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jeudi 1 juillet 2021

These are the Best VPN providers in July 2021: Mullvad, ExpressVPN, IVPN, and more!

In this day and age, we spend a great deal of time on the internet. But despite all the great things you can do online, the web can also be an unpleasant place. It presents many growing threats, from web tracking to cybercrime. There’s a way to clamp down on these issues, though — installing a virtual private network — or VPN for short. A VPN will not only hide your internet protocol (IP) address but also encrypt your internet connection. You can then access the internet anonymously, protect your data with end-to-end encryption, and ensure cybercriminals can’t compromise your connection.

VPNs are capable of much more than merely keeping you safe online. When you connect to global VPN servers, it’s possible to bypass troublesome geographic restrictions and unblock content across the world. These services can also prevent internet service providers from throttling your internet speeds, as well as improving streaming and gaming performance.

The thing is, you can do far more online by downloading a VPN service on your smartphone, tablet, PC, and other connected devices. With so many VPN providers in the market claiming to be the best in the business, you might be having a hard time picking one. To help you make an informed decision, we’ve ranked the best VPN services of 2021.

Navigate this article:

Best Overall VPN: Mullvad

Mullvad VPN

Mullvad has topped our list of the best VPNs in June 2021, thanks to its security practices, transparency, and wide range of servers. You get access to 771 servers across 37 countries. The service also claims to not keep any user-activity logs, and even accepts cash as payment for its services, so you can remain anonymous if you want. Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Wire Transfer, PayPal, and others payment modes are also available.

It also supports the WireGuard protocol. In terms of applications, Mullvad provides official apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. If the Mullvad app is not available for your platform, or you don’t want to use it, you can always use the compatible OpenVPN or WireGuard clients with the downloaded configuration files.

Mullvad also keeps it pretty straightforward in terms of pricing — a flat rate of 5 euros per month ($6). You may however be able to score a deal by buying it from a supported reseller, or by using Mozilla VPN or MalwareBytes Privacy, both of which use Mullvad’s network.

    Mullvad
    Mullvad is a trustworthy, fast, and easy-to-use VPN. It also comes with a lot of server locations.

Also Great: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN homepage

ExpressVPN is a good VPN service due to its ease-of-use, exceptional performance, and wide server network. Simply put, the British Virgin Islands-based company has all the bells and whistles of a top-class VPN service.

With ExpressVPN, you have over 3,000 servers in 160 global locations at your fingertips. Using ExpressVPN’s fast servers, you can access pretty much any streaming service from any part of the world. It’s available on all platforms such as Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, and Linux. Its user interface is super easy to navigate, letting you connect to the best available VPN server or choose from a list of global VPN servers.

There are lots of other great features offered by ExpressVPN, including a built-in kill switch, TrustedServer technology, private DNS, VPN split tunneling, a no-logging policy, 256-bit encryption, a speed test, and more. But something to keep in mind is ExpressVPN has a somewhat stringent 5-device limit.

    ExpressVPN
    If you’re looking for a good overall VPN, look no further than Express. It offers lots of great features, outstanding performance, a large global server network, access to top streaming websites, and much more.

Also Great: IVPN

IVPN service

IVPN is another great VPN provider due to its security practices and transparency. The service also claims to not keep any user activity logs. It however falls behind on the number of servers, as it only offers around 75 servers across over 30 countries. IVPN offers the choice of WireGuard, OpenVPN, or IPSec protocols, and it can be used with its own apps or with any compatible clients.

IVPN offers two plans – Standard and Pro. While the Standard plan is limited to just two devices, the Pro plan includes support for up to seven devices, and gets extra features like port-forwarding, multi-hop, and anti-tracker support. For payments, you can use cash, Monero, or Bitcoin for anonymity. Credit cards and PayPal are also supported. The service provides official apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.

    IVPN
    IVPN is a great VPN service with transparent policies and no user-activity logs.

