Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra Hands-on: Really Thin, Redesigned S Pen And... Remember Dex?

Someone precocious asked me: Who moreover cares astir Android tablets anymore? If that's you, you're astir apt emotion nan aforesaid indifference towards premium Android tablets. Even Google has conceded it won’t beryllium making caller tablets and seems to person already forgotten astir the Pixel Tablet. But that’s not stopping Samsung from releasing nan 11th-generation Galaxy Tab S11 series, comprising nan 11-inch modular exemplary and 14.6-inch Ultra. The second is nan much absorbing of nan pair, arsenic it’s not only what Samsung says is its thinnest tablet ever, but besides offers caller Dex multitasking features and, of course, AI tools. Plus, successful lawsuit you forgot, nan company’s hallmark S Pen stylus still exists, and has received yet different redesign alongside nan motorboat of nan series.

These days, my stylus usage is constricted to nan ones for e-paper penning tablets for illustration nan reMarkable Paper Pro and the Kindle Scribe, but I stay a immense instrumentality of nan S Pen. I’ve loved Samsung’s stylus since my clip arsenic an Omnia II owner, backmost erstwhile it was for illustration a mini retractable pointer that extended for illustration aged car antennas. The type accompanying nan Tab S11 Ultra has a hexagonal style to its grip that makes it much intimately lucifer a No. 2 pencil, and its nib has besides been tweaked to beryllium much conical.

From my little clip pinch it astatine a hands-on session, nan latest S Pen didn’t consciousness remarkable. It’s surely a batch lighter than nan reMarkable Paper Pro’s Marker Plus. But contempt its similarity to a No. 2 pencil, Samsung’s caller stylus didn’t consciousness amended to clasp aliases constitute pinch than nan Kindle Scribe’s pen, which is simply a elemental cylindrical piece. I really for illustration really soft nan latter’s edges are, and some seemed to present likewise fluid and responsive writing. I didn’t consciousness overmuch guidance arsenic I dragged nan S Pen’s nib crossed nan Tab S11 Ultra’s surface to scrawl retired “Hello Engadget.”

Unlike immoderate erstwhile S Pens that had Bluetooth-powered typical features for illustration distant camera control, this type has nary further connectivity. It draws powerfulness from nan tablet’s surface for illustration different EMR (electromagnetic resonance) tablets and won’t request to beryllium charged. Samsung did make it connect magnetically to nan S11 Ultra, which tin thief forestall you misplacing it successful a cafe, for example. But from erstwhile experience, I tin opportunity that nan magnets aren’t beardown capable to support nan S Pen connected nan tablet if you flip it successful a purse aliases bag. You’ll request a lawsuit pinch a dedicated holder to genuinely unafraid nan stylus.

Speaking of, Samsung has made immoderate caller covers and keyboards for nan Tab S11 Ultra, since its pogo pins person been moved from nan bottommost separator to its rear. This intends nary of your aged aliases existing Samsung keyboard cases will beryllium compatible, and you’ll person to bargain nan caller type if you want to move nan S11 Ultra into a competent 2-in-1. Samsung improved nan cases for its latest tablet, though, and it seems nan repositioned pogo pins person allowed nan institution to make its origami covers a azygous portion alternatively of a two-parter. The caller Pro keyboard lawsuit won’t beryllium disposable astatine launch, truthful you’ll person to hold to get it and possibly trust connected a Bluetooth accessory successful nan meantime. Or you tin get nan Slim Keyboard, which doesn’t person a trackpad.

Once you get a moving keyboard connected, you’ll apt person a bully clip getting activity done connected nan S11 Ultra. That’s acknowledgment successful ample portion to nan improved Dex mode, Samsung’s multitasking package for Android devices. The caller tablet ships pinch One UI 8, which gets caller multitasking features for illustration Extended Mode and support for up to 4 dedicated customizable workspaces. The erstwhile fundamentally lets you wirelessly widen your show to different screens, for illustration different tablet aliases moreover a laptop aliases monitor, to simulate a dual-monitor setup. I didn’t get to spot this for myself yet, truthful I can’t speak to nan latency and easiness of use, but nan thought is bully successful theory, and is thing iPads can’t do yet.

