Galaxy Tab S 8.4 vs Asus Zenpad S 8.0

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My $299 Galaxy Tab S 8.4 is on backorder and the seller now has the new Asus Zenpad S 8.0 for $199.

I'm going with this particular seller because I have a $100 credit with them.

So I'm trying to decide whether to switch my order to the new Asus Zenpad. Here is what I've found so far:

Speed: About the same in benchmarks done so far
Memory: Samsung 3GB vs Asus 2GB.
Storage: Samsung 16GB vs Asus 32GB
OS: Both run Lollipop
Display: Samsung 16:9 369ppi SuperAMOLED vs Asus 4:3 320ppi IPS LCD
Weight and thinness: about the same

The Samsung has the best display available of any tablet including Apple. But the ASUS is supposed to be excellent as well eg they made the Nexus 7 whose display has been rated very highly as well.

The ASUS also uses some software to enhance the display and also has DTS HD surround sound capabilities. There is even going to be a case available with 6 surround sound speakers.

I'm finding it hard to decide on whether I can live with 16:9 ratio for non movie use on the Samsung and whether the extra inch for movie use is going to be something I'll appreciate to justify the extra $100.

The ASUS seems terrific value for money for $199. The Tab S was $100 off the regular price of $399 when I put my order in.

So I'm really looking to hear if anyone has personal experience with the Tab S in terms of whether that extra screen real estate enhances movie watching and also whether the 16:9 aspect ratio interferes with surfing, reading and other apps.
 
I have a Tab S 8.4 and love it. the display really is nice. I don't watch enough movies on mine for it to really matter, but browsing is much better than on my daughter's 8" tablet. the extra 'real estate' is great for online use. Bitog is great on the standard browser, no issues at all - FWIW.

Of course I probably use mine more for 'Clash of Clans' than anything, but that's another story. lol

Regarding the extra storage space, I have a 32-GB micro SD card in mine, so I have 48 Gig of storage. I will swap it for a 64-GB card when it comes in, but no where near running of space with my current setup.
 
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Thanks Lawn_Care!

What 8" tablet does your daughter have, and why do you say the Tab S does better browsing than it?
 
Originally Posted By: Benito
Thanks Lawn_Care!

What 8" tablet does your daughter have, and why do you say the Tab S does better browsing than it?


She has the 'Sero 8', $129 at wally-world. Been a good one so far, long battery life, and decent performance.

The higher resolution along with the larger display and screen ratio - the combination of these is what does it for me. You wouldn't think the extra 'real esate, as you called it) would make much of a difference - but on some sites it makes the experience more pleasant. This site, for instance, which doesn't have an 'app' or alternate (portable) viewing option - doesn't look much different than it did on my wife's old laptop running XP.
 
The other thing I really like about the Samsung Tab S is the multi-window function. My tablet's main purpose in life is for scheduling my lawns, checking real-time weather, keeping appointments, and for maintenance reminders. Having the ease of viewing more than 1 app on the screen at a time makes switching apps sometimes unnecessary, unless I need one of them full-screen at that particular time. Running multiple apps at once is when that extra Gig of RAM sometimes comes in handy.
 
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The Sero 8" has a 16:10 ratio so indeed has less real estate than your Samsung 8.4".

But the Asus 8" has an aspect ratio of 4:3 so it has slightly more real estate than the Samsung 8.4".

I suspect that the better resolution of the Samsung is what really makes the difference on browsing. The Asus is more comparable in that regard.
 
Originally Posted By: Benito
I suspect that the better resolution of the Samsung is what really makes the difference on browsing. The Asus is more comparable in that regard.


And it's not a deal-breaker either way, as browsing wasn't, and still isn't, my primary use for the tablet. Part of it's appeal was that I 'wanted' a Samsumg tablet, espeically after spending hours reading reviews of the popular 8" models. I figured that if I was going to do it, I might as well do it 'right'. Are there better options on the market? Probably so.

I agree, the resolution is unreal on a screen that size - compared to what I was used to seeing on a cheap 7" tablet that it replaced. lol

Bottom line - get whichever tablet you want. Both will do the job for you just fine. Save $100 and go for it, like I said - not a deal breaker either way. Heck, my wife has a 7" Nextbook from wally-world and it does pretty dang good itself. Not as fast or smooth as my Tab S, but it works fine for what she does with it. (games and Facebook)
smile.gif
 
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