Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ 12.4" SM-X610NZAEXAR Gray 2023

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ gives you a huge 12.4-inch display, marathon battery life, and an included S Pen at a fantastic refurbished price. It's perfect for students, note-takers, and media streamers who can forgive the dim LCD panel and lack of OLED. If screen brightness and color vibrancy are dealbreakers, you'll want to look elsewhere.

If you've been hunting for a tablet that can handle note-taking, media binges, and casual gaming without breaking the bank, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ is hard to ignore. It packs a massive 12.4-inch 2560x1600 display, an S Pen right in the box, and a battery that easily lasts through a full day (and then some). Samsung even gave it an IP68 rating, so a splash of water or a dusty backpack won't doom it. We're looking at a Geek Squad Certified Refurbished model here, which means you're getting like-new condition with a 90-day warranty at a steep discount. Prices are all over the map across vendors we track, with some listings showing an inexplicable $167,010 while honest deals sit around $370 at retailers like Best Buy. That's a phenomenal price for a tablet with this much screen real estate and S Pen support. But not everything is perfect: the LCD panel tops out at a dim 162 nits, and it's decidedly not the OLED you'll find on pricier Samsung tablets. For students, casual artists, or anyone who just wants a big, reliable slate for streaming and scribbling, the S9 FE+ makes a strong case. Just know that the display brightness and lack of OLED are the main sacrifices you make for that low price.

The Exynos 1380 octa-core chip paired with 12GB of RAM keeps things snappy for everyday use. In our database, this CPU and GPU combo sit comfortably above average for the mid-range tablet class, which translates to smooth app switching, responsive note-taking, and no real lag while browsing or streaming. The 256GB of storage is solid, and you can top it up with a microSD card if you start filling it with movies and coursework. Owners consistently say the tablet feels fast for multitasking between a browser, note app, and video call, and light gaming like Minecraft or casual titles runs without a hitch. Don't expect desktop-class rendering or heavy 4K video editing, but for the way most people actually use a tablet, the S9 FE+ doesn't stumble. We didn't see any benchmark numbers that break records, but it's a dependable performer that won't leave you staring at loading spinners.

The Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ we reviewed is a certified refurbished unit, which means pricing is a wild ride, our data shows a spread from $370 all the way up to $167,010 (we're pretty sure that second number is a listing error). The real world sweet spot is around $370 at Best Buy's Geek Squad Certified Refurbished program. For that money, you're getting a tablet that rivals devices costing twice as much in screen size, battery life, and S Pen functionality. Compare that to the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro, which often sits in the $500 range, or the iPad Pro M5 starting well over $1,000, and the S9 FE+ becomes an absurdly good value if you can live with its LCD brightness and don't need a laptop replacement. Just make sure you're buying from a reputable seller at that sub-$400 price.

The S9 FE+ goes head-to-head with some heavy hitters. The Apple iPad Pro M5 obliterates it in display quality (tandem OLED, 1600 nits peak brightness) and raw processing power, but it starts at more than triple the price and forces you to buy the Apple Pencil separately. For someone who just wants a large screen for note-taking and Netflix, the Samsung makes way more sense. The Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro brings a brighter LCD and faster refresh rate to the table, costing a bit more but delivering a more fluid visual experience, while still undercutting the iPad. Microsoft's Surface Pro 11th Edition is the choice if you need full Windows and desktop apps, but its battery life lags behind the S9 FE+ and the keyboard add-on pushes the total cost far higher. Even the budget Lenovo Idea Tab Pro can't match the Samsung's build quality or included S Pen. If you value screen pop above all else, go iPad or Xiaomi. If you want a durable, pen-equipped workhorse that lasts forever on a charge, the S9 FE+ is your pick.

If you need a tablet for professional digital art, color grading, or outdoor use, skip the S9 FE+. The dim 162-nit LCD and lack of OLED mean colors don't pop and the screen washes out in bright light. Serious gamers will want a 120Hz panel and a beefier GPU found on an iPad Pro or Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro. And if you rely on full desktop applications for work, this Android tablet won't replace a Windows machine; look at the Microsoft Surface Pro 11th Edition instead. Anyone whose top priority is display quality should spend the extra cash for an OLED tablet.

Should you buy the Galaxy Tab S9 FE+? If you're a student, a casual artist, or someone who consumes a ton of media and wants a tablet that sips battery, the answer is a clear yes, especially at the refurbished price we're seeing around $370. The S Pen feels great, the build is reassuringly solid, and the IP68 rating means you can use it poolside without panic. The main reason to skip it is the display. At 162 nits, it's dim enough to struggle outdoors, and LCD technology can't touch the contrast of an OLED panel. For dark-room movie watchers or creative pros who need color accuracy, this screen will feel like a compromise. If you can live with that and you're not trying to replace a laptop, the S9 FE+ delivers a hard-to-beat combo of size, endurance, and price. We'd recommend it without hesitation to anyone whose priority is note-taking and all-day battery life over pixel-perfect visuals.