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Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro review: Weatherproof tablet with replaceable battery

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro review: Weatherproof tablet with replaceable battery
Written by Techbot

Highly stable and with numerous accessories. For those wanting to work with their tablet in bad weather, Samsung has the Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro on offer. It comes with lots of unusual features, such as a removable battery or operation without a battery. Does the device also convince in our review?

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro

Few weatherproof tablets exist on the market, as well as equally few tablets with a replaceable battery. Both features come together in the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro, for which the manufacturer also offers Digitizer support and 5G. The Tab Active4 Pro can also be operated with gloves and even functions without a battery if so desired. 

So is the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro the perfect business tablet for harsh environments? Let’s find out. 

Display

10.10 inch 16:10, 1920 x 1200 pixel 224 PPI, capacitive touchscreen, native pen support, IPS, digitizer support, glossy: yes, 60 Hz

Storage

64 GB UFS 3.0 Flash, 64 GB 

, 50 GB free

Connections

1 USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 20Gbps, USB-C Power Delivery (PD), 1 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: 3.5mm audio jack, Card Reader: microSD up to 1 TB, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Sensors: accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass

Networking

802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (a/b/g/n=Wi-Fi 4/ac=Wi-Fi 5/ax=Wi-Fi 6), Bluetooth 5.2, Dual SIM, GPS

Size

height x width x depth (in mm): 10.2 x 242.9 x 170.2 (=0.4 x 9.56 x 6.7 in)

Battery

7600 mAh Lithium-Ion, 15 Watt charging

Operating System

Android 12

Camera

Primary Camera: 13 MPix f/1.9, AF, LED-flash
Secondary Camera: 8 MPix f/2.0

Additional features

Speakers: stereo speakers, charger, USB cable, bumper, digitizer, 24 Months Warranty, exchangable battery, MIL-STD-810H certified, IP68 certified, Pogo-PIN docking connector, fanless, ruggedized, waterproof

Weight

674 g (= 23.77 oz / 1.49 pounds) (= 0 oz / 0 pounds)

Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

Samsung packs its tablet in a sturdy plastic case, the back of which can be removed. Behind it is the battery, which can be easily removed, as well as the microSD slot or SIM slot in the 5G model. The back cover is attached to the case at 28 points. You can open it without tools, but when closing you should make sure that all contact points audibly click into place to ensure that it is properly sealed. 

The Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro is IP68 certified, meaning that it is largely resistant to dust and water. It also complies with MIL-STD-810H. However, to be on the safe side, you should let the exposed USB-C port dry out after contact with water before using it.

The screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 5 and slightly protruding edges. The edges are quite bulky for a conventional tablet, which is also due to the fact that the Tab Active4 Pro has physical buttons for menu control. Compared to its predecessor, the Galaxy Tab Active Pro, the current model has grown slightly and become a little heavier: 674 grams is significantly more than conventional tablets in this price range, such as the 449 grams of the Huawei MatePad Pro 11 2022.

Samsung’s robust tablet also comes with a protective case shell that provides the tablet with even more protection. The S Pen, which is also dust- and waterproof, is also stowed in this protective cover. The package weighs a total of 833 grams.

249.2 mm / 9.81 inch 160.4 mm / 6.31 inch 5.9 mm / 0.2323 inch 449 g0.99 lbs243.5 mm / 9.59 inch 170.2 mm / 6.7 inch 9.9 mm / 0.3898 inch 653 g1.44 lbs242.9 mm / 9.56 inch 170.2 mm / 6.7 inch 10.2 mm / 0.4016 inch 674 g1.486 lbs193 mm / 7.6 inch 131 mm / 5.16 inch 19.1 mm / 0.752 inch 503 g1.109 lbs210 mm / 8.27 inch 148 mm / 5.83 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 2.9 g0.00639 lbs

The Samsung Galaxy Active4 Pro is available in two storage variants:

  • 4 GB RAM / 64 GB mass storage: US$683.99
  • 6 GB RAM / 128 GB mass storage: US$709.00

In addition, there is also the Enterprise Edition, which comes with 5G and is officially available at around US$1,000, but is already on offer at much more cheaper prices online. Our review device is the WiFi version with 64 GB of storage.

