Apple’s new tablet have the advantage of being newer but the Galaxy Tab S4 is still a worthy challenger. For a specific look at one of the new models, read our iPad Pro 11in (2018) review over on Macworld.
Price
The new iPad Pros for 2018 start at £769/$799 and £969/$999 depending on what size you want. That’s a pretty big jump from the 2017 models, of which the 10.5in model is still on sale at £619/$649. Order them from Apple. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S4 seemed pretty pricey when we reviewed it but not its a comparitive bargain at under £600. You can get it from £599/$650. Buy it from Samsung. Adding to this is that Samsung includes the S Pen stylus while the Apple Pencil 2 is a whopping £119/$129. On both sides of the fence you’ll need to splash out on the accompanying keyboard case if you want a laptop-like experience – which is sort of the point with these tablets. Samsung’s Book Cover is £119/$149 and the Apple Smart Keyboard is £179/$179 for the 11in model and £199/$199 for the 12.9in. Samsung certainly wins this round with it’s cheaper pricing across the board and bundled S Pen. You can see the new pricing structure below: To avoid complicating the table, we’ve stuck to Wi-Fi only models rather than including the cellular options.
Design & Build
Despite coming from these two competitive companies, the iPad Pro 2018 and Galaxy Tab S4 have very similar designs. Apple has essentially done the same thing that Samsung did between the Tab S3 and Tab S4. That is to get rid of the front mounted physical Home button and its Touch ID fingerprint sensor in order to have a larger screen. This wasn’t a huge change on the Galaxy due to Android’s on-screen navigation buttons, but for existing iPad users it will mean learning a new set of gestures which are like the iPhone XS handsets. So this year the iPad Pro has an 11in display inside the same sized chassis as the older 10.5 and the 12.9in iPad Pro has the same screen but in a smaller frame. They’re both incredibly thin at 5.9mm but the Tab S4 isn’t far off at 7.1mm. Really, the big difference in this area is that the Galaxy Tab S4 has a glass rear cover while the iPad Pro sticks to aluminium. Usually, in the phone world anyway, glass would enable wireless charging but that’s not the case here. It means the Tab S4 is heavier than the smaller iPad Pad (despite it’s larger screen, at 482g vs 468g. It’s not a huge difference so you should continue on to read about specs and features which is the main area of variance here.
Specs & Features
The iPad Pro is closer than ever to the Galaxy Tab S4 in specs because Apple has, much to the shock of many, switched it’s Lightning port to USB-C. On both sides this means you can connect the tablet to an external display (with the right cables) but the iPad Pro can reverse charge so can be used like a power bank to top up your phone or other devices which could prove really useful. If you’re not fussed about connecting to a monitor, then choosing the right screen size will be important. They’re all top-notch in terms of tech in the tablet world so the question is whether the 10.5in display on the Tab S4 is big enough. Jumping to the 11in iPad Pro won’t make much difference, but the 12.9in model is a lot bigger and gives almost the same real estate as a 13.3in laptop. If you’re needing a tablet to replace your laptop this this could be the best choice if you can afford it. In terms of core specs, they’re similar despite having different processors. The main difference is that the iPad Pro is available in large storage capacities – 512GB or even 1TB – but the Galaxy Tab S4 fights back on this front with a microSD card so you can add up to 400GB more. Cameras shouldn’t sway your decision much and battery life should be similar across the board too. All these tablets have four speaker audio systems, but the Galaxy Tab S4 is the only one with a headphone jack should it be a deal breaker. What’s hugely important here is whether you opt for iOS or Android. This is very difficult to compare as the right one will rest heavily on your personal experience and needs. If you’re a long time user of either operating system and you’re happy with it then you should probably stick with it. If you’re new to both, then you should take a look at whether iOS or Android supports the apps you want to use as well as trying them out in person to see what you like more in real world usage. At the end of the day, they’re both excellent systems. Samsung offers is own DeX (desktop experience) software (see above) which allows you to use Android a bit like Windows – it’s not flawless but works pretty well, especially if you hook it up to peripherals. Meanwhile, Apple has tweaked iOS 12 to help the iPad Pro suit its typical users including the ability to run apps side-by-side (which you can also do on Android). Here’s a full specs table comparing all the iPad Pro models with the Galaxy Tab S4:
Verdict
In terms of value for money, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 wins hands-down here. At under £600/$650 it’s a lot cheaper than the iPad Pro and includes the S Pen. Add the Apple Pencil 2 and Smart Keyboard and you’re looking at over a grand. Much of the specs sheet is similar with top-notch screens, decent cameras, USB-C and core specs. The iPad Pro comes with more storage but at serious cost. Really you need to choose between Android and iOS – if money is not an issue – and the answer to that will be very personal and subjective. Tech Advisor’s Reviews Editor, Chris has been reviewing all kinds of tech for over 10 years and specialises in audio. He also covers a range of topics including home entertainment, phones, laptops, tablets and more.
