Samsung has just unveiled its brand-new Galaxy Tab S11 lineup, and honestly, it’s one of the most exciting tablet launches in years. With the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra and the smaller Galaxy Tab S11, Samsung is aiming to set the bar for what a premium tablet should look and feel like in 2025. These devices are not just about being thinner and faster—they’re about being smarter, thanks to deep integration with Galaxy AI and the brand-new One UI 8.
If you’ve been following Samsung tablets over the years, you know the Tab S10 series was already a powerhouse. The Tab S10 Ultra in particular impressed with its huge screen, slim build, and productivity chops. But the S11 lineup takes things further with slimmer bodies, brighter displays, upgraded internals, and a boatload of AI-driven features that make them feel like more than just tablets—they’re like portable smart companions.
In this article, we’re going to take a deep dive into what makes the Tab S11 Ultra and Tab S11 special, how they differ from each other, and how they stack up against the Galaxy Tab S10 series. If you’ve been wondering whether it’s worth upgrading or if you should go for the Ultra or the regular model, stick around—by the end, you’ll know exactly which one is right for you.
Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra vs Galaxy Tab S11: What’s Different?
Let’s start by breaking down the two new models in the lineup. Samsung is once again giving us an Ultra model for people who want the biggest and best, and a more compact standard S11 for those who prefer something easier to carry around.
The Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is a giant in every sense. It comes with a 14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display boasting a sharp 2960 x 1848 resolution and a buttery-smooth 120Hz refresh rate. The screen supports anti-reflection technology and can reach a peak brightness of 1600 nits, with 1000 nits in high brightness mode (HBM). In simple terms, whether you’re using it indoors or outdoors, everything looks crystal clear and vibrant.
The Galaxy Tab S11 is the smaller sibling, with an 11-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display and a resolution of 2560 x 1600. It also supports a 120Hz refresh rate and the same 1600-nit peak brightness, making it one of the brightest compact tablets you can buy. So while the Ultra gives you a theater-sized experience, the regular S11 offers a sweet spot for portability without sacrificing visual quality.
Size and weight are also big differentiators. The Tab S11 Ultra measures 208.5 x 326.3 x 5.1mm and weighs 692 grams for the Wi-Fi model or 695 grams for the 5G version. Despite being massive, it’s astonishingly thin—at just 5.1mm, it’s the slimmest Galaxy Tab ever made.
The regular Tab S11, on the other hand, is much lighter and easier to hold for long periods, measuring 165.3 x 253.8 x 5.5mm and weighing 469 grams (Wi-Fi) or 471 grams (5G). That makes it a better fit for people who want a tablet they can comfortably carry around all day.
Battery life also separates the two. The Ultra packs a huge 11,600mAh battery with support for 45W fast charging, while the smaller S11 has an 8,400mAh battery with the same charging speeds. Both are solid, but the Ultra is clearly built for those who need maximum endurance for creative work, presentations, or long travel days.
When it comes to performance, both tablets share the same MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ processor, a 3nm chip designed to handle AI-driven workloads with ease. This is a big jump over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chip inside the Tab S10 series, giving the S11 lineup smoother multitasking, faster GPU performance, and more responsive AI features.
The Ultra can be configured with up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, while the regular S11 tops out at 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Both models support expandable storage up to 2TB via microSD, something many competitors like Apple’s iPad still don’t offer.
For cameras, the Tab S11 Ultra comes with a dual rear setup featuring a 13MP main camera and an 8MP ultra-wide, plus a 12MP ultra-wide front camera for video calls. The regular Tab S11 keeps things simpler with a single 13MP rear camera and the same 12MP front ultra-wide camera.
The Ultra is clearly more versatile for people who might want to capture wide shots or use the camera for creative projects, but both are more than capable for video calls and casual photography.
Both tablets include quad speakers for immersive audio, come bundled with an S Pen (though BLE is not supported this time), and offer IP68-rated durability with Samsung’s Armor Aluminum build. They also support dual SIM (1 physical + 1 eSIM) and include fingerprint-on-display security.
In short, the Ultra is the powerhouse designed for creators, professionals, and anyone who wants a huge screen for multitasking and entertainment, while the regular S11 is the more portable all-rounder, perfect for students, commuters, and casual users.
