The new S-Class. The Galaxy Tab S5e looks a lot like the Galaxy Tab S4. However, while the latter is currently Samsung’s flagship tablet, the Tab S5e is significantly cheaper at nearly 400 Euros [~$448]. The midrange tablet is about 20% lighter too. Samsung has not skimped on hardware to save on costs though, which could make the Tab S5e a better choice for some people than its more expensive sibling.
Samsung is slowly expanding its Galaxy Tab S series. First, we had the Tab S4, which scored highly in our review at the end of last year. Now we have its cheaper sibling, the Tab S5e. The latter has inherited plenty of hardware from its big brother while shaving off nearly 100 g and 300 Euros [~$336].
Both devices have 10.5-inch Super AMOLED displays that operate at 2560x1600 along with quad speakers, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage. A word on the storage though: While the Tab S4 has UFS 2.1 storage, the Tab S5e has eMMC flash storage instead, which is considerably slower. Both devices support Samsung DeX and have LTE variants too.
Moreover, the Tab S5e does not support pen input like its bigger brother, while Samsung equips it with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 SoC. By contrast, the Tab S4 is powered by the more powerful Snapdragon 835.
Display
10.50 inch 16:10, 2560 x 1600 pixel 288 PPI, 10-point multitouch touchscreen, Super AMOLED, WQXGA, adaptive brightness, Gorilla Glass 3, glossy: yes, 60 Hz
Storage
64 GB eMMC Flash, 64 GB
, 48.2 GB free
Connections
1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: USB Type-C, Card Reader: up to 512 GB microSD cards, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: Accelerometer, fingerprint scanner, gyroscope, hall sensor, Wi-Fi Direct, USB OTG, ANT +, docking port [Samsung Pogo Pins], Samsung DeX
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac [a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/], Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
Size
height x width x depth [in mm]: 5.5 x 245 x 160 [ = 0.22 x 9.65 x 6.3 in]
Battery
7040 mAh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Android 9.0 Pie
Camera
Primary Camera: 13 MPix 1/3.4", f/2.0, 8x digital zoom, photos up to 4128x3096 [4:3], videos up to 3,840 x 2,160/30 FPS [UHD] Secondary Camera: 8 MPix 1/4.0", f/2.0, wide angle, photos up to 3265x2448 [4:3], videos up to 1,920 x 1,080/30 FPS [Full HD]
Additional features
Speakers: AKG quad speakers with Dolby Atmos, Keyboard: virtual, Modular charger [9 V/1.67 A, 5 V/2 A], USB Type-A to Type-C cable, 3.5 mm jack adapter [USB Type-C], SIM tool, quick start guide, One UI 1.1, 24 Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
400 g [ = 14.11 oz / 0.88 pounds], Power Supply: 30 g [ = 1.06 oz / 0.07 pounds]
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.
The Tab S5e certainly looks more expensive than it is. Its black, gold or silver metal chassis makes the tablet look premium, as do its slim display bezels. The device weighs just 400 grams too, making the Tab S5e one of the lightest 10-inch tablets currently on the market.
Our review unit weighs at least 40 g less than our comparison devices, although we could hardly notice this difference in daily use. Overall, the Tab S5e feels good in the hand thanks to its rounded corners, and it never felt heavy even if we had been carrying it around for a while.
We thought that the Apple iPad Air [2019] was thin, but the Tab S5e takes this to new extremes. Our review unit is 5.5 mm thick, which currently makes it the thinnest 10-inch tablet that we have ever tested. We should point out that the rear-facing camera protrudes from the back case by around 1 mm, so technically the Tab S5e is 6.5 mm thick. The camera housing has a large contact area though, so it does not make the tablet wobble about when placed on a flat surface. Samsung has also incorporated the fingerprint scanner within the home button, which sits on the right-hand side of the device. We were pleasantly surprised to see the South Korean company include a fingerprint scanner, seeing as it failed to do so with the Tab S4. Advantage Tab S5e, then.
You can twist and temporarily deform the Tab S5e by applying some force if you are into that sort of thing. Likewise, we can depress the screen by approximately 1 mm, but we did not notice this happening in daily use. Hence, you should not find your Tab S5e bent if you take it out of your bag, for example. The tablet has no IP certification though, so it is not officially dust or water-resistant. We would recommend looking after your electronics even if they are IP or MIL-STD certified but be careful to keep the Tab S5e away from water.
Samsung covers the front of the tablet in Gorilla Glass 3, while all colours come with black display bezels on the frame. We measure these at about 9 mm on all sides, which makes it look sleeker than the Tab S4 in our opinion.
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8 Apple iPad Air 3 2019 Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720 Lenovo Tab P10 DIN A5
262 mm / 10.3 inch 159 mm / 6.26 inch 9.8 mm / 0.3858 inch 497 g1.096 lbs258.7 mm / 10.2 inch 171.8 mm / 6.76 inch 7.3 mm / 0.2874 inch 498 g1.098 lbs250.6 mm / 9.87 inch 174.1 mm / 6.85 inch 6.1 mm / 0.2402 inch 456 g1.005 lbs249 mm / 9.8 inch 164 mm / 6.46 inch 7 mm / 0.2756 inch 482 g1.063 lbs245 mm / 9.65 inch 160 mm / 6.3 inch 5.5 mm / 0.2165 inch 400 g0.882 lbs242 mm / 9.53 inch 167 mm / 6.57 inch 7 mm / 0.2756 inch 440 g0.97 lbs210 mm / 8.27 inch 148 mm / 5.83 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 2.9 g0.00639 lbs
As mentioned at the start of this review, the Tab S5e is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 SoC, which integrates a Kryo 360 CPU and an Adreno 616 GPU among other components. Samsung complements the SoC with 4 GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 64 GB of eMMC flash storage, of which approximately 48 GB is free upon delivery. The Tab S5e supports up to 512-GB microSD cards should you need more storage. The tablet can save apps and data on external storage too.
