Worth buying the tab S4 now?

[bckrupps]

Thanks everyone. What make it more urgent of a decision was the expiration of the extra $100 off coupon. Sounds like S5e it is i think lol.

 

[srgonu]

Lasted approximately 3 and half days with 8 hour screen time. Am impressed.

 

[ClintRo]

Yea... on weekdays I can don't really run the battery down. On the weekend I can, but not weekdays. LOL

 

[bckrupps]

Got mine today. So far so good. Decided to get it with the great discounts i was sitting on. I didn't get much time on it yet because i had to work but i must say using smart switch with my Note 9 using wifi direct was awesome. Everything set up in 20 minutes. Got the regular book cover which so far i really like. We will see how the otterbox is bulk wise when i receive it. Got it free otherwise wow $90 is high.

 

[cwbcpa]

Got mine today. So far so good. Decided to get it with the great discounts i was sitting on. I didn't get much time on it yet because i had to work but i mist say using smart switch with my Note 9 using wifi direct was awesome. Everything set up in 20 minutes. Got the regular book cover which so far i really like. We will see how the otterbox is bulk wise when i receive it. Got it free otherwise wow $90 is high.

I'm seriously considering pulling the trigger on this as well. $400 at best buy after all discounts and credits. I have not had a tablet since the iPad 3 however long ago that was.

I'm wondering how well the Tab S4 would complement my Note 9 for reading, surfing and TV/ movies.

 

[bckrupps]

Based on my limited testing thus far pretty much what you will read. Reading and web surfing is great but the sizing is better and a bit more practical on the ipad. As far as video and movies this beats the ipad hands down. We have youtube tv and it's stunning on this. I also like being able to have a semi windows experience by having a file system i can access and downloading stuff. I don't think it's worth $649 at all but to me no tablet is but anything $500 and below is worth it. So far i am really happy with it. No lag, stuttering or signs of struggle for me at all. Pie update should be out in April which should make this totally awesome as it does need a face lift software wise after using my note 9. Also using Goodlock and all the Samsung customization apps within make this a great and super addition.

 

[Pamela Curry]

Yeah s pen is a must for me

Seeing as there is an s5e would think there would be a regular s5

Don't count on it.

 

[Brew Swayne]

Goodlock and all the Samsung customization apps within make this a great and super addition.

I never heard of Goodlock until you mentioned it, so I gave it a looksie. Doesnt' seem too shabby. I'm trying to figure out the notification shade settings though. The SmartThings notification maintains the white background regardless of what color schemes I create or select. Is there something I'm missing in the settings that will allow it to match the rest of the theme?

 

[Notefan161]

Anybody here have the keyboard? Got the cover but not the keyboard

Worth getting the keyboard?

 

[Brew Swayne]

Here's my thoughts on the keyboard case from a week or so ago:

I'll also throw my 2 cents out there regarding the keyboard. I saw a lot of critical reviews of the keyboard before buying, but so far I've been largely impressed by it. It's definitely a bit on the cramped side, but I'm adjusting quickly. I'm a decent size guy....5'11" with large-ish hands and I don't have much issue navigating the keyboard. Anyone with smaller hands should find it comfortable to use right from the start. I do find that when I'm trying to type out a couple of numbers or special characters, I sometimes might incidentally hit the onscreen home or back button with a stray finger. This could easily be rectified by hiding that bar completely, but I'm learning to adjust the way I hold my fingers. (Side note: I'm generally not this wordy in these forums, but this is giving me great practice with the keyboard. lol)

There's a Language button on the keyboard that for some reason I manage to keep catching with my right thumb whenever I go for the space bar. It's pretty pointless and I wish there was a way to do some key remapping on this thing because I would gladly disable that button completely along with the button that brings up an on screen keyboard. Not sure why I would need an on screen keyboard with I'm using the physical keyboard, but Sammy decided to put it there anyay. There's also an app drawer button just like the one found on Chromebooks. When you're on the Android side, that button wakes up the Google Assistant, but when you're on the DeX side it actually opens the app drawer. This is another one I'd like to remap if it were available. I can wake up the assistant with voice commands when I'm on the Android side so I'm not sure why I need a key to wake it up just so I can then give it verbal commands. Would much rather be able to remap it to open the app drawer in Android mode as well. Maybe someday...

Overall it's definitely not the worst mobile keyboard I've ever used. I've tried maybe a half dozen or so over the last 10 years and I'd actually say this one is the nicest so far. $150 is a steep price to pay though. Luckily I noticed Amazon was selling them yesterday for $102, so I went back to Best Buy and they price matched it and gave me a $48 credit back on my acct.

