Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 11" Geek Squad Certified Open Box 9, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, 8GB, 128GB, Graphite

The Galaxy Tab S9's 11-inch AMOLED 120Hz display is the standout, ranking in the 73rd percentile. But the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 only manages a 35th percentile CPU score, and battery life is a disappointing 30th percentile. At CAD 1,030 open box, you're paying for the screen and not much else.

Let's talk about that screen first, because it's the one area where this tablet genuinely shines. The 11-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate sits at the 73rd percentile in our database. That's a strong showing, and it means scrolling, drawing with the S Pen, and watching content all feel smooth and look vibrant. The quad speakers help with the entertainment side too, though the 44.4 entertainment score suggests the audio-visual combo doesn't fully carry the experience.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is a capable chip in phones, but in our tablet benchmarks it lands at the 35th percentile for CPU and 36th for GPU. That's mediocre territory. The 8GB of RAM is solid at the 66th percentile, and the 128GB of storage is about average at the 54th. Connectivity is a weak spot at the 45th percentile, and battery life is rough at the 30th percentile. So you've got a great screen bolted to a tablet that otherwise performs like a mid-range device. The IP68 rating and included S Pen are nice touches, but they don't move the performance needle much.

Stacked against the Apple iPad Pro M5, this Galaxy Tab S9 gets outclassed in raw performance. The iPad Pro's M-series chip would crush the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in benchmarks, and Apple's tablet ecosystem is more polished for creative work. The Microsoft Surface Pro 11th Edition offers a full Windows experience, which explains why the Tab S9's business score of 36.9 feels so low by comparison. The Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro is the interesting one, it often delivers similar or better specs at a lower price point. The Lenovo Idea Tab Plus and VekfulPC T60 Pro are budget alternatives that won't match the Tab S9's screen quality but cost significantly less. If you're set on Android and want that AMOLED panel, the Tab S9 makes sense. If you need productivity or raw power, look elsewhere.

At CAD 1,030 for a Geek Squad Certified Open Box unit, the value proposition is tricky. You're paying flagship money for a tablet that benchmarks like a mid-ranger in most categories. The screen is the saving grace, and if you're an artist or someone who spends hours looking at the display, that 73rd percentile panel might justify the cost. But the 30th percentile battery life and 35th percentile CPU mean you're not getting the full flagship experience. The open box status should theoretically save you money versus new, but without a new price to compare against, it's hard to say how much of a deal you're actually getting. The included S Pen does add value, since Samsung charges extra for it on some models.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Geek Squad Certified Open Box is a weird mix of premium hardware and middling benchmark scores. The 11-inch AMOLED panel running at 120Hz is the star here, landing in the 73rd percentile for screens, which means it's well above average but not quite top-tier. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and 8GB of RAM sound impressive on paper, but our database puts the CPU at the 35th percentile and the GPU at the 36th, so the raw numbers don't match the spec sheet hype.

For art and design work, it scores 47.3 out of 100, which is the best category this tablet has. Entertainment comes in at 44.4, and business is the weak spot at 36.9. The overall score of 41.2 puts it firmly in the middle of the pack. You're getting a certified open box unit, which means someone returned it and Geek Squad checked it over, but the price tag of CAD 1,030 still feels steep for what the benchmarks show.

If you need a tablet for productivity or business use, skip this one. The business score of 36.9 out of 100 is the lowest category, and the 35th percentile CPU won't keep up with heavy multitasking or demanding apps. Battery life at the 30th percentile is another dealbreaker for road warriors or students who need all-day endurance. And if you're a gamer, the 36th percentile GPU means this isn't the tablet for you. Anyone who doesn't specifically need the AMOLED display and S Pen should look at the iPad Pro M5 or Surface Pro 11th Edition instead.

The Galaxy Tab S9 is a screen-first tablet, and that's both its biggest strength and its biggest problem. The 73rd percentile display is genuinely great, and the S Pen plus IP68 rating make it a compelling option for artists who want a durable drawing device. But the 35th percentile CPU, 36th percentile GPU, and 30th percentile battery life drag the overall experience down. At CAD 1,030 for an open box unit, you're paying a premium for that screen while accepting compromises everywhere else. If your workflow revolves around the display and stylus input, it's worth considering. If you need a general-purpose tablet for work and play, the benchmarks suggest you can do better for the money.