Quidco's product review

Samsung S22 Ultra & Tab S8 Ultra

Hey, I’m Tara, Quidco’s Member engagement manager and I was super excited to be asked to review the all new Galaxy S22 Ultra and the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra on behalf of Quidco.

I know there are going to be lots of professional style reviews out there where you can get all of that technical jargon from so I thought I would be a little different and answer all the really important questions like, Does it fit in my pocket? Are my selfies going to be ‘On point’? Find out how I got on testing it out and see how many Quidco hearts get awarded for each important area.

P.s for full disclosure I’m generally an iphone user currently using the iphone 11, could this be the phone that converts me?! Grab a cuppa and come with me on this journey and see if I'll be getting one ordered this weekend.

Galaxy S22 Ultra

Let's start with the phone!

Camera

Okay, this is a very important feature for most people, whether it's selfies you're after, capturing memories of those adventures or, if you're like me, capturing every cute thing my dogs do, so I put this to the test and boy it did not disappoint! The quality of the image was second to none but what impressed me the most was the zoom capabilities that I just don’t get on my iphone, I took some comparisons that we will feature on our social page so you can have a look for yourself! Somewhere I did find a difference was the image colour during lowlight wasn’t quite what I was used to, but not enough that it would put me off, it was only noticeable as I was comparing side by side.

Performance

Like a knife through butter, is the only way to describe it. Switching between apps is quick and easy, and those all important social media apps work like a dream for that end of day binge. The phone is very responsive and won’t hinder your needs to flick through from your online banking to that funny TikTok video that you just have to watch one more time. Getting into the phone was something I found trickier and I feel there are steps that could be eradicated to make the process slicker. I entered a 4 digit pin but have to press 5 buttons to get into the phone, just something small that might start to grate on me over time or I would get used to doing?

Quidco hearts awarded

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Quidco hearts awarded

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Battery

Another important area to focus on and can sometimes mean a happy train journey home or a journey with no charge and potential interactions with other human beings on the cards, is the battery life. With the S22 Ultra you can throw it on charge and expect to get a 15% boost in just 30 minutes, (based on my home test) which I thought was very reasonable! When it comes to how much battery life that extra boost will get you, it really depends on what you're doing, but it could definitely get you some browsing time to make that last minute Quidco purchase for Galaxy Buds Pro with cashback!

Look & Feel

When it comes to the look and feel of this phone, there really was only one thing that bothered me. It doesn’t sit flat when it’s on the table at the side of me due to the camera’s on the back standing off enough to give the phone a wobble, something you probably wouldn’t notice if you were to use a case to even it out, but not everyone does? Setting that aside, this phone is sleek, modern, smooth and silky in your hand but without fearing you're going to drop it. The home button is in the perfect position for ease of use even for those of us with smaller hands, and the hidden stylus is just that, hidden and blends in flawlessly.

S Pen

This thing is so handy! It’s like the thing I didn't know I needed until I had it and i'm not sure how I got through life without one, plus it has so many alternative functions. I really liked the fact that the notepad activates when you pop it out to make for quick easy note taking, a quick shopping list for the essentials or jotting down those money making ideas! It’s quick, it’s handy, it’s smooth and slick, it’s everything you want it to be and more! And then it slots effortlessly back into its home and is safe until you need it again without losing it down the sofa!

Quidco hearts awarded

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Quidco hearts awarded

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Quidco hearts awarded

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Display and Screen size

Not much to say over the screen size it does what it says on the tin, it’s the size we have all come to expect from smartphones nowadays making it easy and clear to watch videos, read an ebook, or send an email and sort your finances out on to go. The display is particularly impressive quality though and is so sharp when watching videos it submerges and captivates you. The blue light control is great for when you need that extra long screen time or because you just have to watch one more funny video.

Connectivity

Connectivity is key for me when choosing a phone, no one wants to be without signal or it takes forever to connect to all of your devices. Both connecting to the internet as well as Bluetooth were simple and easy to do, even for those of us less technically minded. I also like the fact that it remembers your devices for easy access the next time I connect to my headphones.

Comparison

In comparison to other Samsung models, in particular the Samsung Ultra 21, it is definitely an enhanced version. The way in which the stylus fits into the phone without compromising the design, Samsung really nailed this feature. It doesn’t make the phone look too chunky, and the overall feel of the phone is similar to the Ultra 21.

Quidco hearts awarded

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Quidco hearts awarded

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Quidco hearts awarded

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Music & Sound Quality

Listening to a few power ballads whilst working was like having headphones on, luckily it was a work from home day, but the sound quality was impressive to say the least. Tinny and echoey are a thing of the past and you would not be disappointed watching your favourite Netflix series or singing along to your favourite songs.

Pocket test

Does it fit in the back pocket? The Coat pocket? The handbag pocket? The answer, yes, yes, yes. It’s slim and sleek and slides right in there, no forcing, no wedging it feels like it was designed with the pocket in mind and makes taking it with you a dream, you almost forget it’s in there, until you get it out to have another play on it because it’s too irresistible!