Best Affordable VPN: Surfshark

Surfshark homepage

VPNs can do some pretty great things, whether it’s making public Wi-Fi networks more secure or letting you access restricted online content. You may automatically assume these tools are going to be expensive. But Surfshark is an excellent example of a VPN service that can do all these great things (and lots more) at a cheap price.

For less than $3 per month, Surfshark gives you access to a network of over 3,200 servers spread across 65 countries. Each of these servers is not just fast but also protected by private DNS and a strict no-logging policy. Surfshark claims its servers are also “P2P friendly”, a must-have if you’re planning to use your VPN for torrenting or similar activities.

When connecting to one of Surfshark’s speedy servers, you can access streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and more, even if they’re not officially available in your country. Surfshark is also unique in that it lets you connect as many devices as you want from one account. That’s very useful if you want to stream content on a wide range of devices.

But Surfshark isn’t just a great streaming VPN; it’s also excellent for all your security and privacy needs. In fact, it’ll stop malware, phishing, web trackers, and spammy ads in their tracks. Furthermore, there’s strong 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, a no borders mode, a no-logging policy, private DNS and leak protection, a camouflage mode, and secure protocols.

    Surfshark
    For anyone who wants a cheap but effective VPN, your best option is Surfshark. Costing less than $3 per month, it provides an excellent range of features, easy-to-use apps, and impressive performance.

Best Free VPN: Windscribe Free

Windscribe Free VPN

WindScribe is a popular VPN service that provides a pretty decent free option. Unlike most free VPNs, it gives 10GB monthly bandwidth, access to servers in ten countries, and unlimited connections. WindScribe also claims that it doesn’t keep any logs that can be used to identify you. Meaning, it only records when you last used their service and the total amount of bandwidth used in the last 30 days.

WindScribe is easy to use, and provides decent speeds. It also has apps for pretty much all major platforms, and extensions for browsers. Moreover, it works great with Netflix and other streaming services to bypass the geo-restrictions. Windscribe’s paid service is also great, and if you aren’t concerned about its presence in a Five-Eyes country and the minimal logs they keep, it’s worth considering.

    Windscribe
    Windscribe offers a great free VPN option with a decent amount of servers and good monthly bandwidth.

Best VPN with loads of servers: Private Internet Access

privateinternetaccess homepage

When it comes to choosing a VPN service, one of the important things to consider is the number of servers it offers. Usually, the best VPN services provide large server networks, and Private Internet Access has a jaw-dropping 24,364 servers in 77 countries.

Thanks to such a large selection of global servers, you should find it really easy to bypass restricted websites and unblock services like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and lots of other streaming platforms.

By installing Private Internet Access on your devices, you’ll be able to protect yourself from malware, web trackers, and unwanted advertisements. You also get a wide variety of VPN protocols, including WireGuard, OpenVPN, PPTP, and L2TP/IPSec.

Other great features provided by Private Internet Access include P2P support, the ability to use up to ten devices under one subscription, unlimited bandwidth, a no traffic logging policy, a SOCKS5 proxy, and a native app for every major operating system. Premium subscriptions are reasonably priced, with the two-year plan working out at just $2.69 per month.

    Private Internet Access
    There’s a lot you can do with a large VPN server network, and Private Internet Access offers a huge 24,000 servers around the world.

As you can see, there are great VPN services for all needs and budgets. Regardless of the provider, a VPN service will give you an extra layer of security and provide uninterrupted access to online content. If we had to choose one provider, it’d definitely be Mullvad, thanks to its wide variety of international servers, easy-to-use apps, transparent policies, and good security practices.

Which VPN service are you planning to get? Do you think we missed any great VPNs? Let us know in the comments section.

The post These are the Best VPN providers in July 2021: Mullvad, ExpressVPN, IVPN, and more! appeared first on xda-developers.



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These are the Best Android Launchers in July 2021: Lawnchair, Lynx, Niagara, Nova, and More!