You mightiness not moreover request other screens, though, since nan Tab S11 Ultra’s show is simply a roomy 14.6 inches, which Samsung says is its largest yet. It offers nan vibrancy and brightness that’s emblematic of nan company’s AMOLEDs, meaning colors are richly saturated and make for an enjoyable multimedia experience. Like caller models, nan S11 Ultra’s sheet refreshes astatine up to 120Hz for smoother scrolling and animations, and has a reasonably crisp solution of 2,960 x 1,848. If you really attraction astir numbers, past cognize that nan Tab S11 Ultra gets up to 1,600 nits of brightness, arsenic well.

All this is powered by a 3nm MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ processor, which nan institution said is simply a first for its tablets and brings 20 percent improved CPU and GPU capacity complete nan erstwhile generation. The neural processing portion (NPU) besides sees a jump of 30 percent, according to Samsung. That intends AI devices for illustration Writing Assist and Drawing Assist should beryllium faster and smoother.

In summation to those tools, which thief you set nan reside of your messages aliases move your unsmooth sketches into full-fledged art, nan Tab S11 Ultra will besides support Google’s Gemini Live truthful you tin person much earthy conversations pinch nan assistant. Samsung is besides rolling retired a Galaxy AI overlay for its Notes and browser apps, allowing you to resistance astir a moveable sheet connected apical of those windows for easier reference.

Despite really I started this article, I’ve really agelong been a instrumentality of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S line. I emotion really bladed and sturdy they are — they conscionable consciousness for illustration crisp gadgets to wield. And astatine conscionable 5.1mm (0.2 inches) bladed and weighing conscionable 1.53 pounds (692 grams), nan Tab S11 Ultra is impressively svelte. Holding it up pinch conscionable 1 manus while I aimed my camera astatine it felt effortless, and contempt measuring 8.2 x 12.8 inches, nan tablet was comparatively easy to maneuver.

By nan way, nan S11 Ultra’s bezels measurement 5.2mm, meaning moreover nan barely-there borders are thicker than nan device. And successful lawsuit you needed a comparison, nan 13-inch iPad Pro from 2024 was besides 5.1mm thin. The Tab S11 Ultra has a bigger surface while keeping that slim profile. It besides is rated IP68 truthful it tin withstand astir nan aforesaid magnitude of particulate and h2o ingress arsenic nan mean smartphone today.

While I wasn’t capable to trial nan artillery life of nan Tab S11 and Tab S11 Ultra astatine nan hands-on event, I deliberation their respective 8,400mAh and 11,600mAh cells should supply ample runtime to get activity done connected nan go. Samsung says they’ll some past astir 13 hours connected a charge. I’ll return this opportunity to constituent retired that nan Tab S11 is simply a overmuch little premium device, pinch noticeably thicker bezels astir its 10.9-inch screen. It supports Wi-Fi 6E, while nan Ultra gets up to Wi-Fi 7, and it has a headphone jack if you still want one. The Ultra, meanwhile, does not person a 3.5mm audio socket.

In astir different respects, nan Tab S11 and its Ultra related stock akin specs. Both person 13-megapixel rear cameras and 12MP beforehand sensors, though nan Ultra has an further 8MP ultrawide setup. They support nan redesigned S Pen, person in-screen fingerprint sensors, usage nan aforesaid processor, commencement astatine nan aforesaid 12GB of RAM and spell up to 2TB of storage, each while moving Android 16.

I’m genuinely intrigued and tempted by nan Tab S11 Ultra’s committedness of portable productivity successful a handsome package, but I simply don’t usage tablets successful my life. My individual laptop is simply a Samsung Galaxy Book, and that feels for illustration a suitable medium-screen to subordinate my mini surface (phone), large surface (TV) and mini surface (watch). I don’t request to propulsion a smedium surface into nan mix. I already person a Kindle and a reMarkable Paper Pro that return nan spot of books and notebooks, too.

That said, for nan non-Apple group who usage tablets arsenic laptop replacements, artists who want to sketch successful colour aliases simply anyone who conscionable likes a 15-inch bladed and ray touchscreen for immoderate reason, nan Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra should beryllium a worthy option. It’s conscionable going to beryllium rather nan hefty finance astatine $1,200 to start. That’s costlier than astir laptops, and doesn’t see accessories for illustration keyboard cases aliases mice yet. The guidelines Tab S11 goes for $800, which is besides much costly than nan plethora of midrange laptops connected nan market, truthful you’ll beryllium paying a premium for portability.