Image Credit: Notebookcheck.net
We earlier ran an interesting article that tries to answer the long-running question: Is a tablet better than a laptop, or is the reverse true? The article takes a dig at the question from the angle of business persons working for various industries. The article further expounds on scenarios where a laptop is critically essential, and a tablet will simply be impractical. Then there are those scenarios when a tablet is utterly more practical than a laptop. More on that here.
That debate brings us back to a tweet by Android Police that suggests Samsung might be working on a 14-inch tablet. The device is codenamed ‘Basquiat 3’ within the South Korean factory but might be known to the world as the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8.
14-inched Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 / Basquiat 3
The supposed tablet is said to have a 14.6-inches display with properties such as a 120Hz OLED screen. This tablet would dwarf Samsung’s currently biggest tablet, the 12.4-inched Tab S7 Plus.
Indeed, with all that screen real estate, one might argue this device is a worthy contender if you are looking for a laptop replacement. Well, for one, it is bigger than most laptops; you know those 13-inch laptops that are common with people who work while on the move.
The Keyboard issue
One of the most prominent drawbacks tablets have – as highlighted in the article mentioned above – is the keyboard issue. Well, here is a thought; with 14-inch of screen real estate and state-of-the-art gizmos, it would be absurd if the supposed Galaxy Tab S8 doesn’t come with Bluetooth 5.0. Samsung will also do itself justice to release a smart cover for the tablet that doubles as a Bluetooth keyboard.
Image Credit: Tom’s Guide
The user will then prop up the tablet into a laptop mode and get to typing (on a full keyboard) as they would on a typical laptop.
Other Features
Other than the massive 14-inch OLED display, the supposed Galaxy Tab S8 comes with a 5MP ultra-wide camera coupled with a regular 8MP camera. For your security slash convenience, the machine comes with an under-screen fingerprint reader.
The base model of the said tablet will pack 8GB RAM and 128GM ROM, while the flagship model will be flying on 12GB RAM and 512GB ROM. They will possibly be powered by the Snapdragon 888 Plus chipset, bump sound out of a dual rear camera, have quad speakers, and rocking a Bluetooth-enabled S Pen.
At what price?
Given that Samsung has not officially announced the device or acknowledged they are working on it, what we have so far are ‘informed rumors’ here. The rumor mills have it that the Galaxy Tab S8 might start retailing at $1,320 in South Korea. That price point doesn’t seem too far-fetched given the 128GB Galaxy Tab S7 goes for about $849.99 in the U.S. So a 14-inch version would be around the $1k – $1.5k price point.
Wrapping Up
Looking at these specs, from where we’re sitting, it would not be odd to say that the Galaxy Tab S8 tablet stands a damn good chance of replacing a laptop. It has the screen space and gizmos tucked under the hood capable of giving enough computing power to rival a laptop. Then there is also the Bluetooth-enabled S-Pen and the fact it can be paired with a Bluetooth keyboard. All factors considered a powerful- and sizable-enough tablet can indeed replace a laptop.