Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 to Hit Becalmed Tablet Market in August

Customers can choose from two versions of the Galaxy Tab S2. The first, the larger model, comes with a 9.7-inch screen. The smaller option goes with an 8-inch display. Despite the size difference, both models come with a 2,048-by-1,536-pixel resolution. In many (but not all) cases, bigger screens have higher resolutions. That’s not the case with the Tab S2.

For security-seekers, the Galaxy Tab S2 delivers. The device has a fingerprint scanner built into the device’s Home button. Upon registering a successful scan, the software opens and allows users to do what they want. The feature could be especially useful for enterprise customers who like the added security of fingerprint scanning. It won’t be clear until the device launches, though, just how well the Galaxy Tab S2’s scanner works.

Samsung has brought an impressive amount of power to the S2. The device has what the company calls an “octacore application processor.” In reality, it has two quad-core chips latched together to make it an eight-core device. The first is a quad-core 1.9GHz processor, while the other comes in at 1.3GHz. So expect solid power from the Tab S2.

Although Android M is not far off, Samsung has decided to bundle Google’s 5.0 version into the Tab S2. The inclusion of Google’s operating system means the Tab S2 comes with the search giant’s many services, including the Chrome browser, Gmail, Google Search and Google Maps.

There’s a battle brewing on the Tab S2. As part of a broader deal with Microsoft, Samsung’s mobile devices now come bundled with the company’s Office suite. So in addition to Google services, users will find Microsoft’s Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote. The device also comes with 100GB of free OneDrive storage for two years. Do you prefer Google or Microsoft apps? No matter: You will find them both on the Tab S2.

Samsung sees the display technology built into the Tab S2 as one of its main selling points. The company noted that its displays are made of Super AMOLED that it says have been optimized to show as accurate a color representation available. In fact, Samsung says that its display can accurately deliver 94 percent of the tones one would find in real life.

Samsung didn’t go out of its way to impress anyone with its camera technology. The Tab S2’s rear-facing camera has 8 megapixels, while the front-facing lens comes with a 2.1-megapixel option. Neither of the cameras will deliver super-high-quality visuals, but that might not be a deal breakers for most tablet buyers.

Folks looking to go mobile should have no issue toting this device around. The Galaxy Tab S2 is just 5.6mm in height on the larger version and comes in at 389 grams on the scale. The 8-inch option has the same height, but offers a weight of just 265 grams. Based on that, it shouldn’t be difficult for users to quickly toss the tablet into a bag and carry it around all day without fear of it weighing them down. That’s more than can be said for a notebook.

Like other Samsung products, storage is expandable in the Galaxy Tab S2. The device comes with the customer’s choice of 32GB or 64GB of onboard storage, but also has a microSD slot that can accommodate cards of up to 128GB in size. Although swapping out microSD cards isn’t always appealing, having that expandability without paying for the sometimes-expensive built-in, larger storage is awfully nice.

Details when the Tab S2 will be available are still a little slim. For now, Samsung is only saying that the device will be rolled out across the world in August. Samsung hasn’t said which markets will get the device first, though it’s likely Korea, its home country, as well as the U.S., will top the list. Samsung hasn’t disclosed prices and likely won’t until the tablet nears its launch date.