Our review unit is the Wi-Fi model, but Samsung also sells an LTE version should you always need Internet access. The card slot in the LTE version holds a microSD card and a SIM card, for reference. Disappointingly, neither version supports NFC, so the Tab S5e cannot be used with services like Google Pay, for example.
Samsung has equipped the Tab S5e with a USB 3.1 Gen.1 Type-C port, which supports USB On-The-Go [OTG] along with audio and video out. These allow the tablet to work with Samsung DeX, the South Korean company’s desktop mode, but you will need a Type-C to HDMI or DisplayPort adapter to take advantage of the feature.
The Tab S5e ships with One UI 1.1 at the time of writing, which is Samsung’s customised version of Android 9.0 Pie. The UI looks subtly different compared to stock Android Pie, so it should not take too long to get acclimatised if you have used Android before. Our review unit had March 2019 security patches installed during our tests in April, which make them still quite up to date. As befits a modern multimedia tablet, the Tab S5e can stream DRM-protected content in HD from services like Amazon Prime Video and Netflix thanks to its DRM Widevine L1 certification.
One UI comes with hardly any third-party apps preinstalled save for the usual suite of Google apps, and some Microsoft apps like OneDrive. Samsung also includes its Galaxy Apps app store along with other services like E-Mail, Samsung Members and Bixby Home. While the Tab S5e does not have a dedicated Bixby button like recent Galaxy S smartphones do, swiping to the right from the home screen brings up the service, which displays information like reminders, app notifications and weather among others.
As mentioned previously, the Tab S5e also supports Samsung DeX, which replaces One UI with something akin to a Windows-esque desktop view when enabled. Connecting an optional Keyboard Cover allows you to use the Tab S5e like a small laptop. Android supports mouse input too, although you will need to connect an external one as the Keyboard Cover does not have a trackpad. It is a shame that Samsung chose to not bring pen support to the Tab S5e though, which could have been useful for creatives or professionals.
The Tab S5e supports Bluetooth 5.0 and modern Wi-Fi standards up to IEEE 802.11ac, which allows the device to connect to 2.4 GHz or 5.0 GHz Wi-Fi networks. The LTE variant currently costs around 60 Euros [~$67] more than its Wi-Fi equivalent and supports 13 LTE bands including Band 20, which has been deployed across Europe.
Our review unit achieved good, but not outstanding, Wi-Fi transfer speeds in tests with our Linksys EA8500 router. The Tab S5e finished second to the iPad Air [2019] in iperf3 Client [receive] and even outperformed the Tab S4, but it could only finish fourth in the iperf3 Client [transmit] test.
Networking iperf3 transmit AX12Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 Adreno 540, SD 835, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
580 MBit/s +101%
Apple iPad Air 3 2019 A12 Bionic GPU, A12 Bionic, 64 GB eMMC Flash
553 [481min - 580max] MBit/s +91%
Lenovo Tab P10 Adreno 506, SD 450, 64 GB eMMC Flash
326 [314min - 338max] MBit/s +13%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720 Adreno 616, SD 670, 64 GB eMMC Flash
289 [229min - 300max] MBit/s
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8 Mali-G71 MP8, Kirin 960s, 32 GB eMMC Flash
237 MBit/s -18%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 PowerVR GX6250, MT8173, 64 GB eMMC Flash
227 MBit/s -21%
iperf3 receive AX12Apple iPad Air 3 2019 A12 Bionic GPU, A12 Bionic, 64 GB eMMC Flash
540 [499min - 581max] MBit/s +56%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720 Adreno 616, SD 670, 64 GB eMMC Flash
346 [329min - 362max] MBit/s
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 Adreno 540, SD 835, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
290 MBit/s -16%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 PowerVR GX6250, MT8173, 64 GB eMMC Flash
241 MBit/s -30%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8 Mali-G71 MP8, Kirin 960s, 32 GB eMMC Flash
214 MBit/s -38%
Lenovo Tab P10 Adreno 506, SD 450, 64 GB eMMC Flash
214 [206min - 223max] MBit/s -38%
020406080100120140160180200220240260280300320340360Tooltip
The Tab S5e uses BeiDou, Galileo, GLONASS and GPS for location services, which allows it to find a satellite fix with up to four metres accuracy regardless of where we test it.
We also took our review unit on a bike ride to test its location accuracy against the Garmin Edge 500, a dedicated bike computer. The Tab S5e performed impressively well here and even manages to plot a more realistic route than the Garmin did. In short, you should have no issues with using the Tab S5e as a sat nav, other than its size.
The Tab S5e has two cameras, a 13 MP rear-facing sensor and an 8 MP front-facing one. The former has a 1/4" CMOS sensor that can take photographs in up to 4128x3096 with a 4:3 aspect ratio and shoot 4K videos at 30 FPS. By contrast, the 8 MP front-facing sensor can only produce 3264x2448 pixels photos, also with a 4:3 aspect ratio, and it can shoot videos in up to Full HD at 30 FPS.
Both sensors have f/2.0 apertures, although only the rear-facing one supports autofocus. The default camera app contains settings for adjusting the level of exposure, ISO, and white balance. The app also has gesture controls, geotagging, an HDR mode, a beauty mode and filters including selfie stickers. Samsung has integrated Bixby Vision too, which has AR features and can translate texts, and identify products along with reading QR codes.
The rear-facing camera takes passable photos in daylight as demonstrated by scenes 1 and 2 below. However, they both look rather dull and washed-out. The sensor struggles to capture many details, even in ideal conditions too. Photos shot in low light amplify these shortcomings. Scene 3, for instance, is so underexposed that it is difficult to make out any details. In short, the cameras are good enough for occasionally taking the odd photo or selfie, but not much else.
