The rugged Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 3 reaches US frontline workers

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A new Samsung tablet made rugged to survive the front lines

Rear of Device
(Image credit: Future)

The Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 3 is finally available in the US as a rugged tablet that’s tough enough with new features and specs suited for workplaces that might be a little more rugged than .

The Galaxy Tab Active 3, which was released in other regions late in 2020, is a take on the 8-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab A tablet, though it has some differences. Most notably, the Active 3 has three physical buttons on the front – easier to press when wearing gloves or in harsher weather conditions – and a removable 5,050mAh battery that’s accessible via the backplate.

That backplate is attached to a hardened case-like exterior (which Samsung calls an ‘Inbox Cover’), which has hardened edges and a slot at the top of the phone, which houses a dust- and water-resistant version of Samsung’s S Pen stylus. The right side has the rest of the tablet’s buttons: a power button, volume rocker button, and an ‘Active Key’ for instant access to the most-used apps or programs.

The Active 3 has an 8-inch PLS TFT LCD with Full HD (1920 x 1200) resolution with a 16:10 ratio. There’s a 13MP rear camera and 5MP front-facing camera, with a microSD slot for a single SIM. The battery can be removed for use mounted in a vehicle.

You’ll be paying a bit of a steep price for the Active 3: $489 (around £358 / AU$633) for the WiFi-only version and $589 / £539 (around AU$763) for the LTE version. That’s a noticeably higher cost than the Tab A, which costs $329 / £249 (about AU$470) for WiFi-only and the LTE version costs $419 / £299 (about AU$600).

David Lumb
David Lumb

David is now a mobile reporter at Cnet. Formerly Mobile Editor, US for TechRadar, he covered phones, tablets, and wearables. He still thinks the iPhone 4 is the best-looking smartphone ever made. He's most interested in technology, gaming and culture – and where they overlap and change our lives. His current beat explores how our on-the-go existence is affected by new gadgets, carrier coverage expansions, and corporate strategy shifts.