Samsung has always built some of the best tablets you can buy — sleek designs packed with impressive specs and a really nicely tuned version of Android that is much less "stretched-out phone UI" and more tablet-dedicated.
Throw in an AMOLED display (Samsung's one of the best when it comes to screen tech), alongside all the interoperability goodness with Galaxy phones and other Galaxy products, and you've got a mighty slate that can take on the might of Apple's iPad family.
The quick list
The Galaxy Tab S9 is the best overall Samsung tablet thanks to its versatility. It's great for both work and for play, and the AMOLED screen is a real luxury. If you need a solid premium Android tablet, you can't go wrong with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9.
Read more below.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus gives you that awesome big-screen experience with a massive 13.1-inch display, and enough of the premium features to feel like an upmarket experience — all at an impressively low price.
Read more below.
The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is massive, making it best for those want a tablet as big as a laptop. This 14.6-inch monster is the largest slate we've ever reviewed, but it has the speed, accessories and screen space to help you get work done on the go.
Of course, if you're in the market for a new tablet, Samsung is going to catch your eye. But there's a lot of options. Ask yourself two key questions!
Why should I buy a Samsung tablet over an iPad?
Samsung tablets deliver better value and flexibility — especially if you're already in Samsung's ecosystem. The premium S Pen stylus is typically included, saving you money, and you get more versatile storage options thanks to the standard microSD card slot.
For productivity, Samsung’s DeX mode transforms the tablet into a PC-like desktop environment with true multitasking and resizable windows. Furthermore, many Galaxy Tabs feature a superior AMOLED display for richer, more immersive movie watching with perfect blacks.
Which Samsung tablet should I buy?
Good question! There's a lot of options for different use cases. If you want something that can do it all, the Galaxy Tab S9 is the best all-rounder. For content consumption on a big screen, the Tab S10 FE Plus is a stellar value option. And for those looking to get some serious work done, the Tab S10 Ultra has the raw performance to replace your laptop.
The best Samsung tablets you can buy today
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The best overall
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 is an excellent slate that's aimed at folks who want an Android tablet that's as nice as an iPad Air. You can use it to get work done in a pinch, but in my experience the Galaxy Tab S9 is best enjoyed as a speedy all-purpose device for making work and play a bit more enjoyable.
I think it's the best Samsung tablet for most folks because it's not the fanciest or most premium slate you can get, but it feels like it thanks to the gorgeous AMOLED display, a premium-feeling upgrade that used to be reserved for only the most expensive Samsung tablets. But with the S9 it's standard on the entry-level model, and it's a great upgrade that makes this affordable tablet really feel like a premium iPad competitor.
Of course, if you look at our reviews and testing data you'll see the Tab S9 was outperformed by the latest iPad Air in our testing lab. But while this slate isn't as speedy as the best iPads, our testing reveals it's plenty fast enough for day-to-day use. And since it lasted 9 hours on a full charge in our battery test, you can count on being able to carry it through a day at work or school without needing to plug in.
While this may not be the biggest Android slate on the block (that honor likely goes to the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra) it's a great all-around tablet that competes favorably with Apple's iPad. if you just need a great premium Android tablet the Galaxy Tab S9 is a great buy, and it should last you for years to come.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 review.
The best value
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus thrives in two key areas to make it a great value option — entertainment and battery life. The first bit is probably obvious, given there's a gigantic 13.1-inch display, which is perfect for binge watching on long haul flights. Not only that, but it's bright at 782 nits peak brightness, and super vivid at a 91.7% DCI-P3 color gamut.
Most surprising is the stereo speakers on here too. Normally, the small space for audio means you get tinny speakers, but in our testing, there's a nice warm bassy punch alongside all the details being represented nicely across the sound space.
Then throw in that big battery for all day use (lasting 15 hours and 43 minutes in our test), and you've got something with real staying power across all your films, web browsing and casual gaming.
Notice how I said "casual" gaming? The chip inside is certainly not the most powerful for intense tasks. Under significant pressure, you can see slowdown, but if your use cases are casual, you won't see it break a sweat.
Throw in that included stylus for whenever you're feeling creative, a decent camera system for video calls and snapping quick pics, and One UI 7 giving you a great tablet UI experience, and price it at $429, you're onto a winner.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus review.