Image Comparison
Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.
click to load images
We also subjected our review unit to further camera tests under controlled lighting conditions. The rear-facing camera tends to oversaturate bright colours and grey tones compared to ColorChecker: Passport reference colours.
The Tab S5e does a decent job at capturing our test chart though. The camera reproduces fine details and structure, but the image is not as sharp as we would have liked it to be. Moreover, contrast levels drop off in the bottom corners of the chart, which makes those areas look washed-out.
Samsung includes a 15 W modular charger in the box [9 V/1.67 A, 5 V/2 A] along with a USB Type-A to Type-C cable, a Type-C to 3.5 mm jack adapter and a card slot opening tool. Our review unit comes with a quick-start guide and some warranty information too.
As mentioned earlier in this review, Samsung also sells four Tab S5e specific accessories, called the Bookcover, Keyboard Cover, Charging Dock POGO docking station and Slim Cover. You can also buy a Type-C to HDMI cable, which the South Korean company markets as a DeX Cable. The cable is 1.3 m long and supports 4K at 60 Hz.
The Tab S5e worked smoothly during our tests in part because of its 10-point multitouch touchscreen, which reproduced inputs precisely and without any noticeable delays. We had no issues with the power button or volume rocker either, which both sit firmly in their housings and are defined by their crisp pressure points.
As mentioned in the Connectivity section of this review, Samsung has integrated a fingerprint scanner within the power button, which can recognise up to three fingerprints. The scanner worked well in our tests and only required us to place our finger on its surface for it to unlock our review unit. Alternatively, you could use facial authentication to unlock the device from standby, but please be aware that this is not as secure as using the fingerprint scanner.
To reiterate, the Tab S5e does not support pen input. You can transform the tablet into a quasi-laptop with the optional Keyboard Cover though. Unfortunately, we were unable to test the cover or the other two optional accessories that Samsung currently sells for the Tab S5e.
The Tab S5e has a Super AMOLED 10.5-inch display like the Tab S4. Both devices operate natively at 2560x1600 and have a pixel density of 287 PPI. Content looks sharp thanks to the high resolution, and the 16:10 aspect ratio lends itself to watching movies. Samsung has not specified whether the Tab S5e supports HDR though, and we were unable to clarify this during our tests.
Our review unit achieved an average maximum brightness of 453 cd/m² and has a 91% evenly lit display, according to X-Rite i1Pro 2. Meanwhile, the more practical APL50 test reports that the panel reaches 530 cd/m². Switching off the ambient light sensor reduces the maximum brightness to 299 cd/m² though. The display can also get as dark as 1.74 cd/m², so the Tab S5e should not strain your eyes if you are using it at night or in a dark room for prolonged periods.
Unfortunately, the tablet uses pulse-width modulation [PWM] to regulate display brightness, which can cause eye strain and headaches for some people. The display in our test device flickers at 245.1 Hz when below 100% brightness, which is low enough of a frequency to cause issues for those who are PWM sensitive.
435 cd/m²436 cd/m²440 cd/m²445 cd/m²452 cd/m²460 cd/m²462 cd/m²467 cd/m²481 cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 481 cd/m² [Nits] Average: 453.1 cd/m² Minimum: 1.74 cd/m² Brightness Distribution: 90 % Center on Battery: 452 cd/m² Contrast: ∞:1 [Black: 0 cd/m²] ΔE Color 1.7 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5.1 ΔE Greyscale 2.4 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3 97.5% sRGB [Calman 2D] Gamma: 2.07
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720 Super AMOLED, 2560x1600, 10.50Amazon Fire HD 10 2017 IPS, 1920x1200, 10.10Apple iPad Air 3 2019 IPS, 2224x1668, 10.50Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8 IPS, 2560x1600, 10.80Lenovo Tab P10 IPS, 1920x1200, 10.10Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 Super AMOLED, 2560x1600, 10.50Screen
-69%
-2%
-34%
-131%
-14%
Brightness middle
452
426
-6%
515
14%
382
-15%
522
15%
474
5%
Brightness
453
399
-12%
483
7%
378
-17%
495
9%
477
5%
Brightness Distribution
90
91
1%
90
0%
92
2%
84
-7%
91
1%
Black Level *
0.38
0.41
0.24
0.41
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
1.7
4.5
-165%
1.6
6%
2.8
-65%
6.7
-294%
2.5
-47%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
3.7
7.9
-114%
4.4
-19%
6
-62%
12.2
-230%
5.8
-57%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
2.4
5.2
-117%
2.8
-17%
3.5
-46%
9.1
-279%
2.1
12%
Gamma
2.07 106%
2.23 99%
2.21 100%
2.33 94%
2.14 103%
2.08 106%
CCT
6337 103%
6875 95%
6944 94%
6903 94%
9417 69%
6281 103%
Contrast
1121
1256
1592
1273
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM [Pulse-Width Modulation]
ℹ
To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation [PWM] . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 245.1 Hz ≤ 99 % brightness setting
The display backlight flickers at 245.1 Hz [worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM] Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 99 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.
The frequency of 245.1 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below.
In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18407 [minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000] Hz was measured.
Samsung includes four display modes, the default of which is Adaptive Display. This automatically adjusts the colour temperature of the display according to what is currently being displayed. CalMAN analysis software and our spectrophotometer demonstrate that the Simple and AMOLED Photo modes reproduce colours more naturally than the AMOLED Cinema mode does.
Our review unit has impressively low DeltaE deviations regardless of which display mode is active though. Likewise, its colour temperature is just shy of the ideal value of 6,500 K. Moreover, the AMOLED panel has a theoretically infinite contrast ratio and a 0 cd/m² black value thanks to being able to switch off its pixels individually. In short, the Tab S5e has a mighty impressive display for a tablet at this price.
