REVIEW: Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is the top Android tablet in 2024

Os Galaxy Tab have gained a huge space in the market in recent years, which has made the Samsung bet on a variety of models. Let's detail the experience with the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra (2024), defined as the most powerful in the South Korean manufacturer's tablet gallery. Is it worth investing the price of a motorcycle in this darling? Do its functions make sense in the Brazilian market? See this and other details in our full review!

Design

The most eye-catching point of the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is, as in previous models, the size of the screen. With 14,6 inches, it is proposed to be a hybrid of notebook and tablet. The model is also very thin, with thin edges and rounded corners. It weighs 718g, easy to carry when without the cover, but very heavy and difficult to move when attached to it. Its dimensions are: 208.6mm x 326.4mm x 5.4mm, being width, height and depth, respectively.

Following the pattern of other tablets and even smartphones, we only have 3 side buttons, to the right of the tablet. They are used to volume controland and for on off the product (or activate the screen). There is also a drawer to place the physical chip operator (nanoSIM).

At the top, there are two speaker outputs, which make up the stereo set with two more outputs at the base, one on each side of the USB-C port. There is no P2 port for headphones here, so everything you need to use will be centralized in the USB-C port.

The product is very resistant, made of glass in the frontal area and aluminum in the rest. He brings IP68 protection, that is, it resists dust and water immersion for up to 30 minutes at up to 1 meters deep.

And it comes with some accessories like S Pen Pen e keyboard cover, at no additional cost, which I will discuss below:

Keyboard cover

Bringing the elephant in the room, let's talk about it: the keyboard cover. It's made of a material that looks like suede or something similar and it's quite pretty. What's not pretty is the fingerprints or other marks that easily get on it, whether on the keyboard or on the outside. It comes in two parts, one with the keyboard and another to put on the back of the tablet. This decision is both good and bad. Let me explain:

The good thing about it being separate is that if you want to use the back as a stand, it looks great and you can still use the touch functions on the screen. However, besides the fact that the reverse doesn't make sense and doesn't work, the general use of the tablet as a "notebook" is pretty bad. Because they are separate parts, this cover doesn't provide any security when we try to use the tablet on our lap or in bed. It only works minimally well on the table. 

The back of the cover, where we have the height control for the tablet, has remained the same for years and despite these problems it has never changed. Either no one uses it, or the target audience for these products simply doesn't care, because it doesn't make sense to have a base that could tip the tablet over with any movement. I think it could be done in a more interesting way where everything remains firm and usable in any environment.

About the keyboard itself, it is very comfortable to type on, besides being backlit, a must-have on these accessories. However, its touchpad doesn't come close to that. The sensitivity is weird and the touch functions work in a way that's not at all intuitive for those who are used to PCs. Drag and drop functions, for example, require new learning, because this part of the keyboard doesn't have all the techniques of a conventional touchpad. It's something that's easily perceived when using it, but difficult to explain in a text.

S Pen

AS Pen is one of the most important accessories of Galaxy Tab and fortunately it remains included in the kit to this day. The version of Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra it's not that one Creator Edition, which does not take away from its merits, since the conventional model already has all its features and is excellent for all functions.

It does not bring any physical novelty and follows the color of the tablet, but it is associated with the main functions of IA of the system. You can use the Galaxy A.I. without it, but with it things become easier both to activate them and to make cutouts and drawings. You can also use basic functions via Bluetooth, such as taking a photo and also pausing or playing a song, as well as gestures to switch apps, or activate specific apps.

Fabric

The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is a huge model and that also translates into a huge screen. The type of screen used here is the 2X Dynamic AMOLED, popular among the brand's most powerful devices for a few years now. To help mainly with gaming performance, it has a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support.

The difference, however, in relation to other tablets, is its size. With 14.6 “This is the largest tablet on the market, perfect for enjoying any type of media, be it movies, YouTube videos and, with a few caveats, games. I say this because, because it has such a large screen, playing games on the touchscreen becomes a difficult task. That's where the joystick option comes in, solving the problem, but it's not part of the kit.

