Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ is a fantastic device that cuts some corners. It has a great display, excellent build quality, and great software support. It’s let down a bit by the Exynos 1380 chipset but it is still strong enough for the average person. Just be careful if you intend to push this device to its limits.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+ may be yesterday’s premium tablet, but it’s still a solid choice today. It may cost almost a thousand dollars, but you are also getting a top-notch product. It has great performance, good battery life, a stunning display, and Samsung’s awesome software support.
When it comes to Android tablets, Samsung has been a staple practically forever. The company routinely makes some of thebest Android tabletsat just about every price point. This is especially true if you are willing to jump to the upper midrange or a more premium price point, where you will see Samsung’s expertise and built quality shine. But can a $700 tablet keep pace with a $900 one? Today, we pit the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ against theGalaxy Tab S8+to find out the answer to that exact question.
While there are plenty of similarities between these two tablets, there are also some striking differences. Like many things in life, this battle may just come down to specific use cases and what your intentions are.
Price, availability, and specs
Samsung released the Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ on July 10, 2025, and it comes in two different configurations. The 128GB model retails for $600, and the 256GB version sells for $100 more. It comes in Gray, Silver, Mint, and Lavender colorways.
The Galaxy Tab S8+ was released on August 15, 2025, and also comes with the same two storage options. The 128GB version costs $900, while the 256GB will set you back $980. Luckily, it can be found at a steep discount thanks to the fact that it has been on the market for over a year and a half. It launched with three color options: Graphite, Silver, and Pink Gold, although finding anything other than Graphite is beginning to prove difficult. Both devices can be found at Samsung and authorized retailers such as Amazon and Best Buy.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that both of these tablets share a very similar design and build quality thanks to both being made by the same manufacturer and being separated by less than two years. Even when up close, you would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between these two tablets.
Both the Tab S9 FE+ and the Tab S8+ ship with large 12.4-inch displays and similar overall dimensions. The Tab S9 FE+ measures 11.24 x 7.30 x 0.26 inches and weighs 1.38 pounds. The Tab S8+ measures 11.22 x 7.28 x 0.22 inches and weighs 1.27 pounds. Both devices have narrow bezels and aluminum frames. The Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ ships with two AKG-tuned speakers (one on each side), while the Galaxy Tab S8+ ships with four AKG-tuned speakers (two on each side).
Flipping these tablets over reveals their biggest design difference. The Tab S9 FE+ has a clean back, with its dual camera lenses tucked neatly into the upper right corner, with the individual lenses protruding slightly from the back. The included S Pen is held magnetically near the top edge, but there is no indication of where exactly the S Pen goes.
The Tab S8+ has a similar vibe on the back, except there is a long, thin oval that runs from the camera assembly across most of the back. This area lets you know exactly where to store the S Pen. I might be nitpicking, but I much prefer the cleaner-looking design of the Galaxy S9 FE+. The camera housing is also enclosed behind glass, making it feel more dated than it truly is.
The Tab S9 FE+ is IP68 rated, while the Tab S8+ totally lacks an IP rating, which means the S9 FE+ is far superior against dust ingress and accidental spills. Both devices support face unlock and have a fingerprint reader. The Tab S9 FE+ has its fingerprint sensor built into the power button, and the Tab S8+ has an in-display fingerprint sensor.
To cut costs, the display on the Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ is one area where Samsung dialed it back a bit compared to the Galaxy Tab S8+. The S9 FE+ has a 12.4-inch, 2560 x 1600 IPS LCD and a 90Hz refresh rate. The Tab S8+ ships with a 12.4-inch, 2800 x 1752 Super AMOLED display that can hit 120Hz.
Both displays are beautiful and perform very well when you aren’t comparing them side by side. The slight resolution difference doesn’t make that much of a difference, and while the 90 vs. 120Hz refresh rate is noticeable, it is not that big of a difference. The real letdown comes from the omission of an AMOLED one. The contrast ratio is hands down better on the Tab S8+, especially with darker scenes where the blacks appear inky.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ ships with Android 13 and One UI 5.1.1. The Galaxy Tab S8+ originally shipped with Android 12 and One UI 4.1.1 but has since beenupdated to Android 13and One UI 5.1.1. Essentially, you get the same experience from either one of these devices.
