Hands On With Samsung's Ultra-Thin Windows Tablet

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Windows 8 Slims Down

Samsung claims the ATIV Tab 3 is the "world's thinnest" Windows 8 tablet with a 10.1-inch screen.

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Samsung claims its recently unveiled ATIV Tab 3 is the "world's thinnest" Windows 8 tablet. We're talking the difference of hundredths of an inch when compared to other Windows tablets out there (such as the Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2), but after handling it for a little while, I'll definitely give props to Samsung for creating a Windows tablet that's extremely portable.
If you're used to an iPad, you'll think the 10.1-inch ATIV Tab 3 is featherlight. The spec sheet reports its weight at 1.21 pounds, which is incredibly light for any tablet this size (the iPad is almost 4 ounces heavier). And yes, it's damn thin, too — just 0.32 of an inch.

SEE ALSO: The Problem With Windows 8

Make no mistake, though: This is a real Windows 8 tablet, meaning it doesn't run the watered-down version of Windows known as Windows RT. You can run older Windows apps in the desktop environment on the Tab 3, thanks to its Intel Atom "Clover Trail" chip inside. The tablet was pre-installed with Photoshop Elements, not a Windows 8 app. It didn't launch as fast as on Core-powered device when I tapped the icon, but it worked.
Another key piece of pre-installed software is Microsoft Office, which typically does not come free with Windows 8 devices (it remains one of the few advantages of Windows RT). The installation is actually a standalone copy of Office 2013 Home & Student — not a free subscription to Office 365 Home Premium — which is unfortunate, but if this is your single Windows machine, it won't make much of a difference.
Samsung also throws in its trademark S Pen, the stylus that also comes with its Galaxy Note Android tablets. Similar to Android, the stylus works with drawing apps, including the S Note app that includes a useful handwriting-to-text tool and a formula creator.

The writing experience on the ATIV Tab 3 is very similar to the Galaxy Note, which is to say very good

The writing experience on the ATIV Tab 3 is very similar to the Galaxy Note, which is to say very good, complete with palm detection to help prevent smudging notes. The S Pen also works with Office, but I didn't get a chance to try that out. The overall Windows 8 experience translates well on the ATIV Tab 3 — I didn't get the sense that the device was compromised because of its less powerful Atom chip. The tablet responded to swipes and gestures instantly and fluidly, and it kept up as I switched rapidly through apps, although it might be a different story if I ran Photoshop, Office and dozens of Chrome tabs simultaneously.
If you don't ask too much of your PC, the ATIV Tab 3 appears to let you do real work while retaining maximum mobility. Paired with a keyboard, it's one of the lightest "mobile office" solutions you can get. Now if only Samsung would announce a price and ship date..