The Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 (starting at $799.99) is the smaller, less expensive sibling of the top-of-the-line Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra (starting at $1,199.99). It features a beautiful display, fast performance, an S Pen stylus, and a comprehensive software suite, making it equally suitable for work and relaxation on the go. It is worth considering if you want something that's swift, portable, and relatively affordable. Ultimately, the larger Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is our Editors' Choice for Android tablets, despite its higher price, thanks to its expansive and spectacular display, which makes it a productivity powerhouse.

Design: Exceptional Build Quality

The Galaxy Tab S series is Samsung’s most premium tablet line, competing with Apple's iPad Pro family. Its design and build quality back that up. The mid-sized Tab S11 feels sturdy in the hand, and everything is in its logical place.

(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

The Tab S11 is compact, measuring 6.51 by 9.99 by 0.22 inches (HWD) and weighing 1.03 pounds, which is significantly smaller but slightly thicker than the Tab S11 Ultra (8.21 by 12.85 by 0.20 inches, 1.53 pounds). By comparison, the 11-inch Apple iPad Pro ($999) is similarly sized at 6.99 by 9.83 by 0.21 inches and 0.98 pounds.

(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

A uniform bezel surrounds the tablet's display. The power and volume buttons sit on the top-left edge, and a microSD card tray is positioned on the top edge toward the right. The S Pen stylus attaches magnetically along the top and covers the tray when it’s in place. Two speaker grilles are located on each short edge, and the USB-C port is on the right-hand side.

Corning Gorilla Glass 5 covers the screen to ward off scratches and dings, while the frame is made from Samsung's Armor Aluminum (the same material as the Galaxy S25). The Tab S11 and its S Pen meet the IP68 rating, meaning they are dust- and water-resistant. Apple's iPads are not marketed with an IP rating, and the Apple Pencil stylus is an optional accessory. For biometrics, the Tab S11 has a fingerprint sensor on the right side of the screen, where it is easy to reach with your right thumb and works well. 

(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

On the back, a single camera is located in the top-right corner; the Ultra features two cameras. A connection point is located at the bottom of the metal back, serving as an interface for optional accessories, such as a keyboard cover. A Samsung logo and antenna lines complete the rear’s design. 

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Samsung sells the Tab S11 series in two colors: gray or silver. We received a silver model, and its back panel resists fingerprints well.

Display: It's Just Gorgeous

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The tablet has an 11-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a resolution of 2,560 by 1,600 pixels, a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, and a peak brightness of 1,600 nits. The larger S11 Ultra has a 14.6-inch screen with 2,960 by 1,848 pixels and the same refresh rate and brightness. For comparison, the previous-generation Galaxy Tab screen has all the same specs, but a peak brightness of only 930 nits. The iPad Pro’s 11-inch OLED display has a resolution of 2,420 by 1,668 pixels, a 10Hz to 120Hz refresh rate, and a peak brightness of 1,600 nits. 

The Tab S11 provides sharp visuals with fluid motion. Its high brightness keeps the screen usable indoors and outdoors, except under the harshest lighting conditions.

As good as the Tab S11's display is, the Tab S11 Ultra's is better. The extra real estate provides an enormous boost in what you can do on the screen, with more space for app windows and documents. The expanded size also makes it easier for taking notes or drawing—and it looks fantastic.

Performance: A Big Thumbs Up

The Tab S11 is powered by a MediaTek 9400+ processor with 12GB of RAM. It is available in two storage options: 256GB ($799.99) or 512GB ($979.99). The S11 supports microSD cards up to 2TB for additional storage. In comparison, the larger S11 Ultra tablet is available with up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

( Credit: Geekbench/PCMark/PCMag)

To objectively measure performance, we run a series of artificial benchmarks. We compared the Tab S11 with the Tab S10 (powered by a MediaTek 9300+) and the Apple iPad Pro (featuring the Apple M4 processor). 

On Geekbench 6, which measures raw CPU power, the Galaxy Tab S11 scored 2,778 on the single-core test and 8,970 on the multi-core test, which is similar to the Tab S11 Ultra’s scores of 2,773 and 9,091. This improves on the Tab S10's scores of 2,072 and 7,242, while trailing the iPad Pro's 3,679 and 14,647. 

The PCMark Work 3.0 test measures a device's ability to handle general tasks. The Tab S11 scored 19,461 compared with the Tab S10’s 15,598 and the Tab S11 Ultra's 18,019. This test is not compatible with iPads. 