How the Tab S11 Series Compares to the Tab S10 Series
Now let’s tackle the question a lot of people are asking: how does the Galaxy Tab S11 series compare to last year’s Tab S10 lineup? After all, the Tab S10 Ultra was already one of the best Android tablets around, so what exactly makes the S11 worth the upgrade?
Design and Build
The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra was slim and light at 5.5mm, but the S11 Ultra takes it even further with a jaw-dropping 5.1mm thickness. That’s thinner than most smartphones, yet the tablet doesn’t feel flimsy thanks to its Armor Aluminum frame.
The bezels are also slimmer on the S11, giving you more screen real estate in almost the same footprint. If you care about aesthetics and portability, the S11 series is a noticeable improvement.
Display
Both the Tab S10 and S11 series feature Dynamic AMOLED 2X displays with 120Hz refresh rates. But brightness is where the S11 takes the crown. The S10 Ultra peaked at 1200 nits, while the S11 Ultra hits 1600 nits. This might not sound huge on paper, but in bright sunlight or high-glare environments, the difference is very real. The anti-reflection coating on the S11 also makes it much easier to work outdoors.
Performance
The Tab S10 series ran on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy, which was impressive in 2024. But the Tab S11 lineup introduces the MediaTek Dimensity 9400+, a 3nm processor with more efficient cores, faster graphics, and a stronger AI-focused NPU.
Samsung claims a 33% NPU improvement, a 24% CPU boost, and a 27% GPU jump compared to the S10 Ultra. This means apps open faster, games run smoother, and AI features feel instant rather than laggy.
Cameras
Cameras aren’t usually the headline feature on tablets, but Samsung has upgraded them slightly. The Tab S10 Ultra also had dual rear cameras, but the S11 Ultra offers better software optimization for AI-driven enhancements like document scanning, video clarity, and live translation. The regular S11 sticks with a single rear shooter, which is basically the same as the Tab S10.
AI Features
Here’s where the Tab S11 really leaves the S10 behind. The S11 series ships with One UI 8 and is built around Galaxy AI. Features like Gemini Live for contextual conversations, Circle to Search with real-time translation, Writing Assist for smarter text editing, and Drawing Assist for cleaning up sketches simply weren’t available on the S10 at launch. Samsung will roll out One UI 8 to the Tab S10 in October, but older hardware may not run these features as smoothly as the S11 does.
Battery
Battery capacities are pretty similar, but Samsung has optimized thermal management and efficiency on the S11 series. In real-world use, this means longer battery life under heavy workloads compared to the S10, even with the same charging speeds of 45W.
Galaxy AI and One UI 8: The Game Changers
The biggest leap forward with the S11 series isn’t just in hardware—it’s in how Samsung has woven AI into every aspect of the tablet experience.
With Gemini Live, you can literally have conversations with your tablet about what’s on the screen. Need a summary of a lecture? Done. Want to interpret a chart? Easy. Need to draft an email in a different tone? The AI has you covered.
Circle to Search with Google is smarter than ever, letting you highlight anything on your screen and get instant translations or context. Writing Assist is perfect for students, professionals, or even bloggers who want to polish their work quickly. Drawing Assist helps creatives turn rough doodles into clean artwork in seconds.
These tools aren’t gimmicks—they’re practical, time-saving features that make the Tab S11 feel like a personal assistant in tablet form.
Should You Upgrade?
If you already own a Galaxy Tab S10, you’re probably wondering if it’s worth jumping to the S11. The answer depends on how you use your tablet. If you mainly watch movies, browse the web, and take casual notes, your Tab S10 will still serve you well—especially once it gets One UI 8.
But if you’re a power user, whether that means an artist, a student handling tons of notes, or a professional working on the go, the Tab S11’s brighter display, stronger AI integration, faster performance, and enhanced S Pen make it a worthy upgrade.
And if you’re deciding between the Ultra vs regular S11, it comes down to screen size and portability. The Ultra is unbeatable for multitasking and media, but the regular S11 is more practical for everyday carry.
Final Thoughts
The Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra and Tab S11 aren’t just incremental updates—they’re future-ready tablets built around AI, productivity, and creativity. They outshine the S10 series in almost every way, from performance to display brightness to smarter features. Samsung isn’t just selling you hardware—it’s selling you a smarter way to work and create.
If you’ve been waiting for a tablet that can truly replace your laptop or just want the best Android tablet on the market, the Galaxy Tab S11 series is it.
Source: Samsung
