It took Samsung almost three years to upgrade the Galaxy Tab Active. As before, it is water- and dust-resistant and should withstand drops fairly well. LTE and support for stylus input made the predecessor very popular with outdoor fans, and our review reveals that Samsung has only improved the...

decent quality; rigid and tough case; user-replaceable battery; S pen included; support for MicroSD cards up to 256 GB; bright display; stays cool

mediocre battery life; low-resolution display; slow storage memory

Apart from Microsoft, Samsung is the only company that has attempted to produce tablets rivalling the Apple iPad in recent times. Recent successes from Samsung include the Windows-based Galaxy Book and the Galaxy Tab S3 – which we rate as the best value Android tablet to date.

Has a SIM slot; Pressure sensitive stylus; IP68 water and dust resistant

Not very pretty; Low quality display; Weak storage

I bought this for longevity and above average toughness. The feel is good and while solid it's not too heavy. Rear panel access to change battery, SIM or SDcard is straightforward.

Born into the business world with a feature set, ruggedised design and third-party accessory lineup perfectly suited to its life in warehouses and on fleet trucks, the Galaxy Tab Active 2 sat happy as a tool for the modern workforce.

Certified ruggedised design; S Pen functionality is nice; Good battery life

SIM/microSD inaccessible without removing back; Dated internal hardware and software; Disappointing performance; Low internal storage

The Tab Active2 strikes a good balance between ruggedness and value. It's about the price of a sixth-generation iPad plus Pencil ($419 together), but Samsung's tablet is much tougher and waterproof, with a less loseable pen.

Rugged and waterproof; S Pen works better than capacitive styli; Good video camera; Removable battery

Slow performance; Low-resolution screen; Not much storage

The Galaxy Tab Active2 is clearly not a tablet for everyone. It's aimed at those needing a rugged device that can withstand the elements and a bit of abuse.