The Tab S8 is slated for upgrades, but not in terms of design or display.
What you need to know
- Zouton has revealed potential specs for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Tab S8, including an 11-inch LCD display, Snapdragon 888 chipset, and 8,000mAh battery.
- Leaker OnLeaks produced renders of the Galaxy Tab S8, showing a similar design to its predecessor, the S7.
- They revealed no renders of the Galaxy Tab S8+ and S8 Ultra, which are expected to have more premium designs and displays.
- The tablet is currently expected to ship in early 2022, possibly alongside the Galaxy S22 series.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series is on the way, and we have our first potential glimpse at how the tablet will look when it arrives early next year. @OnLeaks has created renders of the standard Tab S8, showing a fairly similar design to last year’s model.
Compared to the Galaxy Tab S7, you’ll note @OnLeaks shows the S Pen magnetic strip ending before the rear camera module, while the S7 had no gap. Samsung may also have removed magnetic strips from one side of the tablet. Otherwise, the S8 and S7 appear fairly similar here. Both have thick-but-even bezels around the display, a camera module with two lenses and an LED, a Samsung logo next to the S Pen strip, and similar dimensions.
@OnLeaks made these renders in collaboration with Zouton, which claims to have exclusive info on the Galaxy Tab S8 specs. If the site’s information proves accurate, the Galaxy Tab S8 will be a minor upgrade on the S7.
First, it suggests the tablet will sport the Snapdragon 888 SoC. Previous rumors have suggested the Galaxy Tab S8 family could all sport the Snapdragon 898, or that the Tab S8 Ultra could have the Exynos 2200. It’s difficult to say which rumor is more likely; the S7 shipped with the 865+, which was high-powered but not the best available — possibly making the 888 more likely than the cutting-edge 2022 chip.
Similar to the S7, the Galaxy Tab S8 could have an 11-inch LCD display with 1600 x 2560 resolution and 120Hz refresh rates, 13MP and 8MP camera sensors, 8,000 mAh battery, a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, and 45W fast charging. Samsung appears to be satisfied with how it built last year’s tablet, and isn’t rocking the boat.
Weirdly, Zouton claims the Tab S8 is “enhanced” enough that Samsung will charge about $840 for it, nearly $200 more than the S7 cost. Unless the Snapdragon 888 (or 898) adds that much of a performance boost, that price seems a bit extravagent, and makes us wonder how much more Samsung will charge for the S8+ and S8 Ultra as a result.
Given the lack of competition, the Galaxy Tab S8 will undoubtedly become one of the best Android tablets available when it ships — which is rumored to be January or February 2022. But we can only hope Samsung doesn’t really plan to charge so much for what seems like an incremental upgrade.
Best current Android tablet
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7
- From $519 at Amazon
- From $519 at Best Buy
High-quality for a reasonable price
Given that the Galaxy Tab S8 may not be a huge upgrade on the Tab S7, there’s no harm in snagging one right now. Thanks to its lightweight design, pleasurably bright and colorful display, and solid performance, the S7 is worth buying now at a (potentially) significant discount.
