Android tablets have waned in reputation over the previous few years, main many firms to all however abandon them. However nobody gave Samsung the memo: It recurrently releases new pill choices yearly with killer {hardware} whereas channeling its Android know-how into respectable software program.
There are some things to search for when selecting the most effective Samsung pill. These embody display screen dimension, processing energy, and naturally, worth. You will discover most of the identical options throughout all of Samsung’s high-end tablets, whereas the extra finances choices supply a barely extra conventional expertise.
Whether or not you select our prime total decide — the Galaxy Tab S9+ — or another choice on this roundup, the most effective Samsung tablets all have a lot to set them aside in comparison with iPads, Hearth tablets, and different fashionable manufacturers.
At a look
1. Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+
Finest Total
The Galaxy Tab S9+ is our decide for the most effective Samsung pill due to the mixture of efficiency, unimaginable show, and the truth that it is at the moment Samsung’s solely flagship with 5G connectivity.
Finest entry-level flagship
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S9 goes to be an ideal choice for almost all of individuals, particularly with the upgraded OLED show and the smaller form-factor.
3. Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE
Finest worth pill
The Galaxy Tab S9 FE is Samsung’s most up-to-date pill and it manages to shock in a number of methods, whereas providing the most effective bang for the buck.
4. Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Extremely
Finest premium pill
For those who’re searching for a pill that may change your laptop computer, look no additional than the Galaxy Tab S9 Extremely with its huge 14.6-inch OLED show and non-obligatory Keyboard Cowl.
5. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE
Finest mid-range pill
Not all the finest Samsung tablets must value an arm and a leg, and that is the place the Galaxy Tab S7 FE is available in, providing a price-to-performance steadiness that’s unmatched.
Finest low-cost pill
Samsung appears to be shifting away from the 8-inch pill market, however the Galaxy Tab A8 stays our decide for the most effective low-cost pill, so long as you do not care about stylus help.
Finest total
The Galaxy Tab S9+ takes the successful system from its predecessors and makes refined enhancements to maintain its place as the most effective Android pill cash can purchase. It has the identical 12.4-inch AMOLED 120Hz show, a light-weight design (for its dimension), quad Dolby Atmos audio system, and reliable battery life. To enhance, it provides the identical flagship processor because the Galaxy S23 sequence, a wider selfie digicam, Wi-Fi 6E help, and an additional 2GB of RAM.
Then once more, each the Galaxy Tab S9 and Tab S9 Extremely share most of those perks. The Tab S9+ lacks the laptop-replacing dimension and reminiscence upgrades of the desk-bound Tab S9 Extremely and the superior portability and worth of the 11-inch Galaxy Tab S9. So why will we contemplate the Tab S9+ the most effective of the lot?
Primarily due to One UI 5, which provides much more of seamless multitasking instruments. Android apps blown as much as pill dimension look pretty ugly, however the brand new OS permits you to slide pinned apps from a hidden taskbar onto the show, side-by-side with each other so you should use three (or extra) without delay. Or you should use DeX mode, which makes use of a PC-like interface and works finest with a laptop computer and mouse.
Whichever mode you favor, you may need a big show that offers a number of apps room to breathe. Each the Tab S9+ and S9 Extremely match the invoice right here, however the Tab S9+ is simply compact sufficient which you could additionally use it as a handheld pill — whereas the Extremely is manner too giant.
For that cause, the Plus-sized Tab is the mannequin we wholeheartedly advocate because the finest Android pill accessible right now.
Finest entry-level flagship
One main upside of the Galaxy Tab S9 sequence, in comparison with Samsung’s regular technique with its telephones, is that it would not reserve as many premium options for the costliest fashions. The bottom Tab S9 has the identical 120Hz refresh price, quad audio system, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with 8GB of RAM, a 12MP wide-angle selfie digicam for video calling, and skinny bezels as its costlier siblings. All whereas costing $200-$400 lower than the Plus and Extremely.
You possibly can even argue that the Galaxy Tab S9 noticed the most important improve over its predecessor, as Samsung lastly made the transfer from LCD to OLED. This offers you darker blacks and richer colours, with out feeling like a “second-class citizen.”
