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Replacing my Tab S 8.4 LTE with Z3TC

Hi
just ordered mine LTE version (Sony UK) to replace my Tab S 8.4lte. I have only had the Tab S for about a month and am sick to death of it. It will likely be my last Samsung product.
My reasons for switching are many folld and include good experiences with Z1 phone and my current Z3C phone. Especially battery life and the fact that Sony don't layer on gunk over android with a trowel (unlike Samsung).
My Tab S 8.4 is not rooted, and apparently most of the issues I list below can be fixed by rooting and de-bloating, but the fact is I should not have to do this to get a working tablet I run Nova on my devices and have done for over 2 years.. Here is what I like and hate about the 8.4
Like
- That 2K amoled display
- The neat physical attatchment and low profile of the official samsung case
- Its dimensions and weight
- Its nice to watch films on
- Physical buttons save screen space
- Fingerprint scanner works well for me, will miss that on Z3TC
- WiFi performance is superb, both range and speed.
- Multi window, although not many apps support it. Xperia small apps will be good enough
Hate
- Never had such a glitchy experience with an android device, the pregnant pauses are a right wind-up
- Mine is the LTE version, it is always disconnecting while still showing H+ going in/out of flight mode fixes, appears related to LTE/3G handover. My version is the euro lte version which uses the exynos process with an intel add-in chip for LTE. Disabling LTE fixes this issue. US versions have a snapdragon 800 whijch does LTE out of the box.
- Battery life is terrible, the age-old issue with samsung devices and wakelocks preventing it entering deep sleep, it will eat 50% battery in 8 hours sat in a bag doing nothing. It has the same apps installed as my Z3C phone - its a Samsung issue,. My Note 8 had the same issues, I should have !earnt.
- Glitchy when typing quickly, i have seen entire words appear on screen in the wrong order, with words with the first word in a sentence ending up after the two words beforehand. I beleive that this is related to all the glitches.
- Clunky battery saving modes, on the Z3C stamina happens in zero time without fuss, on the Tab S a dialogue appears on screen for several seconds while it turns power saver on or off - what the heck is it doing?
- Hate touchwiz, always use nova launcher, unforunately, you are stuck with bits of touchwiz even using nova. The fischer-price settings page for instance.
Ultimately, its the LTE/3G handover issues and the non stop glitches oh and the wakelock issues that are making me switch
I will have both tabs for a short whil!e after my Z3TC arrives, I will attempt a review.
Nigel

If you have the time, I'd really like that review. I'm still very undecided between the Tab S 8.4 and this tablet to replace my 2012 Nexus 7.
But then I have a feeling that if I go with the Tab S I will put CM on it because of TW. My Xperia SP is still stock with Nova and I'm happy with it so the Z3TC would probably remain stock also.

Falzo said:
If you have the time, I'd really like that review. I'm still very undecided between the Tab S 8.4 and this tablet to replace my 2012 Nexus 7.
But then I have a feeling that if I go with the Tab S I will put CM on it because of TW. My Xperia SP is still stock with Nova and I'm happy with it so the Z3TC would probably remain stock also.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same boat. About to make the 2012 mainly a Pandora alarm clock.

I actually find myself quite annoyed at Samsung re the Tab S 8.4 - it could and should have been wonderful right out of the box.
Oh, and I don't know if this is still current, but last I heard, CM was not available for the Tab S 8.4 - it was only available for the Tab Pro 8.4.
http://www.androidauthority.com/com...enmod-installation-on-samsung-tab-s-8-4.4170/
I'm also not sure if CM supports anything other than the wifi versions of the Tab Pro 8.4?? IIRC, the Tab Pro 8.4 has an IPS LCD screen rather than Amoled, and all models feature a snapdragon 800
Edit: Noticed this on above thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...-cyanogenmod-11-android-4-4-4-t2835170/page31
Nigel

did you get your sony?
edit: especially interested in wifi range, loudspeakers, battery & camera in comparison.

I also switched to Z3TC today after using tab s 8.4 for about a month.
The reason I switched to Z3TC is that tab s 8.4 is too unstable (often be forced to reboot……) especially when it runs out of memory which I never experienced with z ultra.
So far Z3TC is stable as it has plenty of free memory (thanks to the lower screen resolution?).
The only thing I miss about tab s is the multi-window.

t705
iam also thinking about change my t705.
Battery life a choke.
How is the display agajbst the tab s?
feel the "only" 8 zoll agajnst the 8.4 from samsung ok?
thx

veletron said:
I actually find myself quite annoyed at Samsung re the Tab S 8.4 - it could and should have been wonderful right out of the box.
Oh, and I don't know if this is still current, but last I heard, CM was not available for the Tab S 8.4 - it was only available for the Tab Pro 8.4.
http://www.androidauthority.com/com...enmod-installation-on-samsung-tab-s-8-4.4170/
I'm also not sure if CM supports anything other than the wifi versions of the Tab Pro 8.4?? IIRC, the Tab Pro 8.4 has an IPS LCD screen rather than Amoled, and all models feature a snapdragon 800
Edit: Noticed this on above thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...-cyanogenmod-11-android-4-4-4-t2835170/page31
Nigel
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There unofficial cm 11 ports for both the galaxy tab s 8.4 and 10.1 Wi-Fi models. T700 and T800.

Sony Xperia Tablet Z3 and Samsung Tab S 8.4
So, now i have both tablets and can write my impressions.
The sony tab is really nice to hold, very light and a very good performance.
The display is bright and give good colors. White is white.
Resolution is also right. I could not see any pixels. Its sharp and very smooth to touch.
The tab s has a little bigger display and a higher resolution.Amoled is a part that everyone must look for himself. Many love it, many hate it. I like both displays.
The qualcom cpu from the sony tab has much more power as the samsungs exynos.
No smooth handling. Battery is to small for this tablet. The sony loose 1% accu over 20 hours standby. My tab s loose a lot of accu, if i use it and also in standby.
So, after testings i will stay at sonys xperia tablet 3.
I like this very light powerfull part of hardware. The launcher is smooth and the reactions from the cpu are very fast.
A very good tablet i think.

another big win is the double tap to wake feature (found under the display setting).

