Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+

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The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ (starting at $999.99) is a high-end tablet that follows closely in the footsteps of its predecessor while still managing to inch forward. It has a large screen, an S Pen stylus, excellent performance, good battery life, and, for the first time in a Samsung tablet, Galaxy AI. We wish the cameras were a little better and the starting price a bit lower, but thanks to its excellent hardware and advanced software, the Galaxy Tab S10+ earns our Editors' Choice for high-end Android tablets. If you’re looking to spend less, consider the Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ (starting at $599.99), which is less advanced all around, but still plenty capable for productivity.

Design: Svelte and Tough

The past few generations of Galaxy Tab S slates from Samsung have included three models: a standard, a Plus, and an Ultra. This year, Samsung trims the family to two options, with the Plus and Ultra remaining in the lineup. The S10+ is the smaller and cheaper of the two, with a 12.4-inch screen for $999.99, while the Ultra steps up to a 14.6-inch screen with a starting price of $1,199.99. Other than the screen size and battery, the Tab S10+ and Tab S10 Ultra share the same core specs and features.

The S10+ could easily be mistaken for its predecessor, considering their nearly identical dimensions. The Tab S10+ measures 7.30 by 11.24 by 0.22 inches (HWD), which closely mirrors the Tab S9+ (7.30 by 11.23 by 0.22 inches) and Tab S9 FE+ (7.30 by 11.24 by 0.26 inches). However, it is smaller than the Tab S10 Ultra (8.21 by 12.85 by 0.21 inches) and the 13-inch Apple iPad Pro (8.48 by 11.09 by 0.20 inches).

Samsung keeps the weight in check. The Tab S10+ weighs 1.25 pounds for the Wi-Fi model and 1.27 pounds for the 5G version. The outgoing Tab S9+ is marginally heavier at 1.28 pounds (Wi-Fi) and 1.30 pounds (5G), while the Tab S9 FE+ is weighty at 1.38 pounds, and the iPad Pro is lighter at 0.98 pounds.

The tablet is finely crafted from quality materials. Its rounded corners are comfortable against your palms, and its size makes it easy to hold and carry while still providing a large screen for productivity and recreation.

The front is dominated by the display, which is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5. A front-facing camera is centered on the top long edge. Antenna lines cross the back panel, where you also see the Samsung logo, a magnetic charging groove for the S Pen stylus, and the camera module. A power button and volume rocker are on the top left edge; both are clicky with good travel. The left side contains a tray for SIM and microSD cards and two speaker grilles, while another two speaker grilles flank the USB-C port (3.2 Gen 1) on the right edge. Pogo-pin connectors line the bottom edge and are centered between two attachment points for accessories.

Samsung builds the under-display fingerprint sensor into the right side of the screen, approximately where you'd find a sensor if you rotated the tablet 90 degrees and pretended it was a giant phone. The fingerprint reader worked well in testing, no matter how I held the tablet. Face Unlock is also available via the front-facing camera, but it is less secure. The under-display sensor is a step up in technology and convenience compared with the side-mounted fingerprint sensor of the S9 FE+.

Samsung says the tablet's Armor Aluminum frame is 10% more resistant to dings and scratches than that of the previous model. It has the same IP68 rating, meaning it is dustproof and waterproof (so is the Tab S9 FE+). None of Apple's iPads are waterproof.

The included S Pen stylus is also dustproof and waterproof. I found the stylus comfortable to hold and use, and it feels natural when pressed against the screen. It has one flat side, so it does not roll away. There's also a button to call up app-specific functions. A magnet under the flat side helps attach it to the tablet, though it is easily removed or dislodged if bumped. Apple's iPads support the Apple Pencil, but it doesn't come in the box—you have to pay extra for it.

There aren't many colors to choose from. The Galaxy Tab S10+ comes in Moonstone Gray or Platinum Silver. I received the former for testing, which is pictured in this review. The 5G model is only available in gray.

Display: Plenty of Pixels

The Tab S10+'s display is sharp, vibrant, and responsive. It is a 12.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a resolution of 2,800 by 1,752 pixels with a 16:10 aspect ratio, a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, and a peak brightness of 650 nits. The Tab S9 FE+ also has a 12.4-inch screen, but it has fewer pixels (2,560 by 1,600), a slower refresh rate (90Hz), and its LCD can't match the contrast of the OLED here. The iPad Pro features a 13-inch tandem OLED screen with a resolution of 2,752 by 2,064 pixels in a 4:3 aspect ratio with a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz that can reach 1,000 nits (SDR) and 1,600 nits (HDR).

The larger Tab S10 Ultra has a 14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen with a resolution of 2,960 by 1,848 pixels, the same 120Hz refresh rate, and a higher maximum brightness of 930 nits.

