Powerplay Samsung NotePro 12.2

Source: Ehsanur Raza Ronny

Bigger is generally perceived to be more interesting. It's better. It's more 'more'. And more is always better. Or is it?
Firstly, calling it a tablet is now a bit of a stretch. The stretch includes 12.2 inches of viewing real estate. That huge, huge screen is on par with most entry level laptops offering the 11-14 inch screens.

Design: The NotePro follows through on Samsung latest design trends of disguising its plastic with a rubberized coating. In one fell swoop, this has given the Tab a proper 'pro' look to go with the name. It's worked wonders on the huge S5 we tested a month back, and it offers the same grippy surface for the big tab. A little under a kilogram (750g), this is surprisingly light and thin as well.

Under the hood: The Exynos 5 octa core processor along with 3GB of RAM should theoretically mean you don't run out of juice while multitasking. During the tests, it flawlessly switched from game to sketch app to browser to calls. But there were a few hiccups when opening multiple windows. The Octa-core is divided into two sets of quad cores each that jump in respectively when load is high or low. Speed is of the essence with Bluetooth 4.0, USB 3.0, Wi-Fi and a micro SIM enabling you to hook up to any of the 3G service providers.

Source: Ehsanur Raza Ronny

Display: This is what this is all about. The previous Super Amoled panels with the overly saturated colours is gone. The TFT LCD now offers slightly muted colors now compared to before but makes gazing upon the screen more easy on the eyes. The screen is brilliantly sharp at 247ppi making everything from small icons to fine print on comic books easily visible.I found this size to be perfect for viewing comic books and magazines.

Best feature: The S Pen. It's just as functional as before. The new redesign adds a little bit more tactile feel to the device with a fair amount of sleek groves. Take it out of the slot and it instantly triggers the onscreen Air Command display. This offers a quick access to write memos and features such as Scrapbooker, Screen Write and Pen Window. Of course where this really shines is the S Sketch app. For artists this is like heaven. This is an A4 sized digital workspace with the right amounts of tools to draw just about anything. And it has a palm cancelling feature that stops inputs from your skin when the nib is near the surface. Cool. I like that.

SPECS
Display: Super clear LCD,
2560 x 1600 pixels, 12.2
inches (~247 ppi)
Platform: Android OS, v4.4 (KitKat)
Processor: Quad-core 2.3
GHz Krait 400
ROM: 32/64 GB
RAM:   3 GB RAM
Sensors: Accelerometer,
gyro, compass
Camera: Primary: 8 MP,
3264x2448 pixels,  autofocus, LED flash
Secondary: 2 MP, 1080p
Battery: Li-Po 9500 mAh
Price: Tk. 71,900/-

VERDICT

Starting with the bad, there's a lot of software bloat from Samsung on the device. Not all the apps are needed or wanted. Aside from that, it works great as primarily a media device. Play games, watch movies, read books, browse the net, socialize, share photos of your lunch with people all over the world instead of eating it. You won't feel very smart walking around outside taking pictures holding up the big tab. The pictures come out great though the big device makes it a clumsy camera. You can prop it up and watch movies and the battery size (9500mAh) delivers adequate 'you-time'.
Remote PC allows easy mirroring of your PC on the tablet screen. That way you access everything on your PC. Of course, the experience differs depending on the quality of your wireless connection but all-in-all, it turns out to be a pretty cool way to deal with all the media on the PC without having to sit at a desk. The dual speakers offer plenty of sound without distortion even at max volume. In short: a workhorse that can help you play hard. So bigger is sometimes better.