My Initial Observations vs Tab S
So, my Z3TC LTE turned up, and after having played with it for a while, my Tab S 8.4 LTE is going on fleabay.
Updated: Video review (warning: long winded!!) http://youtu.be/CMKonSEd7zc
Its hard to describe just how much more responsive the Sony Z3TC is compared to the Samsung tab S 8.4!! This responsiveness makes it so so much more pleasant to use.
I have nothing to say Re the respective UI 'enhancements' done by each manufacturer since I have always used Nova Launcher. My points below are with Nova running on both devices.
Observations from from my early fiddling vs Tab S 8.4 LTE (Exynos EU Version, only US LTE versions of the TAB S get a Snapdragon, EU versions get a Exynos and offload the 3G/4G to an intel add-in chip). The US versions get a Snapdragon because the Intel add-in chip does not support all the bands in use in the US.)
Negatives (vs Tab S)
- Slightly smaller screen (hardly noticeable)
- Bigger Bezels than the Tab S, but these make it easier to hold
- Perhaps not as well weighted for typing in handheld portrait mode vs the tab S
- Screen is not as vibrant as that on the Tab S, but I don't really notice the lower resolution. Hard pressed to see any pixels
- Screen more fingerprint hungry than Tab S
- Case attachment mechanism not as neat at Tab S (official samsung case clips to back via press holders)
- No Flash for rear facing camera
- No fingerprint reader (which I did actually find pretty reliable on the Tab S
- I hate the Sony mechanism for inserting SIM cards - why not a clicky-in/click-out system like everyone else uses?
- The Sony equivilent of Samsung's 'Smart Stay' designed to keep the screen on while you are looking at it does not work as well as on the Samsung
- Tab S LTE was about £30 cheaper (after Sony's £30 rebate)
- More freebies video's/etc with the Samsung Tab S
Positives (vs Tab S)
- Lightweight
- Very high quality build, feels better in the hand than Tab S, good quality plastics, nice tactile rear panel
- Has NFC
- Does not keep disconnecting from the mobile network (requiring flight mode on/off to restore). Tab S LTE (exynos+intel 4G chip, EU version) keept doing this. It was an LTE/WCDMA handover issue I believe
- Battery life is blooming superb vs the Tab S 8.4!
- Way, Way Way faster and more responsive than the Tab S 8.4 - light years ahead, and way less anoying in day-to-day use
- Fuss-free power saving/stamina mode - Tab S required time to switch in/out and was use useless with powersaving on - it was slow enough with it off!!
- Waterproof (USB, sim/SD card slots under waterproof covers headphone sky requires no cover as its internally waterproofed
- Mag charger is easier to attatch than fumbling about with a USB cable - no socket to damage either
- I already had a Z3 Compact phone so this plays nice with that
- Smart connect works well for silencing device when plugged in between certain times. Also does not display permanent status icon unlike Samsung equiv
- Dont need to root the Sony to make it usable!!
Equal
- Nothing to choose between devices re sound quality from built in speakers or a bog standard set of headphones
- Double Tab to turn on is simplicity, but one had that with Samsung's HOME button, and fingerprint login anyway
- Both vendors try to get you to sign up for Sony account or Samsung account junk. I just dont bother logging in to any of it
- Both vendors prevent you from fully uninstalling some of the bloatware they ship
- Both Vendors prevent you from disabling some of the junk they ship
Wishlist
- SONY: Make an official keyboard case for this device - that would make for a good compact road warrior machine
- SONY: Make your official case close with a magnet like Samsungs/3rd party cases. I dont want a trashed screen or an elastic bag around my expensive Tab!
- SONY: 16GB built in (11GB free) is completely stupid in 2014. The base model should be 64GB with the next model at 128GB. Your cost price on your BOM for the additional flash is $almost nothing - dont rob us blind
- SONY: Why no 32GB model for the LTE version?
Nigel

Cool, I figured people would like it. I am disappointed to know that you can't get 32GB internal, but I typically have less apps on my tablets than my phones and my 16GB S4 still has 9GB available. So realistically I'm set with a big memory card for all my music and video. I bought the Tab S 8.4 and returned it the next day because TW and the bloat/lag was awful. Also I couldn't believe that the back cover of the device had waves in it...not very impressive build quality.

yea it would have been nice to have 32GB for the LTE but hopefully lollipop will let us use the SD to store OBB files for games. I orde a 128GB SD for my Z3TC finger cross...

Sunlight comparison
veletron, could you please give us a mini-review of the sunlight readability compared between the two tabs? Thanks!

I live in Scotland where the sun rarely shines! I can test it's waterproofing in the rain very easily though!

I've actually ordered the Z3TC and it's due for delivery on Thursday. However after the luck I've had with my last 3 Android tablets I think I'm just going to get an iPad Air 2. My last 3 Android tablets are in order: LG G Pad 8.3, Nexus 7, Nexus 9. All of them had some issue or another. I had an iPad Air last year until I dropped it off a balcony whilst on holiday, but I never had one single issue with that tablet and it had battery life that Android tablets I've owned could only dream of. I really, really like the look of the Z3TC The size is perfect, build looks good in reviews, I like the fact that's it's water resistant. But I'm just worried that it's going to have one issue or another. I also think Sony should have put a faster and newer CPU in this tablet for the price they're asking. The snapdragon 801 is basically the snapdragon 800 with a slightly tweaked clock speed, I think it's something stupid like 100MHz. This CPU is a year old! And Sony are asking top dollar for this tablet. I know it has 3gb of RAM but that only comes into play if you're running multiple apps of apps that require plenty of RAM. The speed comes from the CPU & GPU and the ones in the Z3TC are a year old as I said. There's phones out now running the snapdragon 805. And tablets running Nvidia Denver and K1. Not to mention Apple's A8 triple core that's even supposed to beat NVidia's offerings. The specs in the Z3TC are dated, yet sony want top dollar for it.
As I said - I really like the look of the Z3TC I wouldn't have ordered otherwise. But I'm just not sure if I'm going to keep it when it arrives. I think the £330 I've paid for it could get me a faster tablet with slightly newer specs. Seems I've got some thinking to do.

Maybe you could take them to the tanning booth! LOL Thanks anyway. In the Florida direct sunshine the S is barely usable and is supposed to be a little brighter than the Sony. Was wondering if the Sony contrast compensation made up for that.

I seem to remember reading that the z3 had the brighter screen, but the tab S will have better contrast due to the amoled screen. Subjectively the z3 screen picks up fingerprints more than the tab S which might be worth bearing in mind in bright sunshine.

veletron said:
I seem to remember reading that the z3 had the brighter screen, but the tab S will have better contrast due to the amoled screen. Subjectively the z3 screen picks up fingerprints more than the tab S which might be worth bearing in mind in bright sunshine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you think that you'll be sticking with the Z3 tablet, or are you still on the look out for something else?

Sticking with it. Been using it much more than the tab S cause it's actually pleasant to use! I have a Z3 Compact phone as well, and Sony has made it play nice with this. Simple tethering widget (that let's you see texts and call log on the phone as well), builtin chromecast support, the "throw" stuff works well to mirror to TV too. Oh, and I can mirror phone screen to tablet and control phone from tab remotely. My main use for this so far has been to hand tab to parent and then show pics from phone on tab screen, flicking between them using phone screen. It works well. Video streaming phone to tab works too. I take alot of pics with my phone, and can see my using this to view/delete said pics on the big screen of the tablet without ever having to actually transfer any files to the tablet.

