Galaxy Tab S12+ or Tab S12 Ultra? Most People Should Keep the $200

Samsung’s new tablets have been on sale for less than a week, and the buying decision is simpler than Samsung’s marketing makes it look. There is no base Galaxy Tab S12 this year. There is the Tab S12+ at $1,199.99 and the Tab S12 Ultra at $1,399.99, both available since October 7, and they are far more alike than different.

My take: unless you specifically need a 14.6-inch canvas, buy the Plus. And if you shop at Amazon this week, the gap gets wider than $200.

Same brain, same pen, different size

Both tablets run MediaTek’s 3nm Dimensity 9500, with Samsung claiming 19% faster CPU, 17% faster GPU and 61% faster NPU performance than last year’s Tab S11 Ultra, per Android Authority. Both get a new 3D vapor chamber for cooling, 120Hz Dynamic AMOLED 2X screens that peak at 1,600 nits, IP68 dust and water resistance, 45W charging, microSD support up to 2TB, One UI 9 on Android 17, and an S Pen in the box.

The differences are about size, plus a few extras that only matter to some buyers:

Spec figures come from Gizmochina’s launch breakdown and Samsung’s own claims.

Where the Ultra earns its money

The Ultra is a superb tablet. Engadget gave it a 9/10, recorded 19 hours and 39 minutes in its video rundown test and called it “the apex Android tablet.” If you draw, edit video or genuinely want to replace a laptop, the extra two inches of screen are worth paying for, and the 1TB and 16GB RAM options exist only on the Ultra.

But Engadget’s list of cons is telling: it is very expensive, the keyboard costs extra, and there is only one USB-C port. Those complaints apply to both models, and at 692 grams the Ultra is roughly 140 grams heavier than the Plus. That is the difference between a tablet you hold on the couch and one you rest on a desk.

The Amazon deal tilts it further

As spotted by 9to5Google, Amazon is bundling a free $200 Amazon gift card with the Tab S12+ 256GB at its $1,199.99 price. Amazon does not appear to stock the Ultra at all. If you were going to spend that $200 at Amazon anyway, the Plus effectively costs $999.99, a full $400 under the Ultra.

Samsung’s own store counters with a $100-off code (PYPL100) and up to $550 in instant trade-in credit, which works on either model. If you have an older Galaxy tablet or phone to hand in, run both numbers before checking out.

The bottom line

Samsung kept the expensive parts identical across both tablets, which makes the Plus the value play almost by default. You get the same chip, the same 1,600-nit screen tech, the same S Pen and the same software, in a lighter body, for less. The Ultra is the better tablet. The Plus is the better purchase.

Either way, budget for a keyboard if you want laptop-style work. Both tablets bundle trials, including six months of Google AI Pro and four months of Photoshop, but neither one includes the Book Cover Keyboard in the box.

Sources: Android Authority, Engadget, Gizmochina, 9to5Google. Photo by Shawn Rain on Unsplash.