The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 was announced in the middle of December 2021, and it was set to be released in the middle of January 2022. It’s the follow-up to the excellent Samsung Galaxy Tab A7, which will come out in 2020. The two Android tablets look different in a few important ways that set them apart. You’ll also find some changes on the inside, including a switch from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipsets to a Unisoc Tiger T618 processor, which is the biggest change.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A8: Description
The new display from Samsung is 10.5 inches wide, which is bigger than the Galaxy Tab A7’s 10.4-inch screen. It has slightly rounded corners and a 16:10 ratio, which makes it ready for streaming media. The tablet’s body is made of metal, and the power button and volume rocker are on a thin strip of plastic.
Gray, Silver, and Pink Gold are now available as color choices. Samsung makes some of the most expensive electronics on the market, so a good deal goes a long way. When it comes to the best Android tablets, the Tab A series has made them affordable without giving up too much, so people on a budget can still enjoy using a tablet.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 is the newest slate, and it is exactly that. It’s a good tablet experience for just $230, which is the same price as its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7, and $100 more than the entry-level iPad. Samsung is pretty much the undisputed king of Android tablets right now. They have a wide range of good tablets for all price ranges.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- The design is small and light.
- Affordable price point
- Up to 12 hours of battery life is good.
Cons
- Compared to some other tablets, it has less RAM.
- No way to connect to a cell phone
- There is no USB-C port—only microUSB.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A8: Specification Table
| Specification | Description |
|---|---|
| Display Type | Tablet |
| Screen Size | 8.4 inches |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1200 |
| Processor | Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 |
| RAM | 3GB |
| Storage | 32GB, expandable up to 1TB with microSD card (sold separately) |
| Rear Camera | 8MP |
| Front Camera | 5MP |
| Battery Life | Up to 12 hours |
| Audio | Dual speakers with Dolby Atmos |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Operating System | Android 10 |
| Dimensions | 7.95 x 4.93 x 0.28 in (202 x 125.2 x 7 mm) |
| Weight | 0.76 lbs (345 g) |
| Official Website | Visit Website |
Design and Display
Overall, the new design looks and feels like it belongs to the modern Samsung Galaxy family. Small changes like the redesigned camera and updated color options go a long way toward making a seamless ecosystem. Despite the price, it wouldn’t look out of place next to a Galaxy S series phone.
Even though it’s made of metal, it feels better in the hand than a tablet made of plastic. Still, the power button and volume rocker on the plastic strip seems like an odd choice. The joint between the two pieces is very obvious, and the plastic doesn’t feel as good as the metal. Some people may also need a little time to get used to the shape of the tablet. If you’re used to a square iPad, it can be hard to hold the wider 16:10 ratio comfortably.
There’s no doubt that Samsung made the Galaxy Tab A8 for streaming media. It’s one of the best Android tablets for doing just that. The 10.5-inch LCD screen has a resolution of 1,920 x 1,200, which is clear enough for most uses. It only has a 60Hz screen, but unlike phones, tablets don’t have faster refresh rates unless you pay a lot more. The 16:10 aspect ratio of the big screen makes it a natural fit for streaming services.
As I watched the second season of The Witcher, I only saw small black bars on the top and bottom. Even though it might not work as well if you want to watch something like The Lighthouse, which was shot in a 1.19:1 ratio, shows and movies that were shot in a more traditional way will look great. I also like that the bezels on all four sides are the same. They are thick enough to hold, but not so thick that they stand out.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A8: Software
Android 11 and Samsung’s OneUI are built into the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8. The software is one of the best things about this tablet. Not because Android is Android, but because Samsung is usually much better at updates than most other brands. Most cheap tablets don’t get any updates at all, but the Galaxy Tab A line usually gets two or three big ones.
Other than that, the software works well. It’s based on Android, but OneUI gives it a different look. It comes with a lot of Samsung apps, as well as Google and Microsoft apps. I think the Samsung Notes app is one of the best note-taking apps for Android, even if you don’t have a stylus. We also get a few other features that aren’t found on other phones, like an Edge Panel, which is a kind of app dock.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A8: Cameras
No one buys a tablet because of its camera. Still, if you want to make sure your video chats are clear or you want to leave your phone at home for your child’s recital, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 cameras will get the job done, even if you won’t be turning heads any time soon.
The main camera is 8 MP and the front-facing camera is 5 MP, which is the same as the Galaxy Tab A7. These aren’t the best cameras for smartphones today, but they’re good enough for everyday use. Even though the photos are a bit dark and grainy because they don’t have the AI-powered improvements that phones like the Google Pixel 7 have, you shouldn’t try to win a photography contest with a tablet anyway.
For video, both the main camera and the selfie camera record in 1080p at 30fps, which is more than enough for work meetings, virtual happy hours, and anything else you need for your online life. Even though the TikTok algorithm for high-quality videos won’t give you any points, your boss will be able to see your eyes roll during all-hands meetings.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A8: Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 has a 7040mAh battery, which is a good size. With light use, the battery will last for days. If you make things harder by giving them a lot of hard tasks, that number will drop quite a bit. The Galaxy Tab A8 scored an average 8 hours and 49 minutes on our standard PCMark World 3.0 battery life test.
That’s a lot better than the Nokia T20, a recent low-cost competitor, which only lasted 6 hours and 39 minutes. However, its older brother, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, only lasted 8 hours and 35 minutes. Samsung’s cheap tablet can be charged with up to 15W, but it only comes with a 7.8W charger. That’s more than it can do with even its most expensive smartphone, but the battery is so small that it would take forever to charge up.
During my tests, it took 30 minutes to go from 0% to 10%, and 3 hours and 15 minutes to reach 80%. Even though fast charging isn’t as important for a tablet as it is for a smartphone, the Lenovo Yoga Tab 11 takes 30 minutes to charge to 43%.
Price and Availability
Samsung’s devices are pretty good at being available to a wide range of users, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 is no exception. The cheap tablet can be bought from Amazon, Best Buy, or Samsung’s website for $229. The company offers a lot of rebates and deals, so if you buy it on the right day, you might be able to get it for even less. The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 comes in three colors: silver, gray, and pink gold. You can choose between 32 GB, 64 GB, or 128 GB of storage space.
Final Words
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 is a good low-cost tablet from the Android tablet king, Samsung. It has a high-end design and loud, clear sound for a price that is surprisingly low, if 32GB is enough storage for you.
But the tablet’s TFT display is flat and dull, which is a shame because it could have been a cheap media player. Another bad thing is that the Tab A8 doesn’t have reliable biometric authentication. However, this isn’t a must-have feature, and the sound system is surprisingly good.
Even though the performance isn’t great, it’s fine for a tablet at this price, and the battery life is very good. With the charger that comes with the tablet, it will take a long time to charge it back up to 100% from empty, but that’s not a big deal in the tablet world.
FAQs
Why is my Samsung Tab A8 so slow?
Check for system updates – navigate to Settings > System > System update (this procedure can vary depending on your model) Make room on the inside storage. Open the Playstore app, tap the profile icon, tap Manage apps and devices, and then install any updates that are available.
Is Samsung A8 tablet good for students?
Galaxy Tab A8 is a great tablet for modern hybrid education. It has a bright 10.5-inch LCD screen, up to 128GB of storage, and a battery that lasts a long time. With Multi Window, students can videoconference well while taking notes or working with other students at the same time.