Here's my thoughts on it today:

Still basically the same. I'm pretty much fully adjusted to the size of it now and don't have nearly as many mis-strokes or missed targets. Still a few, especially with keys I don't use as often, but I'd say I'm typing with like 95% accuracy.

I do have a couple new criticisms with it. S Pen holster placement. When the tablet is docked on the keyboard, the pen is holstered on the left side and the holster itself simply snaps into place. It is removable. Not sure why they didn't provide a spot on the right side of the keyboard to snap the holster to. I'm a righty, as is like 80% of the population. If you're going to limit placement of the pen, you'd think it would be on the right side instead of the left, but I see no reason why they didn't make it so the user could decide. Another new criticism is that when you aren't docked to the keyboard, the case isn't very comfortable to hold while using the tablet. It just doesn't quite fold up very nicely. I can tolerate this though because the majority of my usage is docked to the keyboard.

I've also got a few new positive observations as well. Since the keyboard is powered by the tablet, I was curious about battery drain. There isn't any...at least nothing noticeable. So that's good. The S Pen holster holds the pen securely (also despite the reviews I saw). When you put it in the holster, you need to give a little extra push and you'll hear and feel a little click. Haven't had the pen fall out once.

$150 is probably too much to pay for it. Had I not gotten the $48 price match, I may have opted to return it in favor of significantly cheaper alternatives, but I like it enough that I'm ok with having spent $100 on it...even though I will admit that I think that's still too much.

 

[ClintRo]

I have the Keyboard case, among others. It is pretty good, a little cramped coming from my regular desk keyboard, but it is a 10 inch footprint so that is kinda what you get. If you want to make it a convertible with the case, I would suggest you get the Keyboard Case, but maybe some other smaller cases for using when you don't want the heft. If I use it on a desk at proper height it works very well, on the lap it is stable but I find I mistype more often, but that is not an ideal ergonomic situation.

The only thing I don't like about the KB case is no sleep wake function when you open and close... just when you connect it using the pogo pins. Otherwise, it is worth it. Currently around $100 on Amazon.

 

[bill-e]

90% of the time I use it as a tablet and don't want the bulk and folded back keys of the Keyboard Cover. Mine came with the Book Cover which I really like.

Perhaps if the Keyboard cover wasn't so darn difficult to remove I'd think differently but I'm very happy with my $20 lighted BT keyboard.

 

[ClintRo]

The KB cover isnt that bad... just have to remove it kind upside down... they part with the Pogo pins is the easier side to pop it out.

 

[srgonu]

Am thinking of the following apart from the keyboard case.
Infiland Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 10.5 Case with S Pen Holder, Multiple Angle Stand Cover Support Auto Wake/Sleep for Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 10.5 Model SM-T830/ T835 2018 Release, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GF8K8Z...ag=hawk-future-20&ascsubtag=UUacUvbUpU6508538

 

[Brew Swayne]

I considered several identical cases that came with a bluetooth keyboard and were selling for around $30. I LOVE the S Pen compartment on those cases. No idea why Sammy didn't think of that themselves. Still opted to stay with the Sammy case though because I never have to worry about the keyboard running out of power.

If I ever decide to switch up and go with just a case, I'll definitely be grabbing one of those.

 

[ClintRo]

Am thinking of the following apart from the keyboard case.
Infiland Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 10.5 Case with S Pen Holder, Multiple Angle Stand Cover Support Auto Wake/Sleep for Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 10.5 Model SM-T830/ T835 2018 Release, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GF8K8Z...ag=hawk-future-20&ascsubtag=UUacUvbUpU6508952

I have that case and use it most of the time.

 

[bill-e]

I'm very happy with the Samsung Bookcover case.

 

[Notefan161]

Still really enjoying this device

Got two days usage out of it before it needed charging

Edging towards getting the keyboard though for when I use it heavily on the sofa instead of needing to hold it

 

[ClintRo]

Got this case... Not really good for lap, but great because it is the lightest I could find and folds back well.

ProCase Galaxy Tab S4 10.5 Case, Slim Light Stand Hard Shell Cover Protective Case for Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 10.5-Inch Tablet SM-T830 T835 T837 -Navy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G4THWQ...ag=hawk-future-20&ascsubtag=UUacUvbUpU6510827

 

[pduffer]

I've had the S4 along with the keyboard cover and folding cover for about 6 months now. Unless planning on doing work with the keyboard, I prefer the other cover. I've learned I can work just as well with it for vpn connection as the laptop my employer provides - with the additional plus of vpn connection being more reliable. I have the Samsung adapter that allows you to connect an HDMI monitor and actually can get higher resolution from the S4 than the Dell laptop. At times I still wish it was as large as my old Note Pro 12.2, but most of the time the size isn't an issue. I have no regrets about buying it.