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The Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 may be unwieldy, but by providing its S Pen stylus system with a 12.2-inch canvas on which to operate, it finally feels like the consistently useful productivity tool it always threatened to be.
Samsung still needs to work on its overall design and build quality standards if it's to justify charging so much for a tablet, but it's definitely onto something interesting here.
We liked
That extra 2.1 inches makes all the difference for productivity. It turns out that a 12.2-inch display unlocks the S Pen system's full potential.
I also enjoyed the slight boost this extra screen space gave to a number of normal tablet functions, from movie watching to web browsing and even proper stereo sound separation.
Samsung's latest UI modifications also represent a genuine progression from their previous cluttered efforts. It's still not perfect, but it's an improvement.
We disliked
The Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 doesn't wear its extra inches lightly – this is as big and bulky as you might have feared, and holding it in one hand for any length of time is out of the question.
If Samsung has shown signs that it's learning lessons in the field of software design, there's no indication yet that it's ready to join Apple, Nokia, and HTC at the top when it comes to premium hardware design. It just doesn't look or feel like a $699 tablet.
Indeed, that price is perhaps the biggest snag of all – especially with such classy rivals in the same price category, or even cheaper.
Final verdict
As the first significant manufacturer to step forward with its vision of a super-sized tablet, Samsung has quite a job on its hands to convince the world that there is a genuine need, and that this isn't just a gimmick.
If nothing else, the Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 successfully answers that question to the affirmative. It's not a tablet you'll want to lug around with you or whip out in public, and it is dauntingly expensive.
But if productivity is foremost in your mind as you shop for an Android tablet, the Galaxy Note Pro 12.2's combination of huge HD display and S Pen interactivity is a compelling combination.
