Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 review

Greatest Costs Right this moment: Samsung Galaxy Tab S9

This summer season, the foldable mobiles could have taken all the main target when Samsung offered information, however in addition they launched a brand new household of tablets. That is the essential mannequin and the final to cross by means of the check lab.

The tablets are referred to as Galaxy Tab S9, Galaxy Tab S9 Plus (or S9+) and Galaxy Tab S9 Extremely. All three are very lavish and outfitted with the easiest options, what separates them is especially the scale.

On the Android facet, it’s actually solely Samsung that correctly challenges Apple’s iPad Professional vary. Right here I’ve examined the Galaxy Tab S9, an 11in gadget that is available in two reminiscence configurations and with or with out a built-in 5G modem.

The most cost effective base mannequin comes with 8GB of reminiscence and 128GB of storage and this can price you a hefty $799/£799 which is able to sting the pockets of many. For those who select extra storage, you additionally get extra reminiscence (12/256GB) and this can price $919/£899. My check mannequin comes with 5G which begins at £949 however you may’t get 5G within the USA.

You should purchase it from the Samsung retailer in addition to retailers corresponding to Amazon and Currys.

Within the US, it’s obtainable from Samsung in addition to Amazon and BestBuy.

Design & Construct

The pill is 5.9mm skinny and fabricated from stable aluminium with proper angles and clear buttons. There’s a SIM card slot on the fashions which have it inbuilt (the Wi-Fi mannequin solely has room for microSD playing cards).

There are holes for audio system on the quick sides and the entire design feels inflexible and durable.

The proper angles don’t make it very comfy to grip, but it surely’s not alone on this design. It appears like elegant design could have received out over consolation. Nonetheless, this doesn’t cease me from utilizing the pill in on a regular basis life. It’s simply the suitable dimension to take in every single place.

If I wish to play video games which have console-like controls (greatest fitted to mobiles), it will get annoying after some time, however right here the Tab S9 is barely extra nice than its bigger siblings as a result of it has a smaller display screen. Graphics-heavy video games could cause the chassis to get very popular when you play for a very long time.

The cooling feels efficient, however when you’re going to play rather a lot, a case with a stand and a wi-fi controller is advisable. A stand will be good regardless, because it turns into like a laptop computer along with keyboard. It’s simple to change to Samsung’s Home windows-like Dex interface with mouse cursor management and free-floating home windows.

Ida Blix / Foundry

Dex offers you entry to some apps which might be nicely managed with a mouse and keyboard, such because the Workplace apps and net browsers.

The display screen is roofed in Gorilla Glass, and whereas it does give a slight rainbow shimmer to the floor at shut viewing angles, it’s not one thing I thoughts. The Tab S9 can also be totally waterproof with its IP68 ranking, which is welcome. Neither its predecessor nor its rivals provide it.

Ida Blix / Foundry

Display screen & Audio system

Samsung scores factors for the display screen on this pill, which is a beautiful 2560 x 1600 pixel AMOLED. With as much as 120Hz dynamic body charge and quick contact studying (it has S-pen help), all the pieces on the display screen flows rapidly and immediately.

It’s a giant improve for the common mannequin within the Tab S9 household because the Galaxy Tab S8 missed out on OLED, as a substitute getting a extra fundamental LCD panel.

Ida Blix / Foundry

The display screen has a large color gamut, excessive color accuracy and, because of OLED, excessive distinction. It’s nice for enhancing pictures, and HDR pictures in movies and video games are detailed and immersive. Samsung has thrown in help for HDR10+ and good brightness. You’ll be able to take the pill out within the solar (though it’s getting dangerous now) with out having to hunt shade to see correctly.

Ida Blix / Foundry

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The Tab S9 has 4 audio system by AKG they usually present actually good sound in each horizontal and vertical positions. Movies get the correct amount of strain and a encompass impact. Music additionally sounds dynamic with a number of element. The disc helps Dolby Atmos and has a particular mode for video games. It sounds nice and whether or not it’s principally because of the software program or the {hardware} in all probability doesn’t matter.

Specs & Efficiency

The Tab S9 has a Snapdragon 8 gen 2, with the identical particular model as within the Galaxy S23 telephones.

It’s quick for a cell phone and by far the quickest at school amongst Android tablets, however Apple has the higher hand right here – there’s no getting away from the truth that the iPad Professional gives laptop computer efficiency with its M2 processor.

