Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE - Our short opinion on this blunder

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It was announced a few months ago, but it only reached our shelves very recently. The Galaxy Tab S7 FE is a very curious device that tries to build on the name of the award-winning (and rightly so) Galaxy S20 FE 5G. But does it really deserve that name? Spoiler alert: No.

| Specifications

To understand why this is the case, a review of its features is in order:

Features

Details

Processor

Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 6nm

- Processor Composition

1x Kyro 670 Prime @ 2.4GHz (A78),

3x Kyro 585 Gold @ 2.2GHz (A78), 4x Kyro 670 Silver @ 1.8GHz (A55)

Storage & RAM

64/4GB ou 128/6GB (+90$)

Battery & Charge

10090mAh, 45W USB-PD, 15W included

Software & Security

Android 11 with OneUI 3.1, quarterly security updates

No biometric reader

Display

IPS QHD+ 2560x1600, SDR, 243ppi, 16:10 aspect ratio, 12.4

60Hz refresh rate

Materials

Gorilla Glass 3 on the front, plastic on the back, aluminium frame.

Communications

WiFi ac (6), Bluetooth 5.2

Mobile Networks

None

Ports

USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port, no headphone jack, no DAC.

S-Pen Stylus

Passive S-Pen only. S-Pen Pro supported.

MSRP

670$ for the base model, $760 for the 128/6GB model

SM-T733 Specifications

What we have here is a tablet that is the same size as the Tab S7+ but inferior in every way to the basic Tab S7. Funnily enough, the basic Tab S7 is currently priced the same as the basic Tab S7 FE, with more RAM and double the storage.

| The complaints

The compromises made here are pretty insane for the price. If the tablet were to be positioned at $400 and replace the Tab S6 Lite, I'd say it's passable. But for the same price, you lose this:

- Much less RAM and storage

- Less powerful processor, including GPU

- 60Hz screen only without HDR

- No support for wireless and advanced S-Pen gestures

- No fingerprint reader to protect your device

- Only two speakers instead of four

So what does the Tab S7 FE have to offer to compensate? It's bigger, heavier and has a correspondingly larger battery. What else? Nothing. Having used my Galaxy Tab S7+ for months, as a direct replacement for my Tab S6, the size difference isn't worth the concessions asked for, even if you plan to use it in DeX mode.

If your goal is to get a good Samsung tablet, the Tab S7 FE is not the right choice. To save money, go for the Tab S6 Lite at $390. For the high end, go for the same price as the base Tab S7, or go for the Tab S7+ with its fabulous 120Hz HDR AMOLED screen for $170 more.

Samsung really needs to go back to the drawing board and design a true successor to the Tab S5e we've had the pleasure of using. At the right price, the right compromises. Not like here, where this product doesn't fully satisfy anyone. Too expensive to be a discount option, and too limited to be a true premium option.