We go hands-on with Samsung’s Galaxy TabPro S!

Samsung flew us out today to attend their SEA Forum 2016 where they showed off several new gadgets that they unveiled a few weeks ago in the Consumer Electronics Show. While most of the show was spent showing us new shiny TVs, washing machines and a refrigerator, one of the more interesting products in the forum was the company’s new TabPro S 2-1. The TabPro S takes the concept of Microsoft’s Surface tablet, puts a new shine in it and the result is a much better product. Unlike Microsoft’s Surface the TabPro S will officially hit our shores this year.

Samsung Galaxy TabPro S

• 6th generation Intel Core M dual-core processor
• 4GB of RAM
• 12-inch full HD Super AMOLED display
• 5-megapixel front and rear cameras
• Optional LTE
• WiFi, Bluetooth, USB Type-C
• 5,200mAh battery
• Windows 10

A viable Surface competitor, plus it has a nice keyboard too

We were surprised that Samsung unveiled a Windows-equipped tablet this year. If you think about it though, it makes sense – Samsung has dabbled in providing mobile workers better tools on the go. The Galaxy Note Pro and countless Tab S accessories is a testament to that, so instead of  making more customized Android apps for people on the go, the company just partnered up with Microsoft and stuck Windows 10 on their newest tablet.

At its core the TabPro S is a large 12-inch tablet that comes with a detachable keyboard that comes standard (take that Microsoft) when you buy it. The display has a full HD resolution, and uses a Super AMOLED display, a first for the 2-in-1 category. It’s also the thinnest 2-in-1 that’s currently in the market, coming in at just 6.3mm.

The tablet feels very premium, and extremely light. While the TabPro S feels like a regular, albeit oversized tablet, things change when you put in the detachable keyboard. While it’s rather thin so not to ruin the aesthetics of the device, it still feels great to type on. We were expecting the typing experience to be rather horrible to be honest, as small, thin keyboards aren’t know for their travel when you type on them, but the one on the TabPro S is pretty good considering its size. It’s a full-sized keyboard too, complete with a trackpad. Unfortunately, there’s only a single USB port available – a lone USB Type-C – which limits what you can plug into the TabPro S.

The keyboard also acts like the kickstand for the TabPro S, and allows you to put the tablet in several positions. It connects to the tablet via magnets, snapping on with a very audible click. Once it’s on there it takes quite a bit of effort to remove, which means that the tablet is very, very secure once you start using it.

The display also needs to be given special praise. Like we mentioned earlier, it’s the first ever 2-in-1 to have a Super AMOLED display. Colors are very vibrant and pops right out the screen, plus the blacks are really deep. While it suffers from the same oversaturation issues that other similarly-equipped devices have, it’s not too bad. Battery life should be pretty good too, as Super AMOLED displays don’t use up a lot of power.

Internally the Galaxy TabPro S is equipped with 4GB of RAM and Intel’s 6th generation, dual-core M processor and a choice between 128GB vs. 256GB storage, as well as a choice between regular WiFi or LTE. The tablet felt fast and zippy, though we’re assuming that that’s going to change depending on how much stuff you have going on the background at any given time. Still, Intel’s Core M processor is good enough for productivity use, just don’t expect that you can play The Division on it anytime soon.

Samsung Philippines tells us that they’re bringing the TabPro S to the PH, though no pricing has been set as of yet.