The Samsung Galaxy Tab S line may not be as dominant as its stable Galaxy S smartphone companion, but if you’re looking for a premium Android tablet that isn’t an iPad, this is a great option. New reports indicate that you might want to wait to purchase the current iteration, as an updated version may be coming soon. Here’s everything we know so far about the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9.
When will the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 be released?
There’s been no official word from Samsung at the time of writing, so we’ll have to look at previous models, as well as rumors circulating, to find out when we might see the new hardware debut.
Here’s when previous Galaxy Tab iterations were released:
The S8 range deviated from form a bit, moving the traditional summer version to February. With this month now over, we will not see a repeat in 2023.
As we have already seen rumors about some technical aspects of the Tab S9, it still seems that Samsung intends to release the next generation soon, so we expect a return to the July/August 2023 window.
GalaxyClub in the Netherlands, which covers Samsung devices, reported that we should see the return of all three models for 2023, including the Galaxy Tab S9, S9 Plus and S9 Ultra, each available in Wi-Fi only or 5G variants.
How much will the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 cost?
Again, Samsung has yet to confirm pricing for the new tablet, so looking back should give us some clues.
Here are the introductory prices of the latest Samsung tablets:
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 – $699 / £649
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus – $899 / £849
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra – $1,099 / £999
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 – $649 / £619
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus – $849 / £799
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE – $529 / £449
We’d say it’s reasonable to expect the Galaxy Tab S9 range to be around the same price as the S8 models, but with the potential for a slight increase as the financial situation around the world remains somewhat difficult for manufacturers and customers.
What new features will there be in the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9?
We’re still a little in the dark about what specific upgrades might come with the Tab S9’s arrival, but one feature that’s been widely reported is the introduction of an IP67 waterproof rating. This would mark a significant improvement, as even iPad Pros lack this kind of water or dust protection. With an IP rating of 67, that would mean the Galaxy Tab S9 would be dustproof and survive submersion to a maximum of 1 meter for 30 minutes. Not that we’d advise you to try it, but at least if the tablet were to accidentally fall into the tub or kitchen sink, it shouldn’t prove to be a costly mistake.
Another surprise reported by tech leaker Digital Chat Station is that the Tab S9 line won’t come with the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipsets that many people have been expecting. That’s not to say the new tablets won’t be upgraded, it’s just that the processors of choice appear to be the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 instead. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 comes with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, and the Plus variant offers decent performance boosts, but it won’t be the bleeding edge that Samsung fans have often showered them with.
The reasons for this choice, according to Digital Chat Station, are that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 platform is too expensive, while the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is “good enough for Android tablet productivity.” That’s right, because the Plus chipset can handle a lot of the workload you might need when using the tablet for laptop-like tasks. But we think it’s still possible the Galaxy Tab S9 will arrive loaded with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Time will tell.
Aside from those choice bits, nothing else has been reported on the new tablets so far, although announced release dates mean things shouldn’t remain a mystery for long. In the meantime, check out our roundup of the best Android tablets and the best tablets to see what other devices are available.