Samsung has updated the Tab S10+ screen with an anti-reflective coating. In testing, the display was visible on sunny days with little glare, but it often struggled to see it well under direct sunlight. Still, it presents a better overall experience than the S9 FE+, which is limited by its duller LCD panel.

Performance: No Snapdragon, No Problem

The Galaxy Tab S10+ is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ chip—a shift from last year's model, which had a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. It packs a respectable 12GB of RAM and is available in two storage options: 256GB ($999.99) or 512GB ($1,119.99). A microSD card can support an additional 1.5TB of storage. The 5G model is only available with 256GB ($1,149.99).

On Geekbench 6, a suite of tests that quantifies raw computing power, the Tab S10+ reached 2,072 on the single-core test and 7,242 on the multi-core test. Comparatively, the Snapdragon in the Tab S9 Ultra scored 2,069 and 5,408, the Samsung Exynos 1380 of the S9 FE+ tallied 1,011 and 2,897, and the M4-powered iPad Pro scored 3,679 and 14,647.

Benchmarks from PCMark Work 3.0, which evaluates performance across general mobile tasks, suggest the Tab S10+ and Tab S9 Ultra are on nearly even footing. The S10+ scored 15,598, while the S9 Ultra reached 15,606. Here, the Tab S9 FE+ reached a score of 12,223.

As for gaming performance measured by the GFXBench Aztec Ruins test, the Tab S10+ delivered 55 frames per second (fps), which is higher than the Tab S9 Ultra's 43fps, but a little slower than the iPad Pro's 60fps.

In practice, gaming performance was impressive. The notoriously resource-intensive Genshin Impact played flawlessly at the highest graphics and frame rate settings. Images were crystal clear, and animations were silky smooth, while the back of the tablet remained cool to the touch. Everyday tasks like reading email, browsing the web, and shopping pose no problems for the Tab S10+. It also easily handles switching between open apps and using multiple apps at a time.

Battery Life: Long Enough to Get a Lot Done

The S10+ has a sizable 10,090mAh battery that can charge at up to 45W. In our battery test, in which we stream a 1080p video over Wi-Fi at full brightness, the Tab S10+ lasted 8 hours and 10 minutes. That's 45 minutes longer than the Tab S9 FE+ (7 hours, 23 minutes) and 30 minutes more than the iPad Pro (7 hours, 43 minutes).

Using a compatible fast charger, it took 1 hour and 35 minutes to charge the Galaxy Tab S10+ from 0% to 100%. There's no charger in the box, so you'll have to supply your own. A 15-minute charge yielded 21%, and 30 minutes brought the battery to 42%. For comparison, the iPad Pro supports 20W charging and takes 2 hours to reach a 100% charge.

Connectivity and Speakers: About Average

The Galaxy Tab S10+ supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, but not NFC. Unfortunately, the 5G models are locked to the carrier that sells them, and an unlocked model is not available. The larger Tab S10 Ultra supports the newer Wi-Fi 7 spec.

When tested with a Wi-Fi 6 access point, the S10+ hit a peak download speed of 443Mbps and a maximum upload speed of 19.8Mbps. For comparison, the Wi-Fi 6E-equipped Tab S9 Ultra performed similarly, with a download speed of 445Mbps and an upload of 18.6Mbps. Testing both devices at the network's edge, the Tab S10+ dropped to 137Mbps down and 12.0Mbps up, while the Tab S9 Ultra kept a strong connection, posting 433Mbps down and 16.1Mbps up.

The tablet's speakers support Dolby Atmos and provide loud stereo sound with some bass, though the lowest notes of The Knife's "Silent Shout" weren't audible in testing. When I played Metallica's "Enter Sandman," I recorded a maximum volume of 92.5dB. This is loud enough to fill a small room, and there is some depth to the sound. When watching The Dark Knight with Dolby Atmos, the sound was fuller and had more impact than with it off. As usual, we recommend using a good pair of Bluetooth headphones for a better experience.

The S9 FE+, in comparison, has stereo speakers and can't produce quite as immersive an experience.

Cameras: Not So Sharp

The Tab S10+ has two rear cameras: a 13MP f/2.0 main shooter with an 80-degree field of view and an 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera with a 120-degree field of view. The Tab S10 Ultra has the same setup. Generally, images are just OK. There's plenty of detail in our sample images, but the colors are somewhat oversaturated.

In the sample image below, the 13MP main camera produced an oversaturated sky and a lighter shade of green compared with reality, while some detail is preserved in shadowy areas.

Ultra-wide pictures show warping in the corners even though distortion correction is applied, and colors do not match those of the main camera.