Display Response Times
ℹ
Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry [ghosting]. Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
↔ Response Time Black to White4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 2 ms rise
↘ 2 ms fallThe screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 [minimum] to 240 [maximum] ms. » 10 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices [21.7 ms]. ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey5.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 2.8 ms rise
↘ 2.8 ms fallThe screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 [minimum] to 636 [maximum] ms. » 12 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices [34.2 ms].
The Tab S5e is also a pleasure to use outdoors thanks to its bright and contrast-rich display. Its ambient light sensor adjusts brightness quickly too. However, the display’s highly reflective finish catches the sun, which makes content look washed-out.
We had no issues with viewing angles though, which remained excellent throughout our tests. We noticed no brightness, colour or image distortions even at acute angles, so you should have no problem with reading the Tab S5e from practically any angle.
As mentioned in previous sections of this review, Samsung has equipped the Tab S5e with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 SoC, an ARMv8-based midrange chip SoC that has also found a home in devices like the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL. The Snapdragon 670 has up to 15% better CPU performance than its predecessor, the Snapdragon 660, and up to double the AI performance. The Snapdragon 670 integrates the Kryo 360 CPU, an octa-core processor that has two performance cores and six power-saving cores, which can clock up to 2 GHz and 1.7 GHz, respectively.
The Snapdragon 670 also integrates an Adreno 616 GPU, which, along with the 4 GB LPDDR4X RAM that Samsung has included, helps the Tab S5e perform well in everyday tasks. We experienced practically no loading times during our time with the tablet, with apps loading quickly. The system did not lag or stutter either, even during heavy multitasking.
The Tab S5e and its Snapdragon 670 SoC cannot cut it against the more powerful chips found in the iPad Air [2019] and Tab S4 of our comparison devices. Our review unit nearly matched the performance of the MediaPad M5 10.8 though, which was one of the most powerful tablets just when it came out last year. In short, the Tab S5e has enough performance to cope with whatever you throw at it and is no slouch compared to other more powerful tablets.
Geekbench 4.4 64 Bit Single-Core ScoreApple iPad Air 3 2019
4758 Points +178%
Average of class Tablet [745 - 6597, n=14, last 2 years]
3078 Points +80%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
1893 Points +11%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
1712 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [1616 - 1712, n=3]
1651 Points -4%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
1634 Points -5%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
1204 Points -30%
Lenovo Tab P10
747 Points -56%
64 Bit Multi-Core ScoreApple iPad Air 3 2019
11490 Points +100%
Average of class Tablet [1418 - 15310, n=14, last 2 years]
8515 Points +48%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
6477 Points +13%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
5809 Points +1%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
5742 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [5164 - 5742, n=3]
5359 Points -7%
Lenovo Tab P10
3705 Points -35%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
3305 Points -42%
Compute RenderScript ScoreHuawei MediaPad M5 10.8
11575 Points +90%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
7930 Points +30%
Average of class Tablet [2128 - 9945, n=11, last 2 years]
6878 Points +13%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [6090 - 6479, n=3]
6348 Points +4%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
6090 Points
Lenovo Tab P10
3261 Points -46%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
1562 Points -74%
PCMark for Android Work performance scoreAverage Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [7988 - 9458, n=4]
8742 Points +8%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
8126 Points
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
6954 Points -14%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
5040 Points -38%
Lenovo Tab P10
4949 Points -39%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
4895 Points -40%
Work 2.0 performance scoreAverage of class Tablet [last 2 years]
11351 Points +69%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [6633 - 7387, n=4]
7024 Points +5%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
6698 Points
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
6315 Points -6%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
5114 Points -24%
Lenovo Tab P10
4250 Points -37%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
3678 Points -45%
3DMark1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited ScoreApple iPad Air 3 2019
77626 Points +302%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
39260 Points +103%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
26875 Points +39%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [19315 - 29229, n=4]
25989 Points +35%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
19315 Points
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
13227 Points -32%
Lenovo Tab P10
12743 Points -34%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics ScoreApple iPad Air 3 2019
160399 Points +617%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
56368 Points +152%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
35210 Points +57%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [22381 - 35619, n=4]
32249 Points +44%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
22381 Points
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
12771 Points -43%
Lenovo Tab P10
12400 Points -45%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited PhysicsApple iPad Air 3 2019
27663 Points +112%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
19037 Points +46%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [13055 - 18523, n=4]
15710 Points +20%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
15117 Points +16%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
14698 Points +13%
Lenovo Tab P10
14108 Points +8%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
13055 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0Apple iPad Air 3 2019
6997 Points +194%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
3490 Points +47%
Average of class Tablet [507 - 8472, n=19, last 2 years]
2944 Points +24%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [2378 - 2477, n=4]
2438 Points +3%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
2378 Points
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
1840 Points -23%
Lenovo Tab P10
801 Points -66%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
682 Points -71%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 GraphicsApple iPad Air 3 2019
10647 Points +352%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
3682 Points +56%
Average of class Tablet [454 - 10759, n=19, last 2 years]
3084 Points +31%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [2357 - 2428, n=4]
2407 Points +2%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
2357 Points
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
1719 Points -27%
Lenovo Tab P10
691 Points -71%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
598 Points -75%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 PhysicsApple iPad Air 3 2019
3180 Points +29%
Average of class Tablet [863 - 4858, n=19, last 2 years]
2980 Points +21%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
2952 Points +20%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [2456 - 2708, n=4]
2556 Points +4%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
2456 Points
