olaf2046
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- First ReviewMarch 13, 2014
- Last ReviewMarch 13, 2014
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olaf2046's Reviews
Samsung - Galaxy Note Pro - 12.2" - 32GB - Black
Samsung Galaxy Note Pro - 12.2" - 32GB: Experience the productivity and entertainment of a tablet with a spacious screen. View up to 4 apps simultaneously and switch seamlessly between work and play. Watch a movie in stunning HD, or tackle business tasks with the versatile stylus. With tools to make multitasking and collaboration a breeze, the Samsung Galaxy Note Pro can keep up with even the busiest of days.
great tablet. worth the price.
Customer Rating
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: fast. good battery. nice screen.
What's not so great: doesn't come with ear phones or manual book in box
I originally wanted the Note 2014 10.1 for the holidays but decided to wait when the 12.2 appeared at CES. After seeing a some early online gadget reviews and videos I went into Best Buy held both the 10.1 and 12.2 and in under 3 minutes I was sold on the Pro 12.2.
What I realized after looking at the 32GB 10.1 at $549 versus the 32GB 12.2 at $749 that for $200 more you get a lot more than just a bigger screen.
After three weeks of daily use with my 12.2 did I make a good choice? Let's find out.
I can't praise or critique the Note Pro 12.2 without mention of the Note 10.1 so my review will balance both devices with Pros and Cons.
Pros:
The battery life is very good. I usually go all day with usage (bluetooth, wifi, apps running, screen brightness at 60%-auto brightness set to OFF) and never go below 70%. Some applications (words with friends) and widgets will drain battery quicker even if you are not directly using them so it is best to use the task and application manager in settings to see what is using your battery the most. Also GPS antenna being on all the time will kill the battery life.
The first thing you will notice is that the 12.2 handles multiple tasks VERY quickly. It is not as quick as my iPhone 5S when opening heavy apps quickly Facebook but because 99% of the time I am doing more than one thing at a time on my 12.2 any lag (minute as it maybe) is completely forgivable. In fact other than Facebook I have not notice anything to be slow on this tablet. YouTube, GPS-Google Earth/Maps, Web Browsing, Hancom Office, etc... can all run at 100% at the same time on the same screen.
I had absolutely no issues with stuttering, slowing down or freezing up like some review videos have griped about. It has updated since I bought it so that maybe the trick. Make sure to update your software and all the apps to get the most up to date performance. This tablet also doesn't get hot in my lap at all when doing heavy work. Netflix, YouTube, streaming Video playback is smooth, crystal clear Hi-Def and looks amazing!
The Chrome and Internet web browsing apps are blazing fast! I never liked web browsing apps on tablets and mobile phones because it was never as quick and natural as internet on a PC or notebook but here it feels natural and fast. Pages are full pages and not scaled down versions of websites. I also found the Android web browsing experience MUCH BETTER than Safari on the iOS iPads.
Contrary to many YouTube reviews I did not find this tablet to be too big or heavy for one handed use. The average adult should be able to hold and use it in one hand while standing. The Note Pro 12.2 is the around the same weight as my fiancé's pre-iPadAir iPad3.
At 8"+ by 11"+ inches the 12.2 shares the same footprint as a standard sheet of paper (Go to your printer or office desk and pick up a standard sheet of paper it is the same size as this 12.2 tablet)
If you are coming from an older 8" or 10" tablet then the Note Pro 12.2 will 'feel' much bigger but not much heavier. However if you are like me and never owned a tablet before while coming from a Laptop/Desktop background then the 12.2. will feel portable enough.
In fact this tablet paired with the Zagg keyboard has already completely replaced my premium Lenovo Thinkpad for on the go Laptop duties.
Speaking of Laptop PC Windows duties the productivity software that comes with the 12.2 is not the usual bloatware you would expect. In fact apps like Hancom, WebEx and Magazine puts Windows Office to shame.
These productivity apps put the practicality of Microsoft Office onto a tablet environment where it everything so far runs smoothly (especially with S pen) without the costs, drama and high maintenance that you get with Microsoft Office products.
I use Hancom on my 12.2 for writing (novels) and in this regard I highly recommend an external key board (like the Zagg).
Other obvious positives to a 12.2 screen is that you can do way more stuff at the same time and this tablet does the job of multi windows smoothly. My only prior tablet experience was my fiance's iPad3 which interfaces only one app at a time. Having the 12.2 do more than one thing at once took some getting used to. It is fun and most practical.
