Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra vs iPad Pro M4: alright, old chap, let's go again!
The new Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is here to challenge the iPad Pro... again!
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Samsung has just dropped its next generation of premium tablets. The Galaxy Tab S11 line is here. Though calling it a "line" is a bit odd — it's two tablets — the 11" Galaxy Tab S11 and the gargantuan 14.6" Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra.
They generally have the same hardware and are positioned to rival the iPad Pro models — those too come in two sizes, being 11" and 13".
So, you're out to get yourself a big, mean tablet that has hardware power and software features to accommodate a wide variety of needs — gaming, productivity, multimedia binging, note-taking, being pretty. How does the new Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra compare to the established iPad Pro M4 13"?
Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra vs iPad Pro M4 differences explained:
| Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra | iPad Pro M4 |
|---|---|
| 14.6-inch display with a 16:10 aspect ratio (wider) | 13-inch display with a 4:3 aspect ratio (taller) |
| Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 1,600 nits peak | Tandem OLED, 1,600 nits peak |
| MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ (3 nm) processor | Apple M4 (3 nm) desktop class processor |
| 12 GB / 256 GB 12 GB / 512 GB 16 GB / 1 TB | 8 GB / 256 GB 8 GB / 512 GB 16 GB / 1 TB 16 GB / 2 TB |
| 13 MP main camera 8 MP ultra-wide 12 MP selfie | 12 MP camera ToF 3D sensor 12 MP selfie |
| 11,600 mAh battery 45 W wired charging | 10,290 mAh battery 18 W wired charging |
| OneUI 8 / Android 16 | iPados 18 (iPados 26 coming soon) |
Both of these tablets rock cream-of-the-crop hardware, though they will have some very evident differences in user experience. Samsung does provide a wider screen, which lends itself better for video, where the 13-inch iPad Pro chooses to be taller. A 4:3 aspect ratio is pretty awkward in 2025 for multimedia consumption, but we've found that it works great for mobile apps, which do make use of that vertical space for more toolbars.
Other differences include the camera choices — Apple figured that users don't need ultra-wide cameras on tablets and just omitted them. Samsung still provides somewhat of a set. What's unique about the iPad Pro is the Time of Flight camera, which helps make AR apps and utilities more accurate. Though, these haven't really become as popular as manufacturers once thought they would.
Table of Contents:
Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra vs iPad Pro M4 13" Design and Display
The future is thin
Over the past couple of generations, these premium tablets have really become quite thin. The Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra here is only 5.08 mm thick, the iPad Pro 13" is 5.1 mm. This feels great when trying to handle these otherwise huge tablets, but also means that once you stick them in a keyboard case, they won't become super-bulky. Of course, it also raises concerns about durability. While we haven't had the iPad Pro or the old Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra bend on us just yet, we are mindful of how we stick them inside backpacks and bags, of course.
What we have here is industrial design on full display, both tablets rocking matte aluminum bodies and feeling cool to the touch. Samsung has even reduced the funny notch with the two selfie cameras... it's now one selfie camera!
Of course, that's all because the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra has a very thin bezel. This may be a bit of a problem if you intend to carry the tablet around, screen on, tapping away at your emails and messages. Your thumb doesn't have a lot of room to rest and hold the slate. Then again, it's a 14.6" tablet, so it's reasonable to assume that you will be using it stationary more often than not.
The iPad Pro M4 13" is also pretty huge, but has a bit more bezel around the screen to grab on to, and doesn't need a notch for its FaceID sensors — the camera and IR blaster are all embedded in the frame seamlessly. And yes, both the Galaxy and iPad here have their selfie cameras on the "landscape" frame, just like a laptop, because it makes sense.
Here's something interesting — the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra has IP68 ingress protection rating. So, take it by the pool and enjoy working while getting some tan. The iPad Pro M4 has no ingress protection rating, handle with care.
If you are into fun colors, you are probably not a professional — or so think Samsung and Apple, as both the Tab S11 Ultra and iPad Pro M4 are only available in black and silver.
Both tablets here have OLED panels. Apple dropped the whole Mini LED experiment quite quickly, after the iPad Pro (2022). Now, both iPad Pro M4 sizes have Tandem OLED — a dual-layered OLED panel that has been designed this way to increase brightness output with more energy efficiency and supposedly improve longevity.
The Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra has Samsung's excellent Dynamic OLED x2 panel, which is super-bright and vibrant. It also has the next-level anti-glare coating that Samsung has been using for a while now — it helps with image further by reducing distractions and making the screen pop. The iPad Pro M4 does have anti-glare coating, too, but it's not as effective as Samsung's.
Stay tuned for display measurements once we get a Tab S11 Ultra in our labs1
For biometrics, Apple has the Face ID — it's fast, secure, and works in any orientation. It's grown up quite a bit and is very convenient nowadays. Samsung utilizes an under-screen fingerprint scanner for its security, but you can set up a selfie camera unlock as well.
Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra vs iPad Pro M4 13" Keyboard and Stylus
Samsung does ship the Galaxy Tab S series with an S Pen in the box, which is a huge win. The S Pen is an excellent stylus when it comes to accuracy, feel, and features. It predates the Apple Pencil by quite a bit and Samsung has fine-tuned it over the years to a point where we can't imagine an upgrade that's needed.
