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Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE
Petite 5G tabletThe Galaxy Tab S9 FE is the smallest S-series tablet with optional 5G, making it the best option for many looking for a tablet with 5G connectivity. With a 90Hz display and Exynos chipset, sacrifices had to be made to reach the lower price point, but it's still a solid tablet for the money.
Pros- 5G option
- Lower price
- Compact design
Cons- Less RAM
- Smaller battery
- Source: Samsung
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+
The iPad Air rival$543 $600 Save $57The Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ is a mid-range version of the Tab S9+, with a larger 12.4-inch LCD screen and extra RAM compared to the S9 FE - but no option to add on 5G. Spending an affordable $600 for a tablet this size is almost unheard of, but are the sacrifices made to achieve that price point worth it?
Pros- Extra RAM
- Larger battery
- Larger display
Cons- Strong competition at $600
- No 5G option
Samsung is expanding its Fan Edition to include more than just phones with the introduction of the Galaxy Buds FE and Tab S9 FE series. Sure to rank among the best Samsung tablets, they are exciting as they bring some premium features and an expensive-looking design to the mid-range.
The Tab S9 FE is a 10.9-inch device, while the S9 FE+ is a whopping 12.4 inches. Are those the only differences? Which should you buy? Let's dive into the specs and find out.
Price, availability, and specs
Both tablets are available from Samsung and most retailers worldwide. The Tab S9 FE starts from $450 for a 4G model with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, rising to $520 for 8GB+256GB. There's also a 5G version of the tablet - this is only available in the lower RAM and storage spec, and sets you back $550.
The S9 FE+ starts from $600, which gets you more starting RAM with an 8GB+128GB default model. $700 will get you 12GB+256GB, but the larger tablet doesn't offer any 5G option at all.
The specs are essentially the same aside from those RAM and storage variations, other than the S9 FE+ packing a larger battery and display. You can see the full specifications below:
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ Storage 128GB or 256GB (expandable with microSD 128GB, 256GB (expandable with MicroSD) Operating System Android 13 with One UI 5.1.1 Android 13 with One UI 5.1.1 Battery 8,000mAh 10,090mAh Ports USB-C USB-C Display type IPS LCD, 90Hz IPS LCD, 90Hz Colors Gray, Mint, Silver, Lavender Gray, Silver, Mint, Lavender IP rating IP68 IP68 Weight 523g (Wi-Fi), 524g (5G) 628g Charge options USB-C USB-C SIM support Yes No SoC Samsung Exynos 1380 Samsung Exynos 1380 Cellular connectivity 5G (optional) No Wi-Fi connectivity Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.3 Bluetooth 5.3 Stylus S Pen included S Pen included RAM 6GB or 8GB 8GB or 12GB Front Camera 12MP ultrawide 12MP ultrawide Rear Camera 8MP main 8MP main, 8MP ultrawide Dimensions 165.8 x 254.3 x 6.5mm 285.4 x 185.4 x 6.5mm Charging speed 45W wired 45W wired Price From $450 From $600 Display dimensions 10.9", 16:10 12.4" Display resolution 2304 x 1440 2560 x 1600
Design and display
Both displays are a significant step-down compared to the regular S9 series. Gone are the vivid 120Hz AMOLED panels in favor of 90Hz LCD screens. Thankfully, both are still 1440p, so they are plenty sharp. The S9 FE is 10.9 inches while the FE+ measures 12.4 inches.
The designs for both tablets match up with their more expensive counterparts. The rounded corners and sharp edges lend an iPad Pro aesthetic, while the magnetic S Pen attach point on the rear adds some flare. That's right, these displays still support the S Pen (which is included in the box), even at this price.
The volume rocker and power button sit at the top when the device is held in landscape, with the USB-C port on the right-hand side. In addition, both the S9 FE and S9 FE+ have an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, which is always lovely.
Performance and software
The software and processor are the same on both devices: Android 13-based One UI 5.1.1 and an Exynos 1380. The S9 FE+ will be better at multitasking, though, thanks to extra RAM.
The S9 FE starts from 6GB of RAM and goes up to 8GB, while the S9 FE+ starts from 8GB and offers a 12GB option. As for storage, both let you choose between 128GB or 256GB, and both also offer the option to expand that further with a microSD card.
One UI 5.1.1 is at home on large screens like this, with tablet-focused features like Samsung DeX and the improved version of Android's split screen. Samsung's track record for updating phones has been stellar lately, but tablets are a different story, with previous affordable tablets only getting two updates if they're lucky. Things are different here, with the Tab S9 FE and FE+ both guaranteed four Android updates and a fifth year of security patches, just like the S23 series. That means they'll get Android 17.
Battery life
We haven't used either tablet long enough to judge battery life - our full reviews are in the works at the time of writing - so until we get more time to judge, we can at least look at the specs. The S9 FE comes with an 8,000mAh battery, while the larger S9 FE+ pushes that up to 10,090mAh. The LCDs will use more power than the AMOLED screens found in the regular Tab S9, and we don't know how efficient the chipset is either.
We expect both will get the average user through the day at least, though the S9 FE+ will probably run for that little bit longer. Both charge at 15W over USB-C.
Cameras
There's a single camera on the FE and dual cameras on the FE+. Both devices use 8MP primary sensors, with the FE+ adding an 8MP ultrawide for a little extra flexibility. The selfie cameras are also the same, using 12MP ultrawide sensors.
While quality remains to be seen, that front camera should be excellent for video calls. It's an ultrawide sensor, so it can fit everyone in if there's more than one of you on the call at your location, or you can have it crop in and pan around to track your face as you move.
Which is right for you?
If you need a tablet with 5G, then the regular S9 FE is your only option in the FE range. That aside, the S9 FE+ is our recommendation. In our opinion, the extra money is worth it for the extra RAM and larger battery. Tablets like this are perfect for running multiple apps side-by-side, but the 6GB of RAM in the smaller tablet will struggle.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+
The iPad Air rival
The Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ is still a mid-range version of the Tab S9 series, this time with a larger 12.4-inch LCD screen and extra RAM over the S9 FE. Spending an affordable $600 for a tablet this size is almost unheard of, but are the sacrifices made to achieve that price point worth it?
- Extra RAM
- Larger battery
- Larger display
- No 5G model
- Strong competition at $600
However, if you need the cheapest tablet possible that will still be fun to use, the S9 FE comes very close to the FE+. The option to pay a little extra for 5G support will be a big draw too, but remember that this is limited to the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage SKU.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE
Petite 5G tablet
The Galaxy Tab S9 FE is the smallest S-series tablet with 5G. So, it's the best option for the right person looking for a 5G tablet. With a 90Hz display and Exynos chipset, sacrifices had to be made to reach the lower price point, but it's still a solid tablet for the money.
- 5G option
- Lower price
- Compact design
- Less RAM
- Smaller battery