Samsung has picked up the pace this year, launching its new Galaxy Tab S10 series several months earlier than its usual 18-month release cycle. However, there are many new quirks. There’s no base model Galaxy Tab S10 this time around, leaving the only options being the $1,000 Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ and $1,200 Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. The price of the Galaxy Tab S10+ is the same as the 11-inch iPad Pro M4.
I’ve used both tablets for over a week, and the iPad Pro M4 is the winner. It also works great with the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. Still, the Galaxy Tab S10+ outperforms the iPad Pro M4 in five important ways. If you value these qualities, this is the best Android tablet for your needs.
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I love Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S10+, but it’s a tough tablet to recommend
Lessons learned about OS limitations
5 Galaxy Tab S10+ brings a larger AMOLED screen
It also has an anti-reflective coating for improved visibility.
Samsung and Apple tablets have different sizes and aspect ratios. The iPad Pro M4 maintains a square aspect ratio in both sizes, with the 11-inch model boasting a 10:7 ratio and the 13-inch model featuring a 4:3 ratio. The Galaxy Tab S10+ features a 12.4-inch screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio, while the larger Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra uses the same aspect ratio for its 14.6-inch display.
For every dollar, you get more screen real estate on a Galaxy Tab device than on an iPad Pro. Due to the difference in aspect ratio, the additional screen space on the Galaxy Tab S10+ is at the top of the device in portrait mode (higher than the iPad Pro M4). This is ideal for widescreen content such as movies. Not suitable for note-taking or horizontal web browsing.
If you like to use the Galaxy Tab S10+ and its 2,800 x 1,752 resolution AMOLED screen for content consumption or gaming, you’ll love the extra space and widescreen aspect ratio. It’s more like a laptop than a regular tablet.
read our review
iPad Pro M4 offers portable power and promise at an unrealistic price
The iPad Pro 13-inch (2024) has made me want to do even more with my iPad.
4 Galaxy Tab S10+ has expandable storage and we love it
MicroSD card support lets you inexpensively store seemingly endless media and files
There are very few mobile devices with expandable storage, and mobile devices with expandable storage are usually available at the lower end of the market. It’s rare for a $1,000 device to come with a microSD card slot, but the Galaxy Tab S10+ still does. This means you don’t have to pay Samsung upfront for a storage upgrade. You can also buy the Galaxy Tab S10+ for an entry-level $1,000 and throw in a cheap microSD card.
iPad Pro M4 does not have expandable storage. Instead, there are expensive storage upgrades that can only be configured at the time of purchase. If you value virtually unlimited storage space and plenty of flexibility, microSD card support may be reason enough to buy the Galaxy Tab S10+.
3 The included S Pen makes your Galaxy Tab S10+ a complete package
If you’re only looking to take notes and do some light sketching, it might be better than the Apple Pencil.
You don’t have to pay extra upfront for storage upgrades. You also don’t have to pay extra for a stylus. The Galaxy Tab S10+ comes with an S Pen in the box, which is more than adequate for casual note-taking and basic drawing. Professional artists and graphic designers may still covet Apple Pencil Pro and its advanced features.
But as a casual user, I’m glad I don’t have to pay an additional $130 for a stylus on top of a $1,000 tablet. You can also buy a case or keyboard folio for your Galaxy Tab S10+, but you don’t need to buy a stylus.
2 Galaxy Tab S10+ accessories are cheaper and come with more accessories
The iPad Pro M4 has a starting price of $1,000, which can rise to $1,500 with the full kit.
The theme of the Galaxy Tab S10+ is the low entry price. For the iPad Pro M4, the cost can exceed $1,500 when you consider storage upgrades, Apple Pencil, and Magic Keyboard. The Galaxy Tab S10+, on the other hand, offers expandable storage and an S Pen for $1,000, so there’s no extra expense.
Keyboard cases are also cheaper. The basic Book Cover Keyboard Slim costs $160, while the more expensive Book Cover Keyboard with a trackpad and Surface Keyboard-like design costs $230. This tablet works with the Galaxy Tab S9+ case, so you may be able to get an older tablet at a discount. The Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro M4 starts at $300, so the Galaxy Tab S10+ accessory looks like a steal.
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Samsung Galaxy S Pen vs Apple Pencil 2: The best stylus in both camps
Write, draw, and annotate to your heart’s content
1 Galaxy Tab S10+ runs Android and features sideloading
But the trade-off is fewer pro-level apps.
Photoshop running on an iPad Pro M4 (left) and Photoshop Express on a Galaxy Tab S10+ (right).
Many buyers will never consider an iPad running iPadOS. Android 14 and One UI 6 are benefits of the Galaxy Tab S10+. I think both can do more to improve your productivity experience. Still, the Galaxy Tab S10+ has one feature: sideloading. You’re not limited to a single app store and can install almost anything you want.
The tradeoff is that you lose pro-level apps that are only available on iPadOS, such as Photoshop and Final Cut Pro.
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One UI 6: Everything you need to know about Samsung’s work on Android 14
One UI 6.1.1 is currently available for Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6
Which high-end tablet is right for you?
For users who want top-notch performance, the best tandem OLED display experience, and niche pro-grade apps, the iPad Pro M4 offers more value and better specs at the same price as the Galaxy Tab S10+. At the same time, the Galaxy Tab S10+ brings a lower entry price, more accessories, expandable storage, a larger screen, and allows sideloading of apps. It’s up to you to decide which features you value more.
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Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S10+ isn’t a huge improvement over its predecessor. A lot of what we liked about this model remains, including the 12.4-inch AMOLED display and bundled S Pen, but it replaces the Snapdragon chip with MediaTek’s Dimensity 9300+. It also places emphasis on AI, such as by installing dedicated keys on the optional keyboard cover.
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Apple iPad Pro 11 inch (2024)
$929 $999 Save $70
The 11-inch version of the 2024 iPad Pro is the best 11-inch tablet ever made. New features in this year’s model include a tandem OLED display for brighter images with significantly improved contrast ratio, a powerful new M4 Apple Silicon chip at its core, and the most powerful Apple Silicon chip ever made. It includes a redesigned build that gives it the title of a thin Apple device.
