Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE review

Design, build quality, handling

The Galaxy Tab S7 FE and Tab S7+ look identical - they are both using aluminum unibodies with thin flat sides. In fact, if it weren't for the S-Pen charging bed on the S7+, it would have been impossible to easily tell them apart. And that's good news - this means the Galaxy S7 FE build is as good and premium as the rest of the series.

Tab S7+ and Tab S7 FE

The brushed aluminum is the popular material choice for the recent Samsung and Apple tablets, and we wholeheartedly approve. The Galaxy Tab S7 FE feels solid and looks stylish - contrary to some toy-like plastic tablets.

We are glad the flat sides have made this glorious return, and even if we will never leave it this way, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE can stand on its sides without extra support.

Tab S7+ and Tab S7 FE

We have the Mystic Black version of the Galaxy Tab S7 FE, and it is a looker, alright. But it is also an absolutely massive fingerprint magnet. Smudges stick extremely easily and are not that easy to wipe. Samsung is selling the FE model in Silver, Green and Pink, and if you decide in favor of its purchase, we'd suggest getting one of the models in a brighter color.

The 12.4-inch display is all that is of interest at the front. It has an even black bezel, where your fingers will rest no matter the orientation.

A tiny 5MP front camera centered on the right side is the only interruption on that bezel.

The screen of the Tab S7 FE has seen some of the biggest downgrades compared to the other Tab S7 devices - it is a TFT LCD instead of OLED, and it maxes out at a 60Hz refresh rate. The good news is that it still supports HDR10+, S-Pen with low-latency mode and retains a high resolution.

There is no fingerprint scanner on the Tab S7 FE. The S7+ has an under-display reader, while the Tab S7 has a side-mounted sensor. We cannot excuse the missing fingerprint scanner on the Tab S7 FE, whatever the price cut.

The back of the Galaxy Tab S7 FE is flat and clean of features if we don't count the single 8MP camera. It is placed on a small jutting-out glass piece and next to it you may be able to spot one of the microphones. There is no LED flash on the Tab S7 FE.

The antennae lines are clearly visible on the back and the sides, but that has always been the case with aluminum unibodies.

There is something you cannot see at first - a magnetic holder for the S-Pen next to the camera. It is at the same spot where we saw it on the high-end Tab S7 tablets, and if you get the S-Pen near it, the stylus will click nicely into place.

The Tab S7 FE, just like its sibling, has another S-Pen magnetic attachment on its right side (portrait orientation).

Neither of the S-Pen beds support charging, meaning the S-Pen is entirely passive and cannot do Air Gestures. Well, about that... We were able to charge the stylus when we placed it on the Galaxy Tab S7+ charging bed. This means it has a capacitor and probably BT support. Either Samsung gave us the wrong S-Pen, or it is in fact the same one as the one with the Tab S7 and S7+, but the maker has decided on pulling an Apple stunt and making you buy the more expensive S-Pen Pro stylus to get the wireless functionality.

We can't decide on which is the better spot for the S-Pen, but we can confirm that both are inconvenient. If you opt for the Book Cover Keyboard, you will have a better located cradle for the S-Pen on the inside, and it won't be as easy to lose it.

This cover is expensive at €160 though, and it doesn't even have a trackpad as the one made for the Tab S7 or the S7+. That's why we'd suggest getting a much cheaper BT-enabled keyboard and mouse and save some cash for something else, say wireless earbuds.

Now, let's look at the flat sides of the tablet. For the sake of this description, we'd consider the tablet in portrait orientation.

The top of the Tab S7 FE has one of the speakers and another mic.

The bottom side is where you'd find the other speaker grille and the USB-C port. The two speakers are thoughtfully positioned and well balanced.

The left side has the Book Cover Keyboard magnetic pins.

The right side is overcrowded - here you'd find the power/lock button, the volume key, the third microphone, and the card tray. Our 5G model can take one nano-SIM card and one microSD. If you get the Wi-Fi model, the SIM bed will be missing, but you can still put a microSD card.

Here, you can also attach the S-Pen as there are hidden magnets somewhere near the card tray.

The Galaxy Tab S7 FE feels as premium as the rest of the Tab S7 models - it is of a solid build with no gaps you can feel or hear if you knock on it. The weight is balanced across its large body, and it is a pleasure to work with, no matter whether it's in portrait or landscape orientation. It is a big tablet, yes, but that's why it's perfect for multimedia, browsing, reading, or working.