Like the predecessor, NFC is again on board and the WiFi version also has a tracking module. The USB-C port transfers data at up to 20 GBit/s and also functions as a display port, making it easy to connect the Galaxy tablet to monitors.

The microSD reader gives average performance in our tests with the Angelbird V60 reference card and achieves transfer rates that one would usually expect in mid range smartphones. So these do not exploit the potential of the fast microSD in any way.

0510152025303540455055606570Tooltip

Android 13 and Samsung’s OneUI 5 have served as the tablet’s operating system since December 2022. Samsung also preinstalls third-party apps such as Spotify or Netflix, which are unlikely to be of much use to business customers. Many of Samsung’s own apps are also preinstalled, some of which replicate the functions of Google apps. So if you want a clean system, you have to clean it up first.

At the time of review, the security patches were from November 2022 and therefore just up to date. Samsung promises five years of security updates and three OS upgrades; the tablet was delivered with Android 12, so new versions should be available up to Android 15.

In terms of Wi-Fi, the robust Samsung tablet with WiFi 6 is convincing. However, under testing with our Asus ROG Rapture AXE11000 reference router, the transfer rates were a little slow: between 750 – 780 Mbps is decent, but the MatePad Pro 11 shows that even higher speeds are possible. In addition, the data rates fluctuate quite strongly.

Reception strength is decent in our random sample test: We always had a good signal quality both close to the router and at a distance of 10 meters and through three walls. The Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro is also available with an additional 5G module on request.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active Pro T545
Adreno 616, SD 670, 64 GB eMMC Flash





329 (319min – 335max) MBit/s ∼100%

Panasonic Toughbook FZ-S1
Adreno 512, SD 660, 64 GB eMMC Flash


316 MBit/s ∼96%

iperf3 receive AX12
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active Pro T545
Adreno 616, SD 670, 64 GB eMMC Flash





348 (334min – 353max) MBit/s ∼100%

Panasonic Toughbook FZ-S1
Adreno 512, SD 660, 64 GB eMMC Flash


345 MBit/s ∼99%

iperf3 receive AXE11000
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro
Adreno 642L, SD 778G 5G, 64 GB UFS 3.0 Flash





742 (552min – 768max) MBit/s ∼100%

Huawei MatePad Pro 11 2022
Adreno 650, SD 870, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash





735 (687min – 788max) MBit/s ∼99% -1%

iperf3 transmit AXE11000
Huawei MatePad Pro 11 2022
Adreno 650, SD 870, 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash





893 (775min – 941max) MBit/s ∼100% +31%

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro
Adreno 642L, SD 778G 5G, 64 GB UFS 3.0 Flash





683 (465min – 783max) MBit/s ∼76%

04080120160200240280320360400440480520560600640680720760Tooltip

The WiFi version of the Tab Active4 Pro also includes a tracking module that is able to connect to all major satellite networks. Indoors, we do not receive a signal, but outdoors, localization is accurate up to 4 meters after a very short time. The number of detected satellites is also very large, but SBAS is not used to improve accuracy.

In our practical test, a bike ride around the block, the Samsung tablet did very well: the tracked route only deviates in minor details from the actual route traveled and mostly stays on the streets, only very rarely passing through buildings. The tablet is thus very suitable as a navigation device.

Photo with the front camera
Photo with the front camera

Tablets are generally not known for their camera quality, and this is often even less important in outdoor tablets, since they are either used in a business environment where image quality is not crucial or the budget is limited due to the emphasis placed on case robustness. 

The Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro also comes with rather basic camera equipment: on the back, there is a 13-megapixel lens with autofocus and LED flash for support. The sensor comes from Samsung and takes usable pictures at first glance. Upon closer inspection, however, details become blurred or lost. Moreover, artifacts appear can be seen in large areas. At least the image performance in dark environments with high contrasts is acceptable: a little bit of detail is possible in dark areas.

Videos can be recorded in 4K at 30 fps. Overall, image quality is very acceptable: the autofocus works reliably overall, but it strains visibly in some places and also needs a second until it focuses.

