Credit: The Independent
Verdict
I’m not sure which of the Galaxy Tab S7 FE’s “uncompromising flagship features” makes it more accessible to customers. It’s just a mid-range tablet with a big screen and a big battery, and it doesn’t deserve to be called a Fan Edition. Samsung should have sold the Galaxy Tab S7 FE with an earlier flagship processor, in my opinion. That would have solved the performance problems while keeping the costs down. In addition, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE’s pricing makes it difficult to recommend. For a comparable amount, you can purchase a standard iPad or an iPad Air. Both of those alternatives are unquestionably superior in terms of performance, and they are considerably superior tablets in general. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 is likewise a far better buy, and it’s frequently on sale, bringing its price down to the same level.
Pros:
- Exceptional battery life
- The presentation is clear
- Included is an S Pen
Cons:
- The keyboard cover is extremely simple
- Charging takes an excessive amount of time
- Android is a stumbling block
The Galaxy S20 FE was a major success for Samsung, thanks to an aggressive price tag for hardware that was pretty close to the flagship Galaxy S20 lineup launched in early 2020. When speculations of a Galaxy Tab S7 Fan Edition initially surfaced, everyone assumed the tablet would follow in the footsteps of the Galaxy Tab S20 FE, delivering flagship-level features at not-so-flagship-level pricing.
This was not the case, as it turned out. Unlike the Galaxy S20 FE, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE is a full-fledged mid-range tablet that shares just a few of its hardware features with the Galaxy Tab S7 and Galaxy Tab S7+. The 12.4-inch display, 10,090 mAh battery with 45W charging, S Pen compatibility, and the new One UI software with outstanding features like on-device DeX mode are the sole positives here. Also, you can see what is the best budget 10-inch tablet
Here, we listed points of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Review: Why it doesn’t Come up to the “Fans” Expectations:
- Specifications
- Price and Availability
- Design and Display
- S Pen & Keyboard Folio
- Performance & Battery Life
Also, you can see your Infogrphic for better undertand Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE Review: Why it doesn't Come Up to the "Fan" Expectations
Specifications:
| Dimensions & Weight | 185.0 x 284.8 x 6.3mm 608g |
| Display | 12.4-inch FHD+ TFT LCD 2560 x 1600 (244 PPI) 16:10 aspect ratio 60Hz refresh rate |
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G Adreno 619 |
| RAM & Storage | 4GB + 64GB 6GB + 128GB microSD card slot (up to 1TB) |
| Battery & Charging | 10,090mAh 45W fast charging support 15W charger included |
| Security | Face unlock |
| Rear Camera | 8MP, AF Video: 1080p @30fps |
| Front Camera | 5MP Video: 1080p @30fps |
| Port(s) | USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C |
| Audio | Dual speakers tuned by AKG Dolby Atmos support |
| Connectivity | 4G LTE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac dual-band Wi-Fi Bluetooth 5.0 GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo |
| Software | One UI 3.1 based on Android 11 |
| Other Features | S Pen (not active, <30ms latency) Samsung DeX support 6-month Clip Studio Paint subscription 30-day Canva Pro trial Noteshelf |
Price and Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE is currently available in two versions in the UK and India. We haven’t heard if the tablet will be offered in the United States or Australia.
While the 4GB+64GB model is priced at £589 (about $830 or $1,080), the 6GB+128GB model is priced at £629 (roughly $890 / $1150), according to the manufacturer.
The S Pen is included, and the Book Cover Keyboard costs £139 (Rs 14,999) – however, certain bundle deals make it considerably cheaper. All variants support LTE, although Samsung says a Wi-Fi-only model will be available at a later date and will be somewhat less expensive.
The Tab S7 (Wi-Fi) starts at $649.99 / £619 / AU$1,149 / Rs 55,999, while the Tab S7 Plus starts at $849.99 / £799 / AU$1,549 / Rs 79,999. (the India version is an LTE tablet)
Design and Display
In terms of design, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE is quite similar to the Galaxy Tab S7+. On the rear, it features a pill-shaped camera module, antenna lines on the left and right sides, and a Samsung logo in the top left corner. The Galaxy Tab S7 FE lacks a grass strip adjacent to the camera module, which is the only visible difference between the two. Because the flagship model came with an active S Pen that charged wirelessly when put on the glass strip, this is the reason for the delay. Samsung has removed the glass strip from the Galaxy Tab S7 FE’s S Pen since it is only a glorified pen. Also, you can see the best budget tablets to buy in 2021
There’s a 12.4-inch TFT LCD on the tablet’s front, with a 16:10 aspect ratio, a 60Hz refresh rate, and minimum bezels on all sides. For its budget, the display is adequate for content consumption and bright enough for outdoor use. A 60Hz AMOLED screen or a high refresh rate LCD were predicted at this price point. However, neither was available.
