Hands on Samsung Galaxy View review: bigger isn't always better

Samsung's made another tablet - but it won't be one that you expect. The Galaxy View is something that we didn't expect to see: an 18.4-inch tablet with a kickstand that's not designed to be taken out of the house.

We've not got much of an idea of price right now, and half a spec sheet - not quite the glitzy launches we're used to from Samsung. But is it still a decent tablet underneath?

Design

If we're looking at the Galaxy View from a design point of view, it's not a premium device. There's a lot of plastic on offer here, and the kickstand feels rather flimsy, with the snapping action needed to take it from standing device to lap-dweller not particularly slick.

There's a fair amount of bezel around the edge, where it would have been amazing to see the designers mimicking the sumptuous edge-less Samsung TVs here. It's also a rather heavy device, meaning you're certainly not going to be taking this out of the house.

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With that in mind, it seems odd that there will be a 4G variant, but there's every chance it won't land in the UK.

Screen

The screen on the Galaxy View is similarly unimpressive. It's a 1080p option, which means it looks very stretched out on the 18.4-inch (presumably LCD) panel. The icons looks a lot larger and more blocky, but it's still better than the usual Full HD TV's we're bolting onto our walls left, right and centre.

That's quite the quandary here: yes, this thing is sharper than a TV, but the Galaxy View isn't anywhere near as clear as the Tab S2 and certainly not compared to the Galaxy S6 range of smartphones.

And if you're a Samsung fan, chances are you'll have one (or both) of these, so the difference will be marked.

Apps

At least Samsung has made an effort with the interface, offering up a grid-style screen that's easily accessible from a home screen double tap. Here you'll get access to all your streaming and video services, and you'll be off watching TV in no time when someone else is slurping up their latest soap.

You can also easily pair a game controller to the device and have some gaming on the go - or even hold it in two hands and play some generic Android games if you're feeling pretty buff.

However, the unnamed octa-core processor means we're not sure it'll be up to the task of hardcore gaming - perhaps this is one more for just playing the odd title when bored in the kitchen, rather than replacing a console.

T3 Early verdict

We're big fans of different stuff here at T3, and this is certainly that. The Samsung Galaxy View fills a niche in a bust household when you've got all the TVs taken up and you still want to play games or stream your favourite titles on BBC iPlayer.

And for that it seems fine - it's not the level of premium design or innovation we're used to from Samsung, but it's perfectly servicable and if the price is appealing, could perform OK for the gadget-fiend family.