Samsung Pro edition tablets make an early appearance in this giant banner at CES

By Jerry Hildenbrand
last updated

Samsung outs themselves ahead of their CES event

Android Central @ CES

If you were hoping for a Pro line of Galaxy tablets from Samsung this year at CES, it looks like you're going to be happy. This incomplete billboard at the Las Vegas Convention Center basically gives up the Galaxy Note Pro and the Galaxy Tab Pro, and we expect Samsung to announce them at their event tomorrow. This isn't the first time this has happened, and we imagine at this point in time Samsung isn't really worried about keeping any big secrets.

While we don't learn much from the banner, it looks like we'll be seeing a new full-size (or bigger if the rumors hold true) version of both the Note tablet and the Galaxy Tab. 

Stay tuned for the whole story tomorrow at 2 p.m. PT. We'll be there to help you sort out what's what.

Jerry Hildenbrand
Jerry Hildenbrand
Senior Editor — Google Ecosystem

Jerry is an amateur woodworker and struggling shade tree mechanic. There's nothing he can't take apart, but many things he can't reassemble. You'll find him writing and speaking his loud opinion on Android Central and occasionally on Twitter.

79 Comments
  • Physical home button on bezel still....Fail Posted via Android Central App
  • Millions of people happily disagree with your professional assessment, lol. Posted from my "Gift from God" Nexus 5, my "God-Given" iPad Mini 2, or my "Risen" Samsung Chromebook.
  • Thx for telling me all the devices you have lmaooo Posted via Android Central App
  • You're very welcome, lol.
  • I am mad, your stuff is better than my stuff -----------------------------------------
    sent from my DROID Eris, made by Nokia, powered by iOS 7 via BBM
  • Wait a second... You just admitted that my Nexus 5 is better than your Note 3!! I, hereby, claim this victory, in the name of "stock" Android!! "ear-splitting round of applause and women throwing lingerie at me (in my dreams, lol) " Posted from my "Gift from God" Nexus 5, my "God-Given" iPad Mini 2, or my "Risen" Samsung Chromebook.
  • Just look at this lol! _______________________________________________
    This message was brought to you by the numbers 0 and 1
  • =) Posted from my "Gift from God" Nexus 5, my "God-Given" iPad Mini 2, or my "Risen" Samsung Chromebook.
  • "Heaven's to MERCDROID"(in my Snagglepuss voice)are you serious?Your Nexus 5 is nice and all but when you compare it to our Note 3 you're out of your league sir.Because you made that comment,I'd prefer not too hear from you no more today.Everybody MERCDROID is banded for today.I'll make a decision on his return. :-D Sent from my Note 3 rockin Jelly Bean 4.3
  • NEVAR!!! Posted from my "Gift from God" Nexus 5, my "God-Given" iPad Mini 2, or my "Risen" Samsung Chromebook.
  • Physical buttons are great. I just wish they would take out the menu button and replace it with the app switcher button. Posted via Android Central App
  • On Samsung devices, isn't the app switcher already available via long-press of the menu button?
  • Yeah. But the app switcher button is more usable. Posted from my Nexus 7(2013).
  • Fair enough, brother.
  • Odd. I use menu button lots more than app switcher. Posted via Android Central App using an LG G2.
  • Ditto... I'd rather have physical buttons than those ugly on-screen ones that just take up screen real estate.
  • Except you never will experience the on-screen buttons wearing out over time.
  • It's by long-pressing the home button, like on a lot of android handsets with physical buttons.
    I don't mind if the navigation keys are physical or software buttons, but on a tablet, especially a large tablet, I prefer having my navigation keys as software buttons, so I always have them in a convenient place on the screen Posted via my kitkat-powered machete with a Tegra 4
  • I actually like having a physical home button. LoL
  • I love my home button on my note, if I ever have to use any devices w/o them I usually do a double take looking for the home button.
  • I will gladly take a home button, over onscreen ones that take up screen space.
