I Brought Samsung's New Rugged Tablet On A Mountain Lake Trek - Here's How It Fared

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The Samsung Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro is disposable starting astatine $659 for nan 128GB version, pinch 5G models starting astatine $769.
• It's an exceptionally rugged tablet pinch removable dual batteries and package updates for 8 years.
• RAM is simply a spot constricted astatine 6GB, and nan included S Pen doesn't support wireless Bluetooth functions.

A mates of months agone I popped nan SIM retired of my Galaxy S25 Ultra and spent a fewer weeks pinch nan rugged Galaxy XCover7. To spell on pinch that durable phone, Samsung conscionable released nan Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro tablet, and I've been hiking, kayaking, and exploring pinch it for nan past fewer weeks. 

Also: The champion rugged tablets you tin buy: Expert tested

The Tab Active5 Pro improves upon nan Active4 Pro successful a fewer areas requested by regular users, including stereo speakers, expanded RAM pinch an updated Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor, and importantly improved artillery capacity pinch dual hot-swap capability. 

As a trade-off, nan rear camera solution has been decreased from 13MP to 12MP, but it's still perfectly tin of capturing documents and images while retired successful nan field.

With 10,100 mAh of artillery capacity contained successful 2 personification replaceable cells, nan Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro is built to service its domiciled continuously. You tin moreover time off 1 artillery successful nan instrumentality and support it moving while you switch nan different out. If you don't person immoderate different charged batteries, nan tablet will activity successful nary artillery mode if it is connected to a powerfulness source, which is simply a awesome solution for in-vehicle usage successful nan field.

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In bid to trial nan Tab Active5 Pro successful nan field, I took it connected a sportfishing travel to a precocious upland reservoir successful Washington State. It turns retired location was nary longer a way to nan lake, truthful I navigated done nan overgrown wood down highly steep terrain to nan pristine lake. 

I did not intend to trial nan rugged durability of nan tablet since those kinds of utmost tests are not allowed pinch loaners, but nan conditions coming during my trek resulted successful immoderate difficult falls, h2o immersion, and real-life section testing of nan tablet. It survived unscathed, and was a joyousness to use.

Matthew Miller/ZDNET

As a master naval architect, I walk clip surveying ships and moving successful shipyards pinch physics drawings guiding maine along. The rugged Tab Active devices person worked good for my teams and I successful nan past successful shipyards successful Florida and Washington. 

The ample spike S Pen useful flawlessly for navigating astir and marking up drawings complete nan past mates of weeks. I particularly admit nan unafraid retention silo successful nan protective case, and larger diameter of nan S Pen made it easy to usage pinch gloves connected while nan show tin beryllium manipulated successful mitt mode.

Matthew Miller/ZDNET

Three beingness buttons connected nan bottommost of nan tablet, successful scenery orientation, make it easy to unlock and navigate nan personification interface. A lime greenish fastener connected nan top, identified arsenic nan progressive button, tin beryllium customized pinch actions for property and press/hold actions. 

Also: I replaced my Samsung S25 Ultra pinch this rugged exemplary that's half nan value - and don't regret it

In addition, nan broadside fastener supra nan measurement buttons tin beryllium group up pinch double property and agelong property actions truthful location are plentifulness of options for getting to your favourite apps and utilities done beingness fastener actions, arsenic anyone pinch acquisition moving successful nan section will appreciate. 

Matthew Miller/ZDNET

The show is not arsenic vibrant arsenic I americium utilized to pinch AMOLED phones and watches, but it worked good for nan extracurricular conditions wherever I was utilizing nan tablet. The agelong artillery life was much important for keeping maine powered up while navigating nan distant wilderness and if you are looking for a rugged tablet for section activity past nan Samsung Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro is decidedly a tablet to consider.

ZDNET's buying advice

If you're looking for a tablet to usage extracurricular nan agency aliases successful conditions wherever it'll beryllium subjected to nan elements, you should see a rugged tablet made for those usage cases. The Samsung Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro is built to execute for years pinch very agelong artillery life, respective beingness buttons to navigate nan tablet, and 8 years of updates. It's reasonably priced and built to grip unsmooth conditions.