Samsung’s new Galaxy Tab S10+ and S10 Ultra are bigger, bolder, and built for AI

A few weeks ago at an event in NYC (just a couple of days after Google’s Fall Chromebook Showcase, actually), Samsung also held a small event to show off a handful of new devices. And while the shiny new Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus has been grabbing most of our attention, I’m also intrigued by the new Galaxy Tab S10+ and Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra that were unveiled.

That’s mainly because the Galaxy Tab S line has been the gold standard for premium Android tablets for years now. But this time around, Samsung is shaking things up. First off, say goodbye to the smaller, more affordable entry in the Tab S lineup. Samsung has decided to focus solely on the larger sizes, meaning you’ll only find the Tab S10+ (12.4-inches) and the Tab S10 Ultra (a whopping 14.6-inches). That also means a higher starting price, with the Tab S10+ starting at $999 and the Tab S10 Ultra starting at $1,199.

So, what are you getting for that premium price tag? Well, both are packing some serious specs for Android tablets. Both feature “Dynamic AMOLED” displays with an anti-reflective coating, at least 256GB of storage, 12GB of RAM, a quad speaker setup with AI Boost, an IP68 durability rating, and Android 14 out of the box. The Ultra model takes things up a notch with options for 1TB of storage, up to 16GB of RAM, and even Wi-Fi 7 support. Also, both devices are bundled with the S Pen.

But the biggest change here is that Samsung has ditched its usual Snapdragon processors in favor of MediaTek’s Dimensity 9300+ chip. While this might raise some eyebrows, Samsung promises this new chip will deliver a significant performance boost over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 found in the Tab S9 series. We’re talking an 18% jump in CPU performance and a 28% leap in GPU power. Plus, with a stronger NPU, those AI-powered features should be snappier than ever.

And as expected, Samsung is going all-in on its Galaxy AI suite with these new tablets. Features like Circle to Search and Sketch to Image, which debuted on the Galaxy S24 phones, are making their way to the Tab S10. The keyboard cover even gets a dedicated “AI Key” for quick access to Bixby or Gemini with written prompts.

“The Galaxy Tab S10 series is Samsung’s first tablet built with AI enhancements available right out of the box, and it’s the latest addition to the Galaxy AI family,” said MC Lee, VP, Head of Galaxy Ecosystems Business Team, Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. “We’re proud to add to our seamless ecosystem of connected devices, bringing versatile experiences that only an AI tablet can offer through the Galaxy Tab S10 series’ blend of power and portability.”

Should you rush out and buy one? Well, I still lean towards devices like the new Lenovo Chromebook Duet that offers a full desktop experience in addition to tablet features, but if you’re in the market for a top-tier Android tablet, these new tablets are definitely worth a look. With its gorgeous display, powerful performance, a slew of AI-powered features, and some pretty sweet trade-in offers, the Galaxy Tab S10+ and Tab S10 Ultra might be the perfect Android tablet to snag this fall.