  • Plain and simple nothing beats Samsung or the Galaxy Note products period. Everything else is obsolete. Posted from my Galaxy Note 3 on Tmobile via Android Central App
  • While a lot of their products are top notch, you can't possibly say nothing beats the Tab 3 series. They are overprice for what you get. If I hadn't won my Tab 3 7.0 I'd never have bought one. It sits in the mediocre pile with a lot of other low end Android tablets.
  • Yup. The Nexus 7 (as Richard Yarell would say) Pimp Slaps the tab 3 series. Posted from my Nexus 7(2013).
  • Amen! Sent from my Nexus 5 :-D
  • In your opinion... Sent from my out-of-this-world Galaxy S3
  • Copy and paste..thats all you do...
  • SamsungForLife made us miss you. Sent from my iPhone
  • You just gave Richard new purpose, lol.
  • +1 Posted via Android Central App
  • Except my G2. Posted via Android Central App using an LG G2.
  • It's just like a crazed moronic fanboy to say something is "the best" and then leave it at that. No evidence to support your *opinions*, no facts to back up why you think it is this way, just that it is. What a joke.
  • I actually prefer my Sony Xperia Tablet Z over just about anything Samsung. Better build quality, less intrusive interface. TouchWiz has some good features, but a lot of useless ones, and they are all IN. YOUR. FACE. and constantly in the way of what I actually want to do. Had to install Apex on my GS4 just to make it usable again. The only exception, and the TW problem remains, is the Note 10.1, due to it's stylus/note taking features, but I have been able to duplicate what I need on the Sony with apps and a regular stylus.
  • Shut up about the physical home button. Is it really that big of a deal? Samsung is the most successful Android manufacturer... I'm sure they know what they are doing more than you. Posted via Android Central App
  • All things equal, I would rather have a physical button.
  • Says you. One of the more annoying things about my Galaxy Tab 2 is the lack of physical buttons.
  • That. Looks. Amazing.
  • New UI as well.
  • Yeah, That home button is just wack. Show stopper for me. On screen buttons or GTFO!
  • What is the advantage of having on-screen buttons?
  • They don't add bezel, you can customize them, you can have 4 buttons when needed but the standard 3 when not needed, you can swipe up for Google Now, etc. Posted from my pure Google Nexus 4 using the AC app.
  • On a tablet the advantage of On screen buttons is it doesn't define the orientation of the tablet since the buttons rotate with however you are holding the device... on a phone physical/capacitive buttons are forgivable but on a tablet it's a huge failure IMO
  • On a phone it is much better to have the physical buttons. On a tablet, they suck -----------------------------------------
    sent from my DROID Eris, made by Nokia, powered by iOS 7 via BBM
  • I pretty much agree. I really like the software buttons, but I really don't mind on a phone whether they are physical or software.
    On a tablet, however, they pretty much do suck. Posted via my kitkat-powered machete with a Tegra 4
  • Not sure I can completely agree with that. From my point of view, the orientation of the tablet is already defined to a good extent by the size and aspect ratio. That's why, for example, a 10.1 inch 16:10 tablet such as the Nexus 10 is regarded as a landscape tablet, despite lacking a physical home button.
  • Yet most people will still hold it in portrait for reading, web browsing, etc.
  • Only because the alternative is to bend backwards and buy an iPad.
  • I'm surprised that it's taken this long for Samsung to introduce bigger "Pro" tablets. Should be interesting. Posted from my "Gift from God" Nexus 5, my "God-Given" iPad Mini 2, or my "Risen" Samsung Chromebook.
  • I predict the price will be scandalously high for the Note Pro. Posted via Android Central App
  • Oh, it will be. Considering the price of the Note 10.1 is 499, this will easily be 600, if not more.
  • The note 10.1 is so overpriced. Posted from my Nexus 7(2013).
  • I agree. I spent 500 on the original Note 10.1. It was a nice tablet, but definitely not worth the price. 100 dollars cheaper would have been ideal. Posted from my "Gift from God" Nexus 5, my "God-Given" iPad Mini 2, or my "Risen" Samsung Chromebook.