Samsung has done a great job of bringing its One UI to the tablet space. You get a split-screen mode to see apps side by side, floating windows that can be dragged around, and the S Pen is baked in throughout the software. you’re able to take notes, draw on the screen, or draw your next masterpiece. The usual Samsung apps are here, you know, the ones that duplicate Google’s offerings. If you can get past that little issue, One UI is largely a pleasant experience.
Both tablets will benefit from Samsung’s promise of four years of Android updates. The Galaxy S9 FE+ will eventually get updated to Android 17, and the Tab S8+ will get updated to Android 16.
Performance
Performance is another area where we see a big discrepancy between these two tablets. The Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ has a Samsung Exynos 1380 chipset coupled with either 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage or 12GB of RAM and 256 GB of RAM. The Galaxy Tab S8+ has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset and comes with 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage or 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip just obliterates the Exynos 1380 chipset in terms of shear power. AnTuTu 10 sees the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 as being almost 100% more powerful, and Geekbench 6 sees a 55% improvement in its tests. The same is true for gaming; the Snapdragon scored 6289 in 3DMark and averaged 37 FPS, while the Exynos scored 2819 and only managed to average 16 FPS.
The Exynos 1380 can get you by if you keep your expectations to a minimum. It’s great for web browsing, checking email, or consuming content. It doesn’t get hot but also lags behind the competition if you intend to push the tablet by playing games or video editing.
The amount of RAM is more than adequate in both tablets, and they both have multiple storage options. They also have a microSD slot that can expand your storage by up to 1TB.
Battery life
Battery life is the same between the two tablets due to the 10,090mAh battery in both of them. Neither of them supports wireless charging and can only be charged using a USB-C cable at up to 45W. Luckily, battery life is quite good and should easily get you a few days of usage out of them. Once you do go to charge them, it takes about an hour and a half to charge them from completely drained to fully charged.
Both the Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ and the Galaxy Tab S8+ come with a dual-camera setup that can get some good shots if lighting is OK, but don’t expect the same level of quality that you can get from devices like theSamsung Galaxy S23. As the lights begin to dim, you can expect photo and video quality to diminish quickly. It also feels quite weird taking pictures with such a large device.
The Galaxy Tab S9 FE ships with an 8MP main lens and an 8MP ultrawide lens. There is a 12MP front-facing camera that is quite suitable for video calls. The Galaxy Tab S8+ comes with a 13MP main lens and a 6MP ultrawide lens. It, too, has a 12MP front-facing camera that should easily get you through any conference calls.
Which is right for you?
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ and the Galaxy Tab S8+ are both excellent tablets that are built for different people. For most people who just want to scroll the web, check their social media, and watch streaming content, the Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ is more than capable, although aninexpensive Android tabletmay serve you just as well.
The Tab S9 FE+ has a great-looking display, fantastic build quality, good battery life, and Samsung’s excellent software support. Add in the cheaper upfront cost, and it becomes a no-brainer. There is a bit of a question mark regarding the Exynos 1380 chipset and how performant it lasts over the long haul, but most people don’t push their tablets to the limit.
Awesome midranger
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ is a fantastic device for the average consumer. It has excellent build quality, a great display, and good battery life. The included Exynos 1380 is good enough for web browsing and content consumption, but may leave a bit to be desired if you intend to push this tablet to its limits.
If you deviate from the standard use case and intend to push your device, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+ will crush the Tab S9 FE+ because of its powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset. This tablet will have no issue playing the latest games and creating content, as well as allowing you to sit back and relax. It also has a better display and the same great software support, but costs a few hundred dollars more.
Still a premium tablet
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+ may be yesterday’s premium, but it still excels today thanks to top-notch components. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset is still worthy of being called a flagship processor, and this tablet has a stunning AMOLED display. It does cost a few hundred dollars more, but if you need the performance, you may find it on sale to help take the edge off the price.