S7 edge and Android wear Watch

Anyone have an Android wear watch paired with the s7e?
I bought a zenwatch 2 recently and think of buying an s7e but I read in an other threat that the note 5 often disconnected from the watch.
What is your experience with s7e (especially the exynos version) and Android wear watches?

The disconnecting might be tied to the last version of Android wear, it was a common problem of disconnects constantly. A update was pushed recently that fixed it. I don't have my s7e yet to test it with but I'm willing to bet that was what it was.
Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

MrWicked1 said:
The disconnecting might be tied to the last version of Android wear, it was a common problem of disconnects constantly. A update was pushed recently that fixed it. I don't have my s7e yet to test it with but I'm willing to bet that was what it was.
Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I Hope that was the reason.
I want to buy it asap because of the promo.

I have a note 5 and a Moto 360 gen2... It never disconnects after the last update. Was disconnecting constantly before that.
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

I have the S7 edge and a Moto 360 gen 1 and have no issues with the watch at all. I came from the Note 5 where I did not have any issues either. A bonus was when I reset my watch for the S7 edge it finally pushed the Marshmallow update to my 360!

I have Huawei watch and it works perfectly with S7E. I had lots of disconnect with Note 5 and found out the problem was defective BT chip on Note 5.

firerock said:
I have Huawei watch and it works perfectly with S7E. I had lots of disconnect with Note 5 and found out the problem was defective BT chip on Note 5.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really looking forward to testing out a better BT chip on the S7e. I've been using the Note 5 with some BT headphones that require me to turn wifi off in order to keep a connection of more than 2 feet (literally won't work if the phone is in my pants pocket).
Have you noticed better BT with the S7e overall? Or just a better Hwatch connection?

KWoods41 said:
Really looking forward to testing out a better BT chip on the S7e. I've been using the Note 5 with some BT headphones that require me to turn wifi off in order to keep a connection of more than 2 feet (literally won't work if the phone is in my pants pocket).
Have you noticed better BT with the S7e overall? Or just a better Hwatch connection?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
S7E BT is light years better than Note 5. And it's not my Huawei watch. I also have LG G watch and getting great distance from the new phone. With Note 5, I have issue connecting to my car audio. I had to connect/disconnect a few times before the music/audio will finally work with it. With S7E, the phone gets connected to car within seconds. Very happy with the purchase so far.

Have S7E, two days connected with moto 360 gen 1 with no issues. Came from Nexus 6.
Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

Can't make calls on my Zenwatch 2 (with Samsung Galaxy S7 edge)
Hey, I've got a ASUS Zenwatch 2 and used it on my Samsung Galaxy S4 for quite some time, worked nicely, just a little slow because the S4 was slow as well. But since I got myself a Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, I can't make calls on my Zenwatch directly anymore. It just starts the call on the phone and then I HAVE to pick up the phone and speak there, the call just won't go through to the watch via bluetooth. The bluetooth symbol also shows no active connection, however I DO receive all notifications on my watch and have internet access on it. Does anyone know how I can make calls on my watch again?

Haze214 said:
Hey, I've got a ASUS Zenwatch 2 and used it on my Samsung Galaxy S4 for quite some time, worked nicely, just a little slow because the S4 was slow as well. But since I got myself a Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, I can't make calls on my Zenwatch directly anymore. It just starts the call on the phone and then I HAVE to pick up the phone and speak there, the call just won't go through to the watch via bluetooth. The bluetooth symbol also shows no active connection, however I DO receive all notifications on my watch and have internet access on it. Does anyone know how I can make calls on my watch again?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you may need to manually update the software. you are probably several upodates behind since s4 is at least 3 generations old.
check the manufacturer website for any updates.

Cosmic Blue said:
you may need to manually update the software. you are probably several upodates behind since s4 is at least 3 generations old.
check the manufacturer website for any updates.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The watch has the latest software installed, that much I can assure you, I've checked. That's why it's beyond me why calling over bluetooth worked on an old Samsung phone but not with the latest.

Haze214 said:
The watch has the latest software installed, that much I can assure you, I've checked. That's why it's beyond me why calling over bluetooth worked on an old Samsung phone but not with the latest.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
are you using a stock rom or custom rom ?

Tab A 10.1 with S-Pen... I'm liking it!

I have been absolutely in love with my Note 2014 since I bought it, and with the help of this forum has been just about the perfect tablet for the last couple of years. But the battery has been struggling lately, and then a little while ago the s-pen broke, and it was impossible to find an OEM replacement. The crappy knock-off s-pen I was able to find online was pretty much unusable, and since I use my Note for handwritten notes and documents almost exclusively, took all of the fun out of the tablet for me. So I went looking for a replacement. I thought about just getting a new Note 2014 off amazon, but I thought it might be good to get something that will run 6.0+. I tried the Nvidia Shield K1, since it has a stylus, but I returned that after just a couple of days. The stylus was terrible, and palm rejection was spotty at best. Then I started looking at the Tab A 10.1 with an S-pen. I was concerned about the resolution mostly, but I went ahead and bought it. Initially, I thought I had made another mistake. The new Samsung Notes app just flat out stinks. Its trying to be an Evernote, and by trying that lost everything that made S-Note such a great program for me. I was about ready to return the Tab and just go back to my dying Note 10.1 when I stumbled across the apk for the updated S-Note. Installed that and I am happy as a clam! Quite a few improvements over the Note 10.1 version, but it imported all my old notes perfectly. I love the new s-pen functionality, and the resolution has not bothered me near as much as I thought it would. I'm sure if I took my Note out and laid them side by side I would notice the difference, but for my use it has not detracted from the tablet at all. The main complaint I have, and that others have made, is that for some ridiculous reason Samsung chose to put the speakers on the same side. That's ok if you are using the tablet in portrait, but who watches any kind of media with the tablet in portrait. So in landscape all the sound comes from the same side. Baffling. But other that that, it has been a great replacement for the Note 10.1. At lease until Samsung gets a clue and comes out with a Note 10.1 2017 edition!

I've been trying out the Tab A 10.1 with S Pen today, and I also really like it, and with Marshmallow it feels a lot more responsive than the Note Pro I've been trying out. But like you said, those speakers! Not only are they on one side, but they sound terrible and don't get loud enough. Still, I could forgive that if they were at least on both sides. After 15 minutes of watching video, I'm noticing a bad discomfort in my right ear (had the speakers facing that way) that I've never felt using myriad of proper stereo tablets I've had, even given that they're relatively quiet. So, I'm sending it back, as well as the Note Pro (thing is more unwieldy than I'd hoped) and hoping the Like New $200 10.1 2014 edition I saw on Amazon doesn't disappoint.
Any other issues with the 10.1 2014 beside the battery and broken pen?

Just wishing if somebody could make a port of tab A 10.1 rom for note 10.1 2014. But I know its practically impossible. So, just a wish.

