Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ vs. Galaxy Tab S9 FE+: Is Galaxy AI worth $400?
by Zachary Kew-Denniss · Android PoliceThe sharp flagship
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+
The Galaxy Tab S10+ is Samsung's latest and greatest tablet, with a gorgeous 12.4-inch AMOLED display, excellent speakers, and a stronger focus on AI. The usual Snapdragon chip has been swapped for a Dimensity 9300+, so time will tell how performance will be over the long-term.
Pros
- Smoother 120Hz display
- Faster processor
- AMOLED
Cons
- Double the price
- Optical fingerprint scanner
The budget king
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+
$469 $600 Save $131
The Galaxy Tab S9 FE+, aside from having an awkwardly long name, aims to hit the sweet spot between affordability and premium features. The display is 90Hz and LCD, but it's still sharp and reasonably bright.
Pros
- Half the price
- Almost the same experiance
- Faster and more reliable fingerprint scanner
Cons
- Some performance issues
- LCD display
- 90Hz
Samsung's Galaxy Tab S range has been a hit, especially in recent years, but it's also a series of devices that can be confusing. There are two models named the S6 Lite, one from 2022 and another from 2024, for example.
Right now, Samsung makes two 12.4-inch tablets — the Galaxy Tab S10+, and the Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ — and picking between them isn't as easy as you'd think. The Tab S10+ has a sharper, smoother, AMOLED display and more horsepower under the bonnet, but does that justify its cost?
The Tab S9 FE+, meanwhile, has a less powerful chip, a display that's only 90Hz, and LCD as opposed to OLED. It's also half the price, making this comparison closer than you'd expect. The Tab S9 FE+ is one of our favorite tablets, so the question we need to answer is whether the price of the Tab S10+ is warranted for the upgrades it offers.
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Price, availability, and specs
The Tab S10+ has a MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ with 12GB of RAM and 256GB or 512GB of storage, while the S9 FE+ has a Samsung-made Exynos 1380 with either 8GB or 12GB of RAM paired with 128GB or 256GB of storage. Both devices have a MicroSD slot to expand their storage, and 12.4-inch displays. The screen on the Tab S10+ is much better, though, as it's a 120Hz AMOLED panel vs the 90Hz LCD used on the S9 FE+.
Both tablets are available worldwide from Samsung and major retailers, with the Tab S10+ starting at $1,000 for 256GB, and the Tab S9 FE+ costing $600 with frequent discounts to $500, for 128GB.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ SoC MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ Samsung Exynos 1380 Display type 120Hz, Dynamic AMOLED 2X with Anti Reflection 90Hz IPS LCD Display dimensions 12.4" 12.4" Display resolution 2800 x 1752 2560 x 1600 RAM 12GB 8GB or 12GB Storage Up to 512GB, microSD support up to 1.5TB 128GB, 256GB (expandable with microSD) Battery 10,090mAh 10,090mAh Charging speed 45W 45W wired Charge options Wired USB-C Ports USB-C USB-C SIM support SIM, eSIM (5G model only) No Operating System One UI, Android 14 Android 13 with One UI 5.1.1 Front Camera 12MP 12MP ultrawide Rear Camera 13MP primary, 8MP ultrawide 8MP main, 8MP ultrawide Cellular connectivity 5G (Sub-6/mmWave) No Wi-Fi connectivity Wi-Fi 6E Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.3 Bluetooth 5.3 Dimensions 185.4 X 285.4 X 5.6mm 285.4 x 185.4 x 6.5mm Weight 571g (Wi-Fi), 576g (5G) 628g IP rating IP68 IP68 Colors Moonstone Gray, Platinum Silver Gray, Silver, Mint, Lavender Stylus S Pen included S Pen included Price $1,000 From $600
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Great build quality, battery life, and software make for a solid midrange tablet
Design
Almost identical
The design of these two tablets is so similar you'd struggle to tell them apart, unless you knew to look for the area the S Pen sticks to on the S10+. Both devices come with an S Pen, but they aren't the same; the S9 FE+ comes with a regular S Pen that sticks to the back for storage, while the Tab S10+ has a Bluetooth S Pen that requires charging, which happens automatically when it's magnetized to the rear. Both feature an IP68 rating, too, so they can survive the odd splash easily enough.
Aside from that, both tablets look good, with minimal bezels, flat sides, and rounded corners that make them comfortable to hold for longer periods. They share the same width and height, although the S10+ is slightly thinner at 5.6mm compared to 6.5mm for the S9 FE+. The difference in design you'll likely notice most is the weight; the Tab S9 FE+ is 627g, 56g heavier than the S10+, which weighs in at 571g.
