Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ 12.4" Gray 2023

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ is a 12.4-inch Android tablet with an included S Pen, IP68 water resistance, and excellent battery life. It's ideal for note-taking, streaming, and light productivity at a mid-range price. The LCD screen and mid-tier Exynos chip keep it from being a flagship killer, but for most people it's more than enough.

The Exynos 1380 is a mid-range 8-core chip, and it handles everyday tasks without drama. We're talking split-screen multitasking, web browsing with a dozen tabs, streaming video, and light photo editing. It ranks in the 83rd percentile for CPU performance among tablets in our database, which puts it well above average but not in flagship territory. The GPU sits at the 80th percentile, so casual gaming is fine, but don't expect maxed-out settings on demanding titles.

In practice, apps open quickly, the UI stays smooth, and the 8GB of RAM keeps things from getting bogged down when you're jumping between tasks. The 256GB of storage is plenty for most people, and the microSD slot lets you add up to 1TB more if you're the type who hoards movies and offline playlists. The screen is a 2560x1600 LCD, which is sharp and bright enough for indoor use, but it's not OLED. Blacks aren't as deep, and contrast falls short of Samsung's pricier AMOLED tablets. For note-taking and streaming, it's solid. For HDR movie nights in a dark room, you'll notice the difference.

The Apple iPad Air 5th Generation is the obvious rival, and it wins on raw performance and app ecosystem. The M1 chip in the Air absolutely crushes the Exynos 1380 in benchmarks, and iPadOS has better tablet-optimized apps. But the Air costs more, the Apple Pencil is a separate purchase, and there's no expandable storage. The Tab S9 FE+ fights back with the included S Pen, the microSD slot, and that IP68 rating.

The Microsoft Surface Pro 11 is a different beast entirely. It runs full Windows, so you can use desktop apps like Photoshop or Visual Studio. That's a huge advantage for productivity, but the Surface is heavier, pricier, and the battery life doesn't match Samsung's endurance. The Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus and Xiaomi Pad 7 are both solid Android alternatives, with the Xiaomi offering a faster chip at a similar price, but neither has the water resistance or the stylus ecosystem of the Samsung. If you're deep in the Samsung phone world, the Tab S9 FE+ integrates better than any of these.

Pricing on this one is a bit scattered. We're seeing it listed around 20,399 MXN in Mexico, but availability varies by region. The value story hinges on the included S Pen and the IP68 rating, both of which are rare at this price point. Compare that to the Apple iPad Air 5th Generation, which costs more and makes you buy the Apple Pencil separately. The Surface Pro 11 is a full Windows machine, but you'll pay a lot more for that flexibility. If you want a big-screen Android tablet for notes, streaming, and light productivity, the Tab S9 FE+ delivers a lot for the money. Just don't expect flagship performance.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ sits in that sweet spot between budget Android slabs and the premium flagships that cost as much as a decent laptop. It's a 12.4-inch tablet with an Exynos 1380 chip, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage, plus the S Pen comes in the box. That last part matters more than you'd think. Samsung's stylus is genuinely good, and not having to shell out extra for it changes the value math considerably.

People searching for a tablet for note-taking, media consumption, or light creative work will find a lot to like here. The IP68 rating is rare in this category, so you can use it near the pool or in a dusty workshop without sweating it. And the battery is a 10,090mAh unit that Samsung claims can push up to 20 hours of video playback. Real-world numbers land lower, but it's still a two-day device for most people.

At 962 grams, this isn't the lightest tablet around. It's a big screen with a big battery, and you feel both. But the build quality is solid, the speakers are clear, and the whole package feels more expensive than the price tag suggests. If you're already in the Samsung ecosystem, this slots in nicely alongside a Galaxy phone.

Skip this if you're a serious gamer or need desktop-class performance. The Exynos 1380 handles casual games fine, but demanding titles will chug. If you want a tablet for photo or video editing, the Apple iPad Air 5th Generation or a Surface Pro 11 are better fits. Also skip it if you're picky about display quality. The LCD panel is good, but if you've used an OLED tablet, you'll miss the deep blacks and punchy contrast. And if you plan to use it one-handed a lot, the 962-gram weight gets old fast. For those cases, a smaller tablet like the base Tab S9 or an iPad mini makes more sense.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ is a genuinely good tablet for the right person. If you want a big screen for handwritten notes, streaming, reading, and light multitasking, and you don't want to spend flagship money, this is one of the best options out there. The S Pen is excellent, the battery lasts forever, and the IP68 rating means you don't have to baby it. Buyers consistently praise the display, battery life, and build quality, and our data backs that up.

But it's not for everyone. The LCD screen is a step down from Samsung's AMOLED panels, the Exynos 1380 isn't a gaming powerhouse, and the cameras are forgettable. If you need serious performance or a display that makes HDR content pop, you'll want to look elsewhere. For everyone else, this is a well-rounded tablet that nails the fundamentals.