On the front, there is an 8-megapixel sensor, also from Samsung, which takes decent selfies in good light. However, you shouldn’t zoom in too much, otherwise the weaknesses of the camera become clear.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Hauptkamera BlumeHauptkamera UmgebungHauptkamera Low Light

click to load images

We tested the color reproduction of the main camera in our lab and found that most tones are reproduced too darkly. At 1 lux illuminance, hardly anything of the color chart can be recognized.

The camera does a little better when displaying the test chart; individual details are still recognizable at least. In full studio lighting, the image looks good at first glance, but if you look more closely, you can see that the autofocus has worked imprecisely and details are blurrily reproduced.

ColorChecker

14.8 ∆E

11.5 ∆E

10.9 ∆E

16.1 ∆E

10.4 ∆E

9.6 ∆E

13.5 ∆E

7.4 ∆E

12.2 ∆E

7.3 ∆E

9.8 ∆E

13.7 ∆E

6.1 ∆E

12.6 ∆E

13.5 ∆E

7.5 ∆E

8.4 ∆E

11.4 ∆E

3.1 ∆E

6.2 ∆E

12 ∆E

11.9 ∆E

7.6 ∆E

2.5 ∆E

ColorChecker Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro: 10 ∆E min: 2.54 – max: 16.08 ∆E
ColorChecker

29.1 ∆E

53.2 ∆E

38.9 ∆E

34.8 ∆E

44.8 ∆E

61.6 ∆E

53 ∆E

34.4 ∆E

41.6 ∆E

29 ∆E

64 ∆E

63.2 ∆E

29.4 ∆E

47.2 ∆E

36.9 ∆E

73.6 ∆E

43.1 ∆E

41.4 ∆E

82.4 ∆E

69.5 ∆E

51.5 ∆E

36.4 ∆E

23.8 ∆E

13.3 ∆E

ColorChecker Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro: 45.67 ∆E min: 13.35 – max: 82.35 ∆E

In addition to the charger and USB cable, the Samsung tablet also comes with the bulky protective cover, which itself includes storage for the dust- and waterproof S-Pen. The cover also fits well in the hand and is ribbed for extra grip. The S Pen can sometimes be a little difficult to remove from its slot, but it feels good to use and helps with tablet activities that require precision handling. 

Although Samsung’s shop does not have any accessories for the tablet, photos show a keyboard cover and the PIN connections on the bottom also suggest the possibility of a charging station or docking station. These are probably intended for corporate customers and are therefore not sold directly.

Despite the tablet’s business origins, Samsung offers private customers a 24-month warranty in Germany. This may differ depending on your location, so be sure to check with your supplier before purchasing. 

In business tablets, operation is a very important aspect: the conditions for a touchscreen are often not ideal or you work with protective clothing. The Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro is easy to operate even when the display is wet, and since you can adjust the sensitivity of the touchscreen, even gloves do not pose an issue. 

The outdoor tablet has physical buttons for the most important functions so that you don’t have to hit any small menu buttons. Below the screen, there are three buttons for Android operation, i.e. the overview of the open apps, the home button and the back button.

There is a relatively freely assignable button at the top edge of the tablet, which is colored orange for better recognition. For example, the camera can be called up and photos taken using the volume rocker.

We also like the various input options via the water- and dustproof S-Pen: notes or drawings can be made on the screen, of course, but you can also hover the pen over text on a website, for example, which displays a translation of foreign languages. Objects can also be selected intelligently and much more. A button on the pen can be used to activate other commands, such as the camera shutter release.

Unfortunately, the tip protrudes only slightly from the pen’s very bulky housing, so you should take care not to hold it at an angle, otherwise the tablet fails to recognize inputs.

A fingerprint sensor for unlocking is also on board, which is integrated into the home button. With minimal delay and fairly good accuracy, it’s a good choice when time is of the essence. Face recognition is also possible, but not so secure as a purely software-based solution. 

Subpixel matrix
Subpixel matrix

The display measures 10.1 inches and has a resolution of 1,920 x 1,200. The 60 Hz panel thus offers an adequate resolution for its size, providing a good compromise between performance and image quality.

The screen of the Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro delivers very similar values to its predecessor in our tests, such as a decent average maximum brightness of 574 cd/m², which should often be sufficient for outdoor use.