Android is one of the more customizable operating systems, especially considering all the limitations imposed on its Apple counterpart, iOS. You don’t need to root your Android device or flash a custom recovery and ROM to spice up your homescreen. If you’re mainly concerned about the pre-installed user interface (UI) from your device maker and wish to change its look, all you need to do is download one of the best Android launchers.

Android launchers provide an easy way for you to change the look of your Android smartphones in a cinch – avoiding all the technical side of things. Need something near to stock Android? There’s a launcher for it. Something minimal? Very customizable? There’s an Android launcher for that. If you’ve just grabbed a new device and want to add more aesthetics to your device or are just bored with your current homescreen, you can pick one of these Android launchers. Even if you have one of the best Android phones out there, there’s always a chance to soup things up without much overhead.

For new smartphone owners, be sure to check out our comprehensive list of the best Android apps, which includes apps in various categories from social media, music, to dating, to podcasting apps.

Here’s our list of the best Android launchers you can install today to change your device’s homescreen layout in just seconds.

Nova Launcher

Nova launcher's app drawer Nova launcher simple home screen Nova launcher customization options

Nova Launcher has become synonymous with the best Android launchers for quite some time. It’s heavily customizable, letting you change different things from app icon style, icon size, app drawer, and much more. Add in support for icon and theme packs, and you open up a whole new world of customization possibilities. Nova is light and fast as well, despite its wide array of customization options.

The premium version gives you even more ways to customize the launcher to your preferred look and feel. It’s also one of the most supported Android launchers, with new versions coming out fast, and there’s a vibrant customization community. Also, you can back up your customization settings for an easy restoration when you switch phones or reset your Android device.

Nova Launcher (Free, Google Play) →

Lawnchair 2

Lawnchair 2 home screen UI Lawnchair 2 app drawer and recent app section Lawnchair 2 customization options

If you fancy minimal Android launchers, you should go for Lawnchair 2. The UI is clean and sleek, much like Google’s Pixel launcher. Lawnchair 2 features icon pack support, which allows you to use other custom icon packs of your choosing.

It also supports adaptive icons, adjustable icon sizes, and, most importantly, is an easy Android launcher to customize. Lawnchair 2 is entirely free and is a go-to app if you’re looking for a Pixel launcher-like UI but with customization options for the homescreen.

Lawnchair 2 (Free, Google Play) →

Niagara Launcher

Niagara launcher home screen UI Niagara launcher sleek animations Niagara launcher customization options

Niagara is a new launcher, but its novel approach has made it climb the ranks to become one of the best Android launchers. Niagara has a modern minimal UI, sleek animations and is very clean. You choose your favorite apps that will reside on the homescreen and navigate to any other hidden app by tapping the vertical alphabet-style navigation menu. Notifications from your favorite apps are integrated into the launcher allowing you to reply without opening an app.

Niagara is customizable, but your options are limited given its minimalistic nature. It supports widgets, embedded notifications, gestures, and a couple of options to customize the look and feel of the launcher. Most extras like calendar and weather widgets, advanced customization options, pop-up widgets are locked away behind a paywall. To balance it out, Niagara is totally ad-free.

Niagara Launcher 🔹 fresh & clean (Free+, Google Play) →

AIO Launcher

AIO launcher home screen layout AIO launcher information-packed sections AIO launcher minimal app list

AIO Launcher does things differently than typical Android launchers. Most notably, instead of a standard homescreen, it features an information-packed layout in one screen. It includes several categories covering everything from your frequent apps, notifications, dialer, mailbox, a control panel, and other helpful information. All your apps are just a swipe away – you can swipe forward or backward.

You tap the button to launch an app. Atop the list is a system information section. A search button resides on the bottom left, with which you can search other apps, contacts, and even information on the internet. Holding the search button opens the settings, and swiping it will open the quick launch menu.

The premium version unlocks Android widget support, themes and UI tuner, icon packs, and custom font size, to name a few.

