In a world where Android tablets are rarely exciting, Samsung is the standout provider of top-tier hardware, as we’ve seen in the Galaxy Tab S9 series from last year. The Galaxy Tab S series continues to be one of the most popular options out there, and for 2024, Samsung has upgraded it in all the right ways to make these tablets the best they’ve ever been.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 is available now, and it comes with a few upgrades over the previous generation. Interestingly, Samsung has skipped the standard S10 model this time around, so all we ahve are the Galaxy Tab S10+ and the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. Let’s take a closer look at what to expect.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 series: Price, availability, and specs
Image credit: Samsung
Samsung announced the Galaxy Tab S10 series via a press release on September 26th, 2024, and the devices immediately became available for pre-order. This was pretty different form previous launches, since Samsung usually includes its tablets alongside its phones in one of its Unpacked events.
The Samsung Galaxy tab S10+ and S10 Ultra are both shipping now and available through various retailers, including Samsung itself, Best Buy, and Amazon, though the Ultra variant seems to be absent from Amazon.
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Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra Storage 256GB, 512GB 256GB, 512GB, 1TB CPU MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ (MT6989) MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ (MT6989) Memory 12GB 12GB, 16GB Operating System Android 14 Android 14 Battery 10,090mAh 11,200mAh Ports USB-C 3.2 (DP), microSD USB-C 3.2 (DP), microSD Camera (Rear, Front) Rear: 13MP AF, 8MP UW – Front: 12MP UW Rear: 13MP AF, 8MP UW – Front: 12MP FF, 12MP UW Display type 12.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 16:10 aspect ratio, 2800 x 1752 (WQXGA+) resolution, 266 ppi, 120Hz variable refresh rate 14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 16:10 aspect ratio, 2960 x 1848 (WQXGA+) resolution, 239 ppi, 120Hz variable refresh rate Price Starting at $1,000 Starting at $1,200 Size 11.24×7.3×0.22 inches (185.4×285.4×5.6mm) 12.85×8.21×0.21 inches (208.6×326.4×5.4mm) Connectivity 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3 Colors Moonstone Gray, Platinum Silver Moonstone Gray, Platinum Silver Weight Up to 576g (1.27lb) Up to 723g (1.58lb) Dimensions 11.24×7.3×0.22 inches (185.4×285.4×5.6mm) 12.85×8.21×0.21 inches (208.6×326.4×5.4mm)
What’s new in the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 series?
Samsung switches to MediaTek
One of the big changes for this year’s lineup is an unexpected one, but Samsung has chosen not to use a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip in its tablets this year, despite using it in other flagship products. Instead, both the Galaxy Tab S10+ and S10 Ultra are powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9300+, which is a very high-end chip from Qualcomm’s biggest rival. The Dimensity 9300+ uses four Cortex-X4 cores paired with four Cortex-A720 cores, which should provide top-tier performance for any Android device, and it makes sense for a tablet where multitasking is a much bigger deal.
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One of the Cortex-X4 cores can go up to 3.2GHz, while the others are limited to 2.85GHz, but regardless, this is a powerful combination that trades blows evenly with the best of Qualcomm, so this is far from a downgrade.
There shouldn’t be any massive implications for performance because last year’s tablets were already very fast, but regardless, you’re getting a nice upgrade with this year’s model. Samsung promises up to 18% faster CPU performance, 28% more GPU performance, and a 14% faster NPU.
Galaxy AI is the big focus
Image credit: Samsung
As has been the case for other devices this year, the big focus for the Galaxy Tab S10 series is on AI, with a lot of new features in tow. One of these features is Note Assist, which lets you take notes with S Pen while providing automated transcriptions and summaries of what’s being said, so you can remember the full context of what was happening during a class, for example. There’s also built-in PDF translation and a feature called Handwriting Help to make your handwritten notes look more visually pleasing.
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Other features include the Sketch to Image feature that can turn your rough drafts into works of art using AI, or Circle to Search to easily look up objects you see in real-life by taking a picture of them and circling them.
To access AI features more quickly, you can use the Galaxy AI key on the new Book Cover keyboard accessories for the tablets, though you have to purchase these separately.
Of course, you can also control SmartThings-compatible devices in your home using the Galaxy Tab S10 series, including some new features like a 3D Map View. Samsung also boasts the inclusion of some new apps, but not much else is new.
Not much else has changed
Samsung’s soft announcement of the Galaxy Tab S10 series shows that there really isn’t a lot that’s new with this year’s iterations. Aside from the processor change, not much is really new in terms of specs. You get the same amount of RAM, with 12GB across the board except the top-tier model of the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, which ups it to 16GB (but that’s not new, either). The display is also the same on all models compared to the previous generation, aside from the lack of the base Galaxy Tab S10 model, which means they’re all fantastic Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel. The cameras are also all the same.
Looking at the spec sheets, it looks like Samsung has made the tablets ever-so-slightly thinner and lighter, but it should barely make a difference.
This is a very modest upgrade, but if you’ve been wanting a new large-screen Android tablet, this is still the best option around. You can buy the two tablets below. If you’re mroe tempted to jump over to the Apple side, you can always check out the best iPads available right now.
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Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+
With a 12.4-inch display, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ is a great tablet for watching movies or getting things done thanks to the gorgeous AMOLED display.
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Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra brings all the top-tier performance of the Tab S10+ to an even bigger screen, making it almost a laptop replacement. It still looks fantastic, and that large screen makes it great for multitasking.
