Like your tablets light and your OS heavy? You’re in luck, because Samsung’s Galaxy TabPro S is finally available, and it’s packing full-on Windows 10, despite the Galaxy name and lightweight, convertible design.
The tablet, like other lightweight Windows 10 devices, is powered by an Intel Core M CPU. Samsung doesn’t explicitly list which processor that is, but does say it’s a 2.2GHz dual-core option, which likely means the entry-level Core m3-6y30. The M chips have come a long way in the latest generation, and even the basic chip performs well enough for the kind of use a 2-in-1 is likely to see.
Like a lot of newer mobile devices, the TabPro S opts for an advanced super-AMOLED screen. The 12-inch display packs in a 2,160 x 1,440 resolution, a nice step up from the more common 1,920 x 1,080 displays found in cheaper tablets. This is also, as far as we know, the first Windows device to ever boast OLED technology, though Dell and Lenovo should soon have laptops with OLED on the market, as well.
Galaxy phone owners also have the added benefit of an NFC connection. It allows you to use a Samsung phone to unlock the tablet, and take advantage of other NFC features that Windows machines don’t generally have access to.
While we didn’t have a chance to test the battery at CES, Samsung claims it charges in just over two hours, and runs for over ten hours on a single charge. It’s only a 5,200 mAh battery, however, so we’ll make sure to test those results carefully.
But specs aren’t the only method of evaluating a tablet, and power distribution and display quality tend to be major X factors for 2-in-1 devices. Samsung has built some of our favorite smartphones in recent years, but the Korean brand’s computing efforts have fallen short. But our short time with the Tab Pro S was a pleasant experience, and there’s no reason this can’t be Samsung’s best entry into computing in the North American market yet.
Price was an unknown until now, but Samsung says the Tab Pro S will start at $900, a common starting price for Windows 2-in-1s. That includes the magnetically attachable keyboard, a high point from our hands-on time with the device, and a luxury most manufacturers charge $150 for.