AIO Launcher (Free+, Google Play) →

Microsoft Launcher

Microsoft launcher home screen layout Microsoft launcher smart card Microsoft launcher customization options

Microsoft Launcher is majorly focused on productivity which makes it a commoner in the list of best Android launchers. Swipe left, and you find a smart card composed of several sections, including tasks, sticky notes, a calendar, frequently used apps, screen time usage, and recent activities.

The smart card can be a handy way to keep up with your latest tasks if you’re into the Microsoft ecosystem. You can also modify to add or remove widgets. Customization is also available on the launcher, with options to customize your homescreen, gestures, app drawer, icon shape, and visibility of the status bar, to name a few.

Microsoft Launcher (Free, Google Play) →

Smart Launcher

Smart launcher home screen UI Smart launcher smart search tool in action Smart launcher customization

Smart Launcher has a sorted app folder that categorizes all your apps into six major categories, communication, internet, games, media, utilities, and settings. This categorization, plus the available search button atop every section, makes it easy to search for apps.

It also has a so-called smart search bar at the bottom of the homescreen that offers a one-stop-shop to search your contacts, apps, the web, and even Google Play apps. Smart Launcher provides several customization options from font styles, themes, icon appearance, colors, and more.

The premium version includes the ability to customize app categories, an ultra-immersive mode, multiple home page widgets, custom icon sorting, and pop-up widgets.

Smart Launcher 5 (Free+, Google Play) →

Poco Launcher

Poco launcher home screen layout Poco launcher app drawer layout Poco launcher setting options

Poco Launcher from Xiaomi includes a slightly customizable homescreen. The launcher thrives for its effortless yet familiar UI. It consists of an app drawer that’s just a swipe away, and you can easily find apps by swiping through the different categories. Poco Launcher allows you to customize the background, app transparency, icon size, app drawer, and manage app categories.

It does support icon packs, so you can use custom icons if you prefer those over Xiaomi’s icon style. Poco Launcher is free to download and is ad-free.

POCO Launcher 2.0 - Customize, Fresh & Clean (Free, Google Play) →

BIG Launcher

BIG launcher home screen layout BIG launcher settings menu pop-up BIG launcher app drawer

BIG Launcher is a simple to use android launcher for seniors. Icons are large and have distinctive colors that ensure it’s easier to differentiate between a handful of apps featured on the grid-style homescreen. It also prioritizes essential apps for seniors, including the dialer app, messages, gallery, camera, and an SOS button. There’s a button that takes you to the app drawer as well.

The heavily contrasty homescreen is also ideal for users with eyesight issues. BIG Launcher offers a handful of customization options, including text size, full-screen display, navigation bar, safe borders size, and others. It keeps it simple, so it doesn’t get overwhelming for the elderly. A one-time fee unlocks additional ways to customize the launcher.

BIG Launcher (Free+, Google Play) →

Launcher iOS 14

Launcher iOS 14 Control Center Launcher iOS 14 App Icons Launcher iOS 14

If you want your Android to mimic iOS 14’s UI, this launcher will help you. Launcher iOS 14 features an iOS 14-esque design from the lock screen to the control center, animations, wallpapers, and widgets. You can hide apps and customize several aspects of the layout, similar to what is available on OS 14 to some extent.

Launcher iOS 15 (Free, Google Play) →

Lynx Launcher

Lynx Launcher Home Lynx Launcher App Drawer Lynx Launcher Settings

Lynx Launcher is a relatively new launcher in the Android world. With over 50,000 downloads, it may be still finding its feet but that hasn’t stopped it from already gaining a fan following. The Lynx Launcher offers a clean-looking homescreen with easy-to-remember gestures to navigate around it. According to its developers, the launcher has been inspired by Gnome Desktop Environment, which is quite clear from the dock on the homescreen.

