Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra vs. Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra: Which one is better to buy in 2023?

Source: Samsung
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra
More durable
The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is Samsung’s highest-end 2023 tablet. Available in Beige and Graphite colorways, it offers a gorgeous 14.6-inch display, S Pen support, 5G connectivity, and much more. You can save up to $650 with an eligible trade-in, plus you can get 50% off on a Book Cover Keyboard Slim case for a limited time.
Pros
New Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip
Will receive more software updates than its predecessor
IP68 rating for dust and water resistance
Cons
Expensive price tag
Not huge departure from S8 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra
Still a good choice
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra remains one of the best Android tablets you can buy. It may not have all the bells and whistles as the new Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra model, but it still holds up very well and is better than most Android slates out there.
Pros
Relatively cheaper price tag
Beautiful Dynamic AMOLED panel
Reliable performance for day-to-day use
Cons
No IP rating
Fewer updates compared to the new model

Samsung’s new Galaxy Tab S9 series brings some notable upgrades over the existing lineup, upping the ante again in the Android tablets space. The company has updated all three models, which means we also have an upgraded Ultra variant. The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra was already an excellent tablet with powerful internals and a massive 14.6-inch display — so has Samsung done enough to differentiate and make the new Galaxy Tab S9 model stand out? Let’s take a look at the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra compared to the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra to see what’s new in the upgraded tablet and whether you should consider it over the last year’s model.

Price, availability, and specs

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has been out for more than a year now and is readily available to purchase from various retailers in the U.S. You can grab the base variant for as low as $1,000 right now, which is $200 less than its launch price. It’s available in 8GB+128GB, 12GB+256GB, and 16GB+512GB configurations, but you can only get it in Graphite color.

On the other hand, the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is now up for pre-orders, and it’ll hit the shelves on August 11. The new Ultra model comes in 12GB+256GB, 12GB+512GB, and 16GB+1TB configurations, and you also get to pick between Graphite and Beige colors. The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra base variant starts at $1,200 and goes all the way up to $1,620 for the top-end model with 1TB storage. It is a bit on the expensive side, but Samsung usually offers some great deals to make it easier on the wallet. For instance, for a limited time, you can get a free storage upgrade as a part of its pre-order bonus.

	Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra	Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra
Brand	Samsung	Samsung
Storage	256GB, 512GB, 1TB	128GB, 256GB, 512GB
CPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon®8 Gen 2for Galaxy	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
Memory	12GB, 16GB	8GB, 12GB
Operating System	Android 13	Android 13
Battery	11,200mAh	11,200mAh
Ports	USB-C, microSD	USB-C, microSD
Camera (Rear, Front)	Rear: Primary: 13MP, AF — Ultra-wide: 8MP — Front: Primary: 12MP — Ultra-wide: 12MP	Rear: Primary: 13MP, AF — Ultra-wide: 6MP — Front: Primary: 12MP — Ultra-wide: 12MP
Display (Size, Resolution)	14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 60Hz – 120Hz	14.6-inch Super AMOLED, 120Hz
Size	12.85×8.21×0.22 in(326.4×208.6×5.5 mm)	12.85×8.21×0.22 in (326.4×208.6×5.5 mm)
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3,	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2,
Headphone jack	No	No
Colors	Beige, Graphite	Graphite
IP RATING	IP68	NA
Weight	25.82 ounces (732 g)	25.60 ounces(726 g)

Design and display

All three models in the Galaxy Tab S9 series look very similar to their previous-gen counterparts, so you’re not going to notice a significant difference between the two tablets in this comparison. The new tablet even has the same dimensions, meaning it’s just as big as last year’s model. While it is a few grams heavier, the weight is not a significant difference and certainly not enough to tell them apart visually. The only way you can stand out with your Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is by picking the Beige colorway, now being offered as standard across all Galaxy Tab S9 models. The newer model doesn’t have the black visor at the back either, but the S Pen still attaches magnetically without any issues.

The lack of visual differences is a bit disappointing, but at least the newer model is more durable than what we had last year. Both tablets feature an armored aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass for additional strength; however, the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra also carries an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. Although an IP rating isn’t the first thing you’d look for in a table, it doesn’t hurt to have something that offers more durability, thereby eliminating a few sources of potential damage to the device. An official IP rating means you can freely use the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra in, say, a beach or near the pool without worrying about how it’d hold up.

As for the display, we’re looking at a 14.6-inch OLED panel on both tablets with support for up to 120Hz refresh rate. They’re both 16:10 displays with support for 2960×1848 resolution and HDR10+. As my colleague Ben Sin mentioned in his Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra review last year, this massive display is excellent for both media consumption and your everyday work, so don’t hold it against Samsung for not upgrading or throwing in a sharper display. It’s a crisp-looking display with great colors, and it also comes with an optical fingerprint scanner for authentication.