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
2445 Points 0%
Lenovo Tab P10
1814 Points -26%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
1347 Points -45%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 UnlimitedApple iPad Air 3 2019
8763 Points +250%
Average of class Tablet [539 - 17675, n=31, last 2 years]
6168 Points +146%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
3753 Points +50%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [2506 - 2582, n=4]
2541 Points +1%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
2506 Points
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
2183 Points -13%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
840 Points -66%
Lenovo Tab P10
821 Points -67%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited GraphicsApple iPad Air 3 2019
15399 Points +508%
Average of class Tablet [485 - 35165, n=31, last 2 years]
9533 Points +276%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
3682 Points +45%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [2533 - 2541, n=4]
2536 Points 0%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
2534 Points
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
2208 Points -13%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
754 Points -70%
Lenovo Tab P10
711 Points -72%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited PhysicsAverage of class Tablet [463 - 6449, n=31, last 2 years]
3675 Points +52%
Apple iPad Air 3 2019
3493 Points +45%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
2952 Points +22%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [2413 - 2771, n=4]
2562 Points +6%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
2413 Points
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
2101 Points -13%
Lenovo Tab P10
1793 Points -26%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
1399 Points -42%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme [ES 3.1]Apple iPad Air 3 2019
4949 Points +210%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
3490 Points +119%
Average of class Tablet [567 - 14235, n=44, last 2 years]
2059 Points +29%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
1642 Points +3%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [1594 - 1651, n=4]
1629 Points +2%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
1594 Points
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
489 Points -69%
Lenovo Tab P10
443 Points -72%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme [ES 3.1] GraphicsApple iPad Air 3 2019
5760 Points +297%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
3682 Points +154%
Average of class Tablet [517 - 24605, n=44, last 2 years]
2193 Points +51%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
1504 Points +4%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [1451 - 1487, n=4]
1476 Points +2%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
1451 Points
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
413 Points -72%
Lenovo Tab P10
364 Points -75%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme [ES 3.1] PhysicsApple iPad Air 3 2019
3312 Points +36%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
2952 Points +21%
Average of class Tablet [858 - 5751, n=44, last 2 years]
2822 Points +16%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [2436 - 2728, n=4]
2553 Points +5%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
2436 Points
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
2419 Points -1%
Lenovo Tab P10
1832 Points -25%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
1363 Points -44%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme [ES 3.1] UnlimitedApple iPad Air 3 2019
5367 Points +208%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
3753 Points +115%
Average of class Tablet [267 - 14235, n=54, last 2 years]
3519 Points +102%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
2121 Points +22%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [1742 - 1772, n=4]
1758 Points +1%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
1742 Points
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
612 Points -65%
Lenovo Tab P10
499 Points -71%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme [ES 3.1] Unlimited GraphicsApple iPad Air 3 2019
6484 Points +302%
Average of class Tablet [240 - 24605, n=54, last 2 years]
4419 Points +174%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
4086 Points +153%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
2069 Points +28%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
1612 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [1611 - 1612, n=4]
1612 Points 0%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
528 Points -67%
Lenovo Tab P10
414 Points -74%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme [ES 3.1] Unlimited PhysicsApple iPad Air 3 2019
3347 Points +38%
Average of class Tablet [441 - 5751, n=54, last 2 years]
3258 Points +34%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
2919 Points +20%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [2424 - 2763, n=4]
2584 Points +7%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
2424 Points
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
2323 Points -4%
Lenovo Tab P10
1793 Points -26%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
1386 Points -43%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme [Vulkan] UnlimitedAverage of class Tablet [615 - 4741, n=43, last 2 years]
1745 Points +13%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [1540 - 1563, n=3]
1551 Points +1%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
1540 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme [Vulkan] Unlimited GraphicsAverage of class Tablet [521 - 5731, n=43, last 2 years]
1720 Points +22%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [1408 - 1425, n=3]
1416 Points +1%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
1408 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme [Vulkan] Unlimited PhysicsAverage of class Tablet [1671 - 3199, n=43, last 2 years]
2488 Points +9%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [2288 - 2365, n=3]
2322 Points +1%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
2288 Points
GFXBench [DX / GLBenchmark] 2.7 T-Rex OnscreenAverage of class Tablet [14 - 120, n=55, last 2 years]
61.4 fps +92%
Apple iPad Air 3 2019
59.9 fps +87%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
58 fps +81%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [32 - 53, n=4]
47.5 fps +48%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
40 fps +25%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
32 fps
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
21 fps -34%
Lenovo Tab P10
20 fps -37%
1920x1080 T-Rex OffscreenApple iPad Air 3 2019
261 fps +467%
Average of class Tablet [15 - 873, n=55, last 2 years]
157.5 fps +242%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
96 fps +109%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
69 fps +50%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [46 - 58, n=4]
55 fps +20%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
46 fps
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
22 fps -52%
Lenovo Tab P10
21 fps -54%
GFXBench 3.0on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGLApple iPad Air 3 2019
58.5 fps +244%
Average of class Tablet [8.1 - 120, n=55, last 2 years]
47.5 fps +179%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
36 fps +112%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
26 fps +53%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [17 - 28, n=4]
24.8 fps +46%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
17 fps
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
9.5 fps -44%
Lenovo Tab P10
8.7 fps -49%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan OffscreenApple iPad Air 3 2019
139 fps +379%
Average of class Tablet [7.3 - 494, n=55, last 2 years]
94.8 fps +227%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
60 fps +107%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
