I’ve been anticipating this comparison since the Tab S8 Ultra was launched, as I wanted to see if it could compete with the 12.9-inch M1 iPad Pro.
Both have stunning large displays and a plethora of remarkable features. I’ve used both tablets to watch videos, utilise social media, play games, browse the web, and do normal office work.
| iPad Pro 12.9 | Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra |
 |  |
| BUY NOW | BUY NOW |
| PROS | PROS |
| Phenomenal power. Fantastic display. Strong battery life | Jaw dropping screen, especially when viewing videos or photos that stretch the display. S-Pen is very enjoyable to use. DeX Mode allows the tablet to achieve PC-level multi-tasking. |
| CONS | CONS |
| An almighty price. 128GB storage feels limited. Lackluster color options | But DeX mode doesn’t always work; some Android apps still have scaling issues. The keyboard case only comes free for a limited time — after that, it’s very expensive. Too big and heavy to use handheld for long. |
DESIGN AND BIOMETRIC AUTHENTICATION
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is the largest tablet I’ve ever used. The Tab S8 Ultra sounds massive when compared to the iPad Pro’s 12.9-inch display, which is already large. It’s also a little narrower, despite being noticeably longer.
Both tablets have flat edges and rounded corners, but the Tab S8 Ultra’s bezels are slightly smaller than the iPad Pro’s. This means Samsung is maximising the footprint, but it also means you’re more likely to activate the touch screen by accident with the inside of your thumb.
Both tablets now have power buttons, volume up and down controls, and USB-C ports around the edges. The one on the Tab S8 Ultra is 3.2 GHz, while the one on the iPad Pro is a faster Thunderbolt / USB 4 port. If you don’t transfer a lot of files to or from your tablet, this isn’t a big deal, but if you work with a lot of photo or video files on a regular basis, you’ll appreciate the iPad Pro’s faster transfer speed.
The Tab S8 Ultra has one advantage: it has a microSD card slot that can be used to expand the internal storage by up to one terabyte. Now keep in mind that this space will primarily be used for files rather than apps. So you’ll still need enough internal storage to fit the apps and games you want to download, but compared to expanding the internal storage on the iPad Pro, it’s a much less expensive way to add storage.
Face ID and a TrueDepth front-facing camera are available on the iPad Pro. Even when I’m not sitting directly in front of the iPad, it’s accurate, secure, and quick.
Face recognition and an on-screen fingerprint scanner are now available on the Tab S8 Ultra. Both have proven to be effective for me. Although the facial recognition isn’t as secure as Apple’s Face ID, I like having both options for different scenarios.
DISPLAY
Displays are the highlights of these two tablets. So we’ll quickly look at the differences in terms of specs and then discuss how they impact real life use.
The iPad Pro has a 12.9 inch Liquid Retina XDR display, with a resolution of 2048 by 2732, 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, a 4:3 aspect ratio and a pixel density of 256 PPI.
The Tab S8 Ultra has a massive 14.6 inch Super AMOLED display, with a resolution of 1848 by 2960, it has a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, a 16:10 aspects ratio and a slightly lower pixel density of 240 PPI.
When comparing the iPad Pro to the smaller Tab S7+, I prefer the iPad Pro’s 4:3 aspect ratio because it gives me a larger canvas to work with when taking notes in portrait mode, it’s better for multitasking, and I don’t mind black bars when watching content.
Because the display on the Tab S8 Ultra is so much larger, I get plenty of width in portrait mode, a much larger display for multitasking, and the 16:10 aspect ratio is absolutely incredible for media consumption because we’re using almost the entire display for the video. So, in that regard, I believe I’m getting the best of both worlds with the Tab S8 Ultra.
It’s a toss-up between the two options when it comes to display quality.
The Tab S8 Ultra’s Super AMOLED display has a beautiful crisp image with bright colours and darker blacks.
With 1000 nits of typical brightness and 1600 nits of peak brightness, the iPad Pro display has incredibly accurate colour reproduction and is a better option for HDR content.
The iPad Pro display also has an adaptive refresh rate, which means that when you’re doing something like reading a book, it can lower the refresh rate in real time to save battery life. Then, if you’re navigating the UI or doing anything else where 120Hz would provide a more fluid user experience, it can increase it all the way to 120Hz. You can choose between 60Hz and 120Hz on the Tab S8 Ultra, but it’s not adaptive; it’s either one or the other.
So, How Would I Choose a Display?
It’s probably a matter of personal preference.
I’d give the iPad Pro a slight edge in terms of quality, dynamic range, and colour accuracy if I were sitting there and watching both displays side by side while watching an HDR movie.
If you asked me, on the other hand, which of these displays was more enjoyable to watch content on and which one I would choose, I would say That would be the Tab S8 Ultra, which still has an incredible display. And it’s so much bigger than the 12.9-inch iPad Pro that it makes it look small.
CAMERA AND SPEAKERS
I prefer the camera placement on a Tab S8 Ultra because I use the tablet in landscape mode for video calls most of the time, whether it’s in a case or on a stand. Because the camera is on the long edge, I am always in the centre of the frame, and the camera is higher off the desk, giving it a better angle.
However, the iPad Pro’s camera is on the short side, so if you’re looking at the screen, it’ll appear to the other person that you’re looking off to the side.
A similar feature is available on both tablets. Apple refers to it as Center Stage, while Samsung refers to it as auto frame. In essence, the ultra wide run can recognise a subject, track it as it moves, and then zoom in and out to keep it properly framed. Both tablets work, but the iPad Pro’s Center Stage is more accurate, dependable, and smooth.
The notch on the tablet is a little strange because it’s on the side sometimes and on the top other times, and I prefer the iPad Pro’s cleaner look.
