While several manufacturers have entered the Android tablet space in the last two years, Samsung is still the most prominent player in the market. The company offers some excellent tablets across various price points, and its Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra from last year was one of the best flagship tablets on the market. But now that the Galaxy Tab S9 series is here, we expect the new models to take its place and give Apple's iPad lineup stiff competition. If you're in the market for a new Android tablet and are interested in Samsung's latest top-of-the-line models, here's everything you need to know about the Galaxy Tab S9, Tab S9+, and Tab S9 Ultra.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 series: Pricing and availability
Given that the new Galaxy Tab S9 lineup offers the best tablet hardware money can buy, you will have to shell out a hefty sum to get your hands on one of the three new models. The base Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 starts at $799.99 for the 8GB+128GB model, while the Galaxy Tab S9+ starts at $999.99 for the 12GB+256GB model. Samsung is also offering a 5G-enabled version of the Plus model, which costs $150 more than the Wi-Fi-only variant, and the top-of-the-line Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra starts at $1,199.99 for the 12GB+256GB configuration. All three tablets are available in Beige and Graphite colorways. Check out the complete pricing details in the table below.
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Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 |
8GB+128GB (Wi-Fi only): $800 |
12GB+256GB (Wi-Fi only): $920 |
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Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ |
12GB+256GB (Wi-Fi only): $1000 |
12GB+512GB (Wi-Fi only): $1120 |
12GB+256GB (5G): $1150 |
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Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra |
12GB+256GB (Wi-Fi only): $1200 |
12GB+512GB (Wi-Fi only): $1320 |
16GB+1TB (Wi-Fi only): $1620 |
All three tablets are available for pre-order starting today, with the open sale commencing on August 11. Samsung has some pre-order bonuses for early buyers that can get you a free storage upgrade, 30% off on Samsung Care+, and discounts on the Book Cover Keyboard Slim, Galaxy Watch 6, and Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. But you'll have to hurry up and book yours before August 11 to get these benefits. You can also check out our roundup of the best Galaxy Tab S9 deals for offers from other retailers and carriers.
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Samsung Galaxy Tab S9
- Brand
- Samsung
- Storage
- 128GB, 256GB
- CPU
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
- Memory
- 8GB, 12GB
- Operating System
- Android 13
- Battery
- 8,400mAh
The latest refinement in the Galaxy Tab series, the 11-inch Galaxy Tab S9 has a Dynamic AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. It's loaded with great features like S Pen support and optional 5G connectivity and is one of the best-looking Android slates around.
Order from Samsung and get the official $140 Cover Keyboard Slim for FREE. -
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Plus
- Brand
- Samsung
- Storage
- 256GB, 512GB, microSD up to 1TB
- CPU
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
- Memory
- 12GB
- Operating System
- Android 13.0
- Battery
- 10,090 mAh
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ is the latest middle device in the premium Galaxy Tab range. It's got a 12.4-inch AMOLED X2 screen running at 60-120Hz, the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy SoC, and up to 512GB of storage.
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Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra
- Brand
- Samsung
- Storage
- 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
- CPU
- Qualcomm Snapdragon®8 Gen 2for Galaxy
- Memory
- 12GB, 16GB
- Operating System
- Android 13
- Battery
- 11,200mAh
The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is Samsung's highest-end 2023 tablet. It offers a gorgeous 14.6-inch display, S Pen support, 5G connectivity, and much more! It's available in Beige and Graphite colorways.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 series: Design and display
Samsung hasn't made any significant changes on the design front, and the new Galaxy Tab S9 series tablets look the same as their predecessors. You get a sleek metal chassis on all three models with a dual camera setup on the back (single rear-facing camera on the Galaxy Tab S9), a slight recess to house the included S Pen, and a gorgeous display over on the front. The S Pen slot and rear-facing camera setup have an updated design, but the rest remains largely unchanged.
Like last year's model, the base Galaxy Tab S9 still features an 11-inch display. However, it's now a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel instead of an LTPS TFT panel. Thankfully, it still refreshes at 120Hz and has slim bezels all around. The larger Galaxy Tab S9+ has a 12.4-inch display, while the top-of-the-line Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra has a massive 14.6-inch panel. Like the base model, the Plus and Ultra variants also have Samsung's Dynamic AMOLED 2X panels with a 120Hz refresh rate and 60-120Hz variable refresh rate support.