As for the more professional use of the tablet, its use in video editing software, image editing and even drawing, all of this is benefited by the huge screen. You gain work space and thanks to the powerful hardware, everything flows very smoothly. The keyboard cover can be your friend here too, but since it doesn't work exactly like a notebook, it can end up slowing down the process and will require you to get used to and perfect the use of the accessory.

The interesting thing here is that now the Samsung supports not only the Clip-Studiobut also the LumaFusion, a video editor widely used by iPad users, for example. These two options are paid, but they have a good reputation behind their names. In my tests, I used CapCut, for example, and the interface and usage were completely different from the smartphone, in a good way.

Of course, you don't need a screen of almost 15" to enjoy all this beauty on a tablet, but in this case it's worth praising the good use of it. The screen takes up about 90% of the front of the tablet, leaving almost no edges, with a resolution 1848 x 2960 and 16:10 standard.

Processor (SoC)

The chipset chosen for the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, escaping from the traditional Snapdragon, it was a Mediatek Dimension 9300+ with 4 nanometer architecture. This was a very cool surprise for me. To contextualize, this chipset is the competitor of Snapdragon 8 Gen3, present in premium smartphones launched in 2024.

The graphic part brings the GPU Immortalis-G720 MC12 and together, they deliver wonderful performance for this tablet. There are no hiccups, apps flow and One UI 6.1 performs naturally in any feature.

When pushing the envelope in games, I also had no problems. I tested Minecraft, Call of Duty Mobile, Warzone Mobile, Freefire MAX e Asphalt 9: they all ran perfectly. Warzone Mobile It was the only one that seemed to struggle to run, but it seemed more like a problem with the game, something that is recurring.

In compatible games, I got 120FPS and in Minecraft, I had to test exploding dozens of TNTs at once to see what happened. Fortunately, this barely affected the game's FPS, showing that the GPU can handle the shock of heavier things happening very well.

Insights

I tested the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra in some software to stress your chipset and below you can see the main results:

AnTuTu Benchmark

Geekbench 5

Memory and storage

To aid chipset performance, the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra sold here in Brazil comes with 512GB of storage and 12GB RAM LPDDR5T. The loan model sent to the showmetech only have 256GB and how good that the Samsung revised this for the end consumer, doubling that space: currently, it is possible to find the best Samsung tablet in 2024 with 512 GB of internal storage, but the same 12 GB of RAM.

Although it doesn't have the option to use a carrier chip, it does have a drawer so you can install a MicroSD card of up to 2 TB. This can be very useful not only for installing apps, but for storing music, PDFs and even photos.

Audio

A Samsung equips your devices with great sound quality and here it is no different. There are four speakers, 2 separated on each side. In this way, they create powerful and immersive stereo audio that, with technology Dolby Atmos, it is perfect for taking advantage of this big screen in a wide range of activities.

Once again, we have AKG to give that final touch to the sound and seriously, using this tablet at full volume is impressive. It's not only loud but also very detailed in sound. Music, movies and games sound great and add to the experience.

As for the headphones, I have some complaints. I mentioned it earlier, but let's go into more detail. We have a giant screen and it simulates a notebook at various times, so why not bring the port for conventional headphones? Since the keyboard cover comes in the package now, it should have ports on it. I know that this choice is made to prioritize getting the consumer to use Bluetooth headphones, but I am completely against taking away options.

I had the opportunity to test the Galaxy Buds3 Pro I used them on this tablet while I was with them and they were undoubtedly excellent. You can check out more details about the experience with these headphones in my Review, but it is worth questioning the lack of a P2 port, since you can find high-quality headphones for much more attractive prices than Bluetooth ones.

Just an addendum that yes, I know you can use a headphone adapter on the USB-C port, but besides being an expense that shouldn't exist, it's uncertain which one will work or not. I myself recently bought one that simply doesn't work on any Samsung device here at home.

System and apps

A One UI is the system used in Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra in your version 6.1.1., based on Android 14. It will have 7 years of update support, going up to Android 21. As for the system itself, although it is exactly the same as the OS for smartphones, it is very well designed to work on large screens.

Everything that is part of the One UI system is adapted to be easily accessible from either side of the screen, or even split on both sides so that you can see everything easily. In apps, things are not always perfect, but that is not entirely up to Samsung.

