Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 vs Apple iPad Air 11" M3: Main differences to expect
Intro
Samsung is about to announce and release the Galaxy Tab S11 lineup very soon, and it will once again consist of two devices. Last year, we got the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra and the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus, but this year, Samsung is shaking things up once again and will only release a Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra and Galaxy Tab S11, skipping the Plus model.
Judging from the leaked specs and features, there won't be that many changes in comparison with the previous Galaxy Tab S tablet that was released. One way or another, the S Pen is coming back to a compact Galaxy tablet near you.
How will the upcoming device compare with Apple's iPad Air, the overkill one with the M3 chipset on deck?
Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 vs Apple iPad Air M3 differences explained:
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 | Apple iPad Air M3 |
|---|---|
| MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chip, 3nm | Apple M3 chip, 3nm |
| 11-inch 2560 x 1600-pixel Dynamic AMOLED display, 120Hz | 11-inch 2360 x 1640-pixel Liquid Retina XDR display, 60Hz |
| 12GB of RAM on board | 8GB of memory |
| 128GB, 256GB, 512GB storage versions | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage versions |
| 13MP rear camera | 12MP rear camera |
| 8.400 mAh battery | 7,606 mAh battery |
| 45W wired charging | 20W wired charging |
| Android 15, One UI 7 (Android 16, One UI 8) | iPadOS 18 (iPadOS 26) |
Table of Contents:
Design and Display
Standard slates
Samsung and Apple are both playing it extremely safe with their regular tablets, without any major risks or experiments going on.
The Galaxy Tab S11 will look exactly like the Galaxy Tab S9 or a slightly smaller Galaxy Tab S10 Plus, if you will. A fairly thin aluminum slate with compact dimensions and the trendy flat design language, the Galaxy Tab S11 is an unmistakable Galaxy tablet.
The iPad Air M3 is even more conservative when it comes to design and simply exudes that Apple style. It will boast slightly thicker bezels, which doesn't really feel premium when you compare it with other Galaxy Tablets or more premium iPads.
In terms of size, dimensions have leaked for the Galaxy Tab S11. The device will measure 253.8 × 165.3 × 5.5 mm and weigh 482 grams. At the same time, the iPad Air measures 247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1 mm and weighs 460 grams. The iPad is obviously the more squarish device, while the Galaxy Tab S11 will be wider yet shorter.
The Galaxy Tab S11 will boast an 11-inch screen with a 2560 x 1600-pixel resolution, working out to a 16:10 aspect ratio. It's a Dynamic AMOLED screen that can go up to 120Hz for the smoothest experience.
Meanwhile, the iPad Air M3 comes with an IPS LCD screen, only capable of going to 60Hz. That's definitely the weakest part of this tablet, and sadly, it's one of the most important ones, so it's definitely a compromise. The iPad Air is also available in a 13-inch version.
In terms of colors, the Galaxy Tab S11 will come in two fairly boring colors, Gray and Silver. The iPad Air M3, on the other hand, arrives in Space Gray, Starlight, Purple, and Blue, a decidedly more intriguing combination.
Keyboard and Stylus
The Galaxy Tab S11 will come with an S Pen stylus included in the box, just like most of its predecessors.
The Apple iPad Air M3 supports both the Apple Pencil with USB-C and the Apple Pencil Pro. None of those are available in the box, though, so you will have to purchase them separately.
In terms of keyboards, the Apple tablet supports the new Magic Keyboard that was released alongside that tablet.
We are certain the Galaxy Tab S11 will be compatible with its Book Cover Keyboard line.
Performance & Benchmarks
3nm stand-off
The Galaxy Tab S11 is coming with the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chipset, which is a 3nm chipset that will certainly improve the overall performance and efficiency here.
However, there's no denying that the iPad Air will always come out on top, given that it comes with the laptop-grade M3 chip, which is a total overkill for such upper mid-range devices as the iPad Air M3.
The Galaxy Tab S11 will arrive with 12GB of RAM, which should be more than enough for snappy multitasking and all the AI features you might need on board. Samsung is once again putting 128, 256, or 512GB of storage inside, allowing you to pick your desired storage configuration. We don't know if the device will boast a microSD card slot.
The iPad Air, on the other hand, comes with 8GB of RAM but comes with more diversity in terms of storage. The device is available with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB of storage.
Software
The Galaxy Tab S11 will come with Android 15 and One UI 7, but we might see Android 16 and One UI 8 instead. The device will definitely be supported for up to seven years from release and will definitely come with full Galaxy AI support on board.
Meanwhile, the iPad currently runs iPadOS 18 with full Apple Intelligence support, but next month Apple will release iPadOS 26 with the major Liquid Glass redesign. Apple usually supports its devices for six to seven years, so you will be set until the end of the decade and beyond that.
Battery and Charging
The Galaxy Tab S11 will come with an 8,400 mAh battery, the same one as the previous Galaxy Tab S9 tablet came along with.
Meanwhile, the iPad Air M3 comes with a 7,606 mAh battery. In our tests, it delivers average battery life, which should be more than enough for regular usage.
The Galaxy Tab S11 will feature 45W wired charging, which is plenty fast for a Samsung device. The iPad only supports up to 20W wired charging, which will delivers slower charging, all things considered.
Camera
Nothing too spectacular
Both the iPad Air M3 and the Galaxy Tab S11 come with single cameras. That's normal for tablets, which aren't the type of devices that you should reach out for when you wish to take a photo.
The Galaxy Tab S11 will feature a 13MP camera, while the iPad Air M3 boasts a 12MP one. At the front, both have 12MP snappers for video calls.
Which one should you buy?
Well, the Galaxy Tab S11 will give you the more flexible Android experience, as well as Samsung's very decent One UI. Add the included S Pen, and you're looking at a fairly impressive compact tablet.
Meanwhile, the iPad Air M3 boasts exceptional performance thanks to the M3 chip, one that will definitely leave the Galaxy Tab S11 in the proverbial dust. Being an integral part of the Apple ecosystem also makes the iPad Air with the M3 chip a perfect choice for just about any invested Apple user.
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