Tab A 10.1 2016 with S Pen needs an OEM cover/case....the one advertised as an accessory for this tablet is actually for the Tab A 2016 (without S Pen) - which doesn't have the same dimensions. The cases on eBay and Amazon are less than desirable.

I sent mine back. It is a great device, but so is the 2014. A couple of things I didn't like: 16gb model only, speakers on one side when watching in landscape, 'soft' buttons aren't backlit....and absolutely no good options for a case. I also missed the 'swipe' to open the multi-window options, it was just fewer clicks to get everything set up.
I loved the battery (which was phenomenal) and the new/improved SPen functionality. The screen was great - I couldn't tell/see the lower resolution.
It is a great device, just not worth the money to upgrade.

I see the specs the resolution and ppi are lower, less ram?. Do you actually notice any differences?
Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

radpp16 said:
I see the specs the resolution and ppi are lower, less ram?. Do you actually notice any differences?
Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't have any complaints as far as resolution or performance. Mine were fairly aesthetic (no case, lack of backlit buttons, etc.). If my Note weren't still running fine, I would have kept it. People who say it isn't a 'true' Note haven't tried it. The note functionality was fine - actually had some slight improvements over the 2014.

The resolution is half the 2014. It's very visibly different.

But at least it's a semi decent tablet with a SPen. Hopefully it will get released in a few more markets next year.

jeremyr62 said:
But at least it's a semi decent tablet with a SPen. Hopefully it will get released in a few more markets next year.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What is the point of buying it over a Note 2014 though? You can find those dirt cheap on ebay these days.
For software updates you can always use CM. I honestly don't get Tab A, there is not one thing that it is better than a 3 year old tablet (that can also be found for less).

Battery life and improved SPen functionality are the TabA's advantages over the Note 2014. I disagree with RojoNinja's comment on resolution being 'visibly different'. It wasn't to my eyes and I had them side-by-side. My wife (who had no idea of the respective resolutions) even commented that the Tab A's screen looked better to her.
I have to admit to struggling with the idea of stepping back on the #'s in the specs was irritating but the screen was fine. The sound wasn't. When you watch a video, you usually watch it in landscape, When you watch in landscape using the Note 2014, there is a speaker on the left and on the right. When you watch with the Tab A in landscape, both speakers end up on one side, giving it a 'mono' sound.
One of my earlier complaints (the lack of an 'official' case) has been resolved.
I've had second thoughts on returning it based on the crappy (and getting worse) battery life of my Note 2014, it's the sound issue and curiosity about what lies around the corner that keeps me with my 2014.

In my experience finding a new or decent secondhand Note 2014 is not easy. They go for good money on Ebay in the UK at least. I replaced mine in the summer and paid a lot more for it than I did the first time around. So a new version with similar(ish) specs is OK in my book. Except it isn't released in UK/Ireland yet, and may not be.

ckelly33 said:
Battery life and improved SPen functionality are the TabA's advantages over the Note 2014. .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is interesting to know actually. Never used Tab A, merely seen its specs. So how much SoT are you getting? After much tweaking, in medium to low brightness I'm getting 8 hours on average (some more some less) with my Note 2014, distributed over a 2-3 days of use (before charging again)
Mind you it's 6 AH (TAB A) vs 8.2 AH (Note 2014). I realize that Tab A has much less power hungry components which may explain the better battery. Still real life results would be interesting to know (by those that actually own the thing). Thanks.
jeremyr62 said:
In my experience finding a new or decent secondhand Note 2014 is not easy. They go for good money on Ebay in the UK at least. I replaced mine in the summer and paid a lot more for it than I did the first time around. So a new version with similar(ish) specs is OK in my book. Except it isn't released in UK/Ireland yet, and may not be.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
BTW may I ask why you needed a replacement for? Generally it is the battery that wears and ... tears eventually, but it's easy/cheap to replace. Have you experienced another one of your components going bad?

I put some huge scratches into the (soft glass) screen which I couldn't live with. The battery life was bad too. Much better in the new one. Screen protector mandatory IME.

I was worried about the reduced screen resolution, but I haven't noticed a difference at all. I was especially worried about how the resolution might affect the clarity of handwriting with the s-pen, but that has not be a problem at all. After more than a month with it I am totally satisfied.

cliemonster said:
I was worried about the reduced screen resolution, but I haven't noticed a difference at all. I was especially worried about how the resolution might affect the clarity of handwriting with the s-pen, but that has not be a problem at all. After more than a month with it I am totally satisfied.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cliemonster - can you answer Steve's SoT question (above). I returned my Tab A (for reasons unrelated to dissatisfaction).

ckelly33 said:
Cliemonster - can you answer Steve's SoT question (above). I returned my Tab A (for reasons unrelated to dissatisfaction).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry for the late reply! The holidays are always a busy time. On days with heavy use, which for me means several hours of note taking via S-note, emails, a good hour or so of ebook reading, reading through the Wall Street Journal for the day, etc, I usually don't fall below 50%. I don't do a lot of streaming video, so I can't comment on that, although I do watch Grand Tour on Amazon Prime on my tablet and for an hour show it doesn't seem to bleed the battery dry. I'll check the exact usage next time I watch an episode.

sam_khan said:
Just wishing if somebody could make a port of tab A 10.1 rom for note 10.1 2014. But I know its practically impossible. So, just a wish.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why impossible!
---------- Post added at 09:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:55 PM ----------
cliemonster said:
I have been absolutely in love with my Note 2014 since I bought it, and with the help of this forum has been just about the perfect tablet for the last couple of years. But the battery has been struggling lately, and then a little while ago the s-pen broke, and it was impossible to find an OEM replacement. The crappy knock-off s-pen I was able to find online was pretty much unusable, and since I use my Note for handwritten notes and documents almost exclusively, took all of the fun out of the tablet for me. So I went looking for a replacement. I thought about just getting a new Note 2014 off amazon, but I thought it might be good to get something that will run 6.0+. I tried the Nvidia Shield K1, since it has a stylus, but I returned that after just a couple of days. The stylus was terrible, and palm rejection was spotty at best. Then I started looking at the Tab A 10.1 with an S-pen. I was concerned about the resolution mostly, but I went ahead and bought it. Initially, I thought I had made another mistake. The new Samsung Notes app just flat out stinks. Its trying to be an Evernote, and by trying that lost everything that made S-Note such a great program for me. I was about ready to return the Tab and just go back to my dying Note 10.1 when I stumbled across the apk for the updated S-Note. Installed that and I am happy as a clam! Quite a few improvements over the Note 10.1 version, but it imported all my old notes perfectly. I love the new s-pen functionality, and the resolution has not bothered me near as much as I thought it would. I'm sure if I took my Note out and laid them side by side I would notice the difference, but for my use it has not detracted from the tablet at all. The main complaint I have, and that others have made, is that for some ridiculous reason Samsung chose to put the speakers on the same side. That's ok if you are using the tablet in portrait, but who watches any kind of media with the tablet in portrait. So in landscape all the sound comes from the same side. Baffling. But other that that, it has been a great replacement for the Note 10.1. At lease until Samsung gets a clue and comes out with a Note 10.1 2017 edition!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can we ask any developer to make a rom from tab a 10.1 2016 with s pen to note 10.1 2014.