(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

For graphics performance, we use the GFXBench Aztec Ruins test, where the Tab S11 rendered 81 frames per second (fps). This is much higher than the Tab S10 (55fps) and the iPad Pro (60fps). 

I played the resource-intensive Genshin Impact at maximum graphics settings and 60fps for 20 minutes to test real-world performance. The Tab S11 rendered every detail crisply, while its frame rate and gameplay were fluid throughout. The center of the rear panel became slightly warm, although the tablet remained comfortable to the touch. 

Battery Life: Easily Handles a Cross-Country Flight

The Tab S11’s 8,400mAh battery lasted 9 hours and 25 minutes in our battery rundown test. The test involves streaming an HD video over Wi-Fi with the screen set to its maximum brightness. The larger Tab S11 Ultra (11,600mAh) lasted 11 hours and 10 minutes in this same test, while the iPad Pro ran for 7 hours and 43 minutes. The Ultra model's longer battery life means it is more likely to last through a full workday.

The S11 supports wired charging at up to 45W. When attached to a compatible charger, it reached 27% in 15 minutes, 50% in 30 minutes, and 100% in 1 hour and 30 minutes. With a long-lasting battery and quick recharge times, the Tab S11 will keep going throughout the day and recharge to full power quickly.

Connectivity: Speedy Wi-Fi Performance

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The Galaxy Tab S11 includes Bluetooth 5.4 and Wi-Fi 6E. Wi-Fi is one of the key differences between the S11 and the S11 Ultra, as the latter supports the newer Wi-Fi 7 standard. Neither the Tab S11 nor the Ultra has a 5G model. 

When tested near a Wi-Fi 6 router, the S11 achieved a maximum download speed of 408Mbps and a maximum upload speed of 21.9Mbps. A Galaxy Tab S10+ achieved download speeds of 388Mbps and upload speeds of 22.3Mbps when tested in the same spot. Taking the tablets to the limits of my Wi-Fi network, the Tab S11’s connection remained strong with a maximum download speed of 383Mbps and a maximum upload speed of 21.9Mbps. The S10+ reached 377Mbps down and 22.1Mbps up under similar testing. 

Audio: Thin Bass With Plenty of Volume

(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

The Tab S11 has four stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos. Stereo separation is good for a tablet of this size, but I wasn't convinced I was surrounded by sound.

We measure maximum volume with a decibel meter placed six inches from the speakers. At full volume, the Tab S11 reached 91.7 dB, which is enough to fill a small room. The speakers reproduce mids and highs clearly but fail to reproduce the deepest bass notes on our test track, The Knife’s “Silent Shout.” Consider a pair of good Bluetooth earbuds for better audio quality when gaming or watching videos.

Cameras: Passable Pictures

(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

The Tab S11 takes decent shots. A 13MP main camera sits on the back, and a 12MP front-facing camera handles selfies and video calls. The Ultra adds a second 8MP ultra-wide camera on the back.

The S11's rear camera captures good overall detail, though images are slightly brightened and oversaturated. The front-facing camera produces usable pictures, but fine details are blurry when you zoom in. Front and rear video capture tops out at 4K resolution at 30fps, with the same quality as photos. The Tab S11’s cameras are fine for quick snaps and video conferencing, but they will not replace a phone for serious photography.

(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

Software: Galaxy AI in Full Effect

The Galaxy Tab S11 runs Android 16 with Samsung’s One UI 8.0 layered on top. One UI has advanced multitasking, resizable app windows, Edge Panels for quick app access, and DeX for a desktop-like interface, making the S11 a versatile alternative to a laptop. Samsung promises seven generations of OS updates and seven years of security fixes. For comparison, Google provides five years of support for its Pixel Tablet. 

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Galaxy AI supplies a host of helpful features. Browser Assist summarizes web pages, Notes Assist organizes and cleans up your notes, Transcript Assist turns recordings into searchable text, and Writing Assist suggests copy edits. Sketch to Image transforms your doodles into fully realized creations. Circle to Search and Google Gemini make it easier to find answers. Many Galaxy AI tools run in the cloud, but you can limit supported features to on-device processing when privacy or offline use is required or preferred.

(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)

The included S Pen integrates seamlessly with One UI for note-taking, annotations, and precise edits, and it operates wirelessly without the need for charging. Samsung has redesigned the S Pen, which is now hexagonal, similar to a traditional wooden pencil. Its light build and shape feel familiar when sketching, while the larger nib makes drawing feel more natural. As noted above, the S11 Ultra's larger display is a better canvas for the S Pen.