Compared to 2022 or, say, 2023, Samsung‘s tablet lineup is a lot less confusing now, and that’s a good thing. Instead of having several models that feel almost the same, the current lineup has only two flagship tablets, the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra and the Galaxy Tab S11.
Picking between the two mainly comes down to how big a screen you want, how portable you need the tablet to be, and how much you’re willing to spend. The two share the same Dimensity 9400+ chip, and many of the same features, but their sizes and a few key specs are quite different. And if neither fits your budget, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S10 FE series offers a couple of cheaper alternatives worth considering. Here’s how they compare.
1. Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra
The Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is Samsung’s biggest and most powerful tablet. It has a huge 14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 1,600 nits of peak brightness. That makes the screen smooth, bright, and easy to see outdoors.
Despite the large display, Samsung has made the tablet just 5.1mm thick. That makes it the thinnest Galaxy Tab yet. Inside, the Tab S11 Ultra uses MediaTek’s Dimensity 9400+ chipset with up to 16GB of RAM. It has enough power for demanding tasks such as video editing in LumaFusion, drawing in Clip Studio Paint, and heavy multitasking.
The battery has also grown to 11,600mAh, up from 11,200mAh on the previous model. Samsung says it can deliver around 23 hours of video playback. Charging is limited to 45W, which isn’t especially fast for such a large battery.
The included S Pen has also been redesigned. It now has a hexagonal body and a cone-shaped tip, which should make it more comfortable to use for long writing and drawing sessions.
If you want a more laptop-like setup, Samsung also offers a Pro Keyboard accessory that connects through the Pogo Pin interface.
The Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra starts at $1,299.99 for the 256GB model and goes up to $1,899.99 for the 1TB version.
2. Galaxy Tab S11
Not everyone wants to carry around a 14.6-inch tablet. That’s where the standard Galaxy Tab S11 makes more sense. It has an 11-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate and uses the same Dimensity 9400+ chipset as the Ultra. You also get up to 12GB of RAM.
The tablet retains the same IP68 rating as the Ultra model. There are a few compromises, though. The battery is smaller at 8,400mAh, and the rear camera setup is much simpler. Instead of the Ultra’s ultra-wide camera, the Tab S11 has a single 13MP rear camera.
Aside from those differences, the experience is very similar. It runs One UI 8, supports the S Pen, and gets seven years of OS and security updates from Samsung.
So if you don’t need a huge screen, the Tab S11 gives you most of the Ultra’s performance in a much smaller body. The Galaxy Tab S11 starts at $899.99 for the 128GB model.
3. Honorable mentions: Galaxy Tab S10 FE and FE+
If flagship pricing is out of the question, Samsung’s FE lineup is worth a look too. The Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ packs a 13.1-inch LCD at 90Hz with a 2880 x 1800 resolution, making it the largest screen on any non-Ultra Samsung tablet, while the standard Galaxy Tab S10 FE keeps things compact with a 10.9-inch panel at the same refresh rate.
Both run Samsung’s own Exynos 1580 chip, come with an S Pen in the box, and carry an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, so the core experience still feels close to the flagship line even with a step down in internals.
The FE+ even has a bigger battery than the vanilla S11 at 10,090mAh, while the smaller FE gets an 8,000mAh battery that’s still enough for a full day of typical use. Just know that Samsung’s update policy for the FE series wasn’t spelled out clearly at launch, though the company later confirmed seven years of coverage, matching what the S11 series launched with.
4. How to choose the right Galaxy Tab
The biggest differences between these four tablets are screen size and budget.
If you want the biggest and most powerful Samsung tablet available, the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is the obvious choice. It’s the best option for creators, designers, and people who want to use their tablet as a laptop replacement.
The Galaxy Tab S11 makes more sense if you want flagship performance but prefer something smaller and easier to carry. You still get the AMOLED display, powerful processor, S Pen support, IP68 protection, and long software support.
If screen size matters more than raw performance, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ offers a large 13.1-inch display at a much lower price. It’s a particularly good choice for students and anyone who mainly needs a tablet for entertainment, studying, and everyday tasks.
Finally, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE is the simplest choice for buyers on a tighter budget. It is smaller and less powerful than the S11 models, but it still includes the S Pen, a 90Hz display, IP68 protection, and a capable processor.
All four tablets support Samsung’s software features, including DeX and Galaxy AI, while the S11 series runs Android 16 with One UI 8. The FE models offer many of the same everyday features at a lower price. So, if you know how much screen you need and how much you’re willing to spend, choosing between these four tablets shouldn’t be a hassle.
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