The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ was unveiled today, which is Samsung’s newest 12.4-inch flagship tablet with Android. The release date is August 11, but it’s taking pre-orders ahead of launch, with the price starting from $999:
Samsung: https://www.samsung.com/us/tablets/galaxy-tab-s9/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/SAMSUNG-Snapdragon-Processor-Included-Graphite/dp/B0C4BB6

This is the 9th generation of Samsung’s top of the range high-end tablets, and it’s the successor to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ (SM-X810) is upgraded with the unique new 3.36 GHz octa-core ‘Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy’ processor together with the ‘Qualcomm Adreno 740 with Ray Tracing’ GPU.

All Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ models now have 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM, so the configuration choices are only between the choice of 256GB or 512GB of UFS storage. Other choices are between the Wi-Fi only model, or 5G or 4G LTE models.

The last choices to make are between the two color choices Beige (white) or Graphite (black/gray).

Samsung upgraded the display on the 12.4-inch Tab S9+ to a new Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen with an Infinity panel which is even slightly better than OLED screen before it. The colors pop even more without being over saturated, the sharpness is perfect, and the deep black is like no other tablet. So images and videos have a feeling of coming alive on all the three new S9 tablets.

Related:
Benchmark test of Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 tablets
Official Samsung accessories for the S9, S9+, and S9 Ultra

It has a screen resolution of 2800 x 1752, with a variable 120 Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ rating, and Gorilla Glass protection. A new feature is that is now even features an on-screen fingerprint reader.

But it still features a face recognition camera for logging in with too. Other cameras includes a 12MP ultra-wide front camera, while on the back of the tablet it has both a 13MP camera and an additional 8MP ultra-wide camera with LED flash / video light. So both the 4K video recording support and photo features with quick document capture capabilities are good.

The tablet is launched with Android 13 installed along with the One UI 5.1.1 user interface, both of which will receive free updates for years, together with regular security updates.

An important change for 2023 is that both the tablet and the S Pen have been made waterproof with an IP68 rating. So you can use the tablet in water up to 1.5m deep, or when its raining, if it’s been raining on whatever you were carrying the tablet in, or if someone spills drinks on the tablet. So that adds a lot more usage to the tablet.

But the new S Pen still has the same wirelessly charging and magnetically attaching features as we’ve enjoyed before.

It still has four AKG speakers with Dolby Atmos like before too, but these quad speakers are capable of producing a richer sound now that they are 20% larger than on the former S8+.

And even with waterproofing, more power, and beefier speakers, this is an incredibly portable tablet with a weight of just 586 grams and a thickness of just 5.7mm.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ has a 15 hour battery life based on the usual video playback standard, squeezed out of the 10,090 mAh battery with 45W charging support. So that’s highly efficient, but then again that’s what we should expect from a modern chipset like this too.

Other important Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ specs includes the newest dual-band Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and sensors such as GPS, GLONASS, BDS, and GALILEO location sensors, as well as tablet sensors like an accelerometer, gyro, proximity sensor, and an e-compass.

The ports are a microSD card slot with support for microSD cards all the way up to 1TB in size, and a USB C 3.2 Gen 1 port for charging (both ways), file transfer, or anything else you want to plug into the tablet.

In some markets, Samsung’s new waterproof 4096 pressure level sensitive S Pen is included with the tablet. But it all depends on the bundle and where we buy it from.

Other official Tab S9+ accessories made by Samsung for this tablet, also includes a Book Cover Keyboard, Book Cover Keyboard Slim, Smart Book Cover, Outdoor Cover, Notepaper Screen, and even a Privacy Screen.

Samsung’s main tablet rival in the mid 12-inch range on the market today would be the Lenovo Tab P12 Pro. But Lenovo’s alternative is too far behind in terms of main hardware, so Samsung outperforms it.

So in conclusion it’s noteworthy that Samsung’s new Tab S9 tablets are launching with the same prices as they did with the predecessor, even though the specs, performance, and features have been improved upon. So I really like that, since it means that the value is better than before.

– Tom Bowen