Samsung’s popular Galaxy Tab S series is getting more affordable. No, Samsung didn’t release another edition of the series. Instead, the tablet lineup is getting a price adjustment. The prices are taking effect starting on April 9, 2024.
The Galaxy Tab S series has been one of the mainstays of Android’s growing tablet market. Samsung’s flagship tablet series has been pushing boundaries with new functionalities, better hardware and, most recently, even better build materials. The Tab S9, S9+ and S9 Ultra were launched not long ago in July 2023 and continue to be the company’s flagship tablets. The tablets offer a compelling set of features including IP68 dust and water resistance and Samsung’s hallmark S Pen. Just recently, Samsung announced the Tab S9 FE which brings together the most compelling features of the Tab S9 series at an even more affordable price point.
The new pricing for the series sees Samsung reducing prices by up to RM300 across the board. The new pricing brings the entry point for one of Samsung’s flagship tablets to below the RM2000 threshold with the WiFi version of the Tab S9 FE (128GB).
Starting April 9, 2024, these are the prices of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Series:
Product
Recommended Retail Price (Before)
Recommended Retail Price (New)
Galaxy Tab S9 5G with Book Cover Keyboard (256GB)
RM4,849
RM4,549
Galaxy Tab S9 with Book Cover Keyboard WiFi (256GB)
Samsung’s One UI 6.1 is one of the biggest software updates that the company has released in a while. While it’s not a big visual update, it will be bringing Galaxy AI to older devices albeit in a more limited fashion. That said, it’s taken the smartphone manufacturer a little bit longer than it usually does to roll out the update. That ends on March 28, 2024, with the initial rollout of One UI 6.1 to some of the company’s older devices.
The devices that are slated to get the update so far are the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+, Galaxy S23 Ultra, Galaxy S23 FE, the Galaxy Z Fold 5, Galaxy Z Flip 5, the Galaxy Tab S9, Galaxy Tab S9+ and the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra. Yes, these are basically Samsung’s 2023 devices. These devices will be receiving the full Galaxy AI suite including circle to search, live translate and interpreter, generative editing, and Chat Assist.
The update will bring these devices on par with the Galaxy S24 series when it comes to software features. In fact, the Galaxy Tab S9 series will be the first tablets in Samsung’s lineup to get the update. It will be interesting to see how the software changes the experience on the Tab series moving forward.
Samsung’s Fan Edition isn’t just for the Galaxy S23 FE this year, it’s expanding beyond just its smartphone. This year, the Galaxy Tab S9 and Galaxy Buds lineups are also getting affordable, scaled-back Goldilocks versions under the ‘FE’ moniker. The Galaxy Tab S9 is getting a little bit of special treatment with two devices getting the FE treatment – the Galaxy Tab S9 FE and Tab S9 FE+. Where the “+” plays a significant part in how the devices have been designed and optimised.
The Galaxy Tab S9 series takes the baton from the Tab S7 FE. The new series of tablets brings some of the features from the recently announced Galaxy Tab S9 series to a more affordable price point. It’s also upping the ante from its predecessor. While the tablets don’t come with the top-of-the-line Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, it comes with the capable Exynos 1380 chipset.
Both tablets in the Galaxy Tab S9 FE series bring substantial improvements in the display department. The Tab S9 FE boasts a 10.9-inch TFT LCD panel, while the Tab S9 FE+ steps it up with a larger 12.4-inch TFT LCD panel. Yes, these sizes are on par with the Tab S9 and S9+. However, they only come with a refresh rate of up to 90Hz and an FHD+ resolution. The tablets also come with Samsung’s Vision Booster technology that enhances outdoor visibility by optimizing colour and contrast, making the tablets usable even in challenging lighting conditions.
These tablets aren’t just about performance; they also focus on sustainability. Both the Galaxy Tab S9 FE and the Tab S9 FE+ are crafted from recycled materials, including pre-consumer recycled aluminium and post-consumer recycled plastics. While they might not be used in 100% of the tablets, they are prominent in select components. Both models, along with the included S Pen, boast an IP68 rating, ensuring dust resistance and the ability to withstand accidental water exposure.
Samsung has also upped its game in the camera department. The FE features an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide front camera. In contrast, the FE+ comes equipped with a dual camera setup on the back with an 8-megapixel main sensor complemented with an 8-megapixel ultra-wide rear camera and the same 12-megapixel ultra-wide front camera. These cameras come with the same software features we’ve seen in the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 series including auto-framing.
