Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 - I Got one

[EngineerGuy]

Picked up 16GB version in black this afternoon from Best Buy after reading a tweet from AC saying they were available. So far so good.
My previous tablet was the original Tab 10.1 so it has been a while and the differences are quite noticeable, specifically the screen and overall speed. Quite a few new features that I'm still figuring out but it's a nice tablet from what I've experienced so far.

 

[EngineerGuy]

I Got one

After a full charge overnight I've been using it quite a bit today and I'm seeing about the same battery life as I did with the original 10.1.

I had them side-by-side today and the difference in screen quality is quite remarkable, and it should be with the Pro's specs, but it's shocking to see what I've been used to over these past few years and what I was missing.

The speakers are definitely better than the OG 10.1. With the old model I pretty much had it turned all the way up any time I listened to music or watched videos. The Pro might have a bit more midrange than I'd like, but at least you can hear it.

I don't use tablets for photos so I can't comment about that feature at this time.

It's nice to have a micro USB charging port!!! The proprietary port of the OG 10.1 was absurd and gave me that dirty feeling like I was using an Apple product. Perhaps the other Tabs between the first 10.1 and the Pro had a USB port, but knowing I'm free from that special cable and having to remember to take it with when traveling is a good thing.

I'm not sure I'm all that excited about the Samsung news tile things (can't recall the proper name). Reminds me of the Pulse news app, but at least that had a lot better sources to populate the different areas of interest. I probably won't use them much unless I'm extremely bored.

One thing I do miss from the original 10.1 is the back command on the bottom left-hand side of the screen. It was easy to touch with my left thumb, whereas this has the buttons on the bottom center of the frame. When you're holding the tablet like a book it is too far to reach without moving your hands. I guess I have to adjust to using my right hand instead, but it's still a reach. Same goes for the physical "home" button.

At this point I'm anxious to get a decent case/cover on it, and will probably get the Samsung version when it is available. I had their cover on the old 10.1 and it did the job. I also need a good clock/weather widget for my home screen and I'm undecided if I want to add a launcher yet or not.

Overall I'm pleased with the new model. Maybe someone coming from last year's model won't appreciate all the changes, but coming from the original 10.1 it is quite the leap and I'm glad to have upgraded.

 

[grove53]

EG- I Also have the original 10.1 TAB, I Now HAVE the Note 10.1 2014 And like you, diff is
like night and day . I got it the First WEEK ofJAN And use it everyday And have No problems I Installed NOVA Launcher And use Chrome browser . works great. I CAN Easily go A day on a battery change, Also got the SAMSUNG CASE , Perfect fit, I Also got A Padded sleeve to put it in because I carry it with me Alot. By the way - I Am using The Spin to write this reply.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[MikeSp]

You've given me some hope that I will like the new Tab Pro -- got rid of my iPad when Target was buying up used ones (good riddance to it and to cursed iTunes!!! welcome again to drag and drop) -- and have been using my original Tab 10.1 which is soooooooooooo sloooooooooow... (painful). I ordered from Costco due to their 90 day return privilege and am awaiting the Tab Pro's arrival and if it works out as I expect it to (other than the tiles), I will order one for the wife. Glad that you are happy with yours!!!

MikeSp

 

[grizcoach]

Got mine last week......screams compared to old Tab; screen is HD compared to SD of old Tab; the whites aren't as clean as the old Tab. Using GO Launcher X and Firefox (since I use it on my Mac and can sync it.

EngineerGuy.....I hold mine in the portrait mode with my left hand halfway up the side. It puts less stress on my wrist and I can access the home and back buttons with it. Takes a little getting used to since those buttons were always on the bottom on the old Tab.

If anyone finds a good case for it, please let me know.....need one for when I drop it (and I will drop it!!!!!)

 

[Kay Ban]

Got a Tab Pro this week, after 3 weeks with two Asus Transformer 10.1" Pad TF701T Tablets. I returned the first one thinking it might be defective. The touch screen was erratic & the battery charge life was too short. I was trying it out racing from charge to charge and I was not streaming video, playing music nor did I have Bluetooth on! The second Asus seemed a little better than the first but the touch screen seemed erratic. App shortcuts were very hard to move and often required several pokes to activate!

