Samsung has released its newest premium tablet, the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra, and at first glance it looks nearly identical to last year’s Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra. The changes, however, are mostly on the inside, and according to a hands-on review by the New York Post, they’re significant enough to matter for people who game, create, or multitask heavily on a tablet.
The S12 Ultra features a 14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 2960 x 1848. The tablet measures 5.1 millimeters thick and weighs about 1.52 to 1.53 pounds. It runs Android 17 with One UI 9, up from Android 16 and One UI 8 on the previous model.
The biggest change is under the hood. The new tablet uses a MediaTek Dimensity 9500 processor, replacing the Dimensity 9400+ found in the S11 Ultra. Samsung says that amounts to up to 19% faster CPU performance, 17% better GPU performance, and a 61% improvement in AI processing.
What’s actually new
Beyond the processor, Samsung has upgraded the Vision Booster feature so it adjusts brightness in real time based on surrounding light. The tablet also introduces four-channel spatial audio, doubling the audio channels compared to the prior generation, along with Bluetooth 6.0 instead of Bluetooth 5.4.
On the software side, the S12 Ultra comes preloaded with Adobe Photoshop and Notability, and Samsung is offering four months free of the Photoshop mobile plan with certain qualifying purchases, giving access to AI tools like Generative Fill. The included S Pen works with Photoshop for sketching and image editing. AI features such as Note Assist, which summarizes notes, build on tools like Drawing Assist and Writing Assist that were already present on the previous model.
Battery life remains largely unchanged, with an 11,600mAh battery rated for up to 23 hours of video playback, the same as the S11 Ultra. Both tablets also share the same 14.6-inch display, 120Hz refresh rate, 45W charging, and IP68 water resistance, along with similar camera setups: a 13MP main and 8MP ultrawide rear camera, and a 12MP ultrawide front camera.
How it stacks up against the competition
The tablet comes in 12GB or 16GB RAM configurations, with storage options of 256GB, 512GB or 1TB, expandable up to 2TB via microSD. It’s available in gray or silver.
Apple’s 13-inch iPad Pro M5, starting at $1,499, is $100 more expensive than the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra and has a smaller screen, though it is lighter and uses Apple’s M5 chip. Unlike the iPad Pro, the S12 Ultra includes the S Pen and offers expandable microSD storage. Microsoft’s Surface Pro, which runs Windows 11, gives users access to full desktop applications rather than mobile-only versions, setting it apart from both the Samsung and Apple tablets.
For people who already own the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra, the review suggests the upgrade may not be worth it given how many features carry over unchanged. But for those due for a new tablet, or those who prioritize gaming and creative work, the processor and software improvements make the S12 Ultra a strong option among premium Android tablets.