Battery capacity in the FE+ is impressive, with a 10,090mAh unit that can last up to 20 hours of video playback on a single charge. The Tab S9 FE, although slightly smaller in size, still packs a decent 8,000mAh battery. Samsung claims that the battery can go from 0% to 100% in just 90 minutes.
The tablets come with two storage options: 128GB or 256GB. These tablets come with the option to expand storage up to 1TB using a microSD card. When it comes to RAM they come with either 6GB, 8GB or 12GB.
Both tablets support 5G, WiFi 6 and Bluetooth. They will also be running on Android 13 and One UI 5. Samsung promises four generations of OS upgrades and five years of security updates. When it comes to apps, they come with support for a range of creative tools and apps, including Goodnotes, LumaFusion, and Clip Studio Paint.
Pricing and Availability
The Galaxy Tab S9 FE series will be priced from USD$449 (MYR2,128.97) or €529 (MYR2,633.45) internationally. Both tablets will be available for purchase starting October 10 in Mint, Grey, Lavender and Silver.
In Malaysia, the tablet will be priced from MYR2,099. Both tablets will be available in Malaysia from October 10, 2023. Detailed pricing is listed below.
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S series is getting much-needed housekeeping and streamlining with the introduction of the Galaxy Tab S9 series. Samsung has removed a lot of the confusion and mess that was present in the previous iterations of the Tab S series. Every variant from the base Galaxy Tab S9 to the Tab S9 Ultra has the same design ethos and features unifying the experience across the board.
The Tab S9 series is the first tablet to have an IP68 rating making it water and dust resistant. This also means that you will be able to use Samsung’s latest tablet come rain or shine. The tablet also comes with support for the S Pen. This time, you won’t need to worry about the orientation of the S Pen when attaching it to the back of the tablet to charge it. Samsung has made the charging mechanism for the S Pen orientation independent allowing you to charge it in any orientation. Samsung also announced a special Creator Edition S Pen which comes with better tactility and a wider tilt angle for drawing.
All the variants of the Tab S9 series come with a Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The base Tab S9 comes with a 11-inch display while the Tab S9+ comes with a 12.4-inch display and the Ultra tops the series out with a 14.6-inch display. The media experience of the Tab S series is rounded off with a quad-speaker setup that is professionally tuned by AKG. The speakers are 20% larger than the previous Tab S and also support Dolby Atmos.
The Galaxy Tab S9 series comes with all the software features we’ve come to expect when it comes to a large-screen experience with Samsung devices. Multiwindow gets an improvement with support for up to 3 simultaneous apps in an organised grid. DeX is also making a comeback on the Tab S9 series bringing a desktop experience to the tablet.
The Tab S9 series comes with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy. This is complemented by up to 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of internal storage. On the camera end of things, the front camera on the S9 and S9+ is a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera while the S9 Ultra comes with a dual 12-megapixel setup. On the back, the base S9 comes with a single 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor while the S9+ and the S9 Ultra come with a dual sensor setup with a 13-megapixel main sensor and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide sensor.
Samsung is also partnering with apps to bring them exclusively to the Galaxy Tab S9 series. Popular video editing app LumaFusion, note-taking app GoodNotes and CAD and design application ArcSite will be available exclusively on the Tab S9 series with special offers for users with the Tab S9.
Pricing & Availability
The Galaxy Tab S9 series will be available in two colours – Graphite and Beige. In Malaysia, prices for the Galaxy Tab S9 series will start from MYR3,699 while it will retail internationally with prices starting at USD$999. Detailed pricing is in the table below.
Model
RRP
Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra 5G with keyboard(512GB)
RM7,149
Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra 5G with keyboard (256GB)
RM6,649
Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra with keyboard (512GB)
RM6,499
Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra with keyboard (256GB)
RM5,999
Galaxy Tab S9+ 5G with keyboard (512GB)
RM5,849
Galaxy Tab S9+ with keyboard (512GB)
RM5,199
Galaxy Tab S9+ 5G (256GB)
RM5,249
Galaxy Tab S9+ (256GB)
RM4,599
Galaxy Tab S9 5G with keyboard (256GB)
RM4,849
Galaxy Tab S9 with keyboard (256GB)
RM4,199
Galaxy Tab S9 5G (128GB)
RM4,349
Galaxy Tab S9 (128GB)
RM3,699
Preorders for the Tab S9 series start today and end on the 17 of August 2023. Preorders are entitled to a free double storage upgrade worth MYR600, 50% off the Book Cover Keyboard and a free 12-month subscription to Viu. If you buy from the Samsung Online Store you’ll be able to get an MYR100 e-voucher for your next purchase.
