its legitimate uses - the pre-installed drawing app lets you snap a reference photo to draw over.

The expansive faux leather back houses the 8MP camera and the LED flash

Under the back cover is massive 9,500mAh battery. We ran our own battery tests for web browsing and video playback, check the results in the next section.

Battery

The Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 features a big 9,500mAh battery, but it has an enormous screen to feed. We have the Wi-Fi only version of the tablet (with an Exynos chipset) so we tested only the web browsing and video playback times and both came out around nine and a half hours.

Compared to the Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014) that's nearly two hours better on the web browser and a bit better for the video player. By our calculations, the 12.2" screen has 46% more surface area to light up compared to the 10.1", while the battery is only 16% bigger so that's quite good.

The Apple iPad Air does go 40 minutes longer on the web test and three hours more on the video test, but the same screen size considerations apply.

Web browsing

• Sony Xperia C
  12:45
• Nokia Lumia 1520
  12:40
• Acer Liquid E2
  12:39
• Sony Xperia Z1 Compact
  12:37
• HTC Desire 700 dual sim
  12:30
• LG G2
  11:22
• HTC One Max
  11:20
• Sony Xperia ZR
  11:20
• Nokia Lumia 1320
  10:58
• Samsung Galaxy S4 mini duos
  10:10
• BlackBerry Q5
  10:04
• HTC One
  9:58
• Apple iPhone 5s
  9:58
• Apple iPhone 5
  9:56
• Samsung Galaxy S4 mini
  9:47
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo
  9:43
• Alcatel One Touch Hero
  9:40
• Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2
  9:33
• LG G Flex
  9:31
• Motorola RAZR MAXX (ICS)
  9:12
• Apple iPad mini
  9:05
• Apple iPhone 5c
  9:05
• Oppo N1
  9:05
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3
  9:04
• ASUS Nexus 7 (2013)
  9:03
• Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom
  8:51
• Samsung Galaxy Note II N7100
  8:48
• BlackBerry Q10
  8:42
• Nokia Lumia 810
  8:20
• Asus Padfone 2
  8:20
• Moto X
  8:17
• Huawei Ascend Mate
  8:17
• Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3
  8:17
• HTC One mini
  8:12
• Nokia Lumia 610
  8:01
• HTC One X+
  7:56
• Sony Xperia E dual
  7:42
• Samsung Galaxy S III mini
  7:38
• Nokia Lumia 720
  7:37
• Samsung Galaxy S4 Active
  7:35
• BlackBerry Z30
  7:34
• Samsung Galaxy S4 (S600)
  7:24
• Huawei MediaPad 7 Vogue
  7:23
• Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX
  7:23
• HTC Radar
  7:17
• Nokia Lumia 520
  7:15
• Samsung Galaxy S4 GPE
