Honor Pad 8 vs Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE: Which Tablet Should You Choose?

The tablet market is booming, offering options for every budget and need. Today, we're pitting two popular contenders against each other: the budget-friendly Honor Pad 8 and the feature-rich Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE. Let's dive into a detailed comparison to help you decide which one is right for you.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE offers a superior experience with its brighter display, more powerful chipset (especially the Wi-Fi model), faster charging, and 5G connectivity. While the Honor Pad 8 provides excellent value, the S7 FE's overall performance and features justify its higher price for most users.

PHONES
Phone Names	Honor Pad 8	Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE

Network
2G bands	N/A	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	N/A	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands	N/A	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66
5G bands	-	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6
EDGE	No	-
GPRS	No	-
Speed	-	HSPA, LTE, 5G - cellular model only
Technology	No cellular connectivity	GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G

Launch
Announced	2022, July 22	2021, May 25
Status	Available. Released 2022, July 29	Available. Released 2021, June 18

Body
Build	Glass front, aluminum frame, aluminum back	Glass front, aluminum back, aluminum frame
Dimensions	278.5 x 174.1 x 6.9 mm (10.96 x 6.85 x 0.27 in)	284.8 x 185 x 6.3 mm (11.21 x 7.28 x 0.25 in)
SIM	No	Nano-SIM (cellular model only)
Weight	520 g (1.15 lb)	608 g (1.34 lb)
	Stylus support	Stylus support

Display
Resolution	1200 x 2000 pixels, 5:3 ratio (~194 ppi density)	1600 x 2560 pixels, 16:10 ratio (~243 ppi density)
Size	12.0 inches, 409.9 cm2 (~84.5% screen-to-body ratio)	12.4 inches, 445.8 cm2 (~84.6% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	IPS LCD, 1B colors, 350 nits (typ)	TFT LCD

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz Kryo 265 Gold & 4x1.9 GHz Kryo 265 Silver)	Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Kryo 570 & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 570) - 5G modelOcta-core (1x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 3x2.2 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.9 GHz Cortex-A55) - Wi-Fi model
Chipset	Qualcomm SM6225 Snapdragon 680 4G (6 nm)	Qualcomm SM7225 Snapdragon 750G 5G (8 nm) - 5G modelQualcomm SM7325 Snapdragon 778G 5G (6 nm) - Wi-Fi model
GPU	Adreno 610	Adreno 619 - 5G modelAdreno 642L - Wi-Fi model
OS	Android 12, Magic UI 6.1	Android 11, upgradable to Android 14, One UI 6

Memory
Card slot	No	microSDXC (dedicated slot)
Internal	128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM	64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM

Main Camera
Features	LED flash	-
Single	5 MP, f/2.2, 27mm (wide), 1/5.0", 1.12µm, AF	8 MP, AF
Video	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps

Selfie camera
Single	5 MP, f/2.2, 27mm (wide), 1/5.0", 1.12µm	5 MP
Video	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps

Sound
3.5mm jack	No	No
35mm jack	No	No
Loudspeaker	Yes, with stereo speakers (8 speakers)	Yes, with stereo speakers
	-	Tuned by AKG

Comms
Bluetooth	5.1, A2DP, LE	5.2, A2DP, LE (Wi-Fi), 5.2, A2DP, LE (5G)
NFC	No	No
Positioning	No	GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO - cellular model only
Radio	No	No
USB	USB Type-C, OTG	USB Type-C 3.2, magnetic connector
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6 (Wi-Fi), Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (5G)

Features
Sensors	Accelerometer	Accelerometer, proximity, compass, gyro (5G model only)
	-	Samsung DeX

Battery
Charging	22.5W wired	45W wired, 100% in 190 min
Type	Li-Po 7250 mAh	Li-Po 10090 mAh

Misc
Colors	Dark Blue, Gold, Mint	Mystic Black, Mystic Silver, Mystic Green, Mystic Pink
Models	HEY-W09	SM-T730, SM-T733, SM-T736B, SM-T735
Price	About 330 EUR	About 650 EUR
SAR EU	-	1.15 W/kg (body)

Tests
Display	Contrast ratio: 1468:1 (nominal)	Contrast ratio: 1886:1 (nominal)
Loudspeaker	-22.7 LUFS (Excellent)	-27.2 LUFS (Good)
Performance	AnTuTu: 279242 (v9) GeekBench: 1545 (v5.1) GFXBench: 7.3fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)	AnTuTu: 292530 (v8), 355430 (v9) GeekBench: 1904 (v5.1) GFXBench: 9.7fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Honor Pad 8

Excellent value for money
Decent display for media consumption
Slim and lightweight design
Good audio quality

Less powerful chipset
Slower charging
Lower display brightness
Limited camera capabilities

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE

Brighter and more vibrant display
More powerful chipset (especially Wi-Fi model)
Faster charging
5G connectivity (5G model)
Premium build quality

Higher price
Can be slightly bulky
Camera performance is average

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE boasts a significantly brighter display (522 nits vs 392 nits) and a slightly better contrast ratio (1886:1 vs 1468:1), resulting in more vibrant colors and better visibility in bright environments. Both tablets feature a large 10.95-inch display, making them suitable for media consumption, but the S7 FE's superior panel quality gives it an edge.

Camera Comparison

While neither tablet excels in camera quality, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE generally offers slightly better image quality due to its more advanced camera hardware. Both cameras are primarily intended for video calls rather than serious photography. Expect decent results in well-lit conditions, but low-light performance will be underwhelming on both devices.

Performance

Here, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE pulls ahead. The Snapdragon 750G 5G (or 778G 5G in the Wi-Fi model) offers considerably more processing power than the Honor Pad 8's Snapdragon 680. This translates to smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and better performance in demanding games. The S7 FE's CPU architecture is also more efficient, contributing to better overall responsiveness.

Battery Life

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE has a larger battery capacity and supports significantly faster 45W charging (190 minutes to full charge) compared to the Honor Pad 8's 22.5W charging. This means longer battery life and quicker top-ups for the S7 FE.

Buying Guide

The Honor Pad 8 is ideal for students, casual users, and those on a tight budget who primarily need a tablet for media consumption and basic tasks. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE is a better choice for users who demand more performance, enjoy multitasking, and appreciate features like 5G connectivity and a faster charging speed. It's also great for creative tasks and those who want a more premium tablet experience.