Games

From farming sims to puzzles or for the hard core gamer the performance of this phone will allow for hours of uninterrupted fun with no lag and the S pen really does make it easier to navigate around the game screen and gives you the best on the go gaming experience you could want in the palm of your hand.

Quidco hearts awarded

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Quidco hearts awarded

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Quidco hearts awarded

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Let's summarise

Now you’ve read all of the highlights for each area, what was the overall verdict of the phone? The big question, would I buy one?

With the exception of a couple of quirks I wasn’t used to, I found this phone so easy to use and an absolute pleasure to test out. It has some great new features, in particular the stylus S Pen! Originally I thought it might be a little bit gimmicky but I'm really going to miss it, you can do so much more with it than I thought I would. The camera on this phone really did sway me though, the quality is just incredible and for someone with over 30,000 pictures currently on my phone, it really is an important feature and something I use every single day.

So YES I would buy one and would recommend it to others!

Overall Quidco hearts awarded

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Samsung Tab S8 Ultra

Moving on to the Tablet

Performance

From sending work emails and opening a few docs, I was not disappointed. I replaced my usual pad and paper on my desk for this and note taking was an absolute dream. The only disappointing thing, I have to give it back! Tablets have progressed so much over the past couple years, I used to not be able to get everything done on a Tablet alone. The performance of the S8 Ultra means I can do everything I need in just one place. The performance of the tab was great, I didn’t experience any issues whilst switching between tabs and apps. No matter how many apps I had open it didn’t compromise the speed and I didn’t experience any loading issues.

Camera

The camera on the Tab S8 is surprisingly very good. I had a go taking some photos indoors and outdoors, and I was thoroughly impressed. I can’t see myself using the tab as my go to for photos, purely for practical reasons as it is on the larger side. However, I wouldn’t completely rule it out and it was cool to try out. It did make it nice and easy to take images of documents I needed to scan and send and I must remember to be looking my best when on those video calls, you can see everything, if you know what I mean!

Quidco hearts awarded

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Quidco hearts awarded

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Look & Feel

I really like the look and feel of this tablet, it’s so smooth and silky, it’s heavy enough that you don’t feel like you're going to damage it but not too heavy that you get an arm ache when using it. I was using this product straight out of box but I would probably have a case on it for added peace of mind, it’s a shame to hide it in a case because the feel of this tablet is really nice in your hands and looks so sleek and i'd even go as far as to say a little bit sexy!

Battery

I have to admit that the battery life on this tablet was pretty impressive, considering the screen size and quality the battery life served me well. After receiving and unboxing it, I started with about half charge and once it had been passed round an office of excited people all wanting to have a nosey and play with all the features it has to offer, it was my turn. I used it for the rest of the day as a notepad for those important meetings and doodles and some social activities in between. Once I came back to it the following morning it still had around 15% charge left! This tablet will see you well when you find yourself with a lack of charging opportunities.

S Pen

Wow, it was really fun playing around with the Stylus on the Tab. Whether it was writing notes or drawing my next artistic masterpiece, the stylus is very responsive and the feel of it compares to a pad and paper. It offers so many more features than just 1 pen would, the tab allows you to do so much more than just write a list or make a few notes. It allowed me to practise calligraphy with a very realistic feel and the stylus itself has multifunctions that allows you to perform different commands.It’s built in button is both handy and easy to access, though sometimes it is easy to catch and be pressed in error, but I'm sure the more you used it, the more you would get a natural feel for it. A great tool to use.

Quidco hearts awarded

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Quidco hearts awarded

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Quidco hearts awarded

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Display & Screen size

What can I really say to this other than, it’s massive! The screen is clear and sharp and makes viewing a pleasure. Is it too big? Well that’s just personal preference. For what I would be using this type of device for, then it is a little on the large side and could make taking it out a little more difficult. If it’s just for at home or in the office, then I think it’s really easy and accessible and will stop any of those wrinkle lines from frowning at a small screen. It's a great alternative to a heavy laptop when you need that big screen!

Connectivity

Connecting the tablet to networks in the office and at home, headsets and other devices proved quick and easy with all of your usual shortcuts easily accessible through the pull down menus. It’s simple and everything you need it to be, no complaints from me.

Games

The screen size of this Tab makes gaming submersive to say the least, I tried a few games out with my nephew and we had some great fun testing things out, one thing that did stand out to me though was how easy it was to monitor the gaming time and see how long we had been playing, this would be a really handy tool for all the parents and guardians out there!

Quidco hearts awarded

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Quidco hearts awarded

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Quidco hearts awarded

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Lets summarise

Well it has been a pleasure to get to review this product, it’s handy for so many reasons, I've shopped, I've played, I've worked and I’ve chilled watching my favourite programmes.

I may have 'accidentally' pre-ordered one (but don’t tell my other half, I'll pretend I got to keep this one) it’s done everything I've wanted it to do and more. The performance and quality are second to none and I've not experienced any issues doing any of the things I’ve wanted to do, I don't really have anything negative to say about it. If you're in the market for a tablet, or not, this would be a great buy for work or pleasure.

Overall Quidco hearts awarded

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