The true draw back right here, as beforehand talked about, is that you’ve much less room for multitasking on the Tab S9. It is higher for informal use like streaming and gaming in mattress than it’s for DeX mode, and it’s possible you’ll not need to pay a premium for that. However should you remember the fact that it’s going to get 5 years of help, this Tab gives you greater than its cash’s price over time.
Finest worth
It got here as a bit of little bit of a shock to see Samsung skip a possible Galaxy Tab S8 FE in 2022, however the firm made up for that with the Galaxy Tab S9 FE. That is Samsung’s most up-to-date pill launch, aiming to present potential patrons the seems to be of the Tab S9 with out the upper price ticket.
One of many first issues folks ask about in the case of Samsung’s latest tablets is whether or not it consists of an S Pen. Fortunately, the Tab S9 FE and Tab S9 FE+ embody one within the field, which is a pattern that we actually want extra pill makers would undertake. Even should you nonetheless have to purchase a keyboard case (and even only a common case), individually.
Samsung has been on a roll in recent times in the case of software program updates, and that pattern continues with the Tab S9 FE. This pill launched with Android 13 out of the field, however, the Android 14 replace is already rolling out. This supplies extra stability, new options, and removes any worries about whether or not Samsung would fall behind with updates for its lower-end gadgets.
Whereas the construct and design are virtually an identical, together with the IP68 certification, the Tab S9 FE won’t be for everybody. Samsung’s Exynos 1380 chip falls a bit quick when in comparison with comparable Qualcomm choices. That is to not say it isn’t performant, however you positively will not get the identical expertise that you’d discover on the common Galaxy Tab S9.
Finest premium pill
With regards to the Galaxy Tab S9 Extremely, you are getting one thing no different Android pill can come near providing. At 14.6 inches, you get an unimaginable quantity of show area with the identical clean refresh price as a a lot smaller flagship cellphone. There is a tiny notch that you will rapidly develop accustomed to ignoring, and with further RAM, it is completely geared up for productiveness in DeX mode or whereas juggling a number of apps.
Our reviewer significantly liked utilizing the Tab S9 Extremely as a second display screen together with his different gadgets, and its dimension works effectively for that. Or, by itself, it will probably work in addition to any laptop computer, with the identical skinny bezels you’d see on a way more costly gadget. And also you get the good thing about the S Pen, which has super-low latency and works nice for note-taking or swiping by means of info.
However you may have to just accept some apparent downsides with a tool of this dimension. The official E book Cowl Keyboard accent is extraordinarily costly on prime of the Tab S9 Extremely’s already excessive worth. Common apps look extraordinarily blown up and ugly when not multitasking, and never making the most of the area. For those who’re usually spending this a lot on a tool, you’d desire a extra polished expertise like Home windows or ChromeOS.
Nonetheless, as an Android pill, the Tab S9 Extremely has no rivals for really premium efficiency.
Finest mid-range pill
Most Samsung FE gadgets preserve the excellence of flagship telephones at a reduced worth, just like the flagship-killing Galaxy S21 FE. However the “Fan Version” of the Galaxy Tab S7 sequence would not fairly dwell as much as the label. As a substitute, Samsung took parts of the S7 and S7+ and jammed them into an enormous pill that is extra inexpensive than each, however made some vital compromises to justify the worth drop.
The Galaxy Tab S7 FE provides you tons of perks for a mid-range pill, tempered with price-cutting compromises outshone by the opposite S7s. It has the identical huge 12.4-inch show because the S7+, however you get a TFT LCD as an alternative of AMOLED and 60Hz as an alternative of 120Hz. It comes with an S Pen and helps DeX mode for productiveness, however its Snapdragon 750G chipset limits its efficiency in comparison with the S7’s 865+. And regardless that its mobile model affords 5G, its speeds shall be restricted by its 4GB of RAM.