That said, the Apple Pencil is very, very good in its own right — especially the Pro variant — though, it's an added purchase on top of the pricey iPad Pro M4. Also, it takes some time to get used to as its plastic tip easily slides over the glass display panel of an iPad. You either re-teach your muscle memory here or you go for a matte screen protector, which has its own downsides.
The Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pros, on the other hand, is hands down the best-feeling keyboard for tablets out there. The touchpad is great, key travel and feel is great, it's all on point. It had better be, for the price. The Samsung Book Cover Keyboard folio is not as good — Android doesn't work as smooth with the touchpad as iPadOS does. And the keys feel mushy.
Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra vs iPad Pro M4 13" Performance & Benchmarks
3 nm is cool, but are you desktop-class?
The new Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra comes with a MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ 3nm processor. Not bad, the Dimensity 9000 series are the flagship line of MediaTek and they've proven that they can compete with the big boys. But mobile processors are one thing — the M4 SoC inside the iPad Pro is literally also used to power desktop and laptop Macs, so how does the performance compare?
Well, we managed to sneak a benchmark, so here are the initial results we got:
CPU Performance Benchmarks:
The M4 is flexing quite hard here, giving the iPad Pro a good 50% power bump over the Galaxy Tab here. We are not worried, as the operating systems on offer here definitely do not fill out these processors entirely. But bragging rights are strictly in the iPad's bag.
GPU Performance
On the GPU front, things appear a bit more equal, with the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra not lagging behind as much. Still, it does throttle quite a bit after a few loops, which is a letdown considering how much Samsung puts into vapor chamber cooling — this year's model has a 10% larger chamber, too.
Again, the scores are nothing to snark, even post-throttling. But the iPad gets the prize once again. We'll be playing some games on the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra when it comes in and we'll have some more to share, other than raw benchmarks.
For storage, the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra comes with 256 GB, 512 GB, or 1 TB — that's quite plenty in its own right. The iPad Pro pushes things to 2 TB and asks top money for it. The lowest tier Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra comes with 12 GB RAM, which is upgraded to 16 GB for the other two models. The iPad Pro also has different RAM amounts — 8 GB for the first two tiers and 16 GB for the 1 TB and 2 TB variants.
Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra vs iPad Pro M4 13" Software
Samsung launches the Tab S11 Ultra with OneUI 8 and Android 16. Gemini and Galaxy AI are weaved in for your AI needs from searching to Drawing Assist, which will straighten up those lines and make those sketches look presentable. You also now have an Extended Mode where the tablet can work as a second monitor for your connected laptop. This is the answer to a feature that Apple has — Sidecar for iPads connected to Macs.
OneUI on Galaxy tablets can very much transform into its own desktop working environment — DeX can run on Samsung tablets autonomously, you don't need an external monitor. Conversely, the iPad Pros have Stage Manager, which is Apple's take on desktop-like (emphasis on "like") multi-tasking. In any case, both systems are slowly but surely adding features that can kind of, sort of make them laptop replacements, depending on your needs and work style.
It will come down to app ecosystems, of course. The App Store has had the reputation of housing the more pro-level apps for years now, though that gap has been steadily shrinking in recent times.
Of course, Samsung promises 7 years of updates — the new standard. Apple doesn't commit to an official period of software support, but history teaches us that it updates its devices for at least 5 years after release.
Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra vs iPad Pro M4 13" Battery and Charging
The Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra comes with an 11,600 mAh battery and that's up against a 10,290 cell inside the iPad Pro M4 13". So, about the same batteries, though iPadOS is known to be a bit more energy-efficient. Then again, that M4 is a power hog, so it really comes down to what exactly you'd be doing on the tablets.
We will share numbers as we get to run the Tab S11 Ultra through our battery benchmark gauntlet.
For charging, the Galaxy powers up with a 45 W brick, the iPad — with an 18 W one.
Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra vs iPad Pro M4 13" Camera
Samsung has also cut down a bit — but just a bit. The rear module still has a wide and ultra-wide camera (13 MP and 8 MP), but at least the front now only has the one 12 MP snapper. It used to be that Galaxy Tab Ultra models had two selfie cameras — one with a wide and one with an ultra-wide lens. We are now only getting the one ultra-wide lens, thankfully. Samsung also has a feature like Center Stage — it's called Auto Framing.
Which one should you buy?
If your only goal is to get a fast tablet that enables you to sketch and draw on it, it's hard to argue against the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra. It comes with the S Pen in the box, a large canvas, and some Samsung apps to get you started — everything is included in the price tag. However, a lot of professionals prefer the iPad Pro for the 3rd party apps available in the App Store, so it's probably a good idea to first research exactly what you are going to need and if each ecosystem has it.
That said, the iPad Pro 13" is also arguably the better drawing canvas with its 4:3 aspect ratio, whereas 16:10 is a bit more cinematic with less vertical space on the Galaxy Tab.
For hardware power — we are not worried with either tablet, but it's hard to deny that the Apple M4 chip has a lot more power on tap.
For laptop-like work, both tablets offer some form of multi-window multi-tasking modes. The Magic Keyboard is hands-down the better accessory. However, if you would rather get a 3rd party mouse and keyboard, that are not exorbitantly expensive — historically, we've found that non-Apple accessories don't work that smoothly and flawlessly on iPads.
Hang tight as we put the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra through our ringer of tests.
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