Lifehacker’s Samsung TabPro S Roadtrip Challenge: Can A 2-In-1 Do All I Need?

2-in-1 laptops are supposed to provide the best of both worlds. The ability to change into a tablet offers a level of flexibility that standalone laptops can’t match — especially if you’re frequently on the road. Last week, I put this concept to the test by travelling to Melbourne, Brisbane and then back to Sydney armed with nothing but Samsung’s Galaxy TabPro S. Along the way, I visited interesting Aussie tech hubs and startups to see how they work. I’m Chris Jager from Lifehacker, and this is the Roadtrip Challenge.

2 in 1 laptops are more than keyboard-equipped tablets; the best models come with proper keyboards, multi-touch displays and run on the full version of Microsoft Windows 10. The Samsung Galaxy TabPro S is being billed as a complete mobile office — it comes with a 12-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED touchscreen, a 6.3mm-thick design with a protective wraparound cover, a fast and roomy 128GB solid state drive, 4GB RAM, up to 10 hours battery life and a 6th Generation Intel Core m3 CPU.

Crucially, it also boasts 4G connectivity, which I needed to run Lifehacker from trains and the like. (There’s also a Wi-Fi option for those who don’t require a SIM card.) This makes the Samsung Galaxy TabPro S Pro a good choice for business travellers, SMBs and students who require a mobile-friendly laptop that doubles as a tablet for both work and play.

That’s all well and good, but how’s the TabPro S really stack up? Samsung invited Lifehacker to test its productivity chops — and be honest in our experience. In true Lifehacker fashion, I travelled around Wellington, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney to take the challenge up a notch. Testing the device and visiting some of the most interesting tech startups, hubs and incubators in the aforementioned cities. All while running the Lifehacker site completely from the TabPro S.

I also tested the TabPro S Pro to unwind during my downtime to see how the entertainment features stack up.

I’ll be aiming to test out as many of the TabPro S’s features as possible, including Samsung Flow which provides additional functionality and security options via the Samsung Galaxy S7 smartphone.

You’ll be able to read my challenge diaries on Gizmodo starting tomorrow.

First up: I’ll be setting up the TabPro S and testing its chief features before heading to Melbourne to start the first leg of the journey.

Lifehacker’s TabPro S Roadtrip Challenge series is sponsored by Samsung.


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