Samsung's Galaxy Tab S10 series arrives without the Tab S10
by Will Sattelberg · Android PoliceWhile Samsung continues marching on with its (possibly ill-thought-out) Fan Edition series of smartphones, it's also unveiling a pair of new flagship tablets today. The Galaxy S10 series breaks tradition in quite a few ways. It's the first time in years Samsung has left behind its usual 18-month window between Tab S upgrades, as well as the very first time that the 11-inch model has been excised altogether. What's left are two extra large, extra expensive tablets that might leave consumers hoping for deals on last-gen models.
The Galaxy Tab S10+ and S10 Ultra are sequels to their respective Tab S9 models first launched alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 5 last summer. Even as far as tablets are concerned — never the most exciting of upgrades, to be sure — these models seem like slim refreshes, keeping practically every spec unchanged with just a couple of exceptions. If you're a Tab S9 owner — or frankly, a Tab S8, or perhaps even Tab S7 owner — you can probably stop reading here, as it's near impossible to recommend this sort of purchase compared to what you already own.
In no particular order, here's a list of every spec unchanged from the Tab S9+ or Tab S9 Ultra to their new Tab S10 counterpart: display size and resolution, chassis length and width, IP68 water and dust resistance, storage and RAM allotment, battery capacity, S Pen support, main and rear camera resolution, and the on-screen fingerprint sensor for biometric authentication. Phew.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ specs
SoC
MediaTek Dimensity 9300+
Display type
120Hz, Dynamic AMOLED 2X with Anti Reflection
Display dimensions
12.4-inch
Display resolution
2800 x 1752
RAM
12GB
Storage
Up to 512GB, microSD support up to 1.5TB
Battery
10,090mAh
Charging speed
45W
Charge options
Wired
Ports
USB-C
SIM support
SIM, eSIM (5G model only)
Operating System
One UI, Android 14
Front Camera
12MP
Rear Camera
13MP primary, 8MP ultra-wide
Cellular connectivity
5G (Sub-6/mmWave)
Wi-Fi connectivity
Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 5.3
Dimensions
185.4 X 285.4 X 5.6 mm
Weight
571g (Wi-Fi), 576g (5G)
IP rating
IP68
Colors
Moonstone Gray, Platinum Silver
Stylus
Yes, included in box
Price
$1,000
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Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra specs
SoC
MediaTek Dimensity 9300+
Display type
120Hz, Dynamic AMOLED 2X with Anti Reflection
Display dimensions
14.6-inch
Display resolution
2960 x 1848
RAM
12GB, 16GB
Storage
Up to 1TB, microSD support up to 1.5TB
Battery
11,200mAh
Charging speed
45W
Charge options
Wired
Ports
USB-C
SIM support
SIM, eSIM (5G model only)
Operating System
One UI, Android 14
Front Camera
12MP primary, 12MP ultra-wide
Rear Camera
13MP primary, 8MP ultra-wide
Cellular connectivity
5G (Sub-6/mmWave)
Wi-Fi connectivity
Wi-Fi 7
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 5.3
Dimensions
208.6 X 326.4 X 5.4 mm
Weight
718g (Wi-Fi), 723g (5G)
IP rating
IP68
Colors
Moonstone Gray, Platinum Silver
Stylus
Yes, included in box
Price
$1,200
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A new chipset is the big change this year
Goodbye Qualcomm, hello MediaTek
That does leave us with a few changes. Both models are a fraction of a millimeter slimmer and a few grams lighter: 10 grams for the Plus, 14 grams for the Ultra. The Ultra now supports Wi-Fi 7, as opposed to Wi-Fi 6e on the Tab S10+, should you have a fancy, expensive router that supports it. You'll find some very minor design changes too, most notably a swap to Moonstone Gray and Platinum Silver for the colors, as well as a new dedicated Galaxy AI key on the optional keyboard cases.
Perhaps most notably, though, is a shift away from Qualcomm processors. Both of these chips are powered by MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ SoCs, which — at least in benchmarks — should rival what you'd expect from a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. It's a surprising decision to see Samsung moving away from its usual chipset partner without making a move to in-house Exynos chips, but it shouldn't make much of a difference in day-to-day use. Of course, we'll reserve final judgment for our reviews — stay tuned.
Even for tablets, this is a very boring year-over-year upgrade, one that seemingly exists to swap chip manufacturers rather than to lure any recent Galaxy Tab buyers into upgrading. If Samsung's entire portfolio of products is starting to feel a little stale, the Tab S10+ and Tab S10 Ultra are, perhaps, our most damning examples. Still, if you're due for a tablet upgrade, both are available starting on October 3rd, starting at $1,000 for the 12.4-inch model and a whopping $1,200 for the 14.6-inch model. If you're looking for an 11-inch slate, you'll need to stick to the Galaxy Tab S9 or the cheaper Tab S9 FE.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+
Samsung's Galaxy Tab S10+ isn't a huge improvement over its predecessor. It keeps plenty of what we liked about that model, including its 12.4-inch AMOLED display and its bundled S Pen, but swaps out a Snapdragon chip for MediaTek's Dimensity 9300+. It also has a greater focus on AI, with a dedicated key on its optional keyboard cover.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra
Samsung's Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is large and in charge, a superpowered 14.6-inch slate that wants you to treat it like the laptop replacement it is. With a bundled S Pen and a speedy MediaTek Dimensity 9300+, it's quite possibly the Android tablet to buy, but you'll need the optional keyboard cover to really complete the experience.