Verdict
Do n’t purchase the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE if you want the most baron you may get for your money . However , it ’s idealistic for time - wasting , video cyclosis and dabbling in digital artwork as it includes a good S - Pen stylus .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE is a mid - table tab , and the antidote to the alarming reality of quite how expensive some Android tablet are these days .
you’re able to pay up to £ 1699 for theGalaxy Tab S9 Ultra . Wild , right ? The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE get at £ 449 , and there ’s a “ Plus ” version with a bigger screen that part at £ 599 .
Sure , this is n’t a cheap tablet , but it is a direct contender to the most low-priced iPads . It ends up slightly punk than those too , as the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE include a pressure - sensible style .
There ’s nothing too dynamic going on here , and both thecheaper iPadsandOnePlus ’s Padare a lot more brawny . However , this is a decent tidy footstep up from theGalaxy Tab S6 Litein functioning and cover quality , particularly for those who have an interest in using a tablet as a digital sketchbook .
Design
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE is an good example of a typical tablet design : It ’s just a big concealment with an aluminium crown . And in this case , the jacket is square off rather than have rounded corners .
It looks very exchangeable to the more expensive “ non - FE”Galaxy Tab S9 , with just more or less thick sieve borders . The two lines share the same step dimensions , but the Tab S9 has an 11 - inch screen to this one ’s 10.9 - inch one .
It ’s slightly thicker too , but at 6.5 mm you ’re not plump to arrest me complain about the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE ’s thickness .
Much like the iron phones , while this pad is n’t quite as slick as the true top - grade model , it ’s not far off .
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE also lacks the rearward grooves the more expensive Samsung lozenge have which show where the stylus sits . But this arguably only establish the FE depend well and sporty , and there are still magnet in the back for the pen to crochet onto .
This tablet is what I take to be an ideal sizing for Hellenic tablet time - wasting . It ’s geographical mile bigger than any phone , but does n’t have the transparent bulk of a 12 - inch - plus tab . And if that ’s what you need , theSamsung Galaxy Tab S9 atomic number 26 Plusis justly there waiting .
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE also has preposterously good H2O ohmic resistance for a tablet , which typically are n’t subjected to the elements as often as a telephone . It ’s rated atIP68 , quick for immersion in “ up to 1.5 m of freshwater for up to 30 minute of arc . ”
This tablet also has a side - mounted fingermark sensor . Samsung ’s higher - terminal models practice an in - screen one , seen as flashier , but mass of the great unwashed will prefer a side push anyway . It ’s not as intuitively placed or as tight as the well earpiece finger scanners , but seems to work just fine .
Samsung also earns bonus points for including a microSD expansion slot as part of a toss off - out tray . This is used for the SIM card in the 5 G version , but I ’m using a Wi - Fi - only model . That 5 G one sustain double SIM operation too , although that ’s through one forcible SIM , one eSIM . There ’s no phone gob , which , as ever , is plaguey in a tab .
Look at the foresightful side opposite the finger sensor and you ’ll see the connectors that snare up to Samsung ’s keyboard accoutrement . There ’s one with just a keyboard for £ 159 , or a keyboard and touchpad for £ 199 .
When connected , the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE will switch over to its more PC - like Dex interface . But I do n’t have this keyboard and , at almost half the cost of the tablet itself , they do seem quite pricey as a direction to turn this into a pretty modified laptop .
Screen
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE has a 10.9 - in screen . This does n’t use one of Samsung ’s signature OLED panels , just a90HzLCD .
You might not guess this at first glance , though , because the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE ’s colour pop just as much as that of the average tablet or phone organic light-emitting diode screen . Those shiny app icons look super - saturated , which was the first affair I noticed .
That this is an LCD does become much clear at Nox , though . It use a standard universal backlight , so the black floor can only hit so low . you may really tell it has an LCD at an extreme angle too , where the backlight makes the screen appear to turn a dreary - Lady Jane Grey .
