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Marques Brownlee - Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra: A Monster Tablet!

Thumbnail of the video “Marques Brownlee - Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra: A Monster Tablet!”
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Author: Marques Brownlee
Categories: Science Technology
Tags: science, technology
Views: 2 · Last viewed: 2026-10-16 08:09 UTC

Short Summary

Main recommendation: The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is the best Android tablet currently available, especially for people who want a very large, high-quality media, drawing, and multitasking device. Its 14.6-inch OLED display, included S Pen, and Samsung DeX desktop mode make it one of the most versatile computers in its class, though it has notable limitations in brightness, app support, and lap use.

Key Points

  • The 14.6-inch OLED display is the standout feature, offering deep blacks, strong contrast, and a 120Hz refresh rate, though peak brightness is only 380 nits, which is weak outdoors.
  • Media consumption, gaming, and multitasking benefit from the huge screen and quad speaker setup with Dolby Atmos, which the reviewer rates as the second-best tablet speakers he has heard, behind the iPad Pro, though not quite as full and bassy.
  • Samsung DeX turns the tablet into a Chromebook-like desktop with a taskbar, resizable windows, file management, and adjustable window opacity when paired with a keyboard and monitor.
  • The included S Pen offers 2.8-millisecond response times, good palm rejection, and Samsung Notes handwriting recognition, making it strong for sketching and note-taking.
  • Drawbacks include underclocked Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 performance due to thinness, many Android apps that do not scale well to the large screen, and a top-heavy design that makes lap use difficult.

Details Worth Noting

  • Concrete instructions: To use DeX, connect a keyboard and a monitor (or use the book cover keyboard), then press the DeX shortcut key to switch into desktop-style mode with a bottom dock and windowed multitasking.
  • Concrete instructions: To keep the S Pen charged, place it on the back of the tablet in its specific orientation; the book cover case has an indentation that holds the pen in place for charging when aligned correctly.
  • Concrete instructions: The magnetic attachment on the top edge holds the pen temporarily but does not charge it, so do not forget to return it to the charging position.
  • Concrete instructions: Consider the book cover keyboard case, priced at $350, for propping up the tablet; the reviewer's total package with the keyboard was at least $1,450.
  • Battery life gives about eight hours of screen-on time on heavy use, and standby can last several days. The 11,200 mAh battery is large for a tablet this thin.
  • The front cameras are two 12-megapixel 4K webcams, with an ultra-wide lens that offers Auto Framing, though Auto Framing is less responsive than on the iPad Pro and drops to 1080p.
  • The tablet supports a microSD card slot, which the iPad Pro has never offered.
  • Samsung said they're working on adding LumaFusion, a video editing app, to the Galaxy Store, which could make the tablet even more powerful.

Bottom Line

The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is best suited to buyers who prioritize a massive display, strong media playback, and desktop-style multitasking with DeX, and who accept its brightness and app compatibility limits.