The Tab S9 has quick reminiscence and storage, which makes it simple to deal with all the pieces from apps to media-heavy web sites. The great multitasking capabilities additionally work with out compromising the expertise.

As talked about on the high, you may select from 8GB of reminiscence with 128GB of storage or a mannequin with 12/256GB.

Galaxy Tab S9 benchmarks

Antutu Benchmark 10*: 1,456,416 factors
Geekbench 6: 5,465 factors
Geekbench 6 single core: 1,992 factors
Geekbench 6 compute: 9,474 factors
3dmark Wild Life Limitless: 14,766 factors
3dmark Wild Life Excessive: 3,901 factors
Storage, learn: 1,460.01MB/s
Storage, write: 1,090.03MB/s

*Solely comparable with different Android tablets, not iPad

Software program & Apps

On the Android facet (model 13), there’s an inferior vary of apps tailored for bigger screens, and there’s a explicit lack {of professional} apps for productiveness and creation.

That is the place the iPad OS leads the pack. The usual model of Android supplies a greater expertise on telephones than on tablets. Apps which might be truly designed for bigger screens are drowned out by non-customised apps that work greatest on thumb drives within the Google Play Retailer.

Samsung’s personal interface, One UI, is usually very nicely tailored to the S9’s bigger display screen, however the issue of discovering appropriate productiveness apps stays. Nonetheless, consuming media, utilizing it to take notes with the S-pen and looking the online are all duties it handles nicely.

Samsung is providing 4 main era updates of Android for this pill so it ought to final some time – which is fortunate with this price ticket. It ships with Android 13, when Android 14 will arrive shouldn’t be clear, Samsung often wants a while to adapt its personal One UI interface.

Break up Display screen & S Pen

Samsung continues to refine its multitasking help and you may have as much as three apps in cut up home windows and much more free-floating. It will get messy rapidly, however having a menu bar on the backside quickens navigation.

Ida Blix / Foundry

The S-Pen may be very good and has a Bluetooth connection to the pill. It may be connected magnetically to the again the place it fees. An enchancment from earlier than is that it now fees irrespective of during which path you connected it. The pen additionally has the identical IP ranking because the pill, so you may draw within the bathtub with out fear when you really feel prefer it.

The pill surfs with 5G or Wi-Fi 6E and it’s quick and secure it doesn’t matter what you select. Samsung has not chosen to supply Wi-Fi 7 but, as some rivals have began to do.

It’s attainable to log in rapidly and conveniently with fingerprint or facial recognition, however the latter doesn’t have ID-approved biometrics so it doesn’t work, for instance, with financial institution login within the pill. The fingerprint reader is a bit awkwardly positioned for logging in when the pill is horizontal, however higher in panorama mode.

Different Upgrades

This pill gives modest mid-range cameras. A 13Mp predominant digicam on the again and a 12Mp wide-angle digicam on the entrance are what’s supplied on this fundamental mannequin. They’re primarily supposed for documentation, AR and video calls somewhat than for images on par with a Galaxy S23 cell phone.

The battery is barely smaller within the Tab S9, at 8400mAh. For those who select the S9 Plus mannequin as a substitute, you get 10800 mAh. You need to use the pill all day, not less than when you don’t use heavy video games or productiveness apps to any nice extent.

Charging speedily must be attainable with as much as 45W of USB charging. You’ll should get your individual charger, although, as a result of it’s not included. I used to be solely allowed to borrow a 25W charger so I’ve not been in a position to check even quicker charging. Utilizing this, an empty battery takes about 1.5 hours to completely cost.

Specs

• System circuit: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 gen 2 for Galaxy
• Processor: 1 x 3.36 GHz, 4 x 2.8 GHz, 3 x 2 GHz
• Graphics: Adreno 740
• Reminiscence: 8GB
• Storage: 128/256GB, microSD slot
• Show: 11in shiny AMOLED, 2560×1600 pixels, 120 Hz
• Cameras: 13Mp rear, 12Mp huge angle entrance
• Connections: USB-C with video out
• Communications: 5G (optionally available), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
• Working system: Android 13 with One UI
• Different: S-pen stylus included, Dex desktop interface, waterproof (IP68)
• Battery: 8,400 mAh, as much as 15 hours of video streaming
• Battery charging: As much as 45W, charger not included
• Dimension: 25.4 x 16.6 x 0.59cm
• Weight: 498g