It comes with lots of customization options, including the ability to download new themes from the launcher’s website, although I only found four themes to be currently available. Additionally, you can get custom icon packs from the Google Play store, change the location of the dock, select dark mode, and more. Gesture-based navigation is quite quick and smooth and can be tweaked as per your liking.

Lynx Launcher is free to download and use; however, there’s a Pro version that gives you access to screen transitions, more desktop pages, advanced theming options, and a lot more.

Lynx Launcher (Free+, Google Play) →

Wide Launcher

Wide Launcher

The Wide Launcher is another interesting home-screen replacement app. It’s attempting to be different from other launchers by offering a 3-times wider homescreen, so you’re not limited to your typical homescreen size and grid. You also get lots of customization options, including the ability to select icon styles, themes, decor stickers, and more. Moreover, the Decorate mode allows your creativity to run wild.

It also comes with its own mini-apps called Applets that provide a variety of functions and can be added to the homescreen. Overall, if you’re really planning to try something different, you should give it a spin. The Wide Launcher is free to download and use.

Wide Launcher - 3x wider home screen (Free+, Google Play) →


Customizing your Android homescreen is a no-brainer with the best Android launchers. Want a minimalist launcher? Try Niagara. Something that mimics iOS 14? Go for Launcher for iOS 14. BIG launcher is excellent for the elderly, and Lawnchair 2 gives you a Pixel launcher-like experience. Microsoft Launcher is your go-to for productivity and Nova is for those looking for a heavily customizable Android launcher. While you’re freshening things up, check out the best wallpaper apps for Android too.

The post These are the Best Android Launchers in July 2021: Lawnchair, Lynx, Niagara, Nova, and More! appeared first on xda-developers.



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Samsung’s Galaxy S21 FE may not just be delayed, it could also be changing SoCs

Over the last several months, we’ve seen a ton of leaks about the upcoming Galaxy S21 FE. The leaks have given us a good look at the affordable flagship’s design and an overview of its specifications. We’ve also learned that Samsung might unveil the device alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Galaxy Z Flip 3, and the Galaxy Watch 4 series in August. However, recent reports suggest that Samsung might not launch the Fan Edition device in August due to supply constraints.

According to South Korean publications Financial News and Maekyeong, Samsung initially planned to launch the Galaxy S21 FE in August this year. However, due to the global semiconductor shortage, the company has pushed the launch to the fourth quarter. The reports further reveal that Samsung may also switch the Snapdragon 888 on the phone with an Exynos chip because Qualcomm is facing production setbacks.

Early last month reports alleged that Samsung had shelved the hotly anticipated affordable flagship altogether. But the company later released a statement claiming that it hadn’t decided to suspend production of the Galaxy S21 FE. It now seems like the company will go ahead with the launch, albeit a bit later in the year. Currently, it’s believed that the device will hit the market sometime in October, but we have no official word from Samsung yet.

While the reports don’t specify the Exynos SoC Samsung will use on the Galaxy S21 FE, we believe it could be the Exynos 2100. The reports further add that Samsung might end up launching the phone in the US and Europe only, with a limited number of units on offer.

At the moment, we have no further details about Samsung’s plans regarding the Galaxy S21 FE. We’ll make sure to let you know as soon as we learn more.

Featured image: Leaked render of the Galaxy S21 FE

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mercredi 30 juin 2021

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE Review: Doesn’t justify the “Fan Edition” label

When Samsung launched the Galaxy S20 FE last year, it said the new Fan Edition lineup was a tribute to Galaxy fans that set “a new standard of making uncompromising flagship innovations accessible to as many people as possible.” During the launch event, the company also promised it would launch “Fan Editions of our flagship devices in the years to come.”