One seemingly minor design difference is a lot more noticeable in practice. The Galaxy Tab S10+ uses an under-display fingerprint scanner, but not the one you'd expect as, despite being $1,000, it uses an optical scanner. It's slower than it should be at this price and will never be as reliable as you'd expect. The Tab S9 FE+, on the other hand, has a capacitive scanner inside the power button like the Z Flip and Z Fold series.
Display
AMOLED for the win
The displays are the same size, and frankly, both tablets have good screens for their price, but in a direct comparison, the S10+ wins easily.
The display on the Tab S9 FE+ is a 12.4-inch, 1600 x 2560 LCD with a 90Hz refresh rate and reaches a maximum brightness of 600 nits. While we'd preferr an AMOLED display, this is still a good screen that supports HDR 10+. The LCD panel does a great job most of the time, but if you watch a lot of movies — especially films with a lot of dark scenes — on your tablet, it'll detract from the experience. An LCD just can't achieve the level of contrast an OLED can.
The S10+ has a far better display, although it's still disappointing compared to other rivals. Like the S9 FE+, this display is 12.4 inches with a 16:10 aspect ratio, but that's where most of the similarities end. This screen is a Super AMOLED 2X, is slightly sharper at 1752 x 2800, and has a 120Hz refresh rate. For media consumption, this display will blast the S9 FE+ into the last century, thanks to the unbeatable dynamic range an OLED can provide.
The display on the Tab S10+ is far from perfect, though. It can only reach a maximum brightness of 650 nits, just 50 nits more than the device that costs half as much.
If we look outside the Samsung ecosystem, things are even worse. The 11-inch 2024 iPad Pro is the same $1,000 as the Tab S10+, but it uses a gorgeous tandem OLED that reaches 1,600 nits in XDR content and 1,000 nits in SDR. Samsung has long provided the best displays in its products, but that isn't the case anymore.
Software
Do you want AI?
Thanks to updates that have rolled out to the Tab S9 FE+, both tablets run One UI 6.1.1 over Android 14. However, there are some big differences, but whether those are important depends on how much you care about AI. The Galaxy Tab S10+ comes with Galaxy AI, complete with features like sketch to image, instant slow-mo, and more. I have these features on two of my devices and, honestly, they shouldn't factor into deciding which tablet to buy.
Another difference is Samsung DeX. Both tablets have it, however, the Tab S9 FE+ only supports it on-device, while the S10+ can be connected to an external display.
The Tab S9 FE+ is promised four Android updates with a fifth year of security patches. It launched last year with Android 13, so the final Android version it will receive is Android 17. The Tab S10+ launched with Android 14 and is promised seven years of both Android and security updates, taking it to Android 21.
Performance and battery life
A clear winner
The battery is the same in both of these tablets, and they charge at the same 45W over USB-C. Battery life is even between the two, and they can endure whatever you throw at them.
The difference you will notice is the performance. The Exynos 1380 is lackluster even for a $600 tablet, so when you compare it to the Dimensity 9300+ it doesn't come anywhere close. To be clear, the Tab S9 FE+ is not a slow tablet, as zipping around the interface, watching movies, and scrolling social media is fine.
The issues arise when you try to play more demanding games or run too many apps on the screen at once. The Tab S10+ has more raw horsepower and can crush more demanding tasks. Frankly, it won't make much difference to most people, and the only concern I have about the S9 FE+ is how it'll run in a few years when it gets its final Android update.
Which is right for you?
The answer to that question will vary depending on what your needs are, but my recommendation would be the Tab S9 FE+.
Yes, the Tab S10+ is faster, has Galaxy AI, and a nicer display, but is that enough to make it worth $1,000? If you use a tablet for work, then maybe it is, but most of us use our tablets to scroll through Twitter, shop on Amazon, and watch YouTube or Netflix, and the Tab S9 FE+ is good enough for those things that I'd buy it and pocket the $400-500 difference.
The value option
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+
$469 $600 Save $131
The Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ lacks the raw power of the Tab S10+ and has a lesser display, but that isn't enough to justify paying for the S10+ for most people. This is a solid tablet for scrolling social media and watching movies.
$469 at Amazon $600 at Best Buy $600 at Samsung
If you're a power user who wants an AMOLED display, the latest AI features, and a smoother 120Hz experience, then the Tab S10+ is a good tablet. That said, the competition from Apple is more compelling than ever if you aren't already tied into the Galaxy ecosystem.
Good, but hard to recommend
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+
The Galaxy Tab S10+ is a fantastic tablet, but it's hard to recommend it to most people who will never make use of the more powerful hardware.