What is the deal?
The Galaxy Tab S9 FE is a strong, big-screen pill that is constructed for media, and it is presently $136 off the common worth, or simply $313.
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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Samsung’s newest Galaxy tablets are available in two sizes, the 10.9-inch Tab S9 FE for $313, and the 12.4-inch Tab S9 FE+ for $370.
- When you have your coronary heart set on a giant pill for watching motion pictures and multitasking on the go and wish to hold your spending in test, the Tab S9 FE+ is a strong selection.
- Needless to say you could expertise the standard Android pill quirks, corresponding to outstretched apps and the occasional slow-down.
The world of budget-friendly Android tablets continues to develop as extra corporations attempt to attraction to those that do not feel like spending $1,000+ on a pleasant Netflix machine. Samsung is as soon as once more attempting to make one thing occur within the higher mid-range sector with the Galaxy Tab S9 FE sequence, which consists of the regular S9 FE and the S9 FE+. I have been reviewing the latter, which retails at $419, and… it is fairly good!
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I am not going to inform you it is the best pill since sliced bread. Whereas it marks the return of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab FE line after a hiatus in 2022, the corporate’s mid-range tablets have not modified all that a lot, save for a number of tweaks right here and there to deliver them as much as 2024 requirements. The S9 FE+ is a major instance of that, however regardless of being a boring replace, it is nonetheless a terrific possibility for those who’re after a giant display screen with lengthy battery life.
The display screen is admittedly what makes the Galaxy Tab S9 FE+. Samsung features a 12.4-inch 16:10 IPS LCD that, to my eye, appears about as shut as you will get to OLED with out truly making the leap to OLED. Content material appears pin-sharp because of the 2560 x 1600 decision, whereas colours are vibrant and distinction is surprisingly enough. I’ve loved doing nearly every little thing on this pill, from watching motion pictures to studying articles. All of it appears excellent, which is to be anticipated from a pill from Samsung.
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Is it as stunning as a straight-up OLED panel? No, not likely. It would not assist that there is a grey tint each time one thing tremendous darkish reveals up on the display screen (corresponding to nighttime in a film), however for this worth, it is forgivable.
The display screen sits on the entrance of an aluminum chassis that Samsung affords in 4 colours: Silver, Grey, Lavender, and Mint (the one I acquired — and yeah, it is undoubtedly one of the best one). There isn’t any scarcity of similarities between it and the opposite members of the Galaxy Tab sequence, with its flat sides, round speaker grilles, and antenna stripes. This additionally makes it look lots like Apple’s iPads, which you can’t unsee the second you set them subsequent to one another.
Whereas the Tab S9 FE will not be probably the most snug pill to carry for lengthy intervals of time (no pill with flat edges is), it is at the very least skinny and lightweight sufficient that you do not develop drained. After some time, it simply tends to dig into your hand, which is not nice. However then once more, that is with most fashionable tablets today. At the least the bezels are thick sufficient so you’ve gotten someplace to place your thumbs.
Below the hood, Samsung packs in its Exynos 1380 processor, a mid-range chipset that is not positioned to tackle the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2s and Apple M1s of the world. As an alternative, it is a high-quality processor for the Galaxy Tab S9 FE+, with efficiency that is usually dependable throughout my testing. Apps and video games reply in a well timed method, with just a few slowdowns each time I swap between apps quickly.
There’s 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage in my unit, which is completely high-quality for many shoppers. If you need extra, there is a 12GB RAM/256GB storage option that is solely $389, which will provide you with a bit extra headroom that may come in useful for those who’re a critical pill multitasker.
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The gadget comes with Samsung’s One UI 5.1 on high of Android 13, and it is a high-quality working system. The Tab S9 FE+ dons the standard One UI aesthetic and everything-but-the-kitchen-sink method to options and settings, together with an array of multitasking options like split-screen, multi-window, and even DeX, which provides you a desktop-like interface for getting work achieved. That characteristic is finest paired with a keyboard and mouse, which Samsung is pleased to promote you within the type of the Ebook Cowl Keyboard. I did not get it to overview, however I guess it is good once you’re in DeX mode.
In fact, that is Android on a pill, so you will should cope with all of the bizarre methods apps open and scale on the show. I will admit, the app help state of affairs is not as unhealthy because it was a few years ago, because of Google pressuring extra builders to optimize their apps for bigger units. Nonetheless, it isn’t good, and customary apps like X (previously Twitter), Instagram, and Slack will both not stretch to fill the show or stretch too extensively and go away you with a bunch of white area. This is not Samsung’s fault, by the best way — it is a bigger downside with Android, which I really feel obligated to say each time I overview an Android pill.
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Oh, there’s another software-esque characteristic I’ve to say: drawing. The Tab S9 FE+ comes with an S Pen that magnetically attaches to the again to recharge. You’ll be able to write notes, signal paperwork, create drawings, sketch, and extra with strong accuracy and responsiveness. Samsung has been doing the S Pen factor for some time now, and it is perfected its approach.
Battery life has been actually good on the Tab S9 FE+, which is good to see. There is a 10,090mAh battery inside that may final two to 3 days on a full cost with my mild use. In the event you take it on a aircraft with you, you’ll be able to simply watch two motion pictures, play some video games, and skim an e book earlier than it dies. Standby can be surprisingly nice; I left this pill unattended all night time at 100%, and it solely dropped to 96 % by the subsequent morning. It is paying homage to the sort of endurance you will get from an iPad Air.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
In the event you’re contemplating selecting up the Tab S9 FE+, I might advocate contemplating precisely what you want out of your subsequent pill. In the event you’re after a giant display screen and lengthy battery life, that is the one for you.
However for those who’d be OK with one thing a bit of smaller or serves as a second gadget once you aren’t utilizing it, the Pixel Tablet is all the time a terrific possibility. It comes with a smaller 10.2-inch display screen and a Tensor G2 processor, and it bundles a speaker dock within the field that turns it into a wise show. Plus, it is round $200 cheaper.
However when you have your coronary heart set on a giant pill for watching motion pictures and multitasking on the go and wish to hold your spending in test, the Tab S9 FE+ is a strong selection. There’s nothing actually particular that stands out in regards to the gadget, however as a common on a regular basis pill (that occurs to be bigger than common and comes with a stylus within the field), it is fairly good.
When will this deal expire?
Offers are topic to sell-out or expire anytime, although ZDNET stays dedicated to discovering, sharing, and updating one of the best product offers so that you can rating one of the best financial savings. Our crew of specialists commonly checks in on the offers we share to make sure they’re nonetheless stay and obtainable. We’re sorry for those who’ve missed out on this deal, however do not fret — we’re consistently discovering new possibilities to avoid wasting and sharing them with you at ZDNET.com.
