Samsung has officially taken the wraps off its latest generation of flagship Android tablets, introducing the highly anticipated Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra and Galaxy Tab S12 Plus. Following a steady stream of industry leaks and rumors that detailed much of their specifications in recent weeks, the tech giant has finally confirmed the official details, pricing, and release timeline for its new high-end slate lineup. Designed to push the boundaries of what consumers can expect from portable productivity devices, the new tablets bring improved performance, extended battery life, and the latest suite of Galaxy AI features, all while maintaining the signature ultra-thin profile that has become a staple of the Galaxy Tab S series.
At the heart of both the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra and the Galaxy Tab S12 Plus sits the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 chipset. This high-performance processor has previously made waves powering other high-end mobile devices, including the Oppo Find X9 Pro and the Vivo X300 Pro. By adopting this robust silicon for its premier tablet offerings, Samsung aims to deliver a seamless user experience capable of handling intensive multitasking, demanding creative applications, and resource-heavy gaming without breaking a sweat. Thermal management has also been given a major upgrade, with Samsung incorporating a new 3D vapor chamber inside the chassis to help dissipate heat efficiently during prolonged usage sessions.
While performance under the hood is undoubtedly robust, the visual experience remains one of the standout selling points of Samsung’s flagship tablet family. On the front, the massive Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra features an expansive 14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display boasting a smooth 120Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 2960 by 1848 pixels. Meanwhile, the slightly smaller yet still formidable Galaxy Tab S12 Plus packs a 12.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel that shares the same 120Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 2800 by 1752 pixels. Both displays are capable of hitting a striking peak brightness of 1,600 nits, ensuring that content remains vibrant and legible even under direct lighting conditions.
Both models offer full support for S Pen input, with the responsive stylus conveniently included right inside the box. A notable design and hardware change for this generation is the integration of the fingerprint sensor directly into the display panel itself, shifting away from the physical side-mounted or bezel-integrated sensors found on previous generations of Galaxy Tab devices. Despite housing such large, high-refresh-rate screens and robust internal components, Samsung has managed to achieve remarkable feats in physical engineering. The Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra measures a mere 5.1 millimeters in thickness, cementing its status as the thinnest Galaxy Tab ever produced, while tipping the scales at 692 grams. The Galaxy Tab S12 Plus is similarly sleek at 5.3 millimeters thick, weighing 553 grams for the Wi-Fi model and 555 grams for the 5G-enabled variant. Both devices also carry an IP68 dust and water resistance rating, offering an added layer of durability for users who take their technology on the go.
Battery endurance is another area where Samsung is promising substantial generational leaps. The company states that the larger Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra can deliver up to 23 hours of battery life on a single charge, driven by a hefty 11,600mAh battery. The Galaxy Tab S12 Plus, equipped with a 10,600mAh cell, is rated to manage up to 21 hours of use. When it finally comes time to recharge these massive power reserves, both tablets support up to 45W wired charging capabilities to help users get back to their workflows quickly.
Memory and storage configurations vary between the two models to suit different user needs. The Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra is available with either 12GB or 16GB of RAM, paired with storage options scaling from 256GB up to a massive 1TB. For those who require even more local space for media and documents, both tablets feature microSD card expansion support for up to an additional 2TB. The Galaxy Tab S12 Plus is configured with 12GB of RAM and comes in 256GB and 512GB storage variants. In terms of connectivity, the Ultra model supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0, while the Plus model offers Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 6.0, and 5G connectivity options featuring dual SIM capabilities utilizing a combination of a physical SIM and eSIM. Camera configurations consist of a 13-megapixel main sensor paired with an 8-megapixel ultrawide lens on the rear of the Ultra, while the Plus features a single 13-megapixel main rear camera. Both models share a 12-megapixel ultrawide front-facing camera optimized for video conferencing and media capture.
Software-wise, the new tablets ship out of the box running One UI 9, which is built on top of Android 17. The software experience is deeply intertwined with Samsung’s latest suite of Galaxy AI capabilities, designed to enhance productivity and creativity. To take full advantage of the expansive screen real estate, users can leverage the Multi Window feature to run three applications simultaneously on the display. This allows professionals and students alike to keep tools like Samsung Notes, a streaming platform like YouTube, and an AI chatbot active side-by-side without needing to constantly switch between full-screen apps.
To further bolster the creative credentials of the Galaxy Tab S12 series, Samsung has partnered with Adobe to bring Photoshop preloaded directly onto the devices, granting users immediate access to professional-grade image editing and graphic design tools right out of the box. Additionally, Samsung has formed strategic partnerships with popular productivity and creative applications such as Goodnotes, LumaFusion, and Notion, offering special discounts and extended free trials to customers who purchase a Galaxy Tab S12 series device.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra carries a starting price of $1,400 in the United States, while the Galaxy Tab S12 Plus starts at $1,200. Both flagship tablets will be officially available for purchase starting October 7, with buyers able to choose from two classic color options: Gray and Silver.
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