If you've ever used this system, you know that it offers a high level of customization and is constantly changing. I personally find the interface pleasant and the translation of it to tablets works well. However, the highlight of Samsung's OS on tablets has always been the DeX mode. That's what I'm going to detail next.

DeX mode

I bought the idea of DeX from the beginning. Not just me, but many people, since other manufacturers have made their own DeX as well. The problem is that, whether due to programming errors or limitations of Android itself, the idea of ​​transforming the Android experience into a PC experience doesn't work. Apps don't fit properly on the screen or use the mobile version in a stretched and unadapted way, cutting off important elements from the field of view.

Even though they are a mobile version, features that are only available in the PC version of those apps are not available simply because you are simulating a PC. However, it is worth mentioning that to simulate a workflow from a basic office, working on a spreadsheet here, sending an email there and even editing some videos the experience is super competent.

The real problem with DeX is multitasking. On a PC, with just the browser, we open several tabs and these tabs allow them to be split across the screen. Doing something similar on Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra requires you to use two different browsers. Yes, you can split the screen into two or even three parts, but again, as long as they are different apps. Working with documents like this becomes a very boring and difficult task, at least for me.

DeX Mode recently received a new version, taking away all its peculiarity of “looking like a PC” with the bottom bar. Despite this, this new version manages to solve many of the problems related to the Android system trying to simulate a PC.

The advantage of this new version is that it keeps the home screen widgets and, most importantly, significantly improves the use of multiple apps simultaneously. It's up to you to see what works best for you, although I think that one of the versions will eventually be cut altogether.

Galaxy A.I.

About Galaxy A.I., it brings everything you already know about smartphones, adapted to some tablet features. The functions I found in the system are: Smart Design, Smart Chat, Interpreter, Smart Notes, Transcription Assistant e Navigation Assistant

Using the S Pen, you can sketch drawings and then ask the user to Galaxy A.I. project something on top of it. It's interesting to be able to use screenshots for this feature as well, as I put in the first photo below. In any case, once again, it's the kind of tool that doesn't understand anything about the artistic concept of things, bringing only a generic and even meaningless drawing.

It is also possible to translate entire PDF files, which can be very productive if it is in a language where the material does not exist in Portuguese, for example. Finally, we have the novelty of Mathematical Assistant which, as the name suggests, will help you with this issue. However, there is no forecast for when this feature will be available.

Finally, the keyboard cover features a dedicated button for Galaxy A.I., similar to the Copilot on Windows. Honestly, I couldn't be less interested in this feature. It only works when I'm not in DeX mode and it only serves to call the Gemini.

The functions of Circular to search, for example, cease to exist when we are in DeX mode. I personally didn't see any real advantage in having this key. If it gave me options than Galaxy A.I. You can do it on the tablet and it would be much more attractive.

I also tested taking a photo directly from the tablet and using the AI ​​editing features to see what the result would be. Check it out below:

Connectivity and networks

O Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra It has a single USB-C port, used for charging, data transfer and also for using wired headphones, with compatible adapters or even with headphones with this type of connector.

For Wi-Fi, it has the advantage of supporting Wi-Fi 7. Although interesting, it is not one of the reasons for purchase, unless you are a technology enthusiast here in Brazil. I say this because the most conventional now is Wi-Fi 5 and in rare exceptions Wi-Fi 6 in most cases.

For wireless data transfer, you can rely on the Bluetooth 5.3, perfect for handling all the connections with headphones and devices that use technology today. This is a model with Wi-Fi only and, as it is a tablet, it does not have NFC technology for payments.

Battery and charging

There are 11.200 mAh of battery included in this large tablet. The number may seem large, but think about it, if a smartphone with almost 7″ has about 5.000mAh and the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra It's a little more than twice that size, this battery is equivalent due to its size and I think that's how we have to think about its energy performance.

The built-in processor is excellent at saving energy, especially when the tablet is sitting quietly with the screen off. With conventional use, including games, movies and even a bit of text work on it, I managed to get 4 days until a full charge ran out. It's an excellent result and one I wish my smartphone could replicate.

