REVIEW: Galaxy Tab S9, Samsung's compact and versatile tablet

Released during the last Samsung Unpacked 2023, Galaxy Tab S9 is the smallest model of the new generation of tablets Android of the Korean company. We received the device for testing and we already have our verdict, check out the text below!

Design

O Galaxy Tab S9 it's a tablet Android 11-inch Samsung with a thin, light and compact body weighing just 489 grams, it has rounded edges and is 5,9mm thick, on the back we find a magnetic area to carry and store the S Pen.

We received the product in ivory (white) with a satin metal finish, but it can be found in graphite.

Just like its bigger brothers (Tab S9 + e Tab S9 Ultra), the model came with three accessories: the S Pen (touch pen), the magnetic cover and the keyboard DeX.

It is important to highlight that all Tab S9 line has certification IP68, with resistance to water up to 3 meters deep and dust.

The device is extremely comfortable to use, a very versatile, light and practical device. When I tested the Ultra version of the S9 line I had a hard time getting used to the giant 14,6-inch screen, so I think the 11-inch Galaxy Tab S9 are more than enough.

O Tab S9 has two volume buttons and a main action button on the top of the Tablet, 4 sound outputs on the vertical edges of the device, two microphone inputs on the top (below the volume buttons) and a connection USB-C 3.2 for both charger and headphone between the audio outputs.

The lack of a specific headphone jack may bother some users who opt for wired headphones instead of connected ones. Bluetooth.

S Pen and Keyboard Cover

O Galaxy Tab S9 comes with a magnetic rubber keyboard cover that protects the device, provides support and support on smooth surfaces and keeps the S Pen (which connects with Bluetooth low energy), famous touch pen from Samsung which helps a lot in everyday life and charges magnetically when attached to the back of the device.

A S Pen it can be used not only for navigation, but also for taking photos, assisting in presentations and much more. I said earlier in the review Tab S9 Ultra and here I reinforce: I prefer to use S Pen to navigate the tablet instead of using my fingers, as I find it much more comfortable and dynamic.

The magnetic keyboard cover enables DeX mode, which we will talk about later. The keyboard has thin keys that are very close to each other, the touchpad is small but very sensitive and the shortcuts work very well. The size of the keyboard follows the dimensions of the tablet, which may hinder typing for larger hands. In this regard, I had few problems as I have thin hands and fingers.

Fabric

A line Tab S9 comes with screen 2X Dynamic AMOLED 120Hz with improved HDR10+ standard that provides content reproduction with high dynamic range and more realistic colors. The 11-inch display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels and a color depth of 16 million has technology developed by Samsung with more vibrant and contrasting colors and visuals, while reducing blue light emission, protecting the eyes.

Another technology present in Tab S9 line is vision booster, an intelligent algorithm that detects sunlight and adapts screen brightness as needed.

In another review I had compared the screen of the Tab S9 Ultra with the screen of my gamer monitor and I was surprised by the results, I decided to make the same comparison with the Galaxy Tab S9 and I obtained the same quality and richness of details, contrast, brightness and colors, even with the much smaller screen the device did not leave anything to be desired in any visual sense. It is worth noting that the screen Galaxy Tab S9 has thicker edges than the versions S9 + e S9Ultra, but this does not interfere with daily use.

Tablets in this line work very well as a second PC screen and can be connected to the computer via Samsung DeX, for this it is necessary to purchase a DeX station, DeXPad or HDMI adapter and connect the mobile device to an external monitor (TV or PC monitor), it is also possible to integrate through the application Samsung Flow, which must be installed on the tablet and PC to work.

Cameras

The model has two cameras, the rear one located in the upper right horizontal part of the tablet has 13 megapixels, while the front one located in the upper horizontal center has 12 megapixels. O Galaxy Tab S9 shoots in Ultra HD (4K) at 60 fps. Check out my impressions of this device's lenses Samsung.

In natural and indirect light I found both cameras slightly grainy, the colors are very vibrant (as expected from Samsung) and the contrast between light and shadow is well balanced. These are tablet cameras, so don't expect impressive performance anyway.

Under direct natural light and artificial light, the grain situation is almost imperceptible, just don't expect absurd resolution.

Overall, they are good cameras that can be used to take some home photos and make video calls. The rear camera seemed a little more poppy.

Audio

There are four quad speakers AKG with ambient sound Dolby Atmos, the power and sound immersion that this tablet Samsung brings is higher than expected for a tablet. Even at minimum volume the sound is loud and clear and when turned up to maximum, it seems like it comes directly from a notebook.

The quality of the microphones is also satisfactory, the sound is clear and clean in just the right way.

Processor

The processor Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy was developed for the line Galaxy S23 as the main chip for the brand's mobile devices in 2023. This Octa-core chipset from Qualcomm It has superior performance to the conventional model with a speed of 3,36GHz compared to 3,2GHz of the standard version.

Designed to offer energy savings and accelerated gaming performance, its graphics engine enables realistic reflections and shadows in 3D environments.

I expected a surprising performance from the Tab S9 because of this plus in the processor and I received exactly what the company promises, it is a smart, fast device that adapts very well to both everyday tasks and professional use.

We received the 8 GB RAM version with 128 GB of internal storage, but the tablet can also be found in the 256 GB internal storage version, both with the possibility of expansion of up to 1 TB, being compatible with a MicroSD card.

O Galaxy Tab S9 has connection USB 3.2 January 1, Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-fi 6GHz 6E and mobile network 5G, in addition, it is equipped with GPS, Accelerometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyroscope, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Effect Sensor and RGB Light Sensor, it does not have NFC connection for contactless payment.

