We recently reviewed the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE that was released a few months ago. Samsung sent us the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ for review, and here are our thoughts about the tablet.
Design
The Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ is one of the best-looking tablets that Samsung has released to date. The device comes with a large 12.4-inch IPS display, as opposed to the Super AMOLED panels that are generally used for high-end models. The resolution of the screen is 1600 x 2560 pixels, which should give you sharp images and text, along with a 16:10 wide aspect ratio and 243ppi density. However, the screen only features a refresh rate of 90 Hz.
As a 12.4-inch tablet, the Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ weighs only 627g, and the aluminum frame is only 6.5mm thick. The USB-C port is located on the left side, along with speaker grills. The accessory attachment pins are on the bottom. The power button and the volume rockers are placed on the top left side. The power button also features an integrated fingerprint sensor. There is also a SIM slot on the top right side.
The rear side of the tablet is also made of aluminum. We should mention that the tablet comes in Mint, Lavender, Gray, and Silver colors. Our review unit is the Silver version. There are also two cameras on the rear side, each boasting 8MP sensors, for wide and ultra-wide photography. We should also mention that the tablet comes with IP68 certification for dust and water resistance.
Samsung also provides the S-Pen with the Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ packaging, along with a USB-C to USB-C data cable, and an SIM eject pin. However, it does not include a charger, which is not surprising.
Performance and Features
The Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ comes powered by the octa-core Exynos 1380 SoC, featuring four Cortex A78 cores clocked at 2.4 GHz speeds, and four Cortex A55 cores clocked at 2 GHz speeds. The SoC is backed with 8GB or 12GB of RAM, depending on the storage variant. Users can get 8GB RAM when opting for the 128GB storage model, and 12GB of RAM when investing in the 256GB model.
The tablet runs on the latest Android 14 OS with Samsung’s One UI 6 software. The GPU used on the Exynos 1380 SoC is the Mali-G68 MP5, which should be able to handle some games. We ran some benchmarks, such as GeekBench 6, Antutu, and PCMark 10 Work 3.0 Performance, and several 3DMark tests. Here are the scores.
While the tablet features dual 8MP cameras on the rear side, the front camera packs a 12MP ultra-wide sensor. That said, the rear camera can record 1080p and 4K videos, but at a 30 fps cap. It is a little disappointing that the 1080p video mode is only maxed out at 30 fps. As for the wireless capabilities, the tablet features support for WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity.
Concerning the display, Samsung mentions that the tablet comes with a feature called Vision Booster, which allows users to view the display clearly under bright conditions, thanks to an intelligent outdoor algorithm. The display is also capable of producing a wide range of vivid color ranges, thanks to the DCI-P3 color gamut. As for creativity, users will be able to draw or sketch using the S-Pen with Samsung Notes and Goodnotes.
The Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ also houses a 10090 mAh Li-Po battery, featuring fast charge support of 45W (QC 2.0). We ran the PCMark 10 Work 3.0 battery test and the device ran from 100% battery capacity to 20% in 16 hours and 43 minutes. The additional 20% battery ensures we can get more run time out of the tablet.
Verdict
If you are on the verge of purchasing a new Android tablet with stylus capabilities, then consider the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+, a tablet that features a 12.4-inch IPS display, 1600 x 2560 screen resolution, 16:10 aspect ratio, and 90 Hz refresh rate. The tablet is quite thin and weighs 627g. The power button also doubles as a fingerprint reader. The cameras include a 12MP selfie snapper, along with dual 8MP shooters on the rear side.
The tablet is powered by the octa-core Exynos 1380 SoC which offers fast performance with Android 14 OS. The RAM and storage options include 8GB RAM/128GB storage and 12GB RAM/256GB storage. The included S-Pen works flawlessly with apps such as Samsung Notes and Goodnotes. The tablet also features WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3. And there is also a large 10090 mAh Li-Po battery with support for 45W fast charge capability.
