Does the Galaxy Tab S4 come with a stylus in the box?
Best answer: Yes, Samsung has included its own S Pen with every Galaxy Tab S4, but you can get a replacement online should anything happen to it.
- Get work done: Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 ($530 at Amazon)
- Be more precise: Samsung S Pen ($45 at Amazon)
No need to spend extra dough
Unlike Apple or Microsoft, which sell pens separately, Samsung packages the brand new S Pen with each Galaxy Tab S4. This decision comes after Samsung packaged the old S Pen with the Tab S3 back in 2017.
As for the "specs", the new S Pen weighs in at just 0.32oz while providing a pen tip of just 0.7mm thick. Additionally, the S Pen features 4,096 different pressure levels, making it easy for your Tab S4 to register just how hard you are pressing down with the Pen. It also allows the Tab to register your touches exactly, making taking notes or some drawing much easier than it was in the past.
Why should I use an S Pen?
Other than the 4,096 different pressure levels, the S Pen has some additional benefits. Instead of using a keyboard, you could use the Tab S4 and S Pen to take notes, with an option for "direct pen input." This allows you to write on one portion of the screen, and then have it translated into regular text in the field above.
Screen Off Memo makes life extremely easy for those who need to take some quick notes. Simply press the button on the side of the S Pen, and a black screen will light up the display on the Tab S4, allowing to write down your notes, and then saving them in the Notes app on your tablet.
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You can even swap out the tip of the S Pen if it gets worn down after using it for a long while. Samsung offers replacement tips; you just use the included tweezers to pull the old one out, then insert the new and you're good to keep working.
Is the S Pen backward compatible?
While it's awesome that Samsung provided an S Pen in the box with every Tab S4, it seems that you can't get this one to work with older Tab models. Instead, you will have to scour the internet to look for the correct S Pen to go with your older Samsung Tab model.
On the bright side, you can easily pick up another S Pen if something happens to your current one. Currently, Samsung has these listed at $60 on its website, less than half the price of the Apple Pencil 2 ($129) or the Surface Pen ($100). What makes this even better is that Amazon regularly has the new S Pen priced even lower, with the current offering coming in at around $45.
Samsung really made some great choices with the release of the Tab S4. This is highlighted by the various DeX features, along with allowing users to be more productive with the S Pen.
Samsung's best
Samsung's best tablet ever.
While other OEMs are shying away from the Android tablet market, Samsung keeps churning out new options every year. The Tab S4 is a phenomenal device, especially when paired with the included S Pen and a Bluetooth keyboard.
The "Stylus"
The S Pen offers much more than just being a stylus.
Samsung's decision to include an S Pen is absolutely great, as it helps you get more work done without forking out more money. Plus, this combined with Samsung's keyboard for the Tab S4, and you have the ultimate productivity machine.
Andrew Myrick is a Senior Editor at Android Central. He enjoys everything to do with technology, including tablets, smartphones, and everything in between. Perhaps his favorite past-time is collecting different headphones, even if they all end up in the same drawer.