Full Breakdown
Samsung Unveils Galaxy Tab S12 Plus and Ultra
By Drooid · · How we work
Launch Details and Core Specs
Samsung announced the Galaxy Tab S12 series, comprising the Tab S12 + and Tab S12 Ultra. Both models ship with a MediaTek Dimensity 9500 processor, a larger vapor-chamber cooling system, and an IP68 dust-and-water rating. The Plus features a 12.6-inch OLED display, while the Ultra retains a 14.6-inch panel; both screens reach 1,600 nits of peak brightness. Battery capacity rises to 10,600 mAh on the Plus and 11,600 mAh on the Ultra, with the Ultra remaining 5.1 mm thin. Each tablet includes an S Pen in the box and runs One UI 9 on Android 17, with Samsung pledging seven years of OS and security updates.
Product Line Context
The new tablets continue Samsung’s annual flagship-tablet cadence. The company did not release a smaller-screen model this year, leaving the 11-inch Galaxy Tab S11 as the only lower-size option. According to The Verge, the Plus model represents the most substantive upgrade since the Tab S10 Plus, while the Ultra largely carries over the design of last year’s Tab S11 Ultra with only a chipset refresh.
Pricing and Value Proposition
The Tab S12 + starts at $1,199 and the Tab S12 Ultra at $1,399, each about $200 higher than the previous generation. The Verge argues the price rise is justified by the brighter, slightly larger Plus display, the two-generation-ahead Dimensity 9500 chip, and a larger battery. The Ultra’s price increase reflects the same chipset bump and upgraded four-channel spatial audio, despite unchanged dimensions and battery size.
Software and Productivity Partnerships
Both devices come pre-installed with Adobe Photoshop for Android, offered exclusively on the Galaxy Store for six months and optimized for the S Pen. Additional trials include Notability (six months), Goodnotes, LumaFusion, Notion, and a six-month Google AI Pro subscription that enhances Gemini capabilities.
Availability and Support Commitment
The tablets become available in the United States on October 7. Samsung emphasizes a long-term support plan, promising seven years of operating-system and security updates for the S12 series.