However , outside of a colored or dimly lit room I do n’t guess this is visibly much worse than Samsung ’s high - last displays . It also , crucially , habituate a 1440p venire rather than a Full HD - style one . You have to search quite keenly to observe any significant pixellation .
It ’s gracious and bright , with maximum cover top executive of 670 nits . That sit between the dimmer Tab S9 + and the brilliant Tab S9 , according to Samsung ’s figure .
This also have in mind it posture somewhere between a laptop computer and a flagship phone in brightness .
The 90Hz refresh rate may also sound a bit abject to some tech - heads and , certain enough , the non - FE model have 120Hz panels . However , it still provides smoother scrolling than a classic 60Hz panel and honestly did n’t bind out much in examination .
Accessories (S-Pen)
As mentioned earlier , I have n’t been able to hear the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE ’s keyboard case . But every one of these lozenge let in an S Pen stylus .
This is a full - size plastic pen with 4096 pressure sensitivity level and disputation detection , which make it a passably gamy - faithfulness draft putz .
make digital art or doodles with this affair feel great , and the S - Pen has a proper tip with a footling give to it to avoid you plainly adumbrate with a hard nib on hard chicken feed .
The bundled stylus is not Samsung ’s most advance , though . To get Air Actions , where the stylus can be used as a distant control condition of sort , you need an S Pen Pro . This one here an old - schooltime smart stylus , one that does not command a battery and communicates with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE screen through its digitiser layer .
It ’s my favorite kind , as you do n’t have to worry about replace batteries . Or built - in ace become flat , as can easily happen to a fully - dispatch Apple Pencil .
You ’ll see the pen graticule when the tip hover up to an in aside from the screen . And at that distance , pressing the button on the stylus ’s barrel will bring up the Air Command menu of shortcuts you specify .
you may also use the S - Pen to write , an alternative to the practical keyboard . Samsung uses OCR software package to twist your scribble into text edition .
There ’s nothing Modern here , but Samsung ’s S - Pens go along to be great , particularly on the creative side . As you could probably recount from the size of this style , though , the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE does not offer a expansion slot in which the pen can live .
Instead , a serial publication of attractor can hold it in billet on the case , pecker pointing towards the camera . Or it can stick to either of the pad of paper ’s long edges .
The bundled style significantly increases the appeal of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE . Without it , this pad of paper would get a slightly lower grudge . If you’re able to afford the extra , I ’d still commend an iPad over this for creativity use as its selection of drawing , house painting and music - making apps is ranking to Android ’s . But it is n’t at all bad .
Performance
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE has enough power for most job to which it is well - suit , but this is one of the weakest areas for the tablet .
It apply the Samsung Exynos 1380 chipset with either 6 GB or 8 GB RAM , depending on the specification you choose for . It ’s not nearly as punchy as the Dimensity 9000 of the OnePlus Pad or the A13 Bionic of the cheapest iPad .
This plays out most starkly in GPU power , which I used 3D Mark ’s entourage of benchmarks to establish . The Galaxy Tab S9 FE scores just 845 in the 3D Mark Wild Life Extreme test , compared to 2372 from a Dimensity 9000 machine like the OnePlus Pad .
Those contender have eminent - end processors , even if they are n’t the most glamourous or newest chipsets . The Galaxy Tab S9 FE ’s CPU is a mid - commando with far less art succus available . In fact , it ’s the same as that within theSamsung Galaxy A54 5G.
It delivered enough grunt to toy a tough game like Fortnite OK , but it does n’t remotely get virtually to reaching a consistent 60fps with the maximal available graphics preferences .
The CPU does also mean you get mid - tier up responsiveness when flicking between apps rather than the more seamless feeling of the top performers . As you ’d hope for a pad of paper with this variety of power , though , the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE never suffers from notable thermal strangling and does n’t get specially lovesome or hot .
It also has a equal to stereophonic system speaker array , with the drivers coiffure to seat on either side of your head when the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE is hold landscape painting . maximal volume and projection are both great , but unsurprisingly , freshwater bass power is a picayune limited compared to Samsung ’s better quad - number one wood array . It ’s not totally absent , though , and the audio is still unattackable enough for satisfy YouTube and gambling academic term .
Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE has two cameras , an 8MP one on the back and a 12MP one upfront .
This front camera is the most interesting , as Samsung uses the higher resoluteness detector to fashion it out as though the Tab has two cameras . There are standard and radical - wide field of battle of view in the camera app , the more “ soar up in ” opinion using a crop .
Neither of these tv camera has peculiarly corking hardware . The detail stratum of the rear photographic camera is only moderate , and selfies look quite soft compare to those of a good 8MP sound selfie camera . And unlike the better phones close to this price ( and some at half the Mary Leontyne Price ) , its lowly - visible radiation images taken with the rear television camera are poor .
Consistent with what we see in stills , video capture is limited . It exceed out at a baseborn 1080p , 30 frames per sec . The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE has a fairly basic camera regalia , just as it should have . And , in case you ’re wondering , the front camera is coiffure so you ’ll need to apply the tablet landscape to have it point directly at your fount .
Software
One critique dismantle at Android tablet , pretty much ever since they became a matter , is there is not enough tablet - specific optimization . folk say few apps tend to lodge the magnanimous screen .
That still remains , but Samsung goes way beyond most other tablet makers in change the navigation of the port in tab .
For instance , even before you attach a keyboard , the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE pay off a more feature - packed bobtail field when you are within apps , with a more intricate regalia of app shortcuts and soft keys shunted off to one corner . It make the Android port a bit more like that of a PC than a tablet .
Under the surface , it ’s the same sure-enough Android you bang from phone . But there is at least a cautiously considered millimetre - thick veneer here .
Samsung ’s usual mountain of software comes preinstalled too , but PenUP is one of the few that feels relevant to this particular tablet . It ’s a hobbyist draw app that also serve as social web of sorts , letting you partake in your introduction and respond to those of other folk . There are alive draw in videos too , so you’re able to see how the maestros of digital art do it .
Or , on the more passing end , there are digital colouring - in patterns . However , as with almost every manufacturing business - preinstalled app you should look for a ripe third - political party alternative before long for drawing / house painting .
Battery life
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE has an 8000mAh stamp battery , just a little lower than the capacity of the 8400mAh Tab S9 .
It hold up fast charging off up to 45W , just like that higher - last model , but in the usual Samsung fashion you do n’t get one of these adapters in the box . I do have a compatible firm courser , though , so was able to try charging speed .
It takes the Tab S9 FE 43 transactions to reach 50 % , and it make 17 - 18 % every 15 instant right until you get to around 90 % . After that , it slow up down , and strive 100 % at 104 minutes . By direct contrast , OnePlus says its 67W charging fill up the OnePlus Pad ’s larger 9510mAh battery in 80 minute .
Still , they are both snappier to institutionalize than an iPad .
you could ask the bombardment to last around eight hours of unaccented gambling , or 11 hour of video streaming . It ’s likely to last longer with video put in topically on its memory .
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Should you buy it?
The Tab S9 FE includes a pressure - sensitive stylus that will be you a good chunk of the tablet ’s own cost to get from Apple or OnePlus , which is key to the sense of value on offer here .
For standardised money , you may get a lot more power from the OnePlus Pad or the most low-cost iPad lines . With more than double the graphics power than this tablet , the Tab S9 FE is not the obvious option for functioning heads .
Final Thoughts
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE is a unanimous mid - tier tablet that mostly makes the right swing from the non - FE reach in orderliness to shave hundreds off the cost .
Among its rival , it stick out out as a tablet that includes a great style at no special price , making it of instant prayer for those who want to dabble in digital art .
The alkali iPad and OnePlus Pad are both better picks for gaming , though , as they have importantly more exponent . Just like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite , the S9 FE only has enough power to get by .
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FAQs
It is highly water resistive , with the IP68 military rating suggesting it can take full submersion in water .
There ’s no headphone diddlyshit , so you ’ll have to use wireless headphones or a USB - C adapter .
There ’s no magnate provision , just a USB - C cable , the tablet and the S - Pen style .
