The Samsung Galaxy Tab S lineup may not be as dominating as its Galaxy S smartphone stablemate, but it’s a fantastic alternative if you’re looking for a premium Android tablet that isn’t an iPad.
According to new sources, you should hold off on purchasing the current iteration since an improved version may be available shortly. Here’s all we know about the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9.
When will the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 be released?
As of this writing, there has been no official announcement from Samsung, so we’ll need to look at previous releases as well as circulating rumors to determine when we might see the new hardware debut.
The previous Galaxy Tab versions went on sale at the following dates:
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 – Feb 2022
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 – Aug 2020
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 – Aug 2019
The S8 range was a bit of a departure from form, moving the traditional summer release forward to February. We won’t witness a repetition in 2023 now that that month has passed.
As we’ve already seen leaks regarding certain technical elements of the Tab S9, it still appears like Samsung plans to release the new generation shortly, so we’d expect a return to the July/August 2023 timeframe, possibly releasing alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 foldables.
We’re unsure about which models to anticipate. We anticipate that this year’s range will feature standard, Plus, and Ultra variants, like it did last year. However, SamMobile has discovered evidence pointing to two different lower devices – maybe a Tab S9 FE and a Tab S9 Lite? If so, it’s unclear if they’ll be released alongside the main models or later in the year, as is Samsung’s custom with its FE and Lite alternatives.
How much will the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 cost?
Again, Samsung has yet to declare a pricing for the new tablets, but a glance back could provide some hints.
The following are the launch pricing for the most recent Samsung tablets:
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 – $699/£649
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 – $899/£849
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra – $1,099/£999
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 – $649/£619
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ – $849/£799
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE – $529/£449
We believe it is realistic to expect the Galaxy Tab S9 range to cost around the same as the S8 models, with the possibility of a minor price rise since the global financial situation continues relatively hard for both producers and users.
What will be the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 specs and features?
In April, famed leaker OnLeaks published CAD renderings of what he claims to be the Galaxy Tab S9+:
Along with this impressively detailed depiction, OnLeaks claims that the Tab S9 Plus will have a 12.4in display, dimensions of 285.4 x 185.4 x 5.64mm, four speakers, and two rear cameras.
We have yet to see renderings or dimensions for the other models in the lineup (though serial leaker Ice Universe has tweeted that the Ultra will have the same proportions as last year’s), but it’s a good bet that they will be online shortly.
The other physical detail we believe we know is that the Tab S9 series as a whole will have at least an IP67 rating, which means the tablets will be dust and water resistant up to a depth of 1 metre for 30 minutes – Ice believes the Ultra will have the even tougher IP68 certification. Even Apple hasn’t committed to an IP rating for any of its iPad models, so if genuine, this may be a big win for Samsung.
In terms of internal specifications, it’s widely assumed that all three Tab S9 core models will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy – that’s the customised version of the flagship chipset that debuted in the Galaxy S23 series, with some very slight overclocking compared to the regular edition.
Geekbench listings for all three models with the overclocked 8 Gen 2 and 8-12GB of RAM now show proof of this. According to Ice Universe, the Ultra variant might have up to 16GB of RAM, while another tweet suggests three Ultra options: 8+128GB, 12+256GB, and 16+512GB.
Those two FE/Lite variants mentioned before have also shown on Geekbench, although they appear to be powered by the Exynos 1380, with 6GB and 8GB of RAM, respectively. The 1380 is one of Samsung’s own chipsets, and it was utilized in the company’s latest mid-range Galaxy A54 phone, where it proved to be quite powerful.
We have a few additional specs for the Ultra thanks to Ice, but they are mostly the same as last year’s model: a 14.6in 2960 x 1848 display, a 11200mAh battery, and 45W charging. It’ll be 10g heavier than last year’s model, at 737g, but else appears to be pretty comparable.
The normal variant should have a slightly larger battery, according to GalaxyClub, with a reported capacity of 8160mAh – 400mAh more than its predecessor.
Finally, and maybe less excitingly, the upgraded S Pen stylus has received FCC approval. The listing does not reveal any upgrades to the pen technology, but it does increase the likelihood that the tablets will be available soon.
Aside from these tasty tidbits, there hasn’t been much else revealed about the new tablets, however the likely release dates indicate that things won’t be kept a secret for long.