Cons:
My only main gripe for 'this' 12.2 screen is that it is carrying over the resolution from the Note 10.1's screen (why?). This means in apps like Gallery, Facebook and eBay some lower resolution photos do not scale up properly to fill out the bigger screen. Instead the Note Pro 12.2 tablet stretches out (or rather zooms out) images in these apps which results in slight fuzziness on those pictures. So if you are importing old school throw back pictures that you scanned back in 1999 then dont expect those pictures to look good here.
My only main gripe for 'this' 12.2 screen is that it is carrying over the resolution from the Note 10.1's screen (why?). This means in apps like Gallery, Facebook and eBay some lower resolution photos do not scale up properly to fill out the bigger screen. Instead the Note Pro 12.2 tablet stretches out (or rather zooms out) images in these apps which results in slight fuzziness on those pictures. So if you are importing old school throw back pictures that you scanned back in 1999 then dont expect those pictures to look good here.
On the Note 10.1 the same images would come out sharper since nothing needs to be scaled up, stretched and zoomed out for the extra 2.1 inch of screen space that the 12.2 has.
Lisa Gade at MobilTech has a brilliant 10.1 vs 12.2 video on YouTube that shows this effect better than I can describe here. It isn't a big issue and most people who deal in only Hi-Res pictures won't notice it at all.
On the flip side of this other apps like Adobe, Chrome/Internet, NYTimes and Magazine/FlipBoard have very crisp and clear images that are on par or better than iPad Retina's images.
My next gripe is in the box this tablet comes with nothing. You get the usb cord/charger combo, a quick start leaflet, and replacement nibs for the S pen. For $800 spent here I would have at least wanted headphones and a proper manual booklet (you have to search thru the samsung website for the 178 page SM-P905 pdf file). Funny enough the pdf SM-P905 manual when you download it has A LOT of important information regarding how to use this tablet properly.
Also the online 178 page manual that Samsung hides away of their website says to not use a screen protector on the Note Tablets but I bought one anyway and it works fine with the S pen and touch controls.
Be careful with where you buy your microsd card from. I went thru two eBay bought SanDisk and Samsung 64gb cards, most likely fakes, that didn't work, died and almost damaged my Pro 12.2. I finally purchased the genuine Samsung 64gb card at my local Best Buy and it worked. So the microsd card drive is very picky on this tablet.
My final gripe was this thing can take over 6 hours to charge. Out the box it took about 5 hours to charge from 70% to 100%. What I figured to improve charging is you have to close and/or delete some of the bloatware in Application Manager->Running like HP printer services and Blurb Checkout that remains running and tugging on the battery after you sleep the tablet. With this done I now get a full charge from 30% in 4 to 5 hours. LTE tablets models will have batteries that charge much quicker but will also discharge quicker than this non-LTE model.
Other than these minor gripes this is a perfect tablet for everyday use
BONUS!
ZAGG KEYBOARD REVIEW: I love that this keyboard works flawlessly, protects the screen when closed has great battery life. Also with its own leather stitched back matching the 12.2 perfectly BUT the Zagg is not a good case holder. The 12.2 lays facedown into the Zagg and clips on but the connection is loose and the tablet moves up and down inside the clips. Also removal of the tablet (as per the instructions) requires you to yank it up snapping back the holding clips open to release the tablet. The issue here is those clips are springy but still plastic and look like they will eventually break (I assume) from continued removal of the tablet. Furthermore you can easily pry or yank the wrong way and send the tablet flying across the room since it requires a bit of force.
ZAGG KEYBOARD REVIEW: I love that this keyboard works flawlessly, protects the screen when closed has great battery life. Also with its own leather stitched back matching the 12.2 perfectly BUT the Zagg is not a good case holder. The 12.2 lays facedown into the Zagg and clips on but the connection is loose and the tablet moves up and down inside the clips. Also removal of the tablet (as per the instructions) requires you to yank it up snapping back the holding clips open to release the tablet. The issue here is those clips are springy but still plastic and look like they will eventually break (I assume) from continued removal of the tablet. Furthermore you can easily pry or yank the wrong way and send the tablet flying across the room since it requires a bit of force.
Also at $99.99 it is an overpriced keyboard accessory that isn't backlit and looks like it will wear out in a year or two of use. Already my spacebar key needs to be pressed really hard and in the center to work.