Still, I feel that the One UI 6.1 It uses more than it should and it could have even more impressive results if it weren't as wasteful as it is. Below is an image with some details of the tablet's energy performance:

When it comes to charging, we have some annoying issues here. Speaking of what comes in the box, we have a super simple 15W charger, which takes just over 3 and a half hours to charge our beloved tablet to 100%. Now about what it supports, it goes up to 45W. Using the most powerful charger I have here, the charge to 100% was done in just over 2 hours, a significant improvement.

And where do the problems come in? The main one is that, just like Apple, these slower charging standards are already becoming quite outdated. I'm not asking for everything to be like one Motorbike Edge 40 Pro, but it needs to become a standard for us to charge devices in less than 1 hour, at least.

And considering the size of this battery, having support for more powerful charging would make all the difference. This probably won't change any time soon, but I think it's important to emphasize that it's unacceptable for a weak charger to come with such a premium device, much less not having support for much more interesting charging standards.

Cameras

O Galaxy Tab S10 ultra It has 4 cameras, two on the front and two on the back, but let's get straight to the point: do they really matter here? The quick answer is that they only serve the purpose of a video call or to read a QR Code. It's not the one you're going to use to go to a park and take photos of your weekend.

That said, let's briefly go over its specifications. On the front, there are two 12MP lenses, one of which is Wide and other Ultra Wide. Although it is interesting to have this difference on the front end, in apps like Google Meet, you can't choose the widest lens, making this a vague attraction for the tablet.

For the photos themselves, expect good quality in good lighting and videos up to 4K without the option of 60 frames per second. Everything I said about these cameras also applies to the rear cameras. The difference is in the camera Ultra Wide from the rear which has only 8MP.

Check out some photos taken with the rear cameras:

And below some selfies:

Price and availability

O Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra was launched in Brazil on October 5th in a single version, with 512GB of storage and 12GB of RAM. It already includes the keyboard cover and the S Pen in the box. The suggested price at launch was R$11.499,00, but it is already possible to find it on sale:

• By R$10.369 on Mercado Livre
• By R$8.389,00 on Amazon
• By R$ 9.332,10 via Pix at Magazine Luiza

Conclusion

O Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra It is, without a doubt, a powerful tablet with eye-popping specifications. We have an excellent OLED screen, good use of it, S Pen included and even the keyboard cover in the kit to help with the experience — even though mine wasn't the best.

However, I feel that even with all this, due to the lack of apps that use all the power and features that this tablet tries to offer, it becomes a pointless investment. You are practically buying a luxury 15-inch TV, since you will spend most of your time using it as a player for movies, series and music, since its work and productivity functions do not work as they should.

Here, it is no longer a question of whether I like the product or not, but rather the fact that Samsung has a system ready for differentiated use with tablets, but completely hampered by forces that are not its responsibility. Options such as Galaxy Tab S9, S9+ e S9Ultra and even the younger brother, Tab S10 +, are more affordable and will offer everything the new model offers, for half the price in some cases.

Technical specifications

Model	Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra
Colors	Moonstone Grey Platinum Silver (a shade of silver)
Fabric	14,6-inch screen with rounded corners Dynamic AMOLED 2X Technology 2.960 x 1.848 pixel resolution 120Hz refresh rate Anti-glare coating
Protections	IP68 against water and dust
Processor	Mediatek Dimension 9300+
System and interface	Android 14 via One UI 6.1 Seven years of OS updates Seven years of security updates Support for Galaxy AI
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 7 Bluetooth 5.3 MicroSD card tray
Battery and charging	11.200 mAh Charging up to 45W
Rear cameras	Main: 13 MP F/2.0 (Wide) Secondary: 8 MP F/2.2 (ultrawide) Records videos in 4K at 30 FPS
Frontal camera	Dual system with a 12 MP lens each Records videos in 4K at 30 FPS
Memory and storage	512GB + 12GB RAM
Dimensions (WxHxD, mm) Weight	208.6 x 326.4 x 5.4 718g
Price	By R$10.369 on Mercado Livre; By R$8.389,00 on Amazon; By R$ 9.332,10 via Pix at Magazine Luiza

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