So when Samsung reached out to send over a review unit of the new Galaxy Tab S7 FE, I expected to receive an affordable version of the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus with perhaps a few missing features. However, the device I’ve been using for the last ten days is anything but that.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE only has a total of three features in common with the flagship Galaxy Tab S7+ — the display size, battery capacity, and One UI — and in my opinion, it doesn’t deserve the FE moniker. Samsung should have just called it the Galaxy Tab S7 Lite (as previous leaks and rumors suggested) because the “FE” tag will only mislead fans.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE: Specifications

Specification Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE
Dimensions & Weight
  • 185.0 x 284.8 x 6.3mm
  • 608g
Display
  • 12.4-inch FHD+ TFT LCD
  • 2560 x 1600 (244 PPI)
  • 16:10 aspect ratio
  • 60Hz refresh rate
SoC
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G
    • Adreno 619
RAM & Storage
  • 4GB + 64GB
  • 6GB + 128GB
  • microSD card slot (up to 1TB)
Battery & Charging
  • 10,090mAh
  • 45W fast charging support
  • 15W charger included
Security Face unlock
Rear Camera
  • 8MP, AF
  • Video: 1080p @30fps
Front Camera
  • 5MP
  • Video: 1080p @30fps
Port(s) USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C
Audio
  • Dual speakers tuned by AKG
  • Dolby Atmos support
Connectivity
  • 4G LTE
  • 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac dual-band Wi-Fi
  • Bluetooth 5.0
  • GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo
Software One UI 3.1 based on Android 11
Other Features
  • S Pen (not active, <30ms latency)
  • Samsung DeX support
  • 6-month Clip Studio Paint subscription
  • 30-day Canva Pro trial
  • Noteshelf

About this review: I received the 6GB/128GB version of the Galaxy Tab S7 FE (LTE) from Samsung India for this review. Samsung had no inputs in any part of this review.


Design & Display

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE looks quite like the flagship Galaxy Tab S7+. It has a similar metal chassis with square edges, a tiny pill-shaped camera module in the top right corner on the back, antenna lines on the left and right edges, and Samsung branding in the top left corner. The only obvious difference between the two is that the Galaxy Tab S7 FE doesn’t feature a glass strip next to the camera module. That’s because the flagship model came with an active S Pen that charged wirelessly when placed on the glass strip. Since the Galaxy Tab S7 FE’s S Pen is just a glorified stylus, Samsung has removed the glass strip from the tablet.

Over on the front, the tablet features a 12.4-inch TFT LCD (2560 x 1600) that has a 16:10 aspect ratio, 60Hz refresh rate, and minimal bezels on all sides. While the display is great for content consumption and gets bright enough for outdoor use, it’s a bit underwhelming for the asking price. I expected to see a 60Hz AMOLED panel or a high refresh rate LCD at this price point, but that’s sadly not the case.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE front with S Pen and keyboard

The power button, volume rocker, and SIM tray on the Galaxy Tab S7 FE all reside on the top edge, while the USB Type-C port can be found on the right edge. The tablet features a dual speaker setup tuned by AKG, another downgrade from the flagship models. It features the same proprietary keyboard connector at the bottom edge, which is compatible with the keyboard accessories designed for the Galaxy Tab S7+. The tablet features a front-facing camera, which resides in the center of the top bezel.

Overall, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE feels just as premium as the flagship Galaxy Tab S7+. But it lacks a few crucial features you would expect to see on a tablet that costs over ₹45,000 (~$600), such as a fingerprint scanner. Yeah, you read that right. The Galaxy Tab S7 FE doesn’t have a fingerprint scanner. Software-enabled Face Unlock is the only mode of biometric authentication on the tablet — and we all know how secure that is.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE: Performance & Battery Life

While the Fan Edition label might lead you to believe the Galaxy Tab S7 FE packs a flagship SoC, it doesn’t. The tablet features Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 750G, which is a mid-range chipset found on affordable devices like the OnePlus Nord CE. The SoC is paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage on the base model, while the higher-end variant gets 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Since I recently reviewed the OnePlus Nord CE, which also packs the same SoC, I was expecting the tablet to perform just as well, if not better. But it didn’t.

