Today, Samsung debuted a couple of new tablets: the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12+ and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra. I took the Ultra for a spin ahead of its October 7 launch and loved the massive display.
But the price increase, and minimal upgrades leave me questioning whether it was really needed.
There’s a lot that’s familiar here for owners of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra when it comes to the S12 series. The AMOLED screen is still 14.6 inches with a 120Hz refresh rate and 1,600 nits peak brightness, the battery is still 11,600mAh with 45W charging (and offers the same promised 23 hours of video playback as the S11 Ultra), and the S16 Ultra rate tablet is still underwater, which means it is an IP tablet. of 1m and survive the experience.
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The tablet is as thin (5.1 mm) as it was before, with the same silver and gray color options to choose from as before. The only notable change is the chipset – the new 3nm processor offers up to 19% faster CPU, 17% better GPU performance, and a 51% improvement to its NPU processing for your AI needs – but there’s also a new heat chamber for better heat dissipation, plus a new four-channel speaker setup for more immersive builder audio than the last generation.
I’ve tried out the Ultra model and am enjoying it so far – relying on it as a solid laptop alternative with the book keyboard cover attachment (sold separately), and also as a great mobile gaming and TV viewing device while traveling (full review coming soon) – but considering how similar it is to the last generation, I wonder if Samsung should take a leaf out of Apple’s annual book and start Apple’s book.
The Tab S12+ is an interesting beast. There was no S11 +, so it is a replacement for the S10 + from 2024, but there is also no regular S12 launched alongside these models, so it is also a kind of successor to the S11.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S12+ has a 12.6-inch AMOLED screen with the same 1,600 nits peak brightness as the Ultra. It also has the same chipset as the Ultra model, but there is a smaller 10,600mAh battery (not surprising, since it is physically smaller).
In addition to the lower battery capacity and screen size, it also lacks the Ultra’s 8MP ultra wide rear camera – but otherwise has the same 13MP main on its back, and 12MP ultra wide on the front.
Since the S12+ is billed as a step-up model, even though there’s no base S12 to step up to, it means Samsung’s cheapest 2026 model is much more expensive than its cheapest 2025 tablet (more on that in a second).
For someone on a budget thinking about upgrading, it’s a real shame that Samsung’s best option might be a tablet that’s a year old, but unless we get a regular Tab S12 (I’m not holding my breath) that’s the position we find ourselves in.
Coming for the iPad Pro?
As we expect in 2026 – although it still stinks to see – tablets will cost more than what came before. The Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra will set you back $1,399 / £1,399 (about AU$2,650) – up from $1,299 / £1,269 / AU$2,099 – meanwhile the S12+ costs $1,199 / £1,199 (about AU$2,270 for its cheapest model). (Australian pricing TBC for the new devices).
For both tablets, the cheapest configuration comes with 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM, with both also having a 512GB model, and the Ultra with a 1TB model that also increases the RAM to 16GB, although these configurations cost more.
At these prices, Samsung’s S12 line-up is pitted against Apple’s iPad Pro lines, but luckily the prices are a bit cheaper. Compared to the 2025 iPad Pro launch prices, the Samsung tablets would be more expensive – but Apple has increased its prices by up to $200 / £200 / AU$400, putting its 11-inch iPad Pro on par with the S12+, and making its 13-inch iPad Pro $100 / £100 more.
There are factors to consider beyond price, of course. The Samsung tablets have larger screens than their respective rivals and a longer quoted battery life, and come with the S Pen stylus in the box, while the Apple Pencil is sold separately.
But Apple’s tech is lighter – 444g and 579g compared to 553g and 692g – and if we have to do some more tests, Apple’s silicon tends to outperform its rivals.
All that aside, there’s still a lot to like about the S12-series Galaxy Tabs. I have been using the Ultra for a few weeks now and it really is a very useful machine. I’m currently writing this story with the tablet and its keyboard attachment (multitasking across documents, websites and my photos app with ease).
But again, I wonder if it really needs to exist considering the lackluster hardware upgrades and price hike. Right now I’m not sure, but let’s see how I feel when my review is done
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