The black level is quite high and so the contrast ratio is satisfactory at best. Colors look correspondingly dull on the display.

572
cd/m²
586
cd/m²
593
cd/m²
546
cd/m²
602
cd/m²
572
cd/m²
553
cd/m²
582
cd/m²
563
cd/m²

Distribution of brightness

X-Rite i1Pro 2

Maximum: 602 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 574.3 cd/m² Minimum: 4.95 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 91 %
Center on Battery: 602 cd/m²
Contrast: 753:1 (Black: 0.8 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.09 | 0.59-29.43 Ø5.2
ΔE Greyscale 4.5 | 0.57-98 Ø5.5
95.9% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.398

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro
IPS, 1920×1200, 10.10
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active Pro T545
TFT, 1920×1200, 10.10
Panasonic Toughbook FZ-S1
IPS, 1280×800, 7.00
Huawei MatePad Pro 11 2022
AMOLED, 2560×1600, 11.00
Screen

13%

-18%

31%

Brightness middle

602

601

0%

697.3

16%

584

-3%

Brightness

574

554

-3%

637

11%

574

0%

Brightness Distribution

91

87

-4%

85

-7%

91

0%

Black Level *

0.8

0.67

16%

0.92

-15%

Contrast

753

897

19%

758

1%

Colorchecker dE 2000 *

3.09

2.2

29%

5.79

-87%

1.03

67%

Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *

6.6

5.5

17%

9.29

-41%

2.64

60%

Greyscale dE 2000 *

4.5

3.2

29%

5.4

-20%

1.8

60%

Gamma

2.398 92%

2.26 97%

2.18 101%

2.159 102%

CCT

6868 95%

7129 91%

5736 113%

6744 96%

* … smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession – a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.

Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 19480 (minimum: 5 – maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

We did not observe any PWM, so individuals who otherwise react to flickering screens with headaches or similar complaints should be able to work with the tablet. Response times are quite long, but this is only of particular relevance to gamers.

A color cast is visible to the naked eye in bright grayscale in our CalMAN measurements. But colors are displayed quite accurately overall.

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.

       Response Time Black to White
19.5 ms … rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined ↗ 13 ms rise
↘ 6.5 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.4 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 32 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (22.7 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
44.6 ms … rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined ↗ 21.3 ms rise
↘ 23.3 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.25 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 70 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (35.8 ms).

The screen does well outdoors, even if you have to contend with strong reflections on the display on very bright summer days. On cloudy days, the brightness is usually sufficient for displaying screen content clearly.

The display proves to be stable from all viewing angles and thus leaves no room for complaint. 

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G is an upper mid-range SoC, for which Samsung provides a significant performance upgrade in its robust tablet.

There is definitely enough power for system operation, and the tablet also performs more complex tasks at acceptable speeds.

Geekbench 5.4
Single-Core
Huawei MatePad Pro 11 2022


943 Points ∼41% +20%

Average of class Tablet (152 – 1892, n=41, last 2 years)





790 Points ∼34% 0%

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro


789 Points ∼34%

Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G (765 – 791, n=10)





780 Points ∼34% -1%

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active Pro T545


333 Points ∼14% -58%

Panasonic Toughbook FZ-S1


332 Points ∼14% -58%

Multi-Core
Huawei MatePad Pro 11 2022


3362 Points ∼12% +15%

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro


2927 Points ∼10%

Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G (2785 – 3000, n=10)





2871 Points ∼10% -2%

Average of class Tablet (780 – 8524, n=41, last 2 years)





2823 Points ∼10% -4%

Panasonic Toughbook FZ-S1


1595 Points ∼6% -46%

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active Pro T545


1429 Points ∼5% -51%

PCMark for Android – Work 3.0
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G (9330 – 13296, n=9)





11425 Points ∼60% +21%

Huawei MatePad Pro 11 2022


9827 Points ∼51% +4%

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro


9418 Points ∼49%

Average of class Tablet (4564 – 13996, n=32, last 2 years)





8683 Points ∼45% -8%

Panasonic Toughbook FZ-S1


6514 Points ∼34% -31%

BaseMark OS II
Overall
Huawei MatePad Pro 11 2022


6043 Points ∼63% +42%

Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G (4079 – 5002, n=10)





