We say this every year. Yet nothing changes. Where are Android tablets? Forget real Apple iPad rivals at the higher end of the price spectrum. But more affordable choices for someone who wants a capable entertainment and gaming device that can be used as a work machine with a connected keyboard. At least up to a point in terms of performance. Samsung seems to be the only brand still boldly holding the fortress for Android tablets in a space increasingly overrun by the various Apple iPad options. Last year’s Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ and the Galaxy Tab S7 really managed to get things as close to Android as possible. This time there’s an addition to that tried and true formula. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE joins in, making it a troika of options for you depending on how much you want to spend.
A quick price check before we start illustrating the experience, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE is available in two variants in India. There is the Galaxy Tab S7 FE in the 4GB RAM + 64GB storage option which is priced at Rs 46,999 while the higher spec 6GB RAM + 128GB is available for Rs 50,999. Where is this now in the Galaxy Tab S7 family? A quick check of the current market prices shows that the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 with the 11-inch screen can be yours for around Rs 63,999 for the 6GB+128GB version. The larger Galaxy Tab S7+ costs Rs 79,000 or abode for the 6GB+128GB spec. The Galaxy Tab S7 FE will undoubtedly lower the entry-level price to these top-end Android tablets. You would think that the Galaxy Tab S7 FE, due to the naming scheme similar to the Galaxy Tab S7, would also have an 11-inch display. But it isn’t, and it has a 12.4-inch screen, just like the Galaxy Tab S7+. Think of it as a Galaxy Tab S7+ FE, if you may.
Stick to the screen for a moment and it’s not hard to appreciate the real estate available with this large 12.4-inch display. Still, that’s where most of the similarities with the Galaxy Tab S7+ end. The Galaxy Tab S7 FE has a standard LCD screen instead of an AMOLED and a slightly lower resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels. The size matches, but the accountant definitely stepped in at some point to keep the costs of the entire mission under control. Nevertheless, from what I’ve experienced from a diverse mix of video calls, reading, web browsing, photo editing, video streaming on Netflix and some Live cricket streaming on Sony Liv, this screen more than ticks off the checklist and doesn’t quite shoot it. short on every point. As long as you focus more on the experience and don’t pre-book an option based on the spec sheet. It’s so bright that I often had to manually turn the backlight down a notch. It’s not an HDR display, but that didn’t take much away from the time I spent watching Sick Note on Netflix and Clarkson’s Farm on Amazon Prime. The ability to distinguish colors helps, and so does the richness. Just like the ability to keep video content nicely lit and get through with good depth.
We’ve already established that the similarities between the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE and the Galaxy Tab S7+ may have ended with the screen size. Though more will follow on the design front later. But there is certainly a clear distinction between the power pack available for both tablets. The Galaxy Tab S7 FE gets the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G chip as the beating heart of what you experience. In itself no bullshit, but you should not expect the Snapdragon 865G performance. To be honest, you wouldn’t find this insufficient as long as you don’t expect this to be above its weight. With a dozen tabs open in Microsoft Edge for Android, Google Meet call, working on a Microsoft Office document and once the virtual catch-up was done I switched to Spotify for music streaming and Edge tabs became 2x, and still the Galaxy Tab S7 FE did not feel the burden. It just didn’t feel any tension at all, and the switching between apps and the vibrancy with which it loaded Twitter at the time was quite impressive. Mind you, even the slightest hiccup on such a large screen would immediately stand out, but I have nothing to say about that. The Galaxy Tab S7 FE just shuffles along and you have absolutely nothing to complain about.
You must be wondering how this compares to the Apple iPad Air, and it does, with prices starting at Rs 54,900. The thing is, the A14 Bionic chip that powers the iPad Air is completely in a different league, in terms of performance. Still, I assume you’re considering the Galaxy Tab S7 FE because you want something that runs Android and instead don’t want an iPad with iPadOS. And within the Android ecosystem, I don’t really see any competition for the Galaxy Tab S7 FE, especially with this large screen size and the versatility of a laptop, at this price. That said, I’d recommend spending that little bit extra here for the 6GB RAM option too, which gives that critical headroom for better performance and longevity. And for the creatives, the included S-Pen really adds value.
I also didn’t notice the back panel heating up after each session of the various use cases it had undergone. In fact, keeping the heating under control also has a positive effect on battery life. This has the same battery size as its more expensive brother which is a 10900mAh battery pack. I’ve noticed time and time again that when set to lower brightness settings, this display drains the battery a little more efficiently than the Galaxy Tab S7+. These could be the differences in the display technology and the number of pixels to be fed, but the overall gain is that you’ll probably be out for an hour or so more by comparison. The Galaxy Tab S7 FE supports 45-watt fast charging, which makes it a little irritating that Samsung only bundled a 15-watt charger in the box. For a productivity device, this doesn’t derive the best experience from the potential at play.
