Once again, Samsung employs a MediaTek processor, the Dimensity 9400+, which is competitive with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite. They start with 12 GB of RAM, but the Ultra’s 1-terabyte model bumps that up to 16 GB. (Storage is expandable via microSD.) The tablets are IP68-rated, have in-display fingerprint sensors, and support 45-watt charging speeds to fill the 8,400- and 11,600-mAh batteries, respectively.
Samsung is playing up the AI features on these tablets, which support Google’s Gemini Live multimodal capabilities, so you can chat in real time with the assistant and even show it what you’re seeing with the tablet’s cameras. Then there’s Galaxy AI features from Samsung’s phones, like Drawing Assist, which turns your sketches into AI-generated art, and Writing Assist, which can rephrase your words into a different tone.
None of this is new, but there are some upgrades to Samsung’s DeX platform, which converts the tablet OS into a traditional desktop-like user interface, with windowed apps and a dock. A new Extended Mode lets you convert the Tab S11 tablets into an external monitor, running DeX across the tablet and a paired display for dual-screen multitasking. You can even drag and drop apps and content between the two screens. DeX also now supports up to four workspaces, so you can create four desktops catered to specific tasks and cycle between them. These tablets support Samsung’s Book Cover Keyboard Slim, a keyboard cover that brings them closer in design to a 2-in-1 detachable laptop.
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Outside of the screen and battery sizes, the Tab S11 Ultra has a few extra perks over the Tab S11. It has Wi-Fi 7 support versus Wi-Fi 6E, making it a little more future-proof (you need a Wi-Fi 7 router to take advantage). It has an extra 8-MP ultrawide camera on the rear, and the base model starts with 256 GB instead of 128.