The Galaxy Tab S7 FE beats different older, cheaper choices on this record, just like the Tab S5e and S6 Lite, whereas crushing the Tab A sequence. It falls effectively in need of the Tab S8 in most specs besides for its further show dimension however will match the invoice for anybody who needs an enormous slab for streaming however cannot afford the Tab S9+.
If you are able to do with out 120Hz — and many individuals will not discover the absence except they’re already used to the characteristic — this pill seems to be a lot vivid and colourful and can final 13 hours per cost whether or not you are at dwelling or on the street.
Finest low-cost pill
Simply as with Samsung smartphones, Galaxy S tablets usually crush their Galaxy A Tab counterparts. However should you’re out there for a low-cost Android pill that does not make too many compromises, the Galaxy Tab A8 is your finest wager to compete with Amazon or Lenovo tablets constructed for the finances market. It is extremely inexpensive, with the superb app library Hearth Tablets lack, plus the Samsung instruments and methods you realize and love.
Take into account that that is really a “finances” pill. Its Unisoc T618 Processor chipset is stable however nothing to jot down dwelling about. With a 1920 x 1200 TFT show, you may miss out on a higher-quality show in comparison with others on this record. However Samsung additionally slimmed down the bezels to convey the design extra consistent with the likes of the Tab S8.
You will get decently long-lasting battery life, twin stereo audio system, 15W quick charging, expandable storage as much as 1TB, Android 11 out of the field, and as much as 4GB of RAM — equal to the bottom RAM of costlier Samsung tablets. The largest draw back is that the Tab A8 is not suitable with the S Pen, however contemplating that is extra for informal customers, it isn’t a whole deal breaker.
How to decide on
With regards to selecting the most effective Samsung pill, there are a couple of key components to contemplate. Arguably the most important issue comes right down to how you propose on utilizing your pill. If you’d like one thing to interchange an growing old laptop computer, you then would not need to decide one thing just like the Galaxy Tab A7 Lite. And in the identical vein, should you simply need to learn books or play a few of the finest Android video games, the Galaxy Tab S9 Extremely won’t be best for you.
There’s additionally the query of software program options and help. In comparison with different Android tablets in the marketplace, Samsung is certainly the business chief in each departments. Most of the newest Samsung tablets embody an S Pen within the field, providing you with a software to jot down notes, navigate the interface, or draw on, with no need to purchase one thing further. With Samsung DeX Mode, you may take that boring Android interface and remodel it into one thing akin to a standard desktop such as you would discover with a Home windows or macOS pc.
You will additionally need to think about the accessible equipment for any given gadget. There are many nice case choices for the Galaxy Tab S9, given its reputation, however the identical cannot be stated for different tablets on this record. Earlier than you hit that “buy” button, you may need to ensure you have the proper questions with the proper solutions to make your resolution.
How we take a look at
When utilizing and reviewing every of those tablets, we put them by means of a sequence of assessments, with the objective of sharing how they work within the “actual world.” This consists of issues like battery life, seeing how lengthy it takes for the pill to get juiced again up, and attempting out totally different workflows to learn the way laborious you may push a pill’s efficiency.
Contemplating that Samsung makes a few of the finest Android tablets, it is necessary to place these gadgets by means of their paces with numerous apps. However there are additionally different “intangible” options to search for, akin to whether or not you should use DeX mode, or the kind of S Pen is included, if relevant. All of those play an element in deciding what Samsung pill you must contemplate.
Backside line
Samsung’s lineup of Android tablets is slightly spectacular, seeing as hardly anybody else helps the shape issue. Wanting by means of its record of accessible choices, we now have to present our highest suggestion to the Galaxy Tab S9+.
The Tab S9+ has an ideal set of specs with loads of energy to again up the huge 2960 x 1848 decision of the show. This {hardware} bundles these parts up in a very nice design and is available in at a price ticket that is fairly truthful when you think about all the things you are getting — a 120Hz show, high-quality S Pen, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, and so forth.
There are different choices on the market you probably have totally different tastes and budgets, however total, the Galaxy Tab S9+ strikes that steadiness of being the Samsung pill to get, particularly should you’re already used to the best way Samsung’s platform works.