Ever wondered what is the largest Android tablet that money can buy you right now? Here’s everything you need to know about the upsized Samsung Galaxy View 2 and the closest competitor it has in the ultra-large tablet category today.
When you take a look at the earliest images of a personal computer, the first thing you will notice is that each of them has a clunky, box-style display monitor that has a tiny screen. From the old days of handling the heavy CRT monitors to the slim and bezel-displays that our mobile phones, tablets, and HDTVs sport today – technology has certainly come a long way. As the monitor size slimmed down, this paved the way for mobility in computer technology, which led to the creation of laptops.
However, it wasn’t until the upscaling of the touchscreen mobile phone by several inches into the tablet, that it led to an entirely new sphere of devices. While plenty of tech companies took shots at the idea of a tablet, the genre was popularized by Steve Jobs by releasing the Apple iPad, which revolutionized the way users could consume entertaining content, be productive with work on the go, and do so much more. Android OEMs such as Samsung were quick to catch on and continue to offers some of the most versatile tablets available today.
Samsung Galaxy View 2 Review – Largest Android Tablet of 2019
For years, tablets have generally existed in two size ranges – 7-inch to 8-inch devices that are easy to carry around, along with 10-inch “full-sized” tablets that function somewhat like a laptop replacement. The largest Android tablet that you could find on the market did not exceed 10.1-inch for a long time, up until Samsung released the Galaxy Note Pro 12.2-inch tablet back in the year 2014. Fast-forward 5 years, and despite the dwindling demand for tablets, Samsung hasn’t given up on the idea of creating ultra-large Android tablets.
In collaboration with U.S. network carrier AT&T, the South Korean tech giant has unveiled the humongous Galaxy View 2, which is currently the largest Android tablet available right now. Instead of slapping on the “Galaxy Tab” branding on this gigantic tablet, Samsung has chosen to give it a different pathway, introducing it as a “mobile TV and large screen tablet”. We took a deeper look into the largest Android tablet available to buy right now, and whether it is worth your money, or one that you should simply pass on.
Being a tablet released in 2019, you can expect nothing short of the newest hardware on the Galaxy View 2, and here are some of the elements you can expect to find under the hood:
Display
It all starts at the ultra-large display of the Galaxy View 2, which measures at 17.3 inches and packing a Full-HD resolution of 1920 x 1080. The 127 pixel per inch density is understandable, considering the sheer size of the screen, which is covered in Corning Gorilla Glass for added protection. Instead of powering the Galaxy View 2 with the renowned SAMOLED technology, Samsung has chosen to side with IPS LCD technology. Despite being sharp and vivid even over curved angles, the IPS LCD fades in visual performance with low visibility outdoors and mediocre color black color reproduction.
Performance
Samsung has chosen to equip the Galaxy View 2 with its in-house Exynos 7884 processor with a 14 nm chip inside. The octa-core processor can take up some serious heat, along with the Mali-G71 GPU to handle your video processing and graphics needs. Comparable to the performance of the Snapdragon 710 processor, Exynos 7884 in combination with 3GB of RAM should keep the entertainment flowing smoothly, giving you decent performance even on CPU-heavy apps. In addition, you get 64GB of on-board storage to carry all of those important files and offline downloads from your streaming apps with ease, which is expandable up to 400GB using the MicroSD slot.
Battery Life
Running a massive 17.3-inch display requires plenty of power, and Samsung has not skimped when it comes to supercharging the Galaxy View 2. Incorporated with a whopping 12,000mAh battery to keep you juiced up and running all day, you even get the modern USB Type-C connector port, which makes fast-charging possible, adding to the portability quotient of the device. Based on average performance with a mix of TV viewing and light browsing, you should be able to get up to 8 hours of screen on time per charge from the tablet with ease.
Software
Right out of the box, the Galaxy View 2 is powered by Android 8.1 Oreo, which certainly isn’t the latest version out there. You get a slew of features such as multi-window, which feels more natural on the larger screen while enjoying the goodness of the Google Play Store and its millions of apps with it. Additionally, Samsung has partnered with AT&T to recreate the Galaxy View 2 as a portable HDTV, which is further realized through the DirecTV service, which brings 24/7 live TV coverage to you anywhere, at any time.
Camera
Since you probably aren’t too keen on running around with a gigantic 17.3-inch tablet, snapping pictures with the rear camera, Samsung has chosen not to include one. However, there is a front camera, which is ideal for making video calls right from the big screen. The 5MP camera on the front isn’t groundbreaking in any way but should do the trick in regards to selfies and video calling.
Sound
One criterion in regard to entertainment where Samsung scores all of the points with the Galaxy View 2 is the audio experience. Packing stereo speakers with a total of 4 decently loudspeakers on either side of the large display, offer an immersive audio effect, which is further improved by the software tweaking offered by Dolby Atmos sound. The inclusion of a 3.5mm headphone jack is a thoughtful addition for when you want to hook up a wired sound system to the big-screen tablet.
Connectivity
Since Samsung intends to showcase the Galaxy View as more than just a portable display, it has been integrated with wireless connectivity features apart from the regular ones. You get a Nano-SIM slot that is capable of HSPA and LTE connectivity, along with Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n support. A nifty addition is the Bluetooth 5.0 module, which offers long-range connectivity and gives you the ability to hook up multiple Bluetooth devices to the tablet, all at once.
Weighing in at 4.92lbs makes the Galaxy View 2, not just the largest Android tablet out there, but the heaviest too. However, the inclusion of a built-in kickstand which is reminiscent of the hinge offered on the Windows Surface laptops is a neat feature that makes it easier to set up and carry around.
Pros:
- The largest Android tablet from a reputed Android OEM that you can buy right now.
- Large battery with plentiful hours of screen on time.
- USB Type-C connectivity opens up doors to fast charging and high-speed transfers.
- Bluetooth 5.0 allows long-range connectivity across multiple Bluetooth devices at once.
- The integrated foldable stand makes it easy to pop up and set up the device anywhere.
- Stereo sound (4 dedicated speakers) with Dolby Surround sound makes up for a surreal audio experience.
- Built-in LTE connectivity and DirecTV support from AT&T turns the tablet into a wireless live HDTV.
Cons:
- IPS LCD display instead of the renowned SAMOLED display leaves something to be desired in outdoor viewing conditions.
- Weighing in at almost 4lbs makes it barely a tablet to carry around and use comfortably in vertical positioning.
- While decent enough for video streaming and productivity, the processing power isn’t enough for high-graphic games.
Final Words
To put it simply, Samsung has created an anomaly in the form of the Galaxy View 2, offering a portable HDTV packed with all the goodness of Android OS. Albeit the device is heavier than any other offering on the market, but considering the gargantuan 17.3-inch Full-HD display that it boasts, the extra pounds are a worthy trade-off. In our opinion, Samsung has not cut any corners when it comes to the build quality of the Galaxy View 2, packing decent hardware and the latest software as well.
There is, however, the exclusion of an AMOLED display, which certainly would’ve made this oversized tablet a winner in every way. While there are other missing hardware elements such as a rear camera, but the fact that the portable Android TV isn’t meant to be used as a photography tool in the first place, it isn’t a pain point. Priced at $739.99, the Galaxy View 2 isn’t a cheap gadget to get, but for those who are outdoorsy and need an entertainment unit that is wholesome and portable at the same time, the largest Android tablet is just what you need.
What are your thoughts on the Samsung Galaxy View 2, and will you be heading out to get one yourself? Do feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section right down below, we’re waiting to hear back from you.