44 fps +52%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
29 fps
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [29 - 29, n=4]
29 fps 0%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
9.9 fps -66%
Lenovo Tab P10
9.2 fps -68%
GFXBench 3.1on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 OnscreenApple iPad Air 3 2019
51.2 fps +642%
Average of class Tablet [4.8 - 118.3, n=55, last 2 years]
35.1 fps +409%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
22 fps +219%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [6.9 - 19, n=4]
15.7 fps +128%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
15 fps +117%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
6.9 fps
Lenovo Tab P10
5.7 fps -17%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
4.7 fps -32%
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 OffscreenApple iPad Air 3 2019
96 fps +405%
Average of class Tablet [5 - 340, n=55, last 2 years]
64.9 fps +242%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
41 fps +116%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [19 - 20, n=4]
19.8 fps +4%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
19 fps
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
18 fps -5%
Lenovo Tab P10
6 fps -68%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
4.9 fps -74%
GFXBenchon screen Car Chase OnscreenApple iPad Air 3 2019
35.8 fps +459%
Average of class Tablet [3.1 - 94.5, n=55, last 2 years]
22.5 fps +252%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
13 fps +103%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
10 fps +56%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [6.4 - 11, n=4]
9.6 fps +50%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
6.4 fps
Lenovo Tab P10
3.3 fps -48%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
2 fps -69%
1920x1080 Car Chase OffscreenApple iPad Air 3 2019
62.8 fps +639%
Average of class Tablet [2.2 - 214, n=55, last 2 years]
39.2 fps +361%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
25 fps +194%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
18 fps +112%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [8.5 - 11, n=4]
10.4 fps +22%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
8.5 fps
Lenovo Tab P10
3.4 fps -60%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
2 fps -76%
on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier OnscreenApple iPad Air 3 2019
26.4 fps +514%
Average of class Tablet [1.9 - 97.3, n=64, last 2 years]
16 fps +272%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
8.9 fps +107%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [4.3 - 7.2, n=4]
6.38 fps +48%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
4.3 fps
Lenovo Tab P10
1.9 fps -56%
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier OffscreenApple iPad Air 3 2019
26.3 fps +498%
Average of class Tablet [0.9 - 90, n=64, last 2 years]
15.6 fps +255%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
9.3 fps +111%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [4.4 - 4.5, n=4]
4.45 fps +1%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
4.4 fps
Lenovo Tab P10
1.1 fps -75%
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier OnscreenApple iPad Air 3 2019
40.4 fps +494%
Average of class Tablet [3 - 111, n=64, last 2 years]
22.9 fps +237%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
14 fps +106%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [6.8 - 11, n=4]
9.7 fps +43%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
6.8 fps
Lenovo Tab P10
3.2 fps -53%
1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier OffscreenApple iPad Air 3 2019
70.5 fps +488%
Average of class Tablet [2.5 - 279, n=64, last 2 years]
41.5 fps +246%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
25 fps +108%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
12 fps
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [12 - 12, n=4]
12 fps 0%
Lenovo Tab P10
3.4 fps -72%
Basemark GPU 1.11920x1080 Vulkan Medium Offscreen Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
22.71 [13.73min - 55.41max] fps +89%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [12 - 12.5, n=2]
12.2 fps +1%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
12.04 fps
Vulkan Medium Native Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
14.78 [9.16min - 37.68max] fps +93%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [7.67 - 11.6, n=2]
9.65 fps +26%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
7.67 fps
1920x1080 OpenGL Medium OffscreenSamsung Galaxy Tab S4
21.79 [12.48min - 36max] fps +66%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [13.1 - 13.8, n=2]
13.4 fps +2%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
13.1 fps
AnTuTu v7 - Total ScoreApple iPad Air 3 2019
370545 Points +136%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
201881 Points +29%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
156772 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [153450 - 158868, n=3]
156363 Points 0%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
113687 Points -27%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
77717 Points -50%
Lenovo Tab P10
71739 Points -54%
BaseMark OS II OverallApple iPad Air 3 2019
5169 Points +95%
Average of class Tablet [444 - 8886, n=49, last 2 years]
3707 Points +40%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
3302 Points +24%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [2621 - 2811, n=4]
2720 Points +3%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
2653 Points
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
1769 Points -33%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
1312 Points -51%
Lenovo Tab P10
1142 Points -57%
SystemApple iPad Air 3 2019
12591 Points +137%
Average of class Tablet [1103 - 14097, n=49, last 2 years]
6481 Points +22%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
5537 Points +4%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [5024 - 5507, n=4]
5332 Points 0%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
5315 Points
Lenovo Tab P10
2861 Points -46%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
2838 Points -47%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
2329 Points -56%
MemoryAverage of class Tablet [916 - 8890, n=49, last 2 years]
4286 Points +48%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [2877 - 3316, n=4]
3094 Points +7%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
2900 Points 0%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
2894 Points
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
2654 Points -8%
Apple iPad Air 3 2019
2095 Points -28%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
1513 Points -48%
Lenovo Tab P10
853 Points -71%
GraphicsApple iPad Air 3 2019
15614 Points +454%
Average of class Tablet [580 - 31738, n=49, last 2 years]
7413 Points +163%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
6080 Points +116%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
2816 Points
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [2790 - 2818, n=4]
2810 Points 0%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
1602 Points -43%
Lenovo Tab P10
951 Points -66%
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
833 Points -70%
WebApple iPad Air 3 2019
1734 Points +52%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
1218 Points +6%
Average of class Tablet [10 - 1907, n=49, last 2 years]
1211 Points +6%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 [1144 - 1229, n=4]
1182 Points +3%
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720
1144 Points
Amazon Fire HD 10 2017
1010 Points -12%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
811 Points -29%
Lenovo Tab P10
734 Points -36%
Legend
Lenovo Tab P10 Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, Qualcomm Adreno 506, 64 GB eMMC Flash
The same goes for browser benchmarks, where the Tab S5e typically ranks behind the iPad Air [2019] and Tab S4 in the upper midfield of our comparison tables. Web-browsing should feel smoother on the Tab S5e than it would on the Fire HD 10 or Tab P10 too.
