A 10.5-inch tablet with a focus on mobile productivity

Gorgeous screen; solid build; big battery

Last week Samsung showed me the Galaxy Tab S4 . I was apprehensive at first because I wasn't a fan of the previous Tab S3 , but Samsung assured me the new S4 added some new functionality that would change my mind on the whole system. I wanted to like this tablet.

In some ways, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 feels like it has a bit of an identity problem. It offers a fantastic multimedia experience with its sharp screen and great audio, but if you want a tablet just for entertainment, the $329 iPad has similar features and even more apps for half the price.

Sleek build; Gorgeous display; Loud speakers; Great stylus for drawing and note-taking; Excellent Wi-Fi connectivity; Dex brings desktop-like experience

Expensive; Keyboard accessory costs extra; Mediocre camera; Android-powered tablets still can't do everything Windows tablets can

A new weight class of tablet

Gorgeous screen; Excellent battery life; DeX is great for multitasking

Android apps for tablets are still mediocre; Requires you to buy keyboard / mouse for Dex to be useful; Face / iris scanning is hit or miss

It has been a long time since I got excited about an Android tablet - mostly because there aren't many launched each year - but the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 has managed to hook me in.

Beautifully sharp and bright display; Enviable design that grabs the eye; S Pen stylus is impressive and comes with it; Top audio quality for a tablet

Average battery life; Doesn't come with keyboard case; Outdated chipset inside

If you've searched for an Android tablet in recent years, especially one in the premium segment, you've probably noticed that there are precious few options available. No Android manufacturer comes close to matching Apple's portfolio, and the one OEM that has dared to challenge the iPad's supremacy...

Display The 10.5" Super AMOLED display is among the very best that you'll find on any device with a screen of this size - be it a laptop or a tablet; It makes for outstanding movie watching and gaming, Battery life The Tab S4's massive 7300mAh battery lasts a very long time, giving it a level of...

DeX DeX's tiny touch targets and unintuitive layout along with a suite of half-baked "desktop" apps just add up to a crappy laptop experience; The Tab S4 is not a laptop replacement - it's laptop cosplay, Keyboard case It's ghastly.

The Tab S4 would be an excellent Android tablet if Samsung hadn't tried to do too much with it. By adding DeX software integration, the company hoped to provide a desktop-like interface to boost productivity, but ended up with an finicky interface that's ultimately unreliable.

LIMITED OFFER: If you order the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 before 23 August, you'll get a free Keyboard Cover . That accessory normally costs £119, and while it's not perfect – as I'll discuss below – as a freebie it's well worth grabbing.

Sumptuous design; Great screen; Excellent battery life; Bundled S Pen works well

Outdated internals; Keyboard Cover has no touchpad for DeX; No stylus holder

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 is an upgrade over the Galaxy Tab S3 with an expanded 10.5-inch screen size and longer battery life, but it comes at a higher price and with a lofty promise to do so much more.

PC desktop-like Dex interface; Comes with the S Pen stylus; Large 10.5-inch screen

Dex touchscreen detection is off; Keyboard design is unintuitive; Expensive for what it delivers

If you're on the hunt for an Android tablet with specs to match Apple's then options will have been thin on the ground recently. Huawei's and offer decent specs and features, while range have the mid-range covered. But high-end Android tablets are rare. That's where Samsung and its Tab S4 come in.

Stunning display; Dex mode is an improvement to the UI; S-Pen included

Would like more RAM; Glass back is slippery and delicate; Lingering issues with Android on tablets; Dex mode has a few annoying bugs