Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE Review: Worth the FE tag?
Starting at Rs 46,999 is the Tab S7 FE a good laptop replacement or just another toy for your children? Let's find out in this review.
The Android tablet space has been lacking for quite a while now. Now, there is a new addition, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE. With the lockdown restrictions in place and the SARS-CoV-2 virus infecting more and more people, powerful tablets that can replace your computer are a need of the hour. However, starting at Rs 46,999 is the Tab S7 FE a good laptop replacement or just another toy for your children? Let's find out in this review.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE Review: Specifications
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE sports a massive 12.4-inch TFT LCD display with an aspect ratio of 16:10 and a resolution of 2650x1600. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G processor paired with 4/6GB of RAM and 64/128GB of onboard storage. The storage is further expandable using a microSD card slot. It runs on Android 11 based OneUI 3.1 out of the box. All of this is backed by a 10,090mAh battery.
On the optics front, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE features a single rear camera setup with an 8MP lens. Upfront, there is a 5MP selfie snapper.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE Review: Design and Display
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE comes with a very sleek and minimalist design. The minimal bezels on the display makes the size smaller without much compromise on the screen real estate. With just the Samsung and AKG branding on the back, the tablet looks clean. The tablet does not get a glossy back which helps in maintaining a discrete look. Overall, the feel of the device is really premium in hand. There is some heft to it, but that can be expected with a 12.4-inch display.
The right side houses a power and volume rocker along with a micro-sd and a single sim card slot. The left side houses a magnetic pin connector used to attach accessories like a keyboard. The top and bottom edges come with dual speakers tuned by AKG. The charging port can be found on the bottom edge.
Coming back to the display, it is a 12.4-inch LCD panel with a resolution of 2560x1600 pixels. Surprisingly, the panel is not AMOLED, not an IPS LCD, but a TFT LCD panel. At this price point, this was a bit disappointing and can easily be noticed, when you are trying to watch movies. The screen is bright enough even under direct sunlight. Whether you are reading an ebook, or watching a movie or trying to type something, the screen suits well enough. However, the lack of AMOLED display at this price point keeps you wanting for more.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE Review: Performance, Software and UI
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G processor paired with 4/6GB of RAM. Our review unit comes with 6GB RAM and 128GB of storage. The Snapdragon 750G is a really capable processor, considering it packs in 5G support, it's a really good choice for a tablet that’s meant to replace your laptop.
The Galaxy Tab S7 FE performs very well in any task you throw at it. The big battery makes sure you can watch movies for hours before you have to plug it back in. The included S-Pen in the box means you can draw to bring out that artistic hobby of yours. When it's time to get to work, you can buy a keyboard accessory that will help in mounting the tablet upright and provide a decent keyboard to work on the go. The only disappointment here is a missing trackpad on the keyboard of the Tab S7. This review was typed on this tablet with the keyboard case. The missing trackpad can be felt.
If you plan to play agmes on this tablet, it can run games ranging from Candy Crush all the way upto Asphalt 9 and Call of Duty Mobile for hours without any issue.
The Galaxy Tab S7 FE runs on Android 11 based One UI 3.1 out of the box. The user interface feels unpolished in the normal mode. The UI looks like a scaled up version of their phone. However, pop the tablet Samsung Dex mode and everything changes. The interface feels like a Windows Laptop, along with the options to multitask and floating windows. Samsung Dex is one of the greatest things to ever happen on an Android Tablet.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE Review: Cameras
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE sports a single 8-megapixel rear camera setup at the back and a single 5-megapixel camera at the front.
The camera app is straightforward and anyone using a Samsung phone will feel right at home.
During our tests, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE managed to click some decent shots. Under good lighting conditions, the tablet managed to lock focus quickly and even picked up the natural colours. The front camera get’s more usage, with being used mostly for video calls. The camera won’t churn out breathtaking photos to be uploaded to your Instagram or those Snapchat selfies. However, the best use of the camera can be for your children’s online classes or your work calls, or when you want to sit back and connect to your loved ones when you cannot meet them. The design choice of keeping the camera on the long edge top that it sits upright when docked into a keyboard case is really nice.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE Review: Battery
The Tab S7 FE comes equipped with a 10,090mAh battery. With a 12.4-inch display and modern smartphones packing a 5000mAh battery, the battery capacity doesn't sound much, but it is. While watching a movie at full brightness, the tablet drops only 30-40 per cent battery in a movie. While using the tablet in a mix of workload for office, with music in the background, movies at night, the tablet lasts for 9-10 hours which is more than enough. The only gripe here is the included 15W charger when the tablet supports up to 45W fast charging. The included charger takes around 3-4 hours to fully charge which is honestly way too much time. We used it with a 45-watt charger and it charged up the device in under an hour and a half which is really good.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE Review: Verdict
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE starts at Rs 46,999 and costs Rs 50,999 for the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage variant. Overall, at this price, the tablet is great but it would have been better if it had a AMOLED or an IPS panel instead of the TFT display. However, if you need a portable device for your children’s online classes or for your basic web browsing and movie consumption needs, this would be a great replacement for a Chromebook or that smartphone you are still using especially with the included S-Pen.
If you are looking for a tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE is a great tablet from the company. However, while using its true potential, the Android as an OS with the lack of desktop apps support really hit you hard. But the S-Pen provides another level of comfort while bringing out our artistic self. Overall, if you are willing to accept the unavailability of desktop-level apps, or you just need a secondary device for entertainment, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE is a great buy.