Samsung just unveiled its new Galaxy Tab S12 Plus, but how does it measure up to the 2024 iteration?
Considering we gave the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus a four-star rating and called it a “very capable” tablet, should you upgrade to the new Galaxy Tab S12 Plus?
We’ve compared the specs of the Galaxy Tab S12 Plus and the Tab S10 Plus and noted all the important updates about the newer tablet below. When you’re done, be sure to also check out our roundup of the best tablets and the best Android tablets.
Price and availability
The Galaxy Tab S12 Plus will be available from October 7, with a starting price of a rather hefty £1,199. That’s a £200 increase on the original RRP of the Tab S10 Plus when it launched back in 2024.
At this point, although the Tab S10 Plus originally had an RRP of £999, its price has unsurprisingly dropped over the past two years. While it’s currently priced at £919, the tablet can be found for even lower prices – especially during sales events like Prime Day and Black Friday.
The Galaxy Tab S12 Plus has a larger display
Place the Galaxy Tab S12 Plus and Tab S10 Plus side by side and you’ll immediately notice that the newer iteration is slightly larger with a 12.6-inch display compared to 12.4-inches.
We conclude that the Tab S10 Plus’ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display is an “absolute beauty” for everything from streaming content to web browsing, as it offers both deep blacks and vivid colors. With that in mind, the Tab S12 Plus has a lot going for it.
So what does Samsung promise with the Tab S12 Plus? Not only does the newer tablet have a slightly larger display, but it also boasts thinner bezels, resulting in a more immersive and uninterrupted viewing experience. It has kept the same Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel, but now it can reach a peak brightness of up to 1600 nits, which Samsung claims provides the best visual quality of the Galaxy Tab to date.
Dimensions 9500 vs Dimension 9300+
The Galaxy Tab S12 is powered by MediaTek’s 2025 Dimensity 9500 chip, which, according to Samsung’s promise, provides the strongest performance of Galaxy Tabs to date. It backs up that claim, but states that the processor delivers up to 61% faster NPU processing, 19% faster CPU and 17% better GPU performance compared to last year’s top-of-the-range Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra.
According to Samsung, this means the Tab S12 Plus can handle demanding tasks like powering the Galaxy AI and playing AAA games. In addition, the Tab S12 Plus has a newly designed 3D vapor chamber that ensures longer and more durable operation without overheating.
In comparison, we found the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus to be a pretty fast device that can run multiple apps and even games smoothly and without any issues. That said, we noted that the Tab S10 Plus didn’t fare particularly well in our benchmark tests, even when compared to Apple’s older M2 chip.
The Galaxy Tab S12 Plus has a larger battery
We found that the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus’ 10,090mAh cell could see us through a full day of light work before needing a recharge, but with more mixed use, the tablet drained faster. With that in mind, we recommend buying a compatible 45W charger to keep your tablet charged up – as Samsung no longer includes an adapter in the box.
In comparison, the Galaxy Tab S12 Plus is equipped with a larger 10,600 mAh battery, which Samsung promises will provide around 21 hours of video playback on a single charge. Like the Tab S10 Plus, the Tab S12 Plus does not come with a charger in the box.
The Galaxy Tab S12 Plus is thinner and lighter
Although the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra is the thinnest Galaxy Tab to date, the S12 Plus isn’t too far behind at just 5.3mm thick. Still, it’s impressively light at just 553g (or 555g if you opt for the 5G iteration).
The Galaxy Tab S10 Plus is slightly thicker at 5.6 mm and heavier at 571 grams. It’s not a big difference, but it’s worth keeping in mind if you plan to use your tablet while traveling, commuting, or on the go.
The Galaxy Tab S12 Plus includes a redesigned S Pen
Both the Galaxy Tab S12 Plus and S10 Plus come with an S Pen in the box, meaning you don’t have to worry about using an extra stylus.
However, Samsung redesigned its S Pen with last year’s Galaxy Tab S11 series and has since introduced this design to this year’s Tab S12 range. Instead of the smooth, cylindrical shape of the older model, the S Pen is now hexagonal, like a traditional stylus, and sits on the side of the tablet instead of the back.
The redesigned S Pen probably shouldn’t the the reason for the update, but definitely a welcome change.
Early judgment
With a newer, albeit non-flagship processor, longer battery life, and a larger display with thinner bezels, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus offers a solid refinement over the Tab S10 Plus. However, it’s debatable whether it’s absolutely worth upgrading to the newer tablet.
We will definitely update this after reviewing the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus.