Then there’s the rear-facing camera modules. The Tab S8 Ultra has a 13 megapixel wide and a six megapixel ultra wide camera, compared to the iPad Pro’s 12 megapixel wide and 10 megapixel ultra wide.
There is a flash on both tablets. For me, the rear-facing cameras aren’t a big deal because I’ll never be able to take pictures with one of these massive tablets. As a result, I almost exclusively use the front-facing cameras.
Overall, I’m going to give the iPad Pro the edge, but Samsung is definitely closing the gap. Of course, if you need a LiDAR scanner for augmented reality or any other specific task, the iPad Pro is the way to go.
Moving on to the speaker systems, both tablets feature four speakers, making them the best-sounding tablets I’ve ever used. If you plan on using these speakers to listen to music or play games, you’ll be very pleased with both. The Tab S8 Ultra has a slight advantage in terms of sound quality, as it has a bit more presence and is a little fuller.
ACCESSORIES
S Pen vs 2nd Gen Apple Pencil
The Tab S8 Ultra is compatible with Samsung’s newest and fastest S Pen. And we’re getting latency of 2.8 milliseconds which is outstanding. Now this S Pen is all included with the price of the Tab S8 Ultra versus the 2nd generation Apple Pencil which will run you an additional 130 bucks.
Both stylist options are great but they have a completely different feel to them. So the tip of the S Pen is a lot softer. So when you write with it, it’s going to feel more like using a real pen on a pad of paper, where the pages compress as you press down.
The Apple Pencil has a more firm tip and it feels like you’re writing on a single sheet of paper that’s placed on a hard surface.
Now, one isn’t necessarily better than the other, it’s just a completely different feel.
Keyboard Cases
Looking at keyboard cases, the iPad Pro is compatible with the Magic Keyboard and there are several great options from Logitech. The Tab S8 Ultra has a dedicated Ultra Book Cover Keyboard from Samsung.
Now both have backlit keys and a track pad but they’re completely different designs. The Magic Keyboard has a more solid construction, the keys are more comfortable to type on and it’s got a better track pad. The Ultra Book Cover Keyboard has a dedicated row function keys, a spot that protects the S Pen and you can actually separate the back from the keyboard. So you can use the Tab S8 Ultra in tablet mode while still protecting the back of the device and housing the S Pen.
PROCESSING POWER
The iPad Pro comes with an incredibly capable M1 chip, the 128, 256 and 512 GB models come with 8 GB of RAM, and the one and two terabyte models come with 16 GB of RAM.
The Tab S8 Ultra features the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, the 128 GB model comes with 8 GB of RAM, the 256 GB comes with 12 GB and the 512 GB model comes with 16 GB of RAM.
Now Let’s See Some Benchmark Comparison
Single-Core Performance
| iPad Pro 12.9 | Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra | |
| Score | 1669 | 1148 |
Multi-Core Performance
| iPad Pro 12.9 | Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra | |
| Score | 7321 | 3288 |
Multitasking
As a result, both iPadOS and One UI have strong multitasking capabilities. Apps can be opened side by side or in pop-up windows. In both cases, the chips were capable of handling any combination of apps I tried.
One advantage of the Tab S8 Ultra is the larger display, which gives you more space to work with. Even with three tiled apps, you won’t feel cramped.
The Tab S8 Ultra can also be set to start in desk mode, which provides a desktop-like user interface with a taskbar, floating windows, and desktop icons. You can even use a keyboard, mouse, and external monitor to create a stunning dual display setup. In the end, the Tab S8 Ultra is a better choice if you want a single device that can serve as both a tablet and a laptop/desktop replacement.
Gaming
Both tablets played games like PUBG, COD: Mobile and Genshin Impact without a hitch.
Gameplay is smooth and responsive in both cases, and I like how big everything is, but keep in mind that these are big and heavy tablets, so you’ll get tired quickly.
I also connected my Xbox controller, and then I used both tablets to play my favourite Xbox Game Pass games. Playing on both was a blast, but the Tab S8 Ultra gives me the impression that I’m playing on a television. It’s unlike any other mobile gaming experience I’ve ever had, and I’m definitely going to give it the upper hand.
OS AND BATTERY LIFE
Both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store have a plethora of excellent choices. Affinity Photo and Procreate, for example, are now only available for the iPad. The iPad Pro is the way to go if they’re a critical part of your workflow. Check out Clip Studio Paint if you’re looking for a good drawing app for the Tab S8 Ultra.
When it comes to the operating system, Apple has made significant improvements to iPadOS, while One UI has improved by leaps and bounds in recent iterations.
Finally, you must decide whether you prefer a more tightly controlled but streamlined operating system or more flexibility and customization.
In terms of operating system updates, Samsung has increased their commitment this year, promising four years of OS updates and five years of security updates. This brings them closer to Apple, which provides excellent long-term OS support.
When it comes to battery life, both tablets easily last a full day of normal use, as long as I don’t sit down and play PUBG for four hours. What I like about the Tab S8 Ultra is that it charges faster and can accept 45 watts of power instead of the iPad Pro’s 30 watts.
PRICING AND FINAL WORDS
When we look at the configuration option and prices, we see some super important differences. I’m going to use the prices off of the Apple and Samsung stores because they’re more standardized.
Both tablets start out with 128 GB of internal storage and 8 GB of RAM for $1,099. But the Tab S8 Ultra price includes the S Pen. The Tab S8 Ultra maxes out at 512 GB of internal storage, while the iPad Pro can go all the way up to 2 TB. And remember, that you can use a microSD card with the Tab S8 Ultra if you want additional storage for different types of files. The Ultra also offers faster Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 versus Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5 on the iPad Pro.
