by Thinus Ferreira
Samsung has rolled out its Galaxy Tab S12 tablet series - its Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra and Tab S12+.
Both the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra and Tab S12+ feature immersive displays and come bundled with the ergonomically designed S Pen for note-taking and editing.
At 5.1mm, the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra is Samsung's thinnest Galaxy Tab and its most powerful Galaxy Tab to date.
On a single charge, the battery lasts up to 23 hours on Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra and up to 21 hours on Galaxy Tab S12+, with recharging from 0% to 100% in about 95 minutes with the 45W adapter.
The 3nm processor delivers improved GPU power compared to Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra that increases speed and responsiveness for gaming as well as rendering complex creative projects, or for notetaking.
Samsung says a newly designed 3D Vapour Chamber efficiently dissipates heat to support more reliable performance during demanding tasks, whether users are editing video or gaming.
The Galaxy Tab S12 series also comes with an expansive screen. The Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra features a
large 14.6-inch display, while the Galaxy Tab S12+ features a larger 12.6-inch display and slimmer bezels than its predecessor, offering more screen space.
Both models feature Dynamic AMOLED 2X displays reaching up to 1,600 nits of peak brightness with clear and vivid visuals indoors and the upgraded Vision Booster now adjusts brightness in real time based on lighting conditions.
Soundwise, the tablets have 4-channel spatial audio. Samsung claims that is is "twice as many channels as the previous generation" for a richer, more immersive gaming experience, as well as scenarios where users are streaming content, following a tutorial or editing.
However, the previous Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra already featured a quad-speaker (4-channel) setup.
While the Tab S12 series introduces improved spatial audio processing and hardware tuning, it does not actually double the number of physical audio channels from the previous year
The Galaxy Tab S12 series runs Android 17 with One UI 9 and the latest Galaxy AI.
A user can split the screen into up to three sections in
Multi Window layout, for instance, take notes in Samsung Notes on one side while playing a lecture and opening an AI assistant on the other.
The Pro Keyboard has an aluminium finish, while the Book Cover Keyboard Slim allows for flexibility with comfortable viewing angles.
Samsung's Galaxy Tab S12 series is available in South Africa since 6 November and comes in grey and silver.
The premium positioning tiering comes with a substantial price increase. In South Africa, the base Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra 5G (256GB) enters the market at approximately R30 000 to R32 000 once-off, representing a sharp price hike over the previous generation.
To try and soften the initial price shock, Samsung is running a local promotional campaign running until 31 January 2027. Purchases made during this window include a R1 500 voucher, 6 months of free Google AI Pro and heavily discounted Samsung Care+ protection plans starting at R99 per month.