The Tab S8 Ultra’s screen size is great for reading American comic pages.

The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra uses a different OLED panel that supports a 60Hz-120Hz adaptive refresh rate instead of just a 120Hz locked rate. The newer panel also has a significantly higher peak brightness, coming in at 930+ nits, versus the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra’s display, which tops out at 500 nits. So you are essentially looking at a slightly better display even though they measure and look the same at first glance.

Performance and battery life

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor powering the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is already quite capable and among the best chipsets out there. But that didn’t stop Samsung from using a relatively newer chip in the Galaxy Tab S9 models. The new Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, the same chip powering Samsung’s Galaxy S23 series flagships and its new foldables. As highlighted in our Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy breakdown, this custom variant has a slightly higher clock speed and a few other improvements to make it better than the regular Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chips.

When it comes to day-to-day usage, you may not notice a huge difference between the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra and the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra’s overall performance, but the newer tablet is better at handling resource-intensive apps and tasks. The new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chips are also more power efficient, meaning the device will consume less overall power while outputting roughly the same performance.

Samsung also offers more memory and storage options for the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra. The base variant of the new tablet comes with 12GB RAM and 256GB internal storage as opposed to 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. You can also configure the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra to have 1TB of storage, whereas the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra tops out at 512GB.

When it comes to day-to-day usage, you may not notice a huge difference between the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra and the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra’s overall performance.

The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra supports the same Wi-Fi 6E as last year’s models, though you get Bluetooth 5.3 instead of 5.2. Once again, there’s no support for 5G for the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra model sold in the U.S., so you’ll have to pick the Galaxy Tab S9+ model for 5G or LTE cellular connectivity options.

Both tablets in this comparison pack the same 11,200mAh battery inside, which should be enough to get through you multiple days of moderate use. Your mileage may vary based on the usage, but you’re not likely to face any major battery issues. And while both tablets support 45W charging, you’ll have to bring your own charger. We’ve highlighted some excellent options in our best Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra accessories collection, so be sure to check them out regardless of the tablet you pick.

Cameras and software

A render showing the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra's camera visor at the back.

The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra had a pretty good set of cameras, so Samsung didn’t really change much except for the ultra-wide sensor. The newer tablet sports an 8MP f/2.2 ultrawide as opposed to a 6MP f/2.2 sensor on last year’s model, but they both sport the same 12MP f/2.0 main sensor.

The selfies are also the same on both tablets, with dual 12MP cameras, out of which one is an f/2.4 ultrawide sensor with a 120-degree field of view. Nothing particularly stands out about the cameras on these tablets overall, but they should be enough for casual usage. Both tablets can record 4K videos at up to 60fps using both front and rear cameras, meaning there are no differences in video recording capabilities, either.

Both tablets in this comparison run the same One UI 5.1.1 software, based on Android 13. The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra ships with this version out of the box, whereas the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra was recently updated to this version from One UI 4.1. Samsung promises four major Android OS updates for both tablets, so the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra will see one more update than the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra; it was recently updated from Android 12-based One UI 4.1 software One UI 5.1.1 powered by Android 13.

Which one should you buy?

Just like the regular Galaxy Tab S9 and the S9+, the Ultra model isn’t a significant upgrade over its previous-gen counterpart. In fact, besides the obvious spec bump, the only changes here are an IP68 rating for more durability and a higher-resolution ultrawide sensor at the back. We’re also looking at a slightly better display on the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra that gets brighter and supports an adaptive refresh rate.

The improved internals and better software support guarantee your slate will remain relevant for a long time. You can also get it with 1TB of storage out of the box, which is not an option with the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. I am glad it carries the same $1,200 price tag as the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra at launch, making it a pretty good deal for those who demand the absolute best. Just make sure to protect your new tablet with one of the best Tab S9 Ultra cases.

Source: Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra

Editor’s choice

The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra may not be a significant upgrade over its predecessor, but it’s still an improvement worth considering if you’re chasing the best. It offers a gorgeous 14.6-inch display, S Pen support, and much more. It’s also available in Beige and Graphite colorways.

None of those are ground-breaking changes, though, so you might be better off buying last year’s Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra and spending the extra money on the best cases or other accessories to improve your overall daily use. It’s still among the best tablets out there, capable of going toe-to-toe with other flagship slates in 2023. The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is a solid choice if you don’t mind giving up the IP rating and settling for last year’s chip. The display is still bright enough to be comfortably used indoors, and the tablet includes all the other extras, such as an S Pen, a decent set of cameras, and overall good build quality.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra

Excellent alternative

$1000 $1100 Save $100

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is still a solid option to consider for a slightly cheaper price. It sports a beautiful AMOLED panel and has all the other essentials too.