Since all three tablets feature displays that measure the same as last year's models, their dimensions are also pretty much the same. However, the base model is slightly wider and slimmer than its predecessor, and the Plus variant is marginally wider and taller. There are no such changes on the Ultra model, which measures the same as its predecessor.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 series: Specifications
While the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 series may not look all that different from last year's models, the tablets pack some noteworthy changes on the inside. All three models now come with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, which should result in significant performance gains. In addition to the upgraded display, the base model now has a bigger 8,400mAh battery, but it no longer has a secondary ultra-wide camera on the back. Furthermore, it now sports an in-display fingerprint sensor instead of a side-mounted unit.
The Galaxy Tab S9+ and Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra have the same battery capacity as last year's models, but the base models now come with 12GB of RAM. The premium variants also get an improved 8MP ultra-wide rear-facing camera. All three models feature a 12MP selfie shooter on the front, with the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra packing an additional 12MP ultra-wide front-facing sensor. You also get an updated thermal solution, so you can push the tablets for long durations without any thermal throttling.
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Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra Brand Samsung Samsung Samsung Storage 128GB, 256GB 256GB, 512GB 256GB, 512GB, 1TB CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2for Galaxy Memory 8GB, 12GB 12GB 12GB, 16GB Operating System Android 13 Android 13 Android 13 Battery 8,400mAh 10,090mAh 11,200mAh Ports USB-C, microSD USB-C, microSD USB-C, microSD Camera (Rear, Front) Rear: 12MP, AF - Front: 12MP Rear: Primary: 13MP, AF - Ultra-wide: 8MP - Front: 12MP Rear: Primary: 13MP, AF — Ultra-wide: 8MP — Front: Primary: 12MP — Ultra-wide: 12MP Price $800 $1000 From $1,200 Size 6.52x10.01x0.23 inches (165.8 x 254.3 x 5.9mm) 185.4 x 285.4 x 5.7mm 12.85 x 8.21 x 0.21 inches (326.4 x208.6 x 5.5mm) Connectivity Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, 5G Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 Headphone jack No No
Other noteworthy features include a dedicated microSD card slot for storage expansion, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, quad stereo speakers tuned by AKG, and an S Pen included in the box. Samsung also has a new Book Cover Keyboard, Book Cover Keyboard Slim, Smart Book Cover, Outdoor Cover, Notepaper Screen, and Privacy Screen accessories for the tablets, but you'll have to purchase these separately.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 series: Final Thoughts
Last year's Galaxy Tab S8 series brought some major improvements over previous-gen models, but the all-new Galaxy Tab S9 lineup is more of an iterative upgrade. The base model has received the most changes, so it's significantly better than its predecessor. This will make it a much more difficult decision when looking at the other two new Android tablets from this year — the Google Pixel Tablet and the OnePlus Pad.
But the Galaxy Tab S9+ and Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra have received fewer changes, with raw performance being one of the key areas where you can expect to see improvements. Nonetheless, the Galaxy Tab S9 lineup should be among the best Android tablets on the market, and you can consider purchasing them if you're upgrading from an older model or want the most powerful Android tablets currently on the market.
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Samsung Galaxy Tab S9
- Brand
- Samsung
- Storage
- 128GB, 256GB
- CPU
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
- Memory
- 8GB, 12GB
- Operating System
- Android 13
- Battery
- 8,400mAh
The latest refinement in the Galaxy Tab series, the 11-inch Galaxy Tab S9 has a Dynamic AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. It's loaded with great features like S Pen support and optional 5G connectivity and is one of the best-looking Android slates around.
Order from Samsung and get the official $140 Cover Keyboard Slim for FREE. -
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Plus
- Brand
- Samsung
- Storage
- 256GB, 512GB, microSD up to 1TB
- CPU
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
- Memory
- 12GB
- Operating System
- Android 13.0
- Battery
- 10,090 mAh
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ is the latest middle device in the premium Galaxy Tab range. It's got a 12.4-inch AMOLED X2 screen running at 60-120Hz, the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy SoC, and up to 512GB of storage.
-
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra
- Brand
- Samsung
- Storage
- 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
- CPU
- Qualcomm Snapdragon®8 Gen 2for Galaxy
- Memory
- 12GB, 16GB
- Operating System
- Android 13
- Battery
- 11,200mAh
The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is Samsung's highest-end 2023 tablet. It offers a gorgeous 14.6-inch display, S Pen support, 5G connectivity, and much more! It's available in Beige and Graphite colorways.