Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 hands-on: First look

First look

GSMArena team, 31 August, 2015.

Introduction

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 is the Korean giant's latest entry into the market for premium full-size tablets. Launched alongside a compact variant with 8" display, the ultra-thin newcomer is aimed squarely at Apple's iPad family in its segment.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 preview

In a bid to attract the attention from current and prospective Apple iPad buyers, Samsung has made the Galaxy Tab S2 the thinnest and lightest slate in its class. With a 5.6mm waistline and 389 grams of weight, the Tab S2 is sleeker and lighter than the already impossibly thin Apple iPad Air 2.

Of course, as expected from a flagship tablet by Samsung, the specs of the Galaxy Tab S2 aren't too shabby either. Take a quick look at what the tablet has to offer below.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 at a glance

  • Display: 9.7" Super AMOLED unit with a resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels; 264ppi; 4:3 aspect ratio
  • CPU: 1.9GHz quad-core Cortex-A57; 1.3GHz quad-core Cortex-A53
  • GPU: Mali-T760
  • Chipset: 20nm Exynos 5433 SoC with big.LITTLE architecture
  • RAM: 3GB
  • Memory: 32/64GB of built-in memory; microSD card slot
  • Dimensions: 237.3 x 169 x 5.6 mm; 389 grams (Wi-Fi model); 392 grams (LTE variant)
  • OS: Android 5.0.2 Lollipop with TouchWiz UX
  • Cameras: 8MP main camera with 1440p video capture @ 30 fps; 2.1MP front-facing unit
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac; Bluetooth 4.1; microUSB v2.0 with MHL TV-out; GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS; optional 4G LTE network connectivity
  • General: Built-in fingerprint sensor; dual speakers

Displays with 4:3 aspect ratio have quickly become the norm in the Android tablet realm, so it is hardly a surprise that the Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 features one. Samsung first introduced a 4:3 screen on the budget-friendly Galaxy Tab A series of slates earlier this year.

Samsung's own 20nm Exynos 5433 chipset/3GB of RAM combo found in the Tab S2, while not as capable is the beastly Exynos 7420 found in the Galaxy S6 family, is surely not a slouch. The SoC was featured in a variant of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 preview

With all that said, follow us on the next page for an unboxing of Samsung Galaxy Tab S2, followed by a closer look at its design and build quality.

Reader comments

  • Poli
  • 04 Nov 2023
  • vxL

Can use as a second monitor?

  • Mana
  • 05 Nov 2022
  • IWT

Awesome Tab. It's better than apple

  • Jesse
  • 29 Aug 2022
  • B%f

Mine has sim slot!