What’s the difference between Samsung Galaxy Tab A and Tab S series?

Samsung is considered second-to-none in the Android tablet space, as there are only a handful of manufacturers competing with Apple’s best iPads. The company’s Galaxy Tab S lineup gets all the attention and premium features, but its offerings in the Galaxy Tab A series are nothing to look down upon either. Both the Galaxy Tab A8 and the relatively new Galaxy Tab A9+ are pretty good options to consider, and they get many premium features that are usually reserved for the company’s flagship Galaxy tablets.

Of course, as both series of tablets are in entirely different price categories, there are still bound to be plenty of differences at play. Read on to find out what the differences are, and also to know which one may be better for your usage.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A vs. Galaxy Tab S series

What exactly are the differences?

Much like the Galaxy phones, Samsung’s tablets also fall into the Tab A series or Tab S series based on which segment of the market they’re catering to. High-end tablets have always been a part of the Galaxy Tab S range, while the mid-range and budget models get the A series badge. And those differences become apparent once you start breaking them down.

The tablets in Samsung’s Galaxy Tab A lineup carry relatively affordable price tags, whereas the premium Galaxy Tab S series models burn a bigger hole in your wallet. Just to put things into perspective, the base variant of the new Galaxy Tab A9+ starts at $220, which can be made even cheaper with trade-ins and other deals that show up frequently. There’s also the Galaxy Tab A8 which can be had from retailers like Amazon for $140 with discounts. On the other hand, the relatively premium but still entry-level Galaxy Tab S9 model will set you back a cool $800 right now without trade-ins or deals. The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra will cost you a whopping $1,200 at full price.

• 

  Samsung Galaxy Tab A8

  $140 $230 Save $90

  The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 is a decent offering from Samsung in the budget space, with a 1920×1200 LCD panel, a Unisoc T618 chipset, respectable internal specifications, and an excellent price tag to match.

• 

  Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+

  $220 $270 Save $50

  The Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ is a relatively affordable Galaxy tablet that’s perfect for those who don’t want to spend big bucks on the company’s flagship lineup. It sports a 10.9-inch 90Hz display and is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 695 SoC.

• 

  Samsung Galaxy Tab S9

  $655 $800 Save $145

  The latest refinement in the Galaxy Tab series, the 11-inch Galaxy Tab S9 has a Dynamic AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. It’s loaded with great features like S Pen support and optional 5G connectivity and is one of the best-looking Android slates around.

Paying a premium for the Galaxy Tab S series devices will get you a significantly better tablet with a more modern design, powerful internals, and lots of extra features. The S series tablets look decidedly more premium with high-quality materials like metal frames and glass elements. They also get the Gorilla Glass treatment, which is missing in the more affordable models of the Galaxy Tab A series right now. The S series will only get better, as we’re expecting the release of the Tab S10 series soon.

You also get better-looking displays on the premium Galaxy Tab S series models, with slimmer bezels, high-refresh-rate support, higher resolutions, and more. All tablets in the Galaxy Tab S9 series, for example, have AMOLED screens, which produce more vivid images with more true-to-life colors. Meanwhile, the Tab A9+ and the A8 have an LCD screen, which is fine for browsing the web but not as great for watching videos.

As high-end tablets, the Galaxy Tab S series models are also powered by better internals compared to the Galaxy A series models. The Galaxy Tab S9 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, whereas the devices in the Galaxy Tab A series carry relatively less powerful chips. You’re looking at a 6nm Snapdragon 695 5G chip and a 12nm Unisoc Tiger T618 chip for the Galaxy Tab A9+ and the Galaxy Tab A8, respectively. This means you’ll be able to run most apps and accomplish basic tasks like web browsing, but you’ll hit a wall while trying to run games and more graphically intense apps.

Here’s a quick look at the Galaxy Tab A9+, Galaxy Tab A8, and the Galaxy Tab S9 specs sheet to give you a better understanding of the kind of differences you can expect to see between the three.

• 	Samsung Galaxy Tab A8	Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+	Samsung Galaxy Tab S9
  Storage	32GB, 64GB, 128GB	64GB, 128GB	128GB, 256GB
  CPU	Unisoc Tiger T618 (12 nm)	Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
  Memory	2GB, 3GB, 4GB	4GB, 8GB	8GB, 12GB
  Operating System	Android 11	Android 13, One UI 5.1	Android 13
  Battery	7,040mAh, 15W wired	7040 mAh, 15W charging	8,400mAh
  Ports	USB Type-C 2.0	USB-C	USB-C, microSD
  Camera (Rear, Front)	8MP Rear, 5MP Front	8MP, 5MP	Rear: 12MP, AF – Front: 12MP
  Display type	10.5 TFT LCD, 1920×1200 pixels	TFT LCD	11-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 60Hz-120Hz
  Price	$140	$220	$800
  Size	9.72×6.37×0.27 inches (246.8×161.9×6.9mm)	10.12×6.64×0.27 inches (257.1×168.7×6.9 mm)	6.52×10.01×0.23 inches (165.8 x 254.3 x 5.9mm)
  Connectivity	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth	5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
  Headphone jack	Yes	Yes	No
  Colors	Dark gray, silver, rose gold	Graphite, Silver, Navy	Beige, Graphite

The rest of the specs sheet also looks relatively weaker for the A series models, which reflects in the price difference. You get less memory and storage, weaker optics, smaller batteries with slower charging speeds, and so on. Notably, the Galaxy Tab A series models also miss out on things like the fingerprint scanner, and they’re not bundled with an S Pen like the newer Galaxy Tab S series models either. I suggest you stop by our Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 vs Galaxy Tab A8 comparison to learn more about all the differences.

Your choice comes down to your budget and needs

Entry-level A series, mid-range FE, or high-end flagship models?

It’s safe to say that Samsung’s S series tablets — just like its Galaxy phones — represent its best efforts to deliver a solid experience for those who don’t want any compromises. The Galaxy Tab A series models, on the other hand, are good for economical shoppers on a tighter budget. Samsung also has a Galaxy Tab S9 FE model in its portfolio at the moment that trades a few features from the S series for a slightly cheaper price.

You don’t lose too many useful features by going with the cheaper model as mentioned in our Galaxy Tab S9 vs Galaxy Tab S9 FE comparison, so feel free to consider this model over the more expensive one if you’re not chasing the absolute best experience. There are plenty of Galaxy Tab S9 deals available these days, but you’ll end up saving more with the S9 FE models.

The Galaxy Tab S9 FE models, though they’re cheaper than the mainline Galaxy Tab S9 variants, are still a bit on the expensive side when compared to the Galaxy A series tablets. So it’s safe to say that the Galaxy Tab A series units are still perfect for those looking for a basic tablet experience to get away from their phone or laptop, whereas the Galaxy S9 FE and the mainline models are good for those who are willing to spend a considerable amount to include a tablet in their day-to-day lives.

Choosing the right Samsung tablet

Now that you’re aware of the differences between the different series of Samsung tablets, you can make an informed choice. Spending more in this case will get you a better tablet, but what’s the point of splurging if all you care about is watching videos and browsing the web? On the other hand, if you aim to use your tablet for professional drawing, photo editing, gaming, or just want a device that keeps up with your usage years down the line, an entry-level tablet won’t suffice. While you’re contemplating these thin and light devices, make sure you give Windows tablets a look too.

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