Are you looking for a tablet that can do it all? Whether you’re a workaholic or a hardcore gamer, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra or the Apple iPad Pro 12.9 are both top-of-the-line tablets that can handle your every need. But which one is right for you?
Let’s compare these two behemoths and find out.
Design and Display
Both the iPad Pro and the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra have a slim and elegant design with aluminum frames. However, the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is larger and heavier, weighing 732 grams compared to 682 grams for the iPad. The iPad Pro has a 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with a resolution of 2732 x 2048 pixels and a refresh rate of 120 Hz. The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra has a 14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a resolution of 2960 x 1848 pixels and a variable refresh rate of up to 120 Hz. Both displays are bright, sharp, and colorful, but the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra has an edge in terms of size and contrast.
Performance and Battery Life
The latest iPad Pro features the powerful M2 chip and iPadOS, making it a clear winner for professional work and content creation. The M2 chip is based on the same architecture as Mac computers, delivering blazing-fast performance and efficiency. The iPad Pro also has up to 16GB RAM and up to 2TB of storage, depending on configuration. The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor and Android 13, which are also very powerful, but not as impressive as the M2 chip. The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra has up to 16 GB RAM and up to 1 TB storage as well as a microSD card slot for expansion.
Battery life for both tablets depends on how you use them, but in general, the iPad Pro has a slight advantage over the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra. The iPad Pro has a 10,758 mAh battery that lasts up to 10 hours when you’re browsing the web or playing videos. The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra has an 11,200 mAh battery that lasts up to 8 hours when browsing the web or playing videos. Both tablets support fast charging and wireless charging.
Camera and Audio
Both tablets have impressive cameras for taking photos and videos, as well as for video conferencing and facial recognition. The iPad Pro has a 12MP wide-angle camera, a 10MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and a LiDAR scanner on the back, and a 12MP TrueDepth camera on the front. The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra has a 13MP main camera and an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera on the back, and a 12MP main camera and a 12MP ultra-wide-angle camera on the front. Both tablets can record 4K videos with up to 60 fps.
The audio quality of both tablets is also excellent thanks to the quad speaker systems that deliver rich and impressive sound. Both tablets also support Dolby Atmos technology for surround sound effects.
Accessories and Features
Both tablets have their own accessories and features that enhance their functionality and usability. The iPad Pro supports the Apple Pencil (2nd generation), a stylus that magnetically attaches to the side of the tablet and can be charged wirelessly. With the Apple Pencil, you can draw, write, annotate, and interact with apps naturally. The iPad Pro also supports the Magic Keyboard, which has a trackpad and hinge that lets you adjust the tablet’s viewing angle. The Magic Keyboard also connects to the tablet via magnets and charges via USB-C.
The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra comes with an S Pen, a stylus that magnetically attaches to the back of the tablet and can be charged wirelessly. With the S Pen, you can take notes, sketch, navigate, and control your tablet with gestures. The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra also supports the Book Cover Keyboard Slim, which has a trackpad and kickstand that lets you set up the tablet in different modes. The Book Cover Keyboard Slim also connects to the tablet via magnets and charges via USB-C.
Both tablets also have some unique features that set them apart. The iPad Pro has Face ID, a facial recognition system that lets you unlock your tablet, make payments and access secure apps with just a glance. The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra has a fingerprint scanner on the power button that also lets you unlock your tablet and authenticate your identity. The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra also has DeX mode, a feature that turns your tablet into a desktop-like work environment when connected to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, which greatly improves productivity. In addition, the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, including the SPen, is water- and dust-resistant, which will please some clumsy customers who will definitely feel safer using the tablet.
The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra and iPad Pro are both amazing tablets that can meet different needs and preferences. The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is better for those who want a larger and more vibrant display, more storage options, and more versatility with the S Pen and DeX mode. The iPad Pro is better for those who want a more powerful and efficient processor, more optimized apps, and more security and productivity with Apple Pencil and Face ID.
I have been using the Samsung Galaxy S8 Ultra and the iPad Pro 2021 for a while now, and am very satisfied with both devices. I recently had the opportunity to try out the new S9 Ultra, and while I don’t yet feel the need to upgrade my S8 Ultra. I’m really impressed with the Snapdragon Gen2 chip, which I’ve already experienced in my S23 Ultra, and I’m thrilled with how it delivers great performance and power efficiency at the same time (I guess that would be anyone who used Samsung’s last flagship S22 Ultra). So when used on a tablet that physically has better heat dissipation, the chip will almost certainly deliver better performance while staying cooler.
I think the S23 Ultra could be Samsung’s best device yet when it comes to winning users over from the iOS side. The chip is a major selling point, and the overall package is very impressive. With the new foldables and powerful tablets, especially the Flip 5 and Tab S9 Ultra, I think more and more people will ditch their iPhones and join the Galaxy “flip side”