  7:13
• LG Optimus GJ
  7:11
• Gigabyte GSmart Maya M1 v2
  7:10
• Meizu MX3
  7:09
• Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos
  7:09
• Samsung Galaxy Express
  7:09
• Nokia Lumia 625
  7:07
• Motorola RAZR i
  7:06
• Samsung Galaxy S4 (Octa)
  6:58
• Apple iPhone 4S
  6:56
• Samsung I8262 Galaxy Core
  6:54
• HTC One V
  6:49
• LG Optimus G Pro
  6:40
• Samsung I9105 Galaxy S II Plus
  6:40
• Sony Xperia L
  6:40
• HTC Droid DNA
  6:40
• Samsung Galaxy Premier
  6:40
• Motorola Atrix HD
  6:40
• BlackBerry Curve 9380
  6:40
• Samsung Galaxy Ace 3
  6:38
• Sony Xperia Z
  6:37
• Samsung Galaxy Xcover 2
  6:35
• HTC Desire 600 dual sim
  6:34
• HTC Desire 500
  6:31
• Huawei Ascend P6
  6:30
• BlackBerry Z10
  6:27
• Samsung I9300 Galaxy S III (JB)
  6:27
• HTC Butterfly
  6:24
• Sony Xperia SP
  6:18
• Samsung i937 Focus S
  6:15
• Nokia Lumia 510
  6:13
• Sony Xperia ZL
  6:04
• HTC Windows Phone 8X
  6:01
• Sony Xperia Z1
  5:59
• Sony Xperia ion LTE
  5:56
• Samsung Galaxy Fame
  5:55
• Samsung Rugby Smart I847
  5:53
• Pantech Burst
  5:51
• Nokia Lumia 1020
  5:50
• Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G
  5:45
• HTC Desire V
  5:44
• HTC Evo 4G LTE
  5:41
• Nokia Lumia 920
  5:40
• Samsung Wave 3 S8600
  5:34
• Oppo Find 5
  5:33
• Sony Xperia T
  5:33
• Samsung Captivate Glide
  5:33
• Samsung I8530 Galaxy Beam
  5:28
• Samsung Galaxy Note LTE
  5:24
• Sony Xperia Z Ultra
  5:23
• Samsung Galaxy S Duos
  5:23
• HTC Sensation XL
  5:20
• Meizu MX 4-core
  5:19
• Samsung I9300 Galaxy S III
  5:17
• Sony Xperia acro S
  5:16
• HTC Rezound
  5:16
• HTC Desire X
  5:16
• LG Optimus G
  5:15
• HTC Rhyme
  5:08
• Samsung I9103 Galaxy R
  5:07
• HTC One X (AT&T)
  5:03
• Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro
  4:50
• LG Optimus Vu
  4:49
• HTC Vivid
  4:46
• LG Nexus 5
  4:46
• Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos
  4:45
• Meizu MX
  4:35
• Google Nexus 4
  4:34
• Nokia N9
  4:33
• Acer CloudMobile S500
  4:32
• Nokia Lumia 820
  4:24
• Samsung Galaxy S II
  4:24
• Sony Ericsson Xperia neo V
  4:20
• HTC One X
  4:18
• Nokia 808 PureView
  4:14
• LG Optimus 3D Max P720
  4:10
• Nokia Lumia 900 for AT&T
  4:10
• Nokia Lumia 800
  4:07
• HTC Titan II (LTE)
  4:05
• HTC One S
  4:03
• BlackBerry Bold 9790
  4:02
• LG Nitro HD
  4:00
• LG Optimus 4X HD
  3:59
• Sony Xperia P
  3:59
• Nokia Lumia 710
  3:51
• Nokia Lumia 620
  3:50
• Samsung Galaxy Pocket
  3:47
• Samsung Galaxy Note
  3:35
• Huawei Ascend P1
  3:23
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus
  3:01