The Tab S5e has above average eMMC flash storage according to AndroBench 3-5. Our review unit achieved around 6% high transfer speeds than what we would have expected from a device with 64 GB of eMMC flash storage, and it finished leagues ahead of the Fire HD 10 and the Tab P10. The eMMC storage is well beaten by the UFS 2.1 storage in the Tab S4 though.
However, our test device finished roughly on par with its more expensive sibling in microSD card benchmarks. We tested all devices in our comparison table with our Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 reference card to remove any card-related variables. Overall, the performance of the microSD card reader in the Tab S5e is closer to those of premium tablets rather than budget ones like the Fire HD 10.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720Amazon Fire HD 10 2017Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8Lenovo Tab P10Samsung Galaxy Tab S4Average 64 GB eMMC FlashAverage of class TabletAndroBench 3-5
-38%
29%
-7%
44%
4%
297%
Sequential Read 256KB
294.4
262.2
-11%
247.8
-16%
276.7
-6%
741
152%
273 [95.6 - 704, n=200]
-7%
876 [163 - 3414, n=60, last 2 years]
198%
Sequential Write 256KB
197.1
147.7
-25%
126.8
-36%
205.7
4%
195.8
-1%
176.6 [40 - 274, n=200]
-10%
544 [78.2 - 2528, n=60, last 2 years]
176%
Random Read 4KB
79.2
27.72
-65%
54.7
-31%
53.9
-32%
142
79%
59.1 [9.58 - 148.5, n=200]
-25%
166.8 [18.4 - 451, n=60, last 2 years]
111%
Random Write 4KB
18.79
9.37
-50%
60.8
224%
15.75
-16%
24.43
30%
31.7 [2.34 - 146.9, n=200]
69%
150.7 [8.23 - 447, n=60, last 2 years]
702%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
76.1 [Toshiba Exceria Pro M501]
55.5 [Toshiba Exceria Pro M501]
-27%
85.1 [Toshiba Exceria Pro M501]
12%
84.3 [Toshiba Exceria Pro M501]
11%
80.1 [Toshiba Exceria Pro M501]
5%
77.4 [21.1 - 107.6, n=144]
2%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
60.8 [Toshiba Exceria Pro M501]
30.14 [Toshiba Exceria Pro M501]
-50%
73.8 [Toshiba Exceria Pro M501]
21%
61 [Toshiba Exceria Pro M501]
0%
59.1 [Toshiba Exceria Pro M501]
-3%
58.3 [11.2 - 83.3, n=144]
-4%
The Adreno 616 is a competent GPU that can handle all modern games smoothly. Even complex titles like PUBG Mobile run smoothly, as demonstrated by our GameBench frame-rate tables below. Please note that the low frame rates at the start of each graph are when the game is loading up; they do not represent gameplay frame rates.
The Dolby Atmos quad speakers help deliver an immersive experience in games. The device uses its accelerometer to calibrate the speakers to whichever way you are holding them, which is a nice touch.
051015202530354045505560Tooltip
051015202530354045505560Tooltip
Our review unit maintains its surface temperatures well and only reached a maximum of 29.6 °C at idle during our tests. The whole device averaged a marginally cooler 28.5 °C under these conditions though. Surface temperatures rose to only a maximum of 33.1 °C under load with most of the device remaining around 30 °C or cooler. Thus, the Tab S5e should never feel hot to the touch even if you are pushing it hard.
The tablet manages its internal temperatures well too. Our review unit maintained consistent frame rates during the GFXBench Manhattan benchmark, which we ran on a loop for 30 times. In short, you should experience no thermal throttling during prolonged gaming sessions.
32.6 °C 91 F29 °C 84 F28.1 °C 83 F 33.1 °C 92 F28.8 °C 84 F28 °C 82 F 31.8 °C 89 F30.7 °C 87 F29.6 °C 85 F Maximum: 33.1 °C = 92 F Average: 30.2 °C = 86 F 27.9 °C 82 F29.1 °C 84 F29.8 °C 86 F27.6 °C 82 F28.4 °C 83 F30.4 °C 87 F27.7 °C 82 F28.8 °C 84 F31.2 °C 88 F Maximum: 31.2 °C = 88 F Average: 29 °C = 84 F
Power Supply [max.] 31.1 °C = 88 F | Room Temperature 21.3 °C = 70 F | Voltcraft IR-260
[+] The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 30.2 °C / 86 F, compared to the average of 30.1 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Tablet. [+] The maximum temperature on the upper side is 33.1 °C / 92 F, compared to the average of 33.9 °C / 93 F, ranging from 20.7 to 53.2 °C for the class Tablet. [+] The bottom heats up to a maximum of 31.2 °C / 88 F, compared to the average of 33.3 °C / 92 F [+] In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.8 °C / 84 F, compared to the device average of 30.1 °C / 86 F.
Samsung has equipped the Tab S5e with four AKG-branded speakers just like the Tab S4. The speakers also support Dolby Atmos as we mentioned elsewhere in this review.
The quad speakers sound excellent by tablet standards, delivering balanced mid and high tones, albeit with a distinct absence of bass tones. We noticed no rattles or distortions even at the maximum of 83.3 dB[A] that the speakers reached in our tests.
