Buzz
I've been using the iPad Pro M1 12.9-inch as a replacement for my MacBook for almost half a year now, and everything is running smoothly. I'll be sharing my experience on this soon. Recently, I got my hands on a Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra with a keyboard combo that's quite similar to what I already have. I've tested it out and quickly compared how the experience on these two devices is for my needs.
Design and Exterior
I use the iPad Pro M1 12.9 along with the Smart Keyboard Folio, while with the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, I opt for the Book Cover Keyboard. Though I consider elevating the iPad with a floating keyboard, both Samsung and Apple keyboards provide decent quality and comfortable usage. My minor gripe with Samsung is their mechanism for the rear stand, which feels a bit cumbersome. Overall, it's not a significant issue.Display Quality and Performance
The iPad Pro M1 12.9 features a 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED LCD display with 120Hz refresh rate, reaching a maximum brightness of 1600 nits. It boasts a resolution of 2048 x 2732, with a 4:3 aspect ratio and an 85.4% screen-to-body ratio. On the other hand, the Tab S8 Ultra sports a large 14.6-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2960 x 1848 and a 120Hz refresh rate. In practical use, the 14.6-inch screen of the Tab S8 Ultra truly delivers a spacious and comfortable viewing experience.Furthermore, it doesn't suffer from blooming like on my iPad Pro M1 in darker scenes, and the external speaker system of the device also maintains a quality comparable to the iPad. The 16:10 screen ratio poses challenges when using the device vertically, but such needs are seldom encountered with the Tab S8 Ultra. When watching movies, however, this aspect seems more favorable as the top and bottom black bars appear to be less intrusive. Being OLED, if the surroundings are sufficiently dark, those black bars become almost imperceptible.Performance in Work Tasks
Both the iPad Pro M1 12.9 and Tab S8 Ultra are flagship tablets, thus equipped with configurations capable of satisfying nearly all needs, especially in terms of productivity. Here, the focus is on productivity tasks rather than gaming capabilities. I own the base model iPad, with 128 GB storage and 8GB RAM. Meanwhile, the Tab S8 Ultra I use also has 8GB RAM. I mainly use the device for tasks such as document editing, photo adjustments via Lightroom, and video editing with VN app. Overall, both devices perform admirably for my tasks, but in certain aspects, the iPad seems to have a slight edge based on my personal assessment.
Firstly, managing files and copying data from other devices or memory cards into the Tab S8 Ultra can be quite challenging. The difficulty lies not in recognizing and connecting to external devices but in the process of copying data, especially large files like raw images, which doesn't run smoothly. It's hard to track how the copying process is going, and sometimes it even stalls. In contrast, the Files management app on iPad works more efficiently for similar tasks. The app may freeze with excessively large files, but usually, I resolve it by restarting the app.Secondly, using Lightroom to edit photos on the Tab S8 Ultra has a minor issue of slightly slower loading and switching between photos compared to instant transitions. On the other hand, with Lightroom on iPad, I can switch between working photos without wasting time waiting for them to load. Nevertheless, dragging the toolbars to adjust brightness or other aspects of the image on both devices is smooth and instantly responsive without lag.
Battery life
The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra boasts a hefty 11,200 mAh battery, while my trusty iPad Pro M1 12.9 comes with a 10,758 mAh battery. Both devices provide commendable battery life when fully charged, ranging from around 4 and a half to 5 hours of on-screen usage at 100% brightness. Overall, in terms of battery performance, I find both devices to be reliable, allowing me to confidently take them out for coffee sessions or work throughout the day without worrying much about running out of battery.
