Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra Hands-on preview: That's one big boy right there!
We took the biggest tablet in Samsung's portfolio for a quick spin. Here are our first impressions.
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Tablets are an interesting breed of devices, and in the past couple of years, they have grown in size substantially. Gone are the 7- and 8-inch tablets, and now we find 10- and 11-inch ones at the bottom of the size charts.
Conversely, we have huge tablets pushing the 15-inch threshold, and one of the first devices to offer such a big screen estate came from Samsung. The Galaxy Tab S Ultra series offers top-of-the-line performance and experience when it comes to tablets and aims to be a full-fledged laptop replacement.
Today we're focusing on the latest model from that series, the recently launched Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra. This big boy has all the right ingredients that make up the premium tablet recipe, and it can serve both productivity and entertainment purposes.
We had the opportunity to spend some time with the Tab S11 Ultra, and we're here to share some first impressions with you.
Conversely, we have huge tablets pushing the 15-inch threshold, and one of the first devices to offer such a big screen estate came from Samsung. The Galaxy Tab S Ultra series offers top-of-the-line performance and experience when it comes to tablets and aims to be a full-fledged laptop replacement.
We had the opportunity to spend some time with the Tab S11 Ultra, and we're here to share some first impressions with you.
Table of Contents:
Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra Specs
Huge!
Let's start with an overview of the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra specs:
| Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra |
|---|
| Size and Weight 326.7 x 208.3 x 5.5 mm 692 grams |
| Display 14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, (2960 x 1848), 120Hz |
| Processor MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ | MT6991 |
| Software Android 16, OneUI 8 |
| Cameras Front: 12MP UW Rear: 13MP + 8MP UW |
| Battery Size 11,600 mAh |
| Charging Speeds 45W wired charging |
| Memory and Storage 12GB (RAM) + 256GB 12GB (RAM) + 512GB 16GB (RAM) + 1TB |
Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra Design and Display
14.6-inch AMOLED goodness
Holding the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra in the hand is a weird experience. This tablet measures 326 x 208 mm and weighs almost 700 grams, so the feeling is as if you're holding a laptop. The overall design is similar to the previous model, but there are some changes.
The Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra uses an aluminum unibody (enhanced Armor Aluminum) and a tempered glass over its huge screen. The new and redesigned S Pen snaps magnetically on the side, while on the previous model the stylus has a place on the back (marked by a white stripe).
The cameras also look bigger, and Samsung had decided to remove the second front camera in favor of a single 12MP one, so the notch is more understated on the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra.
The thickness is just 5.5 mm, and due to the sheer size of the tablet, the subjective feel is of a super-thin device. The tablet comes in two colors—Moonstone Gray, and Platinum Silver—both looking very stylish in person.
The Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra uses an aluminum unibody (enhanced Armor Aluminum) and a tempered glass over its huge screen. The new and redesigned S Pen snaps magnetically on the side, while on the previous model the stylus has a place on the back (marked by a white stripe).
The cameras also look bigger, and Samsung had decided to remove the second front camera in favor of a single 12MP one, so the notch is more understated on the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra.
The thickness is just 5.5 mm, and due to the sheer size of the tablet, the subjective feel is of a super-thin device. The tablet comes in two colors—Moonstone Gray, and Platinum Silver—both looking very stylish in person.
The Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is one of the best ways to get an almost 15-inch AMOLED display for your viewing pleasure. OLED technology has matured over the years, but it's still pretty rare on such large devices.
The panel can go up to a 120 Hz refresh rate, and Samsung cites 1600 nits of peak brightness, which is great for the size. The bezels look tiny, but that's almost an illusion born from the sheer size of the thing. The Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra uses an under-display fingerprint scanner, and during our time with the tablet, it worked just fine.
Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra Keyboard and Stylus
The Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra comes with a new and redesigned S Pen in the retail box, although it's a design overhaul and the features are the same as last year. The new S Pen also attaches to the side of the tablet, and it's more comfortable to work with, thanks to the pencil-like shape.
There's no new Book Cover Keyboard model to go along with the Tab S11 series, so you can use the one launched with the previous generation Tab S10 Ultra. Samsung mentioned plans for launching a new model in 2026, but we couldn't get more information on that.
There's no new Book Cover Keyboard model to go along with the Tab S11 series, so you can use the one launched with the previous generation Tab S10 Ultra. Samsung mentioned plans for launching a new model in 2026, but we couldn't get more information on that.
Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra Performance & Benchmarks
MediaTek's finest
The Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra comes equipped with MediaTek's finest—the Dimensity 9400. This chip is manufactured on a 3nm node and offers a comparable raw performance to the Snapdragon 8 Elite.
We were able to secretly run a few benchmarks on the tablet while we were tinkering with it, so let's see how it performs compared to the previous model (featuring the Dimensity 9300+), and we will also throw in the S25 Ultra in the mix, just to make that Snapdragon 8 Elite comparison. Of course, the 13-inch iPad Pro is also here to take that raw synthetic benchmark crown with its M4 chipset.
We were able to secretly run a few benchmarks on the tablet while we were tinkering with it, so let's see how it performs compared to the previous model (featuring the Dimensity 9300+), and we will also throw in the S25 Ultra in the mix, just to make that Snapdragon 8 Elite comparison. Of course, the 13-inch iPad Pro is also here to take that raw synthetic benchmark crown with its M4 chipset.
As expected, the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is pretty close to the S25 Ultra when it comes to CPU performance, and there's a good jump in performance compared to the last model. The 13-inch iPad Pro obliterates the competition with its M4 silicon, especially in the multi-core benchmark.
GPU Performance
When it comes to GPU score, the picture is a bit different—the new Tab S11 Ultra gets a performance boost compared to its predecessor, and it also leaves the Snapdragon 8 Elite-equipped Galaxy S25 Ultra behind. We know it's a tablet vs phone situation, but it turns out the Immortalis-G925 MC12 GPU is quite a powerful one. It even gives the M4 a run for its money.
In terms of storage configurations, you can get the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra with 12GB or 16GB of RAM, depending on the onboard storage. The 256GB and 512GB versions come with 12GB of RAM, and if you opt for the 1TB storage variant, you get 16GB of RAM.
Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra Software
The Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra runs on Android 16 out of the box with Samsung's OneUI 8 on top. Samsung has upgraded the Samsung DeX functionality and you can use the tablet as an external monitor in Extended Mode (it's great to have a 14.6-inch OLED monitor at hand). You can also drag and drop apps between displays or create up to four separate, customized workspaces for different needs.
There are AI tricks on board as well, both inside Galaxy AI and in the form of Gemini Live. There's also Drawing Assist aimed to help with your sketches, Writing Assist, and of course Circle to Search. We will test all these when we get the Tab S11 Ultra in our lab, so stay tuned for a detailed breakdown of all the features.
Samsung offers seven years of software support on all of its flagship devices and the Tab S11 Ultra is no exception.
Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra Audio Quality
The quad speaker sound system inside the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is great. The audio is plenty loud and because of the size, you get great separation between the channels. The system is still stereo but the AKG tuning can be heard - no distortion and a detailed and rich soundscape.
Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra Battery and Charging
There's a huge 11,600 mAh battery inside the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra, which could result in a better battery life compared to the previous model. The Tab S10 Ultra managed 4h 51m with its 11,200 mAh battery and ranked 11th, so we expect good things from the successor.
The charging caps at 45W wired (no wireless charging on board), and we doubt these speeds will fill the huge battery in under one hour. But we will test the battery life and charging once the tablet arrives in our lab.
Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra Camera
Minus one front camera
The camera situation has changed slightly and this change concerns the front-facing cameras. Samsung has removed the wide 12MP front camera, and the Tab S11 Ultra now features only a single 12MP ultrawide snapper.
The dual-camera system on the back remains unchanged from the previous generation, featuring a 13MP wide camera and an 8MP ultrawide snapper. We will include camera samples (both images and video) once we get our hands on the tablet, so stay tuned.
Should you buy it?
At $1,199, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is not a cheap device. You have a lot of cheaper options in the tablet realm, but what you don't have is a lot of 14.6-inch competitors. The last-generation model offers a very similar experience, so if you already have the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, there's no reason to upgrade.
On the other hand, if you're looking for a big-screen tablet to boost your productivity or you want to enjoy an immersive multimedia experience, the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is a great candidate for both roles.
We will update this preview with all the necessary tests, benchmarks, and samples, as well as a final score, once the tablet arrives in our lab.
On the other hand, if you're looking for a big-screen tablet to boost your productivity or you want to enjoy an immersive multimedia experience, the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is a great candidate for both roles.
We will update this preview with all the necessary tests, benchmarks, and samples, as well as a final score, once the tablet arrives in our lab.
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