Video playback

• LG G Flex
  19:57
• Motorola RAZR MAXX (ICS)
  16:35
• Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX
  14:17
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3
  13:32
• Nokia Lumia 1020
  13:12
• Samsung Galaxy S4 mini
  13:12
• HTC One Max
  13:11
• Sony Xperia C
  12:53
• Samsung Galaxy S4 mini duos
  12:52
• Apple iPad mini
  12:51
• Samsung Galaxy Premier
  12:51
• Samsung Galaxy S4 GPE
  12:32
• Nokia Lumia 1520
  12:31
• Samsung Galaxy S4 (S600)
  12:30
• BlackBerry Q5
  12:28
• Huawei Ascend Mate
  12:18
• LG G2
  11:51
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo
  11:38
• Samsung Galaxy S4 (Octa)
  11:29
• Samsung Galaxy Note II N7100
  11:27
• BlackBerry Q10
  11:15
• Oppo N1
  11:15
• BlackBerry Z30
  10:35
• Apple iPhone 5s
  10:31
• Apple iPhone 5
  10:12
• HTC One
  10:02
• Sony Xperia Z1 Compact
  10:01
• Moto X
  10:01
• Samsung Galaxy Express
  10:00
• Samsung I9105 Galaxy S II Plus
  10:00
• Nokia 808 PureView
  9:53
• Alcatel One Touch Hero
  9:49
• Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2
  9:43
• Samsung I8530 Galaxy Beam
  9:42
• Samsung Rugby Smart I847
  9:34
• Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom
  9:30
• HTC One S
  9:28
• Samsung I9300 Galaxy S III (JB)
  9:27
• Apple iPhone 4S
  9:24
• Nokia Lumia 1320
  9:17
• HTC Evo 4G LTE
  9:07
• Sony Xperia Z Ultra
  8:45
• BlackBerry Z10
  8:44
• LG Optimus G Pro
  8:40
• Nokia N9
  8:40
• Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3
  8:34
• HTC Butterfly
  8:28
• Samsung Galaxy Note
  8:25
• LG Optimus GJ
  8:15
• Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos
  8:11
• HTC One X+
  8:11
• Motorola RAZR i
  8:11
• Samsung Galaxy S II
  8:00
• Samsung i937 Focus S
  7:55
• Samsung Wave 3 S8600
  7:52
• HTC Desire 500
  7:50
• Samsung Galaxy S III mini
  7:46
• Sony Ericsson Xperia neo V
  7:45
• Apple iPhone 5c
  7:41
• Asus Padfone 2
  7:38
• Huawei Ascend P1
  7:38
• Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G
  7:33
• Acer Liquid E2
  7:30
• Samsung I8262 Galaxy Core
  7:30
• Sony Xperia ZR
  7:30
• HTC Droid DNA
  7:30
• Samsung Galaxy Note LTE
  7:30
• Samsung Galaxy Xcover 2
  7:30
• Sony Xperia SP
  7:27
• HTC One mini
  7:23
• Nokia Lumia 610
  7:23
• LG Optimus G
  7:16
• Samsung Galaxy S4 Active
  7:03
• Asus Nexus 7 (2013)
  7:03
• Huawei Ascend P6
  6:55
• Samsung Galaxy Ace 3
  6:54
• HTC Desire 600 dual sim
  6:49
• Nokia Lumia 720
  6:43
• Huawei MediaPad 7 Vogue
  6:40
• Meizu MX 4-core
  6:33
• Nokia Lumia 620
  6:32
• Nokia Lumia 625
  6:29
• HTC Windows Phone 8X
  6:27
• Sony Xperia E dual
  6:27
• Nokia Lumia 810
  6:27
• HTC Desire V
  6:26
• HTC Desire 700 dual sim
  6:26
• HTC One X (AT&T)
  6:26
• Nokia Lumia 820
  6:25
• Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos
  6:25
• Gigabyte GSmart Maya M1 v2
  6:24
• Nokia Lumia 510
  6:23
• LG Optimus Vu
  6:23
• Samsung I9103 Galaxy R
  6:21
• Nokia Lumia 920
  6:19
• Sony Xperia Z1
  6:12
• HTC Sensation XL
  6:12
• LG Nexus 5
  6:06
• Samsung Galaxy Pocket
  6:06
• Samsung Captivate Glide
  6:04
• Sony Xperia ion LTE
  6:03
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus
  6:02
• Sony Xperia T
  6:01
• Motorola Atrix HD
  6:01
• HTC Vivid
  6:00
• HTC Radar
  5:54
• Nokia Lumia 800
  5:52
• Nokia Lumia 520
  5:50
• HTC Titan II
  5:50
• BlackBerry Bold 9790
  5:47
• HTC One X
  5:45
• Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro
  5:44
• Sony Xperia Z
  5:39
• Meizu MX3
  5:38
• Sony Xperia acro S
  5:38
• HTC Desire X
  5:38
• Pantech Burst
  5:38
• Sony Xperia ZL
  5:28
• Meizu MX
  5:27
• HTC Rhyme
  5:23
• HTC One V
  5:20
• Acer CloudMobile S500
  5:18
• Oppo Find 5
  5:18
• Nokia Lumia 900 for AT&T
  5:18
• BlackBerry Curve 9380
  5:09
• HTC Rezound
  5:03
• Samsung Galaxy Fame
  5:02
• Google Nexus 4
  4:55
• Sony Xperia L
  4:44
• Samsung Galaxy S Duos
  4:30
• Sony Xperia P
  4:30
• LG Nitro HD
  4:17
• LG Optimus 4X HD
  4:14
• LG Optimus 3D Max P720
  3:28
• Nokia Lumia 710
  3:27