Not a great advance in the state of art
cliemonster said:
I have been absolutely in love with my Note 2014 since I bought it, and with the help of this forum has been just about the perfect tablet for the last couple of years. But the battery has been struggling lately, and then a little while ago the s-pen broke, and it was impossible to find an OEM replacement. The crappy knock-off s-pen I was able to find online was pretty much unusable, and since I use my Note for handwritten notes and documents almost exclusively, took all of the fun out of the tablet for me. So I went looking for a replacement. I thought about just getting a new Note 2014 off amazon, but I thought it might be good to get something that will run 6.0+. I tried the Nvidia Shield K1, since it has a stylus, but I returned that after just a couple of days. The stylus was terrible, and palm rejection was spotty at best. Then I started looking at the Tab A 10.1 with an S-pen. I was concerned about the resolution mostly, but I went ahead and bought it. Initially, I thought I had made another mistake. The new Samsung Notes app just flat out stinks. Its trying to be an Evernote, and by trying that lost everything that made S-Note such a great program for me. I was about ready to return the Tab and just go back to my dying Note 10.1 when I stumbled across the apk for the updated S-Note. Installed that and I am happy as a clam! Quite a few improvements over the Note 10.1 version, but it imported all my old notes perfectly. I love the new s-pen functionality, and the resolution has not bothered me near as much as I thought it would. I'm sure if I took my Note out and laid them side by side I would notice the difference, but for my use it has not detracted from the tablet at all. The main complaint I have, and that others have made, is that for some ridiculous reason Samsung chose to put the speakers on the same side. That's ok if you are using the tablet in portrait, but who watches any kind of media with the tablet in portrait. So in landscape all the sound comes from the same side. Baffling. But other that that, it has been a great replacement for the Note 10.1. At lease until Samsung gets a clue and comes out with a Note 10.1 2017 edition!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have managed to get a new battery installed in the Note 10.1 2014 and my stylus is still in a great condition. This morning, the tablet got one of the very rare software updates (mostly security, I would think), but it likely indicates that Samsung has not entirely abandoned it. The processor is still quite fast.

Did anybody switch to MediaPad from Galaxy Tab S?

I've been using a Galaxy Tab S 8.4 for a couple of years and I've been mostly happy with it. My tab has developed hardware problems and now crashes a lot. I'm thinking of switching to a different 8" pad with more recent firmware. Did anybody switch from a Tab S to an M3? Can you tell me the pros and cons off the M3 compared to the Tab S?

The Galaxy Tab S is the best tablet I've ever had. The only cons that I had with it is that the Exynos chip, unless you got the better Snapdragon variant. What largely disappointed me with the M3 is how the screen was calibrated, this is a bit subjective but I prefer the look of the basic mode on the Galaxy Tab S. If you've been in the adaptive mode then I doubt you'll dislike how the display looks. The M3 has bit of heft on weight in comparison to the Galaxy Tab S. The OS is purely disappointing and the DPI isn't similar to a tablet, so the UI of the M3 looks like it's a big phone. GPU performance isn't that big of a leap. What's really great on the M3 is its speaker. It's an absolute bliss listening to it. Also, build quality is a lot premium than the Galaxy Tab S. In my opinion the only route you'll have is to purchase the expensive Galaxy Tab S3 or a cheaper 1080p tablet from Lenovo, the Lenovo Tab 4 8 plus which has a snapdragon 625. You probably have the same dilemma as mine, I was spoiled by the 16:10 aspect ratio of the Tab S that I couldn't purchase any tablet with a 4:3 aspect ratio or I could be wrong.

Thanks, that's just the kind of information I was looking for. You're right, I like the aspect ratio on the Tab S and I don't want to switch to a tablet with a 4:3 ratio. It's really a shame that tablets don't seem to get much attention and that there are so few to choose from. I couldn't get by without my tablet.
Guess I'll have to compromise one way or another.

I loved my Tab S and when it took a nose dive off the kitchen side I instantly went to buy the same model for two reasons. Firstly, tablets haven't evolved much in the past couple of years and I didn't like the ratio of the Tab S2 and S3. However, when I saw that the Tab S was still north of £200 and not far south for second hand I decided to research into something newer. Main requirement was the screen ratio of the Tab S
Agree with everything mentioned above but will also add that the bonus of the bulk is 3 days battery versus 1 day on the Tab S along with a premium feel.
Overall I am really happy with the M3. The Nougat update removes the over sized phone GUI and improves the feel of the tablet massively. That said if I'd bought the M3 as an upgrade to the Tab S if think I would have been disappointed as it's not a marked improvement but certainly didn't want to return it once I started playing. BTW if you leave it in phone mode Google Assistant apparently !!
Development is limited but the Firmware Finder app does a pretty good job of releasing beta firmware and providing tools to install them.
Got a decent screen protector, case (although, dodgy colour) and hard tip stylus if you need recommendations

Tough call. I'm still hoping I can get my Tab S working well again, but if I can't, I may give the M3 a try. Thanks for the suggestions. I may be back soon.

I never had a Tab S but i did and still have a Tab Pro 8.4. The M3 is a great replacement honestly. The screen is bright and responsive. The speakers are a huge upgrade. The new UI 5.0 is decent. I wish there was more development for linage or similar builds, but you can still root this tablet if you want. I currently don't have mine rooted, and only reason I would right now is to enable the 5mhz AC band in the US. Otherwise, the original build is fine. Compared to the Pro 8.4 the finger print access is huge and the overall speed of the tablet make it night and day. I was able to get the 64gb internal storage one on sale from Amazon for a little over $275 so feels like a huge value to me compared to similar samsungs. I would wish there was not only more development but more 3rd party cases and such. Otherwise it is an amazing tablet and the only real option in the 16:10 situation. The new tab pro 8 4 has been gimped for all us models with only 16gb and 2 gb of ram.

oh hey
I'm in a similar position - I've had my Tab S 8.4 since it launched 2014, and since the S2 came out as 4:3 I've been looking for a "better" tablet, and not been able to find one.
(Why do Samsung always do this - First Galaxy Note 16:10, everything else 16:9, first Galaxy Tab S 16:10, everything else 4:3, why, why, WHY)
Reading a lot of reviews and opinions on this M3 when the S3 came out, didn't leave me overly impressed. But it's nearly 2018 and there STILL isn't a better tablet (eye heart amoled), and this is the closest it comes if you want an 8.4 inch, 16:10 Tablet that takes SD cards. 32GB & 3GB RAM is starting to ware thin so I'm going to take the plunge. Wish me luck.
EDIT: Actually, scratch that. I'm used to (circa-2010) HTC and current Samsung forums full of roms and changes - there doesn't even seem to be any customs ROMs for this tablet? If we hit Jan 2019 and this is still the only option, then I'll go for this. I seriously hope not.

