It's no secret that the Android tablet platform has had a forgettable past in the shadow of the all-time favorite iPad lineup from Apple.

But, the former has been improving and trying to putting up a watchable fight. This year, Samsung is closer than ever to going toe-to-toe with the iPad Pro.

And some (including me) might argue that it even outperforms the iPad in a few aspects. 

Comparing Samsung Galaxy S7+ Vs. Apple's iPad

For those of you unfamiliar with the12.4'' Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+, it packs the best in class hardware, and chipset technology, including a Snapdragon 865+ SOC, UFS 3.0, a 120Hz refresh rate and powerful AKG tuned quad-speaker setup. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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On the surface, the Tab S7+ is oddly reminiscent. Maybe it is the boxy industrial design, familiar color schemes, or just the fact that it is a glass slab on an aluminum body, it sure does look a lot like the iPad Pro. 

Looking like the king is not bad, especially if you can do so with so much flare. Although the build seems similar, the screen on the Samsung is a tad bit taller with a 16:10 aspect ratio, whereas the Apple counterpart is still rocking a 3:2 aspect. Also, the Samsung panel is sharp and has plenty of contrast and decent viewing angles.  

So, a fast processor? Check! Fluid screen? Check! Sleek design? Check! What sets the two devices apart, you might ask?

 

The game is in Apple's ballpark as long as you hold the tablet in your hands, but add to the mix a keyboard and a trackpad, and Samsung is clearly the productivity champ. 

The Laptop Factor

Apple has definitely come a long way with the iPad OS and pointer integration, but it just feels like an afterthought. Samsung, on the other hand, has the Samsung Dex. 

Samsung Dex practically turns your tablet into a laptop that has shortcut function keys, a taskbar, and resizable windows. The wider screen is also an added advantage. 

Additionally, you don't have to go out of your way and spend another $130 over a stylus as Samsung is considerate enough to include it in the box. Plus, they have improved on the S-pen too. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Now, the S-pen has a 9ms latency, the same as the Apple Pencil. It also comes with a whole new set of Air Actions. But, the Air Actions do have a learning curve to them, so I'm not sure how many people will really care.

Conclusion

S7+ is the first tablet ever to provide 5G connectivity. As I see it, Samsung has a lot going for it. In terms of hardware and numbers on paper, the competition is really neck to neck. On the software front too, Samsung's Dex does give the Tab S7+ a head start, but the ace up Apple's sleeve is the Apple Ecosystem. 

Even if Samsung comes up with a straight-up better machine, it will be hard to convince users in Apple's ecosystem to give up that simplicity and seamlessness to switch sides.

And, everyone knows that the software support on the iPad will outlast their competition by eons despite what Samsung promises.

At least, the Tab S7+ puts up a fair fight. If this goes on, who's to say that a few iterations later Samsung won't catch up?​​​