Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Samsung 12.4" Galaxy Tab S9+ 512GB Multi-Touch Review

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ is a high-end Android tablet with a stunning 12.4-inch OLED screen and a great included S Pen. It's a strong value for artists and media lovers, but its graphics performance is weak, making it poor for gaming. It's a great pick if you want premium hardware without the iPad Pro price tag.

If you're looking for a high-end Android tablet for drawing, note-taking, or just watching movies on a gorgeous screen, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ is a serious contender. It's a 12.4-inch powerhouse with a top-tier OLED display, 12GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage that you can expand. It comes with the excellent S Pen stylus right in the box, and it's even IP68 rated for dust and water resistance, which is a rare and welcome feature on a tablet. At around $549, it's priced well below its main rival, the iPad Pro, making it a compelling option for Android fans who want premium features without the premium Apple price tag.

The performance story here is a bit mixed, but the good parts are really good. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip is solid and handles everyday tasks like browsing, streaming, and multitasking with ease. In our database, its CPU performance lands in the middle of the pack for tablets, which means it's fine for productivity and creative apps, but it's not the absolute fastest. The GPU performance, however, is a real weak spot. It's one of the worst we've seen for gaming or heavy graphics work. So, while this tablet is fantastic for drawing with the S Pen or running multiple apps, you'll want to skip it if you're planning on playing the latest 3D games.

At $549, the value proposition is strong. You're getting a near-best-in-class screen, a flagship-level S Pen, great build quality with IP68 rating, and tons of storage for significantly less money than a similarly equipped 12.9-inch iPad Pro. The trade-off is in raw performance, especially graphics, and the overall Android tablet experience. If those premium hardware features are what you care about most, this is a great deal. If you need the absolute best performance or the most refined software, you'll need to look elsewhere.

The obvious competitor is the Apple iPad Pro. The iPad Pro has a much faster M-series chip, a better app ecosystem for pros, and typically stronger battery life. But it costs a lot more and doesn't include a stylus or have an IP rating. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ is the direct successor; it'll have a newer chip which might address the GPU weakness, but it'll also cost more. For a more budget-friendly Android option, the Xiaomi Redmi Pad 2 offers basic tablet functions at a much lower price, but with a far worse screen and no stylus. The Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus is interesting for its unique design and kickstand, but it doesn't match the S9+'s screen quality or S Pen integration.

Skip the Galaxy Tab S9+ if you're a serious mobile gamer or need top-tier performance for apps like video editing. Its GPU is a real letdown. Also, if you're deeply invested in the Apple ecosystem or need specific professional iPadOS apps, you'll be better served by an iPad Pro. For those just wanting a cheap tablet for basic web browsing and videos, a budget model like the Redmi Pad 2 will save you a lot of money.

Should you buy this? If you're an Android user who wants a gorgeous, large-screen tablet primarily for media consumption, drawing, note-taking, or light productivity, the Galaxy Tab S9+ is a fantastic choice, especially at this price. The screen and S Pen experience are top-notch. But if you're a mobile gamer, need the absolute fastest performance for video editing, or prefer the iPadOS ecosystem, this isn't the tablet for you. The weak GPU and middling CPU are real limitations for those use cases.