Samsung loads useless software you can't disable. Huawei is a much cleaner. I stay away from Samsung now. Had a galaxy tab pro, yes the big one. Samsung makes good hardware, just buy the package disabler on play store. I like the Huawei, I can hold in one hand & read easily.

I had and still have the Tab S, well my daughter and son-in-law use it now. Development on this tablet is the only negative that I see. That and I am not a fan of the UI, but I just load Nova and bam, best tablet ever. I used to Root and Rom all the time, but android mostly does everything I want now, and you can remove most of the programs you don't use anymore. I was waiting to see if Google was going to release and 7 or 8 inch tablet and they didn't so this is perfect for me. Powerful, good battery and fits in my back pocket when I head to Starbucks.

I originally bought the Tab S to use as a light-weight alternative to a laptop while traveling, but then I found that with the long battery life, I was using it every day. I'm traveling now, but I'm going to take the plunge and get an M3 when I'm back home.

woody1 said:
I originally bought the Tab S to use as a light-weight alternative to a laptop while traveling, but then I found that with the long battery life, I was using it every day. I'm traveling now, but I'm going to take the plunge and get an M3 when I'm back home.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do it do it!! BTW I wanted the LTE version but Amazon only had it from 3rd party resellers in Spain. Amazon Germany have it sold by Amazon and will ship to the UK (providing that's where you are based)

telsims said:
Do it do it!! BTW I wanted the LTE version but Amazon only had it from 3rd party resellers in Spain. Amazon Germany have it sold by Amazon and will ship to the UK (providing that's where you are based)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, I'm in the US. I'll have to see where I can buy it here.

woody1 said:
Tough call. I'm still hoping I can get my Tab S working well again, but if I can't, I may give the M3 a try. Thanks for the suggestions. I may be back soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seriousle, the M3 is the best tablet that I had. I also have the Samsung Tab S3 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014. The M3 is much faster than the Tab S3, by a substantial margin. Both are excellent tablets, and the Tab S3 targets different uses and users but for sheer compatibility and speed, the MediaPad M3 cannot be beat.

I also have a Tab S 8.4 and I love it. But it's a 2 years old tablet and the battery capacity is not as good as the first times.
So my first choice is M3. But I also have a OnePlus 3. I don't want to carry 2 charger so I'm looking for a type-c tablet. M3's micro usb charging slot is the only negative thing for me.
I'm also looking for a tablet that will go for 2-3 years at least.

kamajikaciya said:
I also have a Tab S 8.4 and I love it. But it's a 2 years old tablet and the battery capacity is not as good as the first times.
So my first choice is M3. But I also have a OnePlus 3. I don't want to carry 2 charger so I'm looking for a type-c tablet. M3's micro usb charging slot is the only negative thing for me.
I'm also looking for a tablet that will go for 2-3 years at least.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can't you just use the same charger with a different cable? I use a dual USB charger that I use to charge multiple devices. I can charge either my Android devices or my wife's Apple stuff just using the appropriate cable.

Helllo !
My previous tablet was a tab S 8.4. Media pad M3 is much better but I only miss the amoled screen .

woody1 said:
Can't you just use the same charger with a different cable? I use a dual USB charger that I use to charge multiple devices. I can charge either my Android devices or my wife's Apple stuff just using the appropriate cable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I cannot use the Dash Charger (DS) with my Samsung TabS 8.4
I tried many different cables but DS do not charge it. I'm not sure if I'll be able to charge any other devices with DS bye th way.

My main reason for switching away from the Tab S 8.4 was the internal storage. Since it was upgraded to Marshmallow, updating apps became a pain because of the low space. Apart from the faster CPU, I thought the S2 & S3's were more of a downgrade. I've since switched to the Mediapad M3 64GB version and love it. I rarely travel with my laptop nowadays.
I like the fact that Huawei allows you to unlock the bootloader and rooting wasn't very hard. I haven't upgraded to nougat yet. I wasn't sure if the rooting procedure changed but mostly because Xposed wasn't available for Nougat yet. Now that Xposed is now available (https://www.xda-developers.com/official-xposed-framework-android-nougat/), I'll look into upgrading.
One caveat about the US version. For some reason, the 5GHz wifi radio was disabled. However, I was able to re-enable it via a tweak to a configuration file but it required root to do it. I'm not sure if it's still disabled with Nougat.

I made the jump and got the Mediapad a few days ago. One of the reasons I decided on the Mediapad was that I read that Huawei allowed the bootloader to be unlocked. As I've discussed in some other threads, I've been unable to get an unlock code from the Huawei website. Yesterday, I sent Huawei an email requesting an unlock code and I got a reply back saying that Hauwei US does not provide unlock codes and that unlocking would invalidate my warranty. WTF? They have a website to provide unlock codes, but they say that they won't allow it? Does anybody know what this means?

woody1 said:
I made the jump and got the Mediapad a few days ago. One of the reasons I decided on the Mediapad was that I read that Huawei allowed the bootloader to be unlocked. As I've discussed in some other threads, I've been unable to get an unlock code from the Huawei website. Yesterday, I sent Huawei an email requesting an unlock code and I got a reply back saying that Hauwei US does not provide unlock codes and that unlocking would invalidate my warranty. WTF? They have a website to provide unlock codes, but they say that they won't allow it? Does anybody know what this means?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Solved?

Samsung Tab s5e

Wednesday I bought the S4 and keyboard.
Thursday it arrived, I was very surprised by it.
Friday, the next model s5e was announced, literally on every tech site.
Saturday I messaged Samsung via the members app as I was disappointed. Looks like the s5e has android pie already, but is missing the s pen. Apparently the processor isn't as good, but I think it will make little difference as the price is likely to be half of that which I paid for the s4. It will not have Dex mode, or spend. These are the only differences I can see. Ohh and the s5e offers fingerprint too.
I know Samsung.com offers 28 day returns which in likely to take them up on. Come the 20th Feb we will know more about the new devices which are coming. Yet the tablet, phones and wearables have all been leaked.
But if the foldable phone is actually announced, I may be better off. My S9+ is in the upgrade plan, so maybe I don't need the S4 at all!
As a consumer I'm torn, as a tablet user I'm impressed with the s4's battery life, but that could also be because of my tab S (original) not lasting as long as a day, yet this is pushing for 2days.
My question is, what would you do. What are your feelings on the s5e? Is it just a budget version of the S4? Or a very good deal at something like half the price

