high quality high definition 9.7" AMOLED HDR-ready display for higher quality video playback experience, new S-Pen and well-designed physical keyboard in a light and thin package. Cons: entertainment machine that cannot be used as a PC replacement except for people who do not need compute intensive...

High quality high definition 9.7" AMOLED HDR-ready display; New S-Pen digital pen; Well-designed physical keyboard in a light and thin package

Cannot be used as a PC replacement; HDR content hard to come by

The Galaxy Tab S3 is the successor to last year's Galaxy Tab S2. We got some hands-on time with the Galaxy Tab S3 at the company's stand and here are our first thoughts.

A few years ago, the tech world was obsessed with finding an "iPhone killer" – a phone to knock Apple's handset from its perch and prove there was life out there for Android.

Instead, the firm unveiled a skip full of burnt-out Galaxy Note 7 devices that it said will be recycled into a life-size We were initially shocked when we picked up the Galaxy Tab S3. "Wow, they're still making these?

The Galaxy Tab S3 may be the best Android tablet you can buy, though its price is intimidating.

Fantastic 9.7-inch screen; Good battery life; S Pen features are useful; Solid performance; UI doesn't feel cluttered

Boring design; odd button placement; Poor palm rejection capability; Fingerprint sensor often doesn't work

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 is the Galaxy Note Tablet that never was. In the best way possible, Samsung has created an Android answer for the iPad Pro. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 has some of the qualities of the Samsung Galaxy Note series – save a couple of the most important features.

Feels like a high-end device with glass front and back; MicroSD card slot allows storage expansion; Display is top-notch; Sound is great through headphones; good through speakers; S Pen makes this a true iPad Pro competitor

Speakers should face forward; not to the sides; S Pen should fit inside tablet while not in use; Keyboard cover should make tablet feel more premium; not less

The Tab S3 is a direct shot from Samsung at Apple's latest iPad Pro . On description alone, the two match up beat for beat: they have 9.7-inch, high-resolution displays (both 2048 x 1536), nearly top-of-the-line processors, 32GB of internal storage, fingerprint sensors, four speakers, measure 0.24...

Tight stylus integration; Bright; vibrant screen; Super small and light

Keyboard is cramped; Multitasking is still limited; Photos look like 2000s webcam images

The point is, productivity-and-media-focused consumers can find a whole lot of good computing options for them in this price range. We're happy to count the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 as one of them, but at its current price, it will appeal to people who specifically want an Android-based iPad Pro...

Excellent battery life; Very snappy performance; Top-notch screen; Redesigned S Pen feels great; is included

Ho-hum speakers; Glass back (and tablet as a whole) is slippery to grip; Keyboard case pushes price to $729

The Galaxy Tab S3 marks a crossroad for Samsung, since the tablet landscape has shifted significantly over the last few years. When you also look at what it has to compete against nowadays, it can potentially be overlooked – due to the kind of value it brings to the table with its cost.

Beautiful; premium design S Pen is included with purchase Beautiful HDR-enabled Super AMOLED display Battery recharges very quickly Great for gaming Quad speakers deliver true stereo audio

Few tablet-optimized apps Average battery life No placeholder or clip for the S Pen Camera is just so-so

Samsung's been chipping away at its tablet game for some time now and as a result, it's had time to refine its interpretation of what works and what doesn't for the tablet market. The Galaxy Tab S3 is an outstanding device for getting some work done.

A bevy of multitasking software features; The S Pen is everything; Stylish hardware; Available with an optional; comfortable keyboard

Battery life is fine when the screen isn't on; No water resistance; It's not a replacement for a laptop