5G connectivity is on almost every smartphone that comes out. Is it something that you get on the Galaxy Tab S8? Here’s what you should know.
5G connectivity is an expected feature on any modern smartphone — but is this also true of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S8 tablets? For the past few years, it seems like 5G is all phone carriers and manufacturers have been able to talk about. It’s touted as a revolutionary upgrade compared to 4G LTE, offering substantially faster speeds than its predecessor. 5G used to be nothing but chatter not that long ago, but today, 5G is readily available in many parts of the country (and is constantly expanding).
This is seen in a few different ways. For the carriers’ part, they’ve dramatically expanded their 5G networks in a very short amount of time. Manufacturers have also done an excellent job building 5G support into more and more devices. Not only do flagship smartphones now have 5G, but it’s a feature that’s also seen in mid-range and budget phones, tablets, and computers. It’ll still be a little while before 5G is totally ubiquitous, but the market is rapidly approaching that point.
Unfortunately, the gradual nature of 5G’s rollout is on full display with the Galaxy Tab S8 lineup. The Tab S8, S8+, and S8 Ultra are flagship tablets in almost every single way. They have big 120Hz displays, Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, large batteries, fast wired charging, and robust software to tie it all together. Unfortunately, almost every version of the Galaxy Tab S8 does not currently have 5G in the United States. There is one model with 5G and more coming soon, but for the time being, 5G is not a given feature for the Tab S8.
There’s Just One Galaxy Tab S8 Model With 5G Support
At the time of publication, the only version of the Galaxy Tab S8 with 5G is the Galaxy Tab S8+ on Verizon. It has all of the same features and specs as the Wi-Fi version of the Tab S8+, with the only difference being that it connects to Verizon’s 5G network. Unfortunately, upgrading to 5G does come at a cost. Where the Wi-Fi Tab S8+ is available for just $899, the 5G model costs $1099 — the same price as the Wi-Fi version of the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. Having integrated 5G on the Tab S8+ is a huge convenience, but be prepared to pay accordingly for it.
While this is the only 5G configuration of the Tab S8 available today, that is changing in the near future. Samsung’s website indicates that AT&T and T-Mobile variants are “coming soon” for all three models — including the Tab S8, Tab S8+, and Tab S8 Ultra. There’s no mention of an exact release date or how much those 5G versions will cost, but it is something that’s coming down the line. What’s that mean for you? If you want a Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 with 5G, the only one you can get right now is the Tab S8+ on Verizon. If you want a different version of the Tab S8 or use a different carrier, you’ll need to wait a bit longer.
Source: Samsung
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