The one to upgrade to
I like to recommend the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus to folks who are shopping for a Samsung tablet and can afford to spend more than what it costs to get yourself a Galaxy Tab S9.
Though it starts $200 higher than the Tab S9 and can go up from there, the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus feels like a more premium cutting-edge tablet because it's literally a newer slate. Samsung didn't make a basic Tab S10 model, so the cheapest S10 you can get buy is actually this Galaxy Tab S10 Plus.
And it's as capable as the bigger, more expensive Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra that's next on this list because it has the same 12GB of RAM and MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ processor, so you're basically getting top-of-the-line power in a thinner, lighter and more portable chassis than the massive Ultra.
Plus you get that beautiful AMOLED 120Hz display that comes on all of the best Galaxy tablets these days, and the quad speakers built into the frame make it surprisingly good for watching movies or listening to music. Factor in the free stylus Samsung throws in with all these tablets, and you can see why this is a pretty compelling iPad Air competitor.
It should last you for awhile, too, as Samsung has promised to support the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus with at least seven years of security and operating system updates. That means it will still be getting security patches well into 2031, which should help with peace of mind.
Read our Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus review.
The best laptop replacement
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is the ultimate tablet for those who just need the biggest screen possible. If you want the best Samsung tablet for replacing your laptop, this is it.
I say that because like its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, this model features a gorgeous 14.6-inch OLED display that's bigger than anything you get on an iPad. You can use all that screen real estate like a Windows desktop if you enable Samsung's DeX mode, and this slate actually has the horsepower to handle multitasking thanks to its generous 12GB of RAM and MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ processor.
Of course, Samsung’s massive slate isn’t flawless. While you can connect it to a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard, it works best as a laptop replacement when paired with a detachable keyboard cover like the Samsung Book Cover Keyboard, and that accessory costs an extra $200 on top of the Tab S10 Ultra's hefty price tag.
And while the Tab S10 Ultra is lighter than most laptops at just 1.58 pounds heavy, I have found that this tablet's size and weight can make it cumbersome to hold and use, especially when compared to a smaller tablet. I have big hands and didn't find it too fatiguing to hold during short sessions, but for tablet marathons you'll want to prop this beast on a pillow or armrest.
But if you absolutely want the biggest tablet possible, this is the one to buy. While it can't outperform or outlast the iPad Pro M4 (don't miss our Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra vs iPad Pro M4 guide), it delivers killer performance for an Android tablet and one of the biggest, most beautiful screens you can get in the category. Plus, Samsung throws in a stylus for free, so you can start doodling and jotting down notes right away.
Read our Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review.
Battery life compared
Battery life is one of the key differentiators for many folks trying to decide which tablet to buy, which is why we've collected all our battery test results for the tablets on this page into one handy chart that's easy to understand at a glance.
I added a few of the most recent, most popular competing tablets to the table as well, including a pair of iPads, to give you a better sense of how these Samsung slates stack up to the competition. As you can see, the answer is: pretty favorably!
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Time (min:secs) |
|---|---|
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus | 15:43 |
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 | 9:06 |
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra | 9:22 |
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus | 8:22 |
While all the tablets on this list performed well in our battery tests, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 is the clear winner here if battery life is your top concern.
How we test the best Samsung tablets
We put every tablet through real-world and lab testing to see how it holds up — not just to the hype, but to the competition. That means using each device like an actual owner would, while also digging into the data that matters.
Here’s how we test:
- Battery life: We run a web-surfing test over Wi-Fi with the screen set to a standard brightness to see how long it lasts on a full charge.
- Display quality: We measure screen brightness (in nits) and color accuracy (via sRGB) to gauge how good it’ll look for work and play.
- Performance: We run benchmarks like Geekbench to see how fast and powerful the tablet really is.
- Software experience: On Android tablets, we check app availability and whether you’re getting full access to the Google Play Store.
- Parental controls: If a tablet offers kid-safe features, we try to break them — so your kids don’t.
- Everyday use: We spend days weeks using each tablet like any buyer would — opening apps, watching videos, multitasking, and seeing how it all feels in the hand.
Our reviews mix hands-on impressions with hard testing numbers, giving you a clear picture of how each tablet performs in real life.
Alex Wawro is a lifelong journalist who's spent over a decade covering tech, games and entertainment. He's currently a senior editor at Tom's Guide, which includes managing coverage of Samsung tablets and reviewing many himself every year.
