When the pandemic finally makes an exit, there will be few students or professionals left “untableted”. In October 2020, it was reported that around a third of the world’s schoolchildren, or nearly 600 million, were affected by pandemic-related school closures, according to UNICEF. Even at a time when vaccines are being rolled out, the catastrophe continues to make people believe in a digital future.

There has been a surge in worldwide demands for laptops and tablets, leaving us wondering what should one buy — a laptop or a tablet, an iPad or an Android-powered tablet? Technology being technology, there are a lot of unknowns but there are some machines which are getting it correct, like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7.

Let’s get two things off the list. First, decide the activities you plan to do with your tech device. If it is powerful video editing or programming, the laptop is a better option. For students, interior designers, streaming-heads and the likes, the tablet works well. Second, if you have an iPhone, don’t look beyond the iPad because it has an amazing set of apps to offer.

What Android users have is a range of brands but few offerings are up to scratch or hardy enough for five-six years. The Galaxy Tab S7 is the younger brother of the S7+, which we had reviewed a few months ago. But younger doesn’t mean it’s weaker.

High-five moments

There are five things about this tablet that’s amazing. First, the design, which follows the same school as last year’s iPad Pro. It’s a simple metal body with rounded corners, all combining to offer a minimalist vibe.

Second, the tablet comes with the S Pen in the box. Unlike iPads, you don’t have to buy the stylus separately, which can be costly. And free doesn’t mean inferior. Among the best money can buy, the stylus tip can handle all kinds of pressure, which is useful for, say, interior designers and artists. Plus, all that you scribble can be converted into text.

Third, Samsung hasn’t cringed on the camera front. Accepted that nobody needs the best camera set-up on a tablet but you do need an ultra-wide camera. Why? Imagine sitting in the classroom with the mathematics professor going about his scribble duty on giant whiteboards. An ultra-wide camera helps to capture all the work on a board with a single snap.

Fourth, the front-facing camera is on the bezel on the side instead of at the top. When we work on a tablet, it’s human nature to hold it in landscape mode. During videoconferences, one has to look to the left on an iPad to maintain eye contact with the others on the call. On the Tab S7, look straight (and sharp)!

Fifth, everyone with a tablet becomes the envy of everyone without one when the former group decides to watch the latest web series. Though the display is 11-inch TFT, the panel is of very good quality, with accurate colour showcasing and viewing angles. Further, it supports 120Hz refresh rate. But the winner here is the speaker set-up. What you get is quad speaker sound by AKG and Dolby Atmos, matching the clarity of the iPad 2020.

Having finished a high-five moment, here is the old one-two. Frankly, Samsung can work on one problem while the other needs to be solved with help from the Android team. In the box is the S Pen and on the back of the tablet is a magnetic strip. The stylus needs to be put in a certain direction to be securely attached. In case one doesn’t get a back cover for the tablet, it can be a minor irritation.

Second, Samsung has done brilliantly in the hardware department but Android hasn’t done the same when offering, say, Instagram for the tablet. Some of the apps are mobile friendly and don’t look aesthetically pleasing on a tablet, something the Android team should focus on immediately. Until that happens, we will be switching between the phone and tablet to get work done.

Should it be yours?

This is among the best tablets in the Android ecosystem. The octa-core processor has enough sparks to handle most tasks. Good for students. Good for professional use. And it’s definitely good for five years of heavy-duty usage. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 (Rs 63,999; 128GB storage) has a zippy-zappy feel to it.