Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 Edition) hands-on

Move over Google Nexus 10, it looks like there’s a new face in town claiming the top spot as being Samsung’s biggest, baddest, and most feature filled tablet offering. Enter the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition, which not only boasts the usual specs improvements, but it also sees a subtle new redesign as well to move it away from the glossy construction of past Android powered Samsung tablets. Additionally, it continues to deepen the functionality of its included S-Pen stylus – arguably its most notable feature.

Finally, Samsung decided to move away from the glossy plastic construction that the company has been sitting on with its tablet designs. Instead, it’s following in the same path as the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, as its casing is featuring this faux-leather material and stitched outlining appearance. It’s surprising to say the least, but in the back of our minds, we view it more as a pleasant departure – even more when it now exudes this sophisticated look. With this year’s model, too, it’s sporting a lighter frame and thinner profile, which is something we’d come to expect with successive devices and all. Certainly, the redesign establishes this tablet as Samsung’s most high-end tablet offering – whereas the Tab series continues to be showcased as the company’s entry-level line.

So the redesign is a comforting thing to see, but better yet, Samsung has blessed this Galaxy Note 10.1 with an even more exceptional display. Beating out its predecessor, its 10.1-inch Super Clear LCD display captures our attention with its fantastic clarity and detail – both brought on by its jaw dropping resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels, which matches the Nexus 10. No doubt, it’s super detailed to give everything that’s on screen a solid amount of clarity and sharpness. The brightness output is more than ample, as well as its color reproduction, which simply leads to one eye catching display when all is said and done.

Depending on what version you get, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition will feature either the 1.9GHz Exynos Octa-core chipset (Wi-Fi only units), or a 2.3GHz quad-core processor (4G LTE model) – with both accompanied with 3GB of RAM. Performing a few basic tasks, we notice that the tablet maintains a nice responsive feel, with no detrimental issues that we can associate with lag or slowdown.

And then there’s the new TouchWiz Nature UX experience that’s running on top of Android 4.3 Jelly Bean! Visually, there isn’t a drastic departure with the presentation, but we do see some new enhancements to the functionality of the S-Pen. For those individuals who are big into the whole note-taking concept and keeping organized with the aid of a stylus, they’ll undoubtedly appreciate the extensive new functions found with the S-Pen. On one hand, it’s wonderful that it boasts such a comprehensive tally, but it proves to be overwhelming for those who aren’t familiar with the S-Pen experience.

Eclipsing the Google Nexus 10 in many different categories, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition is shaping out to be a serious contender in the high-end tablet space – and it helps that it’s further enhanced by its various new S-Pen functions. Heck, it’s still a rare concept to see with tablets in the Android space! At the end of the day, though, we’re curious to know what pricing this delicious tablet will sport when it launches in various markets starting on September 25th. It might simply prove to be the deal breaker!