Performance-wise, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE is just good enough for light workloads and media consumption. So if you’re planning on getting some serious work done or play demanding games on the tablet, then you should probably look elsewhere. While using the tablet over the last two weeks, I noticed a couple of issues with the Galaxy Tab S7 FE that may turn buyers away. The tablet stuttered quite often when I had more than a couple of Chrome tabs open for work, it froze while playing demanding games like COD: Mobile at medium to high graphics settings, and it took far too long to switch to DeX mode.

While playing videos on YouTube, the tablet worked fine as long as I stuck to the auto or 1080p video quality preset. But the video stuttered as I switched to a higher quality preset. It’s also worth noting that the tablet’s speakers, while pretty decent for the most part, crackled at high volume in some situations. Here’s a sample:

I’m not sure if the issue is limited to my review unit or not.

If you care about synthetic benchmarks, here’s a quick look at the results posted by the Galaxy Tab S7 FE:

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE Androbench Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE 3DMark Sling Shot Extreme Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE Geekbench 5

In Geekbench 5, the tablet got a single-core score of 650 and a multi-core score of 1,882. In 3DMark’s Sling Shot Extreme OpenGL test, it got an overall score of 2,320, and it scored 33.3 in Browserbench’s Speedometer 2.0 web benchmark. In Androbench, the tablet delivered sequential read speeds of 899.63MB/s and sequential write speeds of 487.62MB/s.

I have no complaints about the Galaxy Tab S7 FE’s battery life. It performed reasonably well, with a four hour Netflix binge session at full brightness consuming around 50 percent of the battery. While doing only browser-based tasks, the tablet lasted just about two days on a single charge.

While the tablet’s battery performance was decent, its charging speeds were atrocious. That’s because it ships with a 15W charger in the box, even though it supports 45W fast charging. The charger took well over three hours to charge the 10,090mAh battery on the tablet from 0-100%, which is rather unacceptable. I’m disappointed that Samsung still doesn’t ship a faster charger with its tablets, but that was to be expected as the company ships the same 15W brick with its flagship Galaxy Tab S7.

S Pen & Keyboard Folio

As mentioned earlier, the S Pen that comes with the Galaxy Tab S7 FE isn’t the same as the one you get with the flagship models. It’s just a glorified stylus that doesn’t support any of the premium features you get with the active S Pen. In addition to that, it doesn’t offer the same 9ms ultra-low latency as the active S Pen you get with the Galaxy Note 20 or Galaxy Tab S7 series. Instead, it promises <30ms latency, which isn’t all that great for writing or drawing.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE keyboard folio

The keyboard folio case for the Galaxy Tab S7 FE is also a downgrade. While it’s similar to the keyboard folio for the Galaxy Tab S7 in terms of design and build quality, it doesn’t feature a trackpad. This makes working on the tab a bit annoying, as you have to use the touch screen for all the tasks you would otherwise perform with a mouse or trackpad.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE with folio cover back

Conclusion

I don’t see which “uncompromising flagship innovations” the Galaxy Tab S7 FE makes more accessible for buyers. It’s just a mid-range tablet with a large screen and a large battery, and it fails to justify the Fan Edition moniker. In my opinion, Samsung should’ve offered the Galaxy Tab S7 FE with an older flagship chip. That would’ve addressed the performance issues while keeping the cost low.

Speaking of which, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE’s price tag also makes it hard to recommend. You can get a regular iPad or the iPad Air for a similar price. Both of those options undoubtedly offer better performance and they’re significantly better tablets overall. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 is also a much better purchase, and it’s often available at attractive discounts that bring its price down to the same level.

    Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE
    The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE is a mid-range tablet with a large screen and a large battery, but it fails to justify the Fan Edition label.

I honestly expected Samsung to offer users better value with its Fan Edition devices. I hope upcoming Fan Edition phones or tablets aren’t as disappointing as the Galaxy Tab S7 FE.

The post Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE Review: Doesn’t justify the “Fan Edition” label appeared first on xda-developers.



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