With the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ last year, I had noticed how Samsung continues to make these subtle tweaks to improve One UI. The same story continues here. I’ve often complained that the One UI of a Samsung Galaxy phone stretched on a tablet screen looks stretched and the icons seem too large. Samsung has heard my complaints (I assume they heard me and want to take some credit for that!) and the updated One UI that the Galaxy Tab S7 FE uses now has more grid display settings, which makes icon placement easier. closer together on the home screens and app drawer. The ‘8X5’ option when you long press the home screen and tap Settings makes a world of difference. Suddenly everything looks better.
The party piece remains the productivity mode, called DeX. This is Samsung doing what Google should have done for tablets many years ago. Click on the keyboard if you bought it, or connect it to a larger display with HDMI, and DeX mode can be activated automatically. This tries to replicate desktop interfaces we know, inspired by the Windows PCs we’ve been using for years. Complete with a start button, a desktop and a taskbar. All your Android apps, whether they like it or not, are displayed in a desktop-like style. Great if you want to work on documents, emails with some switching between cloud storage and virtual team communication. Samsung has done a really good job with DeX, and you can even create a desktop complete with icons etc, and every time you’re logged into DeX, you’ll see your desktop like this. Great if you want to keep DeX as the quick fix for the day at work and when you shut down, the stock Android interface can be prepared for gaming and relaxation apps.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE has simply inherited the good looks that run in the family. It is largely the same in terms of design, size and overall look and feel as the Galaxy Tab S7+. Except that the Galaxy Tab S7 FE is a tad thicker at 6.3mm instead of 5.7mm. That’s still thinner than the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra, which is 8.1mm thick just for perspective. The only visual change is that while the Galaxy Tab S7+ had a glossy black stripe along the camera module, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE doesn’t add that element. You can have this in Mystic Black and Mystic Silver colors. Honestly, this looks absolutely gorgeous when kept on your workstation or bedside table or coffee table. A lot of that has to do with the flat plate design, which looks really good. Mind you, this catches a lot of fingerprints on the front and back, which is very annoying.
I expected Samsung to keep the same Keyboard Cover, the Book Cover Keyboard, as the Galaxy Tab S7+, but the Galaxy Tab S7 FE gets a significantly different experience. Unlike the older sibling that also got a trackpad on the keyboard, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE’s new iteration keyboard is just the keyboard. And the rest of the time you have the touchscreen. This is kind of like how Apple followed up the Smart Keyboard for the iPad Pro and iPad Air line (this keyboard didn’t have the trackpad) with the Magic Keyboard (which also has the trackpad). Except Samsung has done it the other way around. Conversely, remove the trackpad later. I’d prefer the trackpad, something I made my feelings clear about when I tested the Galaxy Tab S7+ and called that keyboard versatile. No complaints about the new keyboard on the Galaxy Tab S7 FE, to be honest. The keys even feel a little tight and the response is sharper, which is even better for typing. But I miss the trackpad and fingers keep searching for it. This will be a steeper learning curve, and by the time I get the hang of it, it will be time for the Galaxy Tab S7 FE to go back to its rightful owners.
Remember that the keyboard accessory is optional and must be purchased separately. If you think your new tablet will do some of the work your laptop does differently, it may make sense to spend the extra. The S-Pen comes bundled and that really adds value. Especially if you are someone who likes to take notes, scribble or sketch. There’s no need to buy an extra accessory, and that’s certainly a plus on the Apple iPad lineup, if there ever was one.
The final word: Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE carries over well-known traditions
The biggest advantage for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE is the undeniable advantage of a further reduction in the entry-level price for the S-series tablets. But it doesn’t change the tried-and-true ingredients of a large screen and a keyboard accessory that also help it double as a work machine when needed. A notch lower than the much more expensive Galaxy Tab S7+ and that is to be expected. Still, there were really no performance shortcomings or experience issues that I should mention. As long as you work within the constraints of this processor and RAM configuration, you’ll be well served. And it’s the software side that really keeps improving, device by device, judging by the minor tweaks to One UI and DeX. There just aren’t enough Android tablets we’d recommend, and Samsung continues to make a very logical argument as to why you shouldn’t bother with a shortlist before buying anyway.
