Samsung takes on Surface Pro 4 with Galaxy Tab Pro S

Samsung has unveiled its first Windows 10 tablet, the Galaxy Tab Pro S, and its high-end specs look like it could put serious pressure on Microsoft and its Surface Pro 4. Measuring just 6.3mm thick and weighing 693g, the Galaxy Tab Pro S is both lighter and slimmer than Microsoft’s flagship tablet, and it will also be the first Windows device to come with a Super AMOLED display.

Admittedly, its 12in screen and 2,160×1,440 resolution isn’t quite as large or as detailed as the display on the Surface Pro 4, but if it’s anything like the display on Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S2 tablets (both of which were excellent when we reviewed them last year), then its colour accuracy and contrast levels should be top notch. 

Even better, the Galaxy Tab Pro S comes with a full-sized keyboard cover – something that prospective Surface Pro 4 owners have to buy separately. According to Samsung, the keyboard has a flexible hinge which offers two different types of viewing angle, and it doesn’t need to be paired or charged either thanks to its Pogo pin connector. There’s also an integrated touchpad.

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Our sister publication Alphr went hands on with the Galaxy Tab Pro S on the CES show floor. Here’s what they had to say about the keyboard and touchpad: 

“If you’re used to a Surface Pro then the first thing you’ll notice is just how light the Samsung is. Without the keyboard, this 12in tablet weighs 693g. With the keyboard – well, no-one seems to know for sure, but I’d be very surprised if it’s more than 1kg.

“That’s partially because there isn’t much to the keyboard other than plastic, with no hidden battery to add to Samsung’s claimed 10.5 hours. This has the benefit of thinness, though, adding just 4.9mm to the 6.3mm of the device itself, but inevitably, such slenderness has a knock-on effect when it comes to key travel. I’m not a fan of this shortened action, but one of my fellow CES-ers was full of praise for it, claiming he bashed out hundreds of words in quick succession. Certainly it’s a billion times more pleasant to type on than an on-screen display.

“I found myself a bit wary of the touchpad as well. It’s short, even for a compact laptop, which meant I had to concentrate to avoid pressing the built-in left- and right-click buttons. Perhaps this is something you’d get used to, perhaps it will be a constant irritation. Without using the Tab Pro over a decent period, it’s tough to know.”

Inside, the Galaxy Tab Pro S has a sixth generation dual-core Intel Skylake Core M processor which runs at 2.2GHz and 4GB of RAM. While it’s unlikely to be quite as fast as the Surface Pro 4’s Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processors, it is fanless, so should be ultra quiet during every day use. What’s more, Samsung says its 5,200mAh battery should provide up to 10 and a half hours of battery life. It has fast charging, too, so you can get up to full power in just 2 and a half hours if you run out of power. 

Naturally, its slim size does mean you’ll have to compromise on ports with the Galaxy Tab Pro S, as Samsung’s said a multi-port adaptor will be available separately. This gives you HDMI and USB Type C and A connections, and there will also be an optional Bluetooth stylus available as well. 

As with most CES announcements this week, there’s currently no word on UK prices, but there will be plenty of models to choose from, including 128GB and 256GB storage options, as well as Wi-Fi and LTE models. These will all be available globally from February 2016.