I bought it at the time I purchased my 12.2 only because I needed a case right away and the only other case in Best Buy was $59.99. So I did the math and figured $40 bucks more got me a keyboard and stand for the 12.2. It does make a great stand.
I bought it at the time I purchased my 12.2 only because I needed a case right away and the only other case in Best Buy was $59.99. So I did the math and figured $40 bucks more got me a keyboard and stand for the 12.2. It does make a great stand.
In retrospect I probably would not have bought the Zagg for more than $50 but I didn't really have a choice. It does its job with minimal features for the most part but do not expect a secure case/holder out of this product.
This product is... responsive touch screen, Good sound quality, easy to set up, lightning fast, Perfect for Business, Variety of apps available, Sharp graphics, Easy to navigate, Great screen size, Comfortable to hold
About me... Basic web surfing & emails, Business Professional, traveler, Comfortable with technology, scientist, writer
I would recommend this to a friend!
Other Best Buy Products I Recommend
Samsung - Pro 64GB microSDHC Memory Card
(115)
ZAGG - COVER-FIT Keyboard Case for Samsung Galaxy Note PRO 12.2 and Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO 12.2 Tablets - Black
(83)+34points
36out of 38found this review helpful.
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ZAGG - COVER-FIT Keyboard Case for Samsung Galaxy Note PRO 12.2 and Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO 12.2 Tablets - Black
Designed for use with your Samsung Galaxy Note PRO 12.2 or Samsung Galaxy Tab PRO 12.2 tablet, this ZAGG COVER-FIT N12PKB-BBB case features a built-in keyboard with island-style keys for easy typing. The channel stand allows hands-free viewing.
good product but pricey for what you get
Customer Rating
3.0
Posted by: olaf2046
from new york, ny
on March 13, 2014
What's great about it: looks
What's not so great: durability
I love that this keyboard works flawlessly, protects the screen when closed has great battery life. Also with its own leather stitched back matching the 12.2 perfectly BUT the Zagg is not a good case holder. The 12.2 lays facedown into the Zagg and clips on but the connection is loose and the tablet moves up and down inside the clips. Also removal of the tablet (as per the instructions) requires you to yank it up snapping back the holding clips open to release the tablet. The issue here is those clips are springy but still plastic and look like they will eventually break (I assume) from continued removal of the tablet. Furthermore you can easily pry or yank the wrong way and send the tablet flying across the room since it requires a bit of force.
Also at $99.99 it is an overpriced keyboard accessory that isn't backlit and looks like it will wear out in a year or two of use. Already my spacebar key needs to be pressed really hard and in the center to work.
I bought it at the time I purchased my 12.2 only because I needed a case right away and the only other case in Best Buy was $59.99. So I did the math and figured $40 bucks more got me a keyboard and stand for the 12.2. It does make a great stand.
Also at $99.99 it is an overpriced keyboard accessory that isn't backlit and looks like it will wear out in a year or two of use. Already my spacebar key needs to be pressed really hard and in the center to work.
I bought it at the time I purchased my 12.2 only because I needed a case right away and the only other case in Best Buy was $59.99. So I did the math and figured $40 bucks more got me a keyboard and stand for the 12.2. It does make a great stand.
In retrospect I probably would not have bought the Zagg for more than $50 but I didn't really have a choice. It does its job with minimal features for the most part but do not expect a secure case/holder out of this product.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Other Best Buy Products I Recommend
Samsung - Pro 64GB microSDHC Memory Card
(115)+6points
6out of 6found this review helpful.
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olaf2046's Answers
Samsung - Galaxy Note Pro - 12.2" - 32GB - Black
Samsung Galaxy Note Pro - 12.2" - 32GB: Experience the productivity and entertainment of a tablet with a spacious screen. View up to 4 apps simultaneously and switch seamlessly between work and play. Watch a movie in stunning HD, or tackle business tasks with the versatile stylus. With tools to make multitasking and collaboration a breeze, the Samsung Galaxy Note Pro can keep up with even the busiest of days.
Manual
Where can I dowload the manual?
I eventually got it from an andriod forum. Google Search for SM-P905 and you will find it at one of the samsung android forums. It is a 178 page Adobe Reader pdf file.
10 years, 2 months ago
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Posted by:
olaf2046
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new york, ny