O Tab S9 is powered by the operating system Android 13 with interface One UI 5.1.1 da Samsung, a layer of personalization that adds a series of features and improvements exclusive to the brand. A One UI is known for its intuitive interface and optimized design, providing a more fluid and pleasant user experience.

DeX mode

The keyboard cover Samsung brings the experience of DeX mode protocols for Tab S9, a feature that simulates the experience of a Notebook.

In the previous version of DeX mode featured in the series Galaxy Tab S8, we had little integration of Android applications with the “PC” format, presenting problems when using multi-tasking mode and a certain delay in opening applications. This time, some problems were overcome, making the DeX mode much more intuitive, faster and comfortable to use.

Due to language integration Android With the Desktop layout, at first it is confusing to understand which resource continues to function as a tablet and which functions as a “PC”, but once you get used to the DeX mode It's tempting to want to use the tablet just this way.

Overall, I had a comfortable experience during my time with the Galaxy Tab S9, it is worth highlighting, however, that the experience remains far from comparable and that the device does not replace a computer, except for specific uses, such as opening and responding to emails, using social networks, taking notes, making video calls, play, draw, etc.

Performance

No AnTuTu benchmark, the results were excellent with the Galaxy Tab S9 reaching an incredible 1508555 points, those who read my review about the S9Ultra realized that the S9 scored higher points on the test AnTuTu, we can confirm that this is most likely due to the fact that the line processor needs to work much harder on the S9Ultra when placed in stressful situations, which is the main objective of a benchmark test, in this way, the Tab S9 Because it is more “compact”, it reaches high numbers more easily.

During the tests, the tablet did not show heating or freezing and the performance of the CPU remained stable.

Like a good addict Pokémon UNITE I didn't waste time and ran to test the game's performance on the Galaxy Tab S9, in addition to not experiencing crashes or drops in fps (average of 60 in all matches), the tablet did not heat up and the battery held up very well.

Another game I tested was Black Desert Mobile, a game of MMO RPG frantic open world that I really like, at the beginning of the gameplay the tablet gave some slight stutters, but after about 5 minutes the game was already running smoothly. I also didn't notice any heating and the battery held up really well.

Battery

A Samsung promises 10 hours of battery life with Wi-Fi connection, 15 hours of video playback and 149 hours of audio playback. It took two weeks using the Galaxy Tab S9 to work and have fun and I was surprised by the battery life of 8.400 mAh, even when used quite frequently the tablet was only connected to the charger every 1 and a half days. I believe that on milder days of use the battery will easily last 2 days.

As it has a long-lasting battery, it is worth highlighting that smartphone users Galaxy You can share the tablet's battery with your cell phone with the help of a USB-C cable.

O Galaxy Tab S9 It came with the brand's standard 15W charger in the box, but is compatible with fast charging of up to 45W.

Final considerations

The line Tab S9 is the most modern on the market when we think about Android devices, even though the smallest in the family is the Galaxy Tab S9 delivers a complete performance, audio and video experience, with DeX mode improved and the processor Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy the brand nailed it. It's totally worth the investment.

O DeX mode still needs improvements and I imagine that the next generation will arrive with great force, a more complete integration between applications Android With technology it will be quite a gain.

O Galaxy Tab S9 is a tablet with great processing performance, good battery life and very interesting features such as DeX mode and the inclusion of versatile accessories such as S Pen and the magnetic keyboard cover. Its size is extremely comfortable for daily use and the device is super easy to carry in your pocket.

Even though it is small, it is far from being a basic entry-level tablet, it may be smaller and less “ornate” than its bigger brothers, but it does not disappoint and delivers a satisfactory experience both for those who will use it to browse and play on the Internet, as well as for those looking for a study tablet or work complement, it's super worth it and the price is very fair.

Now, if you're looking for a more immersive audiovisual experience, more memory space and a more powerful battery and don't mind spending more, opt for Galaxy tab s9 + or by S9Ultra.

You can find the Galaxy Tab S9 in ivory and graphite colors by R$ 4.899 na Fast shop (128GB version) and R $ 5.654,11 in the version of 256 GB No. Magalu.

Technical specifications

Mark	Samsung
Model	Galaxy Tab S9
Social	GSM/HSPA/LTE/5G
GSM chip	Nano SIM, eSIM
Dimensions	254.3 x 165.8 x 5.9 mm
Shot Put	498 grams
Composition	Front: Reinforced Corning Gorilla Glass 5 Back and sides: Aluminum
Resistance	IP68 (water and dust), submersion up to 1,5m in fresh water for up to 30 minutes
Fabric	2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 120X, 10Hz, HDR11+ Resolution: 1600 x 2560 pixels – Pixel Density (PPI): 274 – Quantity of Colors: 16M
Processor	Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 – Octa Core (4 nm)
GPU	Adreno 740
Standard	Fingerprint (under screen, optical) Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity, Compass, Compass Samsung DeX Wireless
Front cameras	12 MP F 2.4
Rear cameras	13 Squares 4163 3122 pixels x 1/3.4 " F 2
Videos	4K is 60 fps sound recording stereo Stabilization three microphones
System	Android 13 with One UI 5.1
Wi-Fi	WiFi 6E
RAM and Internal Memory	8 GB of RAM 126 and 256 GB internal storage
Memory card	Yes
Battery	8.400 mAh Fast charging support up to 45W
Adjustable	USB Type-C 3.2
Loudspeakers	4 AKG stereo speakers
Colors	Ivory
Price	R$ 5.399,00 in the 128 GB version R$ 5.654,11 in the 256 GB version

See also other features

REVIEW: Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, the mega powerful tablet of 2023

reviewed by Glaucon Vital in 30 / 10 / 23.