On the Galaxy Tab S7 FE, the power button, volume rocker, and SIM tray are all located on the top edge, while the USB Type-C connector is located on the right edge of the device. This is another downgrade from the flagship versions. On the bottom edge is the same proprietary keyboard connection that is compatible with the Galaxy Tab S7+ keyboard accessories. There is a front-facing camera on the tablet’s top bezel, which is located in the middle of the bezel.
As a whole, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE feels exactly as high-end as the Galaxy Tab S7flagship +’s counterpart. Some key capabilities are missing, such as fingerprint scanning, which you’d expect to see on a tablet that costs over 45,000 ($600). If you read that correctly, you’re correct. The Galaxy Tab S7 FE doesn’t feature a fingerprint scanner, which is disappointing. As far as biometric authentication goes, the only option is software-enabled Face Unlock, and we all know how secure that method is.
S Pen & Keyboard Folio
As mentioned earlier, the S Pen that comes with the Galaxy Tab S7 FE isn’t the same as the one you get with the flagship models. It’s just a glorified stylus that doesn’t support any of the premium features you get with the active S Pen. In addition to that, it doesn’t offer the same 9ms ultra-low latency as the active S Pen you get with the Galaxy Note 20 or Galaxy Tab S7 series. Instead, it promises <30ms latency, which isn’t all that great for writing or drawing.
Similarly, the Galaxy Tab FE keyboard folio cover is an upgrade from the Galaxy Tab S7. In terms of style and build quality, it’s comparable to the keyboard folio for the Galaxy Tab S7, however, it’s missing a trackpad. Using a mouse or trackpad to do things on the tab is inconvenient.
Performance & Battery Life
While the Galaxy Tab S7 FE’s Fan Edition name may lead you to assume it has a flagship SoC, it does not. The tablet is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 750G, a mid-range processor seen in devices like the OnePlus Nord CE. The SoC comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage on the base model, and 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage on the higher-end model. I was anticipating the tablet to operate equally as well, if not better, than the OnePlus Nord CE, which also features the same SoC. But it didn’t happen. Also, you can see the best budget drawing tablets to buy in 2021
Galaxy Tab S7 FE offers adequate performance for light tasks and media consumption. Those who want to perform serious work or play demanding games on the tablet should search elsewhere for a tablet. A handful of problems that I discovered while using the Galaxy Tab S7 FE in recent weeks might deter some consumers. In addition, it slowed quite a bit when I had more than a few Chrome tabs open for work, and it froze when I played demanding games like COD: Mobile at medium to high graphics settings. It also took much too long to convert from tablet mode to DeX mode.
The tablet functioned great when watching videos on YouTube as long as I kept the video quality set to auto or 1080p. However, when I went to a higher-quality option, the video stuttered. It’s also worth mentioning that, while the tablet’s speakers are generally good, they cracked at high intensity in some instances.
The tablet functioned great when watching videos on YouTube as long as I kept the video quality set to auto or 1080p. However, when I went to a higher-quality option, the video stuttered. It’s also worth mentioning that, while the tablet’s speakers are generally good, they cracked at high intensity in some instances.
The battery life of the Galaxy Tab S7 FE is excellent. It worked admirably, with a four-hour Netflix binge session at full brightness draining around half the battery. The tablet barely lasted around two days on a single charge while doing just browser-based work.
Despite good battery life, the charging pace of this tablet is horrendous! A 15-watt charger is included in the box, despite the device’s capability for 45-watt rapid charging. As a result, the tablet’s 10,090mAh battery was charged in over three hours, which is unsatisfactory. This is disappointing, but not surprising, given that Samsung sells the same 15W charger with its top Galaxy Tab S7 tablet.