  • Original Note 10.1 $499
    Note 10.1 (2014) $699
    Note Pro $899 Huge fail if that's what it ends up priced at but I can see it already. Posted via Android Central App
  • That's an underestimation. I'd say it'd go around 6000-7000HKD (too lazy to do the conversion) Posted via Android Central App
  • I just did the conversion, lol. If this comes in between 775 and 900 dollars, I'll laugh hysterically, lol.
  • I'll hold you to that. Posted via Android Central App
  • Both are 12 inch,called It already.
    Tab pro is powered by s600,2GB ram,note pro by s800 and 3gb ram.Both 2560*1600 screens. Posted via Android Central App
  • For all of touchwizs features I'd imagine it be 4 GB there are rumors they were working on more RAM enhancements Sent from my Nexus 7 2013 or Moto G
  • I heard that the note pro was 12.2", but I think the tab pro will have a10.1"screen. Hopefully it replaces that awful tab 3 10.1 Posted via my kitkat-powered machete with a Tegra 4
  • I actually like the home button since it saves the power button, it tells me the right position whenever I want to use the camera and I still prefer using capacitive touch buttons along with it since I've been used to Galaxy devices for 3 years.
  • This will be my first tablet. Next one will have a 15 inch screen.
  • I'm going to be pissed at myself for just buying the Note 8.0 it looks like. Rumors had it that there will be an 8" version of the new Pro line. Posted via Android Central App
  • Return the note 8, easy. Posted from my Nexus 7(2013).
  • This!! Posted from my "Gift from God" Nexus 5, my "God-Given" iPad Mini 2, or my "Risen" Samsung Chromebook.
  • Yeah!! This is back!!! Posted from my Nexus 7(2013).
  • I just bought one too and it's on the way here. I did consider the fact that the current 8.0 is getting old, but I think it will be fine for me and I'm guessing the new one will be quite a bit more money anyway.
  • Looks like a new ui is on the way Posted via Android Central App
  • Nothing has changed since ginger bread. Don't get your hopes up man. _______________________________________________
    This message was brought to you by the numbers 0 and 1
  • Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 Google Play Edition
    Qualcom Snapdragon 800, 32Gb internal, 3Gb RAM, external SD slot, LTE. You saw it here first folks!
  • Or I saw it somewhere else a while back — if you're correct ;) 
  • Leaked pics/specs of the new pro models at sammobile....if they are to be believed. Leather backs for everyone!
  • Show me a link, Jerry, or it didn't happen hehe. I got this page bookmarked and when the GPE version comes out, no need for a contest giveaway because I called it and it should go to me :)
  • If it has the s pen functions, I am on it like white on certain kinds of rice -----------------------------------------
    sent from my DROID Eris, made by Nokia, powered by iOS 7 via BBM
  • But, they're coming out with a Note Pro, lol. Posted from my "Gift from God" Nexus 5, my "God-Given" iPad Mini 2, or my "Risen" Samsung Chromebook.
  • If there is a Google play edition, I will be pretty satisfied. That would suffice until the next nexus 10 comes out Posted via my kitkat-powered machete with a Tegra 4
  • IF IF IF IF the next Nexus 10 comes out........
  • I do not understand why they used a Micro USB3 on the Note 3 phone, but not on the 10.1 tablet. Samsung don't seem able to finish off any given design job, before moving on to the next one. I can live with plastic; provided it is GOOD structurally sound plastic. If Sammy wants to see some - ask Nokia. The keyboard dock on my Transformer means I use it about 70% of the time (shame about the build quality and somewhat plodding, buggy firmware). Samsung need that option if they make a bigger tablet; but I bet they don't make one. Lets hope CES is not a total waste of time this year.
  • I was hoping for the Dual OS (8.1 & KitKat) for this new Note Pro. Has that idea just vanished like a fart in the wind? It didn't for ASUS (i.e. Transformer Book Duet)
  • I would hope that the "Pro" would mean upgraded specs (for a commensurate increase in price) not just a bigger screen.