4547 Points ∼48% +7%

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro


4257 Points ∼45%

Average of class Tablet (444 – 6908, n=29, last 2 years)





3543 Points ∼37% -17%

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active Pro T545


2621 Points ∼27% -38%

System
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro


10560 Points ∼54%

Huawei MatePad Pro 11 2022


10334 Points ∼53% -2%

Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G (8751 – 10816, n=10)





9722 Points ∼49% -8%

Average of class Tablet (2793 – 10926, n=29, last 2 years)





6543 Points ∼33% -38%

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active Pro T545


5024 Points ∼26% -52%

Memory
Huawei MatePad Pro 11 2022


7694 Points ∼66% +90%

Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G (3956 – 6372, n=10)





4916 Points ∼42% +21%

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro


4053 Points ∼35%

Average of class Tablet (970 – 8167, n=29, last 2 years)





4006 Points ∼34% -1%

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active Pro T545


2877 Points ∼25% -29%

Graphics
Huawei MatePad Pro 11 2022


12445 Points ∼43% +87%

Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G (6594 – 6783, n=10)





6691 Points ∼23% +1%

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro


6640 Points ∼23%

Average of class Tablet (928 – 22308, n=29, last 2 years)





6586 Points ∼23% -1%

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active Pro T545


2790 Points ∼10% -58%

Web
Huawei MatePad Pro 11 2022


1348 Points ∼56% +17%

Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G (1155 – 1534, n=10)





1346 Points ∼56% +17%

Average of class Tablet (10 – 1598, n=29, last 2 years)





1191 Points ∼50% +3%

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active Pro T545


1170 Points ∼49% +1%

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro


1155 Points ∼48%

The graphics performance is also significantly faster than in other outdoor tablets, but cannot keep up with high-end SoCs. But if you don’t intend on running any graphically complex apps, this shouldn’t be a problem.

The Samsung tablet is fast on average when surfing. Every now and then you have to wait for page content to load, and even pictures sometimes take a while when scrolling. Overall, there are many tablets that offer much faster surfing, but the Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro is fast enough for everyday use.

Jetstream 2 – Total Score
Average of class Tablet (17 – 225, n=39, last 2 years)





83.4 Points ∼100% +5%

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro (Chrome 109)


79.67 Points ∼96%

Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G (58.8 – 86.8, n=10)





75.9 Points ∼91% -5%

Huawei MatePad Pro 11 2022 (Huawei Browser 12.1.3)


63.9 Points ∼77% -20%

Panasonic Toughbook FZ-S1 (Chrome 91.0.4472.101)


51.4 Points ∼62% -35%

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active Pro T545 (Chrome 83.0.4103.96)


32.69 Points ∼39% -59%

WebXPRT 3 – —
Average of class Tablet (33 – 342, n=39, last 2 years)





119.1 Points ∼100% +5%

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro (Chrome 109)


113 Points ∼95%

Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G (93 – 131, n=10)





107 Points ∼90% -5%

Huawei MatePad Pro 11 2022 (Huawei Browser 12.1.3)


94 Points ∼79% -17%

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active Pro T545 (Chrome 83.0.4103.96)


53 Points ∼45% -53%

Panasonic Toughbook FZ-S1 (Chrome 91.0.4472.101)


51 Points ∼43% -55%

Speedometer 2.0 – Result
Average of class Tablet (13.9 – 376, n=37, last 2 years)





94.1 runs/min ∼100% +71%

Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G (52.5 – 61.5, n=8)





56.2 runs/min ∼60% +2%

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro (Chome 109)


54.99 runs/min ∼58%

Huawei MatePad Pro 11 2022 (Huawei Browser 12.1.3)


53.6 runs/min ∼57% -3%

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active Pro T545 (Chrome 83.0.4103.96)


29.6 runs/min ∼31% -46%

Octane V2 – Total Score
Huawei MatePad Pro 11 2022 (Huawei Browser 12.1.3)


33003 Points ∼100% +30%

Average of class Tablet (5156 – 74614, n=39, last 2 years)





29333 Points ∼89% +16%

Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G (23915 – 31915, n=10)