You could use external speakers or headphones instead for a better listening experience. You could do so either via Bluetooth or with the included USB Type-C adapter if you have wired audio equipment.
dB[A] 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2037.143.32527.434.43125.525.54024.527.45036.136.56326.127.88024.333.610022.14212519.145.616020.25820019.460.225016.560.331515.168.140015.366.95001471.163014.570.78001473.8100014.573.6125014.572.7160014.374200014.673.225001470315014.765.5400014.365.4500014.870.4630014.671.2800014.470.81000014.671.41250014.764.9160001552.9SPL26.783.3N0.860.4median 14.6median 70Delta0.65.728.630.224.926.624.624.426.422.530.824.623.619.820.221.119.928.817.642.919.159.719.159.617.456.616.961.616.863.515.166.316.567.815.666.41561.915.565.115.367.615.771.515.569.715.572.815.467.915.8641663.815.860.816.154.716.151.617.349.727.979.9146.4median 16median 63.50.76.3hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseSamsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8
Frequency diagram [checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices]
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720 audio analysis[+] | speakers can play relatively loud [83.3 dB] Bass 100 - 315 Hz [±] | reduced bass - on average 14.3% lower than median [±] | linearity of bass is average [10.4% delta to prev. frequency] Mids 400 - 2000 Hz [+] | balanced mids - only 2.8% away from median [+] | mids are linear [2.8% delta to prev. frequency] Highs 2 - 16 kHz [+] | balanced highs - only 1.9% away from median [+] | highs are linear [3.8% delta to prev. frequency] Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz [+] | overall sound is linear [12% difference to median] Compared to same class » 9% of all tested devices in this class were better, 5% similar, 86% worse » The best had a delta of 7%, average was 23%, worst was 129% Compared to all devices tested » 6% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 92% worse » The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Huawei MediaPad M5 10.8 audio analysis[±] | speaker loudness is average but good [79.9 dB] Bass 100 - 315 Hz [±] | reduced bass - on average 11.9% lower than median [-] | bass is not linear [16.4% delta to prev. frequency] Mids 400 - 2000 Hz [+] | balanced mids - only 3.2% away from median [+] | mids are linear [5.7% delta to prev. frequency] Highs 2 - 16 kHz [+] | balanced highs - only 4.6% away from median [+] | highs are linear [6.9% delta to prev. frequency] Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz [±] | linearity of overall sound is average [15.9% difference to median] Compared to same class » 26% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 67% worse » The best had a delta of 7%, average was 23%, worst was 129% Compared to all devices tested » 19% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 76% worse » The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
The Tab S5e is a comparatively power-efficient tablet and consumed a maximum of just 5.7 W in our tests. By contrast, tablets like the iPad Air [2019] and MediaPad M5 10.8 consume considerably more than our test device. The Tab S4 is not far behind its cheaper sibling, but the Tab S5e takes the crown here.
The Tab S5e also has excellent battery life, which reflects its comparatively low power consumption. Samsung equips the tablet with a 7,040 mAh battery that lasted for 10:23 hours in our practical Wi-Fi battery life test. This puts the Tab S5e in the midfield of our comparison devices, but the tablet excelled in our looped H.264 video test with a runtime of 14:24 hours. Overall, the Tab S5e finishes in second place to the Tab P10 in our comparison table. Incidentally, the Tab S4 generally has around 14% worse battery life than its cheaper sibling.
The included 15 W charger recharges our review unit in approximately 2:30 hours, for reference.
Battery Runtime
Idle [without WLAN, min brightness]21h 03minWiFi Websurfing10h 23minBig Buck Bunny H.264 1080p14h 24minLoad [maximum brightness]5h 00min
Pros
- flat and rigid design
- comparatively light for a 10.5-inch tablet
- Samsung DeX support
- fast Wi-Fi
- impressive Super AMOLED display
- solid SoC performance
- modern games run smoothly
- quad speakers
- Dolby Atmos support
- low surface temperatures even under load
- good battery life
Cons
- no IP certification
- no NFC
- average cameras
- PWM display flickering
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e is excellent value for money and an all-round solid tablet. The device has a bright and contrast-rich Super AMOLED 10.5-inch display and an SoC that can handle even the most complex of modern games. Likewise, its speakers provide an immersive in-game experience, while its battery life will not leave you short during long gaming or movie sessions.
The tablet is also well built and light, which is not always the case with midrange tablets. The metal design and thin display bezels make it look more expensive than it is too. Additionally, the inclusion of support for DeX and the optional keyboard cover makes the Tab S5e more than just a multimedia tablet.
There are some weak points, but these are few and far between. Samsung has equipped the tablet with average cameras, while the omission of an NFC chip is disappointing. We would also recommend trying out the Tab S5e in person if you are PWM sensitive as the display flickers at a frequency that may cause you eye strain and headaches during prolonged use.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e is a worthy alternative to more expensive tablets like the Tab S4 and iPad Air [2019]. It offers practically everything that most people would want from a tablet, but at a more affordable price and without many compromises.
Overall, the Tab S5e is not only one of the best value tablets that you could currently buy, but it also gives more powerful tablets a run for their money. The Tab S4 remains a better multimedia tablet overall though, because of its more powerful SoC, high capacity RAM and faster internal storage. The inclusion of pen support tips the scales in the Tab S4’s favour too.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e SM-T720- 08/31/2022 v7 Manuel Masiero
Pointing Device
88 / 40-88 → 100%
Application Performance
57 / 91 → 63%
Tablet - Weighted Average
Pricecompare
My fascination for computers started with the C64. Since then, I’ve put everything that comes my way in terms of hardware through its paces. From the C64 to the Amiga 500 and the first PC with an 8088 CPU, my list of projects has grown increasingly longer. For more than 20 years now I have also turned my hobby into my profession and have been active in the mobile section of Notebookcheck since 2021. Before that, I worked as a hardware editor for IDG Media [tecChannel.de] and VNU Business Publications [PC professional], among others.
Translator: Alex Alderson - Senior Tech Writer - 9412 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2018
Prior to writing and translating for Notebookcheck, I worked for various companies including Apple and Neowin. I have a BA in International History and Politics from the University of Leeds, which I have since converted to a Law Degree. Happy to chat on Twitter or Notebookchat.