With a 120-degree field of view, the 12MP f/2.0 ultra-wide front-facing camera takes sharp pictures with well-preserved details, though the colors are (again) oversaturated. Portrait mode does a fine job separating the subject from the background, though the S10+ had some trouble defining my glasses and messy hair. The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra adds a second front-facing camera: a 12MP f/2.4 shooter with a tighter 80-degree field of view.

The front and rear cameras record video up to 4K at 30fps. Video is smooth even when in motion and details are presented cleanly, but colors are oversaturated.

In comparison, the iPad Pro is able to record 4K60 video in ProRes and is a better option if you need top-notch video from your tablet.

Software: As Close to a Desktop as Android Gets

The Galaxy Tab S10+ is powered by Android 14 and has Samsung's One UI 6.1.1 atop it. One UI contains features like advanced multitasking, Edge Panels (a hidable taskbar), DeX (Samsung's desktop-like interface), and Galaxy AI. Samsung promises four generations of OS updates and seven years of security upgrades. The Tab S9 series receives the same number of OS updates but just five years of security fixes.

Samsung is going all-in on Galaxy AI with the Tab S10+. It supports features like Circle to Search, Portrait Studio, and summarization of websites using Browser Assist. Notes Assist helps reformat notes to get better organized. Samsung's photo tools make once-complicated edits much easier without needing specialized skills. Chat Assist simplifies writing replies by making suggestions, increasing your efficiency.

One of the most entertaining Galaxy AI features is Sketch to Image. You draw a doodle on the Tab S10+ and Galaxy AI then turns it into something more fleshed out. You can sketch with your finger, but the S Pen makes it much easier to be creative.

Speaking of which, the stylus is compatible with most apps on the tablet. The S Pen glides on the glass easily and is responsive to pressure. Press hard on the screen with the S Pen, and the line gets thicker; press lightly to get thin, light lines. Tapping small targets or selecting areas for AI image edits is also easier using the S Pen rather than a finger. By including a full-size stylus, Samsung ensures you can get the most of the Tab S10+ right out of the box.

Those are just some of Galaxy AI's features for the Tab S10+—and they aren't available to the S9 FE+. For a detailed breakdown of these features and others, check out our review of the Galaxy S24 Ultra. All of these AI-based tools work just as well on the Tab S10+ as they do on Samsung's smartphones. Keep in mind that Galaxy AI often relies on an active data connection to work properly. You can limit Galaxy AI to use on-device processing only, which offers a modicum of privacy. Live Translate, Interpreter, PDF Overlay, and Suggested Replies can run on-device, but most everything else needs help from the cloud.

Beyond Galaxy AI, Samsung does its best to make Android more useful on tablets. On stock Android, you can tile just two applications on the screen simultaneously while watching a video overlaid on both. Samsung's One UI lets you tile up to three apps while keeping more easily accessible in a pop-up view (essentially, resizeable windows minimized to an icon). If you frequently use a pair or trio of apps together, you can save them in groups and reopen them with one tap with your layout preserved. Android power users will enjoy these capabilities, and for those who do not need such things, these features stay out of the way unless you seek them out.

For even more productivity power, two versions of Samsung's DeX mode are on board. DeX is Samsung's desktop-like experience that allows apps to open in resizable windows that can be made transparent or minimized to a taskbar and moved around the screen. This UI sort of resembles ChromeOS or even Windows, to an extent. New DeX uses your home screen as your desktop, while Classic DeX features a separate desktop independent of your main one. The Classic DeX mode is available in Settings, and it lets the Tab S10+ connect to an external display either over USB-C or wirelessly to compatible devices like a Roku TV. With DeX, the tablet can emulate a regular computer quite well, but it is still limited by Android apps.

The Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ also supports multiple apps at once, paired app groups, and both versions of DeX, but the enhancing tools of Galaxy AI are largely missing. Circle to Search is the only one on board. I updated the Tab S9 FE+ to the same version of One UI 6.1.1, and there are no Galaxy AI features. Moreover, Samsung has not publicly said if the tablet will ever receive Galaxy AI. The writing tools, in particular, give the S10+ a big productivity advantage.

Verdict: An Android Productivity Powerhouse

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ is a powerful, speedy, and well-built tablet. Its MediaTek processor means it can handle everything from video calls and drawing to gaming and productivity. Samsung's software tweaks push Android further than the competition, and Galaxy AI introduces even more functionality and fun. Add it all up, and the Galaxy Tab S10+ is our Editors' Choice winner for flagship Android tablets. If you can live with a lower-quality screen, slower performance, less battery life, and no Galaxy AI, you can get many of the same multitasking features for nearly half the price with the Galaxy Tab S9 FE+, our top pick for midrange Android tablets. And if the Apple ecosystem is more your speed, the iPad Pro is your best bet for tablet-powered productivity.