I finally figured out that the screen is factory set extremely sensitive. Asus doesn't bother to tell this to users & the phone center "techs" do not seem to be aware of it. They instructed me to factory restore the tablet. There are other strange issues with this Asus. I loved the hardware and the price but this new model is too flawed. I decided to try the significantly more expensive Samsung Tab Pro before I return the Asus for a refund. The difference is night and day. Tab Pro battery charge is MUCH better. It has two intelligently placed stereo speakers (The Asus has one), it has micro HDMI (Asus none). They boast the same screen resolution but I found the Asus 2560X1600 underwhelming (you must set brightness at 40% or less to have any battery life).

We are a Samsung family. I bought 7" Tab 3s for the grand kids. They love them. I had a 7" Tab 2 for a while & an Acer Iconia 10.1 for 2 years. The Asus had me wondering whether I should have gone with the newer & cheaper Acer 10.1 ! This is just our opinion, but the Tab Pro gives us the clear cut difference we thought we should get with the new hardware's specs, similar to Asus but MUCH better engineered! Our only issue is Tab Pro has too many proprietary side roads away from stock Android. Right now we feel somewhat locked into the Samsung world as we feel locked to planet Amazon by the Kindle Fire HDX. Sure wish the big players gave us a choice between Proprietary and Stock Android at the purchase point.

I use only Linux & Android due to rebellion against Microsoft that began years ago when Gates crushed Berkelly Softworks to kill inexpensive icon driven Geos Works to force an awful Windows 3.11 on people and stole an unfinished advanced Browser (advanced for the times) from a startup and called it Internet Explorer. Now, Microsoft is trying to force dog Windows 8 & Windows RT on us.

Android must step up and keep ahead of the new Microsoft\Nokia merger or we might soon be seeing
millions of zombie Windows phone & tablet users and Android going the way of Web OS and Blackberry.

 

[gerryex]

At this point I'm anxious to get a decent case/cover on it, and will probably get the Samsung version when it is available. I had their cover on the old 10.1 and it did the job.

Give this one a try:

Amazon.com: i-Blason Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 Case - Executive Hard Shell Stand Case Cover for SM-T520/525 [Life Time Warranty] (Black): Computers & Accessories

I went through several different cases with my previous tablet and never really liked any of them. This one fits perfectly, has cutouts for ALL functions, has multiple positions as a stand (landscape only) and is light and attractive.

Picked up 16GB version in black this afternoon from Best Buy after reading a tweet from AC saying they were available. So far so good.
My previous tablet was the original Tab 10.1 so it has been a while and the differences are quite noticeable, specifically the screen and overall speed. Quite a few new features that I'm still figuring out but it's a nice tablet from what I've experienced so far.

I think I beat everyone else for oldest previous tablet. It was an Acer A500, one of the first Android tablets to come out. It was only a dual core processor but did have 16 G-bytes internal memory and an SD slot. It was HEAVY, slow and the screen was only OK. I bought it back in 2011 and the main reason was to take it on a trip to France. And I have to give it credit that it fulfilled its mission very well. It hooked into any Wi Fi I threw at it and I was able to e-mail and Skype quite well (although its built-in mic was horrible). Subsequently I've been back to France each year and a few other trips where I took it and its still working quite well.

But the dreaded "upgrade disease" struck me and I decided to get the Gal Tab Pro 10.1 and I am VERY glad I did. Its almost half the weight, much thinner, better speakers, very good mic, several times as fast, the screen is many times better than the Acer, and the new version of Android is MUCH better than the version in the Acer which no longer got system updates. This year's trip to France is a few months away and hopefully the Sammy will prove to be just as capable, if not better, than the Acer!

Gerry

 

[jpamigo]

I bought a great Moko case from Amazon for my Tab Pro, and the price was right!.

 

[DirkBelig]

I bought a Moko as well; only $8 and great quality.

 

[DukeOfURL01]

I have the Moko case also, and I like everything about it EXCEPT that it's a hassle to pry those two feet at the bottom when I want to prop it up, and I think it would be much better if they weren't there, and the case held the tablet from the sides instead, so that I could just prop up the tablet in one fluid motion. I was going to actually return the case, except that I couldn't return it once I had the packaging torn open, and I couldn't have known about the issue with the two tabs, without opening the packaging.