Price should be posted for consideration.
Tab s4 $650
Tab s5e $400
Thats a hard one to call, I mean its more than half extra for a better cpu and lack of stylus. Okay this might be a wild ride but lets do it. URL REDACTED seems to suggest that the 670 is about as powerful as an 820. The tab s4 has an 835. We can kinda get a feeling for what to expect, vaguely with this. URL 2 REDACTED
Tab s4
Multi: 6000~
Single: 1841~
Renderscript: 7780~
Tab s5
Multi: 3700~
Single: 1500~
Renderscript: 6800~
Obviously this is widely inaccurate as to how it will really perform, but it will be good to come back to this in 6 months or so to see the real results and how far they deviated. The major difference here seems to be the multi core processing speed. How much and how well the android ecosystem is multithreaded, that I don't know the answer to.
The tab s4 isn't a particularly strong CPU, so an even weaker one might be troublesome. For me I purchased the tab s4 so that I could watch an array of 4k remux videos on it, without stuttering and in HDR. I know the tab s4 tablet is capable of doing that. I don't know from these details whether the tab s5 could do that.
So it largely depends on your purpose for the device, if it is a general purpose device and you don't have one specific task / requirement for it then I would say go with the new tab s5e.
edit: seems im not allowed to post links because of low post count, gizmodochina and androidbenchmark were the sites you'll have to google them if you want the links.

I've been very happy with the S4, and don't view the S5e as a replacement. Overall it looks like they simply made a more affordable "essential" version for those who don't need the power of the S4, nor want to pay the price.
The S4 can be great for those who like the S-pen, or like Dex mode for a form of laptop replacement.
I think there's always a problem if you buy too close to a new model coming out. The S4 price is likely to come down as the S5e is announced and starts to be released. But then it can go back up as the S5e is released, S4 supply decreases, but some people still want the power of the S4. On the plus side, since the S4 has been out awhile, you're likely to get better deals on a case, screen protector, etc., and have better selection.
Personally, I don't push the S4 heavily, nor often use the S-pen or a keyboard, such as when I'd need a laptop. But I'm very glad it can do those things when I want it to. And the S4 Pie upgrade is supposed to be here by April.

What would you rather have, buyers remorse because you think you paid too much for the S4 or buyer's remorse because your less expensive Tab S5e is not performing as well as you'd like?
The former is in your head and the latter will be in your hands every day.
I think you're right about the S9+ though, you really don't need any other tablet unless like me, you're tired of looking at a tiny screen.

The used market is also something to consider. You can probably get a used tab s4 for the same price as a new tab s5e.

Do you need 3.5mm headphone jack in your tablet? Then get a Tab S4.
Do you already have some nice bluetooth headphones? Consider the Tab S5e.

I bought the s4 with keyboard Case for 600 over Christmas. Love it!
There will be a keyboard Case for s5 email but no spen and in end I paid 100 more for better spec device in power and battery and can use it to draw take notes etc.
Pie will be coming to s4 by April.
Sent from my SM-N950W using Tapatalk

Only good thing the Tab S5E has going for it is the Display as it's Amoled.. The Speakers as they are Dolby Atoms that’s it..
it's got no Dex no s-pen it’s an entry level tablet i would go for the Tab S4 plus if you hunt around you will be able to get it for around 400 no way I would pay that for the Tab S5e..

N1NJATH3ORY said:
Only good thing the Tab S5E has going for it is the Display as it's Amoled.. The Speakers as they are Dolby Atoms that’s it..
it's got no Dex no s-pen it’s an entry level tablet i would go for the Tab S4 plus if you hunt around you will be able to get it for around 400 no way I would pay that for the Tab S5e..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are wrong. Tab s5e supports Dex. It is not entry level, it is almost identical to s4 except without s pen. The processor is not as bad as you think.
So, it is worth it to buy this device as I did, because I managed to buy the tab with the keyboard cover, and it is still cheaper than s4.
S4 is only meant for people who really need s pen.
---------- Post added at 01:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:43 PM ----------
BarajaVLC said:
Do you need 3.5mm headphone jack in your tablet? Then get a Tab S4.
Do you already have some nice bluetooth headphones? Consider the Tab S5e.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It comes with a wired headset with dongle to connect to USB port

torickray said:
You are wrong. Tab s5e supports Dex. It is not entry level, it is almost identical to s4 except without s pen. The processor is not as bad as you think.
So, it is worth it to buy this device as I did, because I managed to buy the tab with the keyboard cover, and it is still cheaper than s4.
S4 is only meant for people who really need s pen.
---------- Post added at 01:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:43 PM ----------
It comes with a wired headset with dongle to connect to USB port
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well no s pen or not. S4 has bigger battery and the processer even though older is still more powerful. I personally think it's more solid too. The s5e will bend or warp easily

#Teampixel said:
Well no s pen or not. S4 has bigger battery and the processer even though older is still more powerful. I personally think it's more solid too. The s5e will bend or warp easily
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is only 260mAh different. But the weight is much lesser ( 400g vs 483g). Has android 9 on board.
I used tab 10.1 2014 before. I don't use s pen that offen. I'm not an artist. For people who just need a tab, s5e is a good option.
The processor is not that much different in performance, especially for daily reading, internet browsing. I'm not sure about gaming as that is not the reason I bought this tablet.
Saving RM1000 or USD250 is a lot. I bought the keyboard cover as well with came with DeX mode.
It is worth to buy this for the price. To buy a slightly better device with extra USD250 is too much for me.
It is really light, not easily bend as you said, but why would you bend it for?

torickray said:
It is only 260mAh different. But the weight is much lesser ( 400g vs 483g). Has android 9 on board.
I used tab 10.1 2014 before. I don't use s pen that offen. I'm not an artist. For people who just need a tab, s5e is a good option.
The processor is not that much different in performance, especially for daily reading, internet browsing. I'm not sure about gaming as that is not the reason I bought this tablet.
Saving RM1000 or USD250 is a lot. I bought the keyboard cover as well with came with DeX mode.
It is worth to buy this for the price. To buy a slightly better device with extra USD250 is too much for me.
It is really light, not easily bend as you said, but why would you bend it for?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah the tab s5e is a good option no doubt. I personally don't the tab S4 a bit smoother .
In the UK you can pick up a tab S4 easily for £400.
Both are good tabs just saying overall the tab S4 is better .
I don't mean physically bend. Metal can warp overtime or bend if left in the wrong place.

#Teampixel said:
I don't mean physically bend. Metal can warp overtime or bend if left in the wrong place.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Like a back pocket for example ??

Too51oll said:
Like a back pocket for example ??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha. Like the iPad pro or air 2. And the previous tab S2. There too thin for there own good, they can easily warp
Seen it many times and experienced it.