27470 Points ∼83% +9%

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro (Chrome 109)


25295 Points ∼77%

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active Pro T545 (Chrome 83.0.4103.96)


10245 Points ∼31% -59%

Panasonic Toughbook FZ-S1 (Chrome 91.0.4472.101)


9562 Points ∼29% -62%

Mozilla Kraken 1.1 – Total Score
Panasonic Toughbook FZ-S1 (Chrome 91.0.4472.101)


4267 ms * ∼100% -142%

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active Pro T545 (Chrome 83.0.4103.96)


3655 ms * ∼86% -107%

Average of class Tablet (451 – 12972, n=40, last 2 years)





2852 ms * ∼67% -62%

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro (Chrome 109)


1765.6 ms * ∼41%

Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G (1323 – 1893, n=10)





1607 ms * ∼38% +9%

Huawei MatePad Pro 11 2022 (Huawei Browser 12.1.3)


1354.5 ms * ∼32% +23%

* … smaller is better

Thanks to UFS memory, the Tab Active4 Pro is much faster than its predecessor in terms of data transfer. It can’t keep up with the top-performing tablets, but loading times are significantly shorter than in some other tablets.

The Tab Active4 Pro is not exactly a typical gaming tablet. After all, it only has a 60 Hz screen. The SoC is sufficient for frame rates at the screen limit in Diablo Immortal, but in PUBG Mobile, only 30 fps is achieved at high settings and 40 fps at low settings. Framerates were measured with our GameBench tool.

Real gamers will probably have to look elsewhere, but occasional gamers who don’t place so much value on graphics splendor and responsiveness can also have fun on the Galaxy tablet, especially since inputs via the touchscreen and position sensor worked very reliably in all games tested.

051015202530354045505560Tooltip

There is plenty of space in the large tablet case for the waste heat of the mid-range SoC to dissipate, so no temperature problems arise under prolonged and very high load. At a maximum of 30.8 °C, the maximum temperature is barely noticeable and also very much limited to individual points on the case.

In the 3DMark stress tests, the tablet also has no problems maintaining its performance over 20 benchmark runs.

  25.8 °C
78 F
29.9 °C
86 F
28.3 °C
83 F
 
  24.8 °C
77 F
24.8 °C
77 F
25.6 °C
78 F
 
  23.9 °C
75 F
24 °C
75 F
23.6 °C
74 F
 
Maximum: 29.9 °C=86 F
Average: 25.6 °C=78 F
26.7 °C
80 F
30.8 °C
87 F
25.6 °C
78 F
25.1 °C
77 F
25.9 °C
79 F
25.2 °C
77 F
24 °C
75 F
24.5 °C
76 F
24.2 °C
76 F
Maximum: 30.8 °C=87 F
Average: 25.8 °C=78 F

Power Supply (max.)  40.3 °C=105 F | Room Temperature 19.7 °C=67 F | Fluke t3000FC (calibrated), Voltcraft IR-260

(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 25.6 °C / 78 F, compared to the average of 30.3 °C / 87 F for the devices in the class Tablet.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 29.9 °C / 86 F, compared to the average of 34.3 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.3 to 53.2 °C for the class Tablet.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 30.8 °C / 87 F, compared to the average of 33.6 °C / 92 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 21 °C / 70 F, compared to the device average of 30.3 °C / 87 F.

Stereo speakers on the sides increase the tablet’s entertainment value in addition to good sound during video conferences. You can listen to pop music, but you should not necessarily max out the volume, as the sound becomes increasingly high-pitched. Overall, it is noticeable that bass and deep mids are lacking, although there would have been room for the corresponding sound modules.

The tablet has a 3.5 mm jack port for headphones as well as Bluetooth. Not so many codecs are available here, but at least aptX, LDAC, AAC, SBC and SSC are recognized. 

