The Samsung Galaxy View has a 1.6GHz processor, 2GB of RAM and up to 64GB of expandable storage. 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, LTE mobile data, 4-watt stereo speakers and a 2.1MP front-facing camera bring up the rest of the tablet’s specifications.
The 5,700mAh battery can apparently keep the giant display alive for eight hours of video viewing. Anybody wanting to use the Galaxy View for that long will also want to deploy the integrated kickstand, as the tablet is likely to prove rather troublesome to hold.
Despite its massive size, it has a hefty thickness of 11.6mm. With a weight of 2.65kg, it’s also heavy and cumbersome. The Galaxy View may be better suited to use in a home or office where it’s rarely going to have to be moved.
Samsung says it is designed for showcasing video content and making it “easy and convenient” for people to enjoy entertainment. JK Shin, CEO and Head of Samsung IT and Mobile, said: “At Samsung, we are committed to creating new possibilities and bringing our consumers the best mobile experience. We are very excited to introduce the new Galaxy View, providing an entirely new way of consuming mobile video and entertainment.”
The Galaxy View isn’t a perfect match even for this style of usage though. The 18.4-inch display may provide a lap-filling expanse of glass but it isn’t especially high resolution. The panel is Full HD at 1920×1080, an acceptable pixel count for smaller-screened tablets but not so when this large. Individual pixels could begin to become visible when holding the Galaxy View close to the face, leading to video looking less distinct and text becoming noticeably jagged.
The tablet’s focus on movies and videos extends into its software experience. It runs Android 5.1 but Samsung has customised the interface to put multimedia content first, providing a series of quick-access tiles linking to popular content providers such as Netflix, Hulu, YouTube and Twitch.
Samsung hasn’t announced any availability details for the Galaxy View yet so it’s unknown which markets this goliath of a device will be headed for. Pricing is also still indeterminate but the amount of glass on this super-size tablet suggests the Galaxy View won’t be cheap.