I was in this exact scenario. Bought s4 and then a week later, the tab s5e was announced. I was just as torn and decided to preorder the tab s5e (6gb model) just to see how it compared. Once I had it in hand, I was sold. The form factor is amazing for watching movies, reading, or browsing. I know some say that they are worried it will bend, and if you are going to be applying pressure on the tablet in that sort of way, then do not get this tablet - I cannot speak for metal warping however. For normal usage, this is a great tablet. I compared it between the s4 and here were my ultimate conclusions:
- The weight and size difference looks small on paper, but damn, this is a nice tablet to hold and the s4 feels like a tank in comparison.
- The S5e (and the s4) both ran very well in everyday tasks - did not experience any noticeable performance issues. The tab s4 did launch apps slightly faster, but nothing that would make you think the s5e was slow or laggy. Without a direct comparison, this would likely not even be noticeable.
- Screen quality was the exact same.
- The speakers on the s5e were surprisingly better, much louder and clearer. Nothing wrong with the s4 speakers, but these were better
- Call and message continuity is such a nice feature for those who don't want to have to carry their samsung phones with them when using the tablet around the house - I was very annoyed that this did not come to the s4 with the android pie update.
- The s5e can handle light gaming great - I do not play intensive games, but I am sure it would have issues with those due to less powerful hardware.
- Personally, I like the s5e's fingerprint scanner much more than the iris scanning on the s4 - but this is a matter of preference.
- So far, battery life seemed to be slightly better on the s4, but the s5e still does a great job lasting through the day.
Those who need an s pen, headphone jack, vibration, camera flash, or heavy gaming usage should not get the s5e and instead look at the s4. I also tried to replicate the wifi antenna issue on the s5e and was unable to see any signal drop - although this might just be an issue with particular models/hardware batches (I have the US wifi model).
At the end of the day, no one can tell you what is the right device for YOU. You need to decide what is important to you in a device and pick the one that best fits your needs. If you decide to go with the bigger, more powerful tab s4, it will perform great. If you are willing to trade off some power and hardware features for increased mobility, the tab s5e is still a great tablet. I was initially intimidated by the benchmarks and people saying that the tab s4 was better... but in the end, I am extremely happy with the tab s5e and will be selling my tab s4.

Hi guys,
currently hesitating between s4 and s5e, what most preoccupy me is video decoding capabilities regarding hevc (aka h265) 10bits videos.
From spec it's clear s4 can hardware decode 10bit hevc, I have a phone with same snapdragon 835 chipset and such videos are indeed smooth to play on it.
For s5e I'm not sure as chipset spec seem to imply 10bits videos are not hardware decoded and I haven't been able to test it in any outlet yet.
Has anyone here with a s5e already tried to play hevc 10-bits videos like some found on http://jell.yfish.us/ for example?
For those who know mxplayer, are 10bit hevc videos read using HW+ mode or HW or SW?
do "codec infos" apps show Main10 support for hevc?

It must be remembered that Tab s5e has EMMC memories, which over time tend to slow down the device quite a lot while Tab S4 has UFS 2.1 memories, much more performance.

Tried "jellyfish-40-mbps-hd-hevc-10bit", it will play it if copied locally in MX Player Pro, I cannot get it to stream as it is challenging for my Wifi. It uses HW+ decoder when playing and plays smoothly. MX Player does not seem to handle HDR yet though.
truc113 said:
Hi guys,
currently hesitating between s4 and s5e, what most preoccupy me is video decoding capabilities regarding hevc (aka h265) 10bits videos.
From spec it's clear s4 can hardware decode 10bit hevc, I have a phone with same snapdragon 835 chipset and such videos are indeed smooth to play on it.
For s5e I'm not sure as chipset spec seem to imply 10bits videos are not hardware decoded and I haven't been able to test it in any outlet yet.
Has anyone here with a s5e already tried to play hevc 10-bits videos like some found on http://jell.yfish.us/ for example?
For those who know mxplayer, are 10bit hevc videos read using HW+ mode or HW or SW?
do "codec infos" apps show Main10 support for hevc?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

nsx2brz said:
Tried "jellyfish-40-mbps-hd-hevc-10bit", it will play it if copied locally in MX Player Pro, I cannot get it to stream as it is challenging for my Wifi. It uses HW+ decoder when playing and plays smoothly. MX Player does not seem to handle HDR yet though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well that's great news! :good:
not surprised about HDR, even devices supposed to support it lack support from content provider (netflix, amazon, etc) anyway

jrac86 said:
I was in this exact scenario. Bought s4 and then a week later, the tab s5e was announced. I was just as torn and decided to preorder the tab s5e (6gb model) just to see how it compared. Once I had it in hand, I was sold. The form factor is amazing for watching movies, reading, or browsing. I know some say that they are worried it will bend, and if you are going to be applying pressure on the tablet in that sort of way, then do not get this tablet - I cannot speak for metal warping however. For normal usage, this is a great tablet. I compared it between the s4 and here were my ultimate conclusions:
- The weight and size difference looks small on paper, but damn, this is a nice tablet to hold and the s4 feels like a tank in comparison.
- The S5e (and the s4) both ran very well in everyday tasks - did not experience any noticeable performance issues. The tab s4 did launch apps slightly faster, but nothing that would make you think the s5e was slow or laggy. Without a direct comparison, this would likely not even be noticeable.
- Screen quality was the exact same.
- The speakers on the s5e were surprisingly better, much louder and clearer. Nothing wrong with the s4 speakers, but these were better
- Call and message continuity is such a nice feature for those who don't want to have to carry their samsung phones with them when using the tablet around the house - I was very annoyed that this did not come to the s4 with the android pie update.
- The s5e can handle light gaming great - I do not play intensive games, but I am sure it would have issues with those due to less powerful hardware.
- Personally, I like the s5e's fingerprint scanner much more than the iris scanning on the s4 - but this is a matter of preference.
- So far, battery life seemed to be slightly better on the s4, but the s5e still does a great job lasting through the day.
Those who need an s pen, headphone jack, vibration, camera flash, or heavy gaming usage should not get the s5e and instead look at the s4. I also tried to replicate the wifi antenna issue on the s5e and was unable to see any signal drop - although this might just be an issue with particular models/hardware batches (I have the US wifi model).
At the end of the day, no one can tell you what is the right device for YOU. You need to decide what is important to you in a device and pick the one that best fits your needs. If you decide to go with the bigger, more powerful tab s4, it will perform great. If you are willing to trade off some power and hardware features for increased mobility, the tab s5e is still a great tablet. I was initially intimidated by the benchmarks and people saying that the tab s4 was better... but in the end, I am extremely happy with the tab s5e and will be selling my tab s4.
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How does the screen brightness of the 2 tablets compare as according to online specs I've seen, the S4 has 463 nits and the S5e 600 so in theory the S5e screen should be slightly brighter.