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2037.546.5253536.43132.126.34032.533.25036.632.66330.332.7803122.310025.731.612525.638.516023.945.720019.745.525017.448.73151957.640016.864.450017.868.863017.871.480022.670.2100022.673.312502265160021.568200021.965.8250020.663.931501771.7400016.278.8500015.477.363001567.4800015.365.21000015.8631250016.557.31600017.451.1SPL31.784.2N1.557median 17.8median 65Delta2.89.239.441.939.137.831.533.529.839.333.444.526.633.522.338.320.546.715.648.314.755.111.457.81052.68.855.396510.568.912.269.314.372.111.668.81269.710.267.310.467.511.169.812.762.914.464.714.268.414.770.415.669.716.567.616.565.117.358.425.480.50.651.1median 12.7median 67.32.55.6hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseSamsung Galaxy Tab Active4 ProHuawei MatePad Pro 11 2022

Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (84.2 dB)
Bass 100 – 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass – on average 20.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 – 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids – only 3.5% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (8.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 – 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs – on average 5.5% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (9.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 – 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (19.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 57% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 37% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 19%, worst was 50%
Compared to all devices tested
» 47% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 45% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%

Huawei MatePad Pro 11 2022 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (80.5 dB)
Bass 100 – 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass – on average 14.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 – 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids – only 1.9% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 – 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs – only 2.4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 – 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 6% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 90% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 19%, worst was 50%
Compared to all devices tested
» 4% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 94% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%

The Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro needs a lot of energy to get going. Even the minimum power consumption in idle is quite high, and this was the case throughout our measurements. The differences to the predecessor amount up to 30%, but with significantly higher performance of course.

The included power adapter manages up to 15 watts, but it takes some time until the large 7,600 mAh battery is fully recharged: a full charging cycle lasts well over three hours. The tablet can also be charged via the pogo PINs on the lower side of the case.

The tablet also works when connected to a power source and the battery is removed. The “No battery” mode is helpful for conserving battery power in stationary operations or avoiding overheating in very hot environments.

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The battery lasted 14:12 hours in our Wi-Fi test. Not a record, and much shorter than all comparison devices, but still quite suitable for everyday use. You should definitely be able to get through an average working day, even if you spend some time working with complex apps. At moderate load, two or more days without a socket is also possible.

Battery Runtime

Idle (without WLAN, min brightness) 34h 58min
WiFi Websurfing 14h 12min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p 18h 26min
Load (maximum brightness) 5h 43min

Pros

+ well protected tablet

+ S Pen and protective case shell included

+ removable battery

+ also operational without battery

+ hardly any noticeable heating

+ no throttling

+ good performance values

+ Widevine L1

+ good localization capabilities even on WLAN model

Cons

60 Hz display only

moderate suitability for gaming

power hungry

pen tips somewhat too short

third-party software preinstalled

page loading in browser somewhat slow

big and heavy

The Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro is a workhorse that comes with a thick protective case and an equally well protected S pen. The stylus is pleasing to use thanks to its versatility, but the tips are very short and the is pen rather thick, so you cannot hold it too flat.

A positive feature is of course the removable battery, which theoretically allows for twice the runtime with an additional battery. The tablet can also be operated from the mains without a battery, which is certainly useful in some situations. Although it hardly heats up at all, the tablet is quite power hungry overall and is therefore forced to make concessions in terms of battery life.

Opportunities for entertainment are not so many, which should please the boss: the speakers are only usable at medium volume, games run somewhat slowly, and HD codecs are missing for Bluetooth headphones. At least there is Widevine certification, so you can enjoy streams from major providers in HD.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro is designed for all environments and comes with numerous accessories and a replaceable battery. But those looking for entertainment value should look elsewhere.

It should also be kept in mind that this is a bulky and heavy device, which may wear out some users after prolonged carrying. But if you’re looking for a reliable tablet with a replaceable battery, there are currently hardly any alternatives on the market. Panasonic’s Toughbooks are also directed at the same target group, but are very expensive.

At the time of review, the Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro was available via numerous retailers online. 

On Amazon USA, for example, the 64 GB variant is listed at US$683,99. An upgrade to 128 GB is only US$25 more expensive at US$709,00.

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro

01/18/2023 v7

Florian Schmitt

Connectivity

56 / 70 → 80%

Games Performance

54 / 78 → 69%

Application Performance

78 / 92 → 84%

Tablet – Weighted Average

Pricecompare

Florian Schmitt, 2023-01-20 (Update: 2023-01-21)

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