@Technerd108
I'm curious how do you juggle having a iPad and an Android tablet? Do you use one while the other is charging? Or do they serve certain roles?
I have a Mac and used to have an iPhone. To use Facetime with certain family members I find the iPad is very helpful since I don't have an iPhone anymore.
Also I have a Samsung s23 Ultra so using the tab s8 is great for connectivity between my s23 ultra s8 and Windows PC. I can text from the tablet, etc.
I find that both tablets have their strengths and weaknesses.
It is hard to say that I like one better than the other. Both are a pleasure to use. The iPad with M1 chip is just insanely capable. No slowed ever.
The tab s8 has the 120hz screen and double the storage and s pen.
I got the tab s8 on sale and with a trade in so it cost me around $300.
The iPad I got with a student discount and $100 gift card.
So I was able to get both for what a iPad Pro or tab s8 ultra would cost.
I couldn't really decide which to keep as I was going to return one of them and never did.
In day to day use I like the lightness of the iPad, I like the M1 chip, but the battery life could be better although it charges pretty fast.
The tab s8 has better battery life but takes forever to charge.
The tab s8 has a slightly better screen and aspect ratio but using both it is hard to tell a big difference even with the 120hz vs 60jz.
The quad speakers on the tab s8 are better but the stereo speakers on the iPad get almost as loud without distortion and have more bass.
Apple uses less storage by default than Samsung so even with less storage I don't have a problem on the iPad.
At the end of the day I like both but I feel like the iPad will last longer due to the M1 and Apple support. If I really had to use only one tablet I don't know what I would do..
This is why I am so excited about the tab s9. With a Snapdragon 8 gen 2 and OLED screen it would make the Galaxy tablet superior in a much more clear way than the iPad.
But the iPad still will have faster chip and better GPU. It also has a better color as I love the purple. It is physically lighter which makes it easier to handle for long periods of time.
If Apple were to come out with an M2 iPad air then it would make my choice harder but the OLED screen is a big deal on a Tablet. The IPS screen on the iPad is very good but the backlight glow is annoying specially with bigger bars at the top and bottom when streaming content which I do a lot on my tablet.
Considering that I can trade in my s8 for the S9 and I will probably wait for the S9 to be on sale when I get it I can probably pay about the same as last time or maybe less. It is hard to resist a top of the line tablet in the $300 price range.
I will say that the Samsung feels more premium and better designed. The way the s pen connects to the back of the tablet on a glass strip is pretty good design. This way it will never scratch the device like the Apple pencil scratching the iPad sides which is a common issue.
So I will probably keep my base iPad air 5th gen until Apple puts an M3 in it probably next year some time or later and upgrade the s8 this year to the S9. Then I will probably keep the S9 for a few years as well. The jump from 8 gen 1 to 8 gen 2 is pretty big and the jump from tft LCD to OLED is as well where as the iPad air might only get M2 this year and that is just not as big a deal in the iPad as the M1 is still overkill.
