Why you may belief Android Central
Our skilled reviewers spend hours testing and evaluating services so you may select the most effective for you. Discover out extra about how we take a look at.
Very similar to its flagship slab telephones, Samsung has been having fun with a cushty cushion on the earth of Android tablets. Nevertheless, that cushion could be beginning to put on skinny, leaving us to wonder if the Galaxy Tab S10 Extremely continues to be the most effective that cash should buy.
Samsung made a few shocking selections with its flagship pill lineup, of which just one actually impacts the Galaxy Tab S10 Extremely. Dropping Qualcomm in favor of MediaTek was a daring alternative, however in addition to that, it’d seem like there’s not likely a lot of a distinction when in comparison with its predecessor. So let’s dive in and see whether or not that is the case or if there’s some type of hidden magic.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Extremely: Value and availability
The Galaxy Tab S10 Extremely was introduced in September 2024 alongside the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus, S24 FE, and Galaxy Watch FE. It is out there in three completely different configurations, beginning with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, with a retail worth of $1,199.99. The 12GB/512GB mannequin is available in at $1,319.99, whereas the 16GB/1TB variant will set you again $1,619.99.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Extremely: Specs
Class | Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Extremely |
|---|---|
Show | 14.6-inch AMOLED, 2960 x 1848 120Hz, 500 nits, 16:10 |
Processor | MediaTek Dimensity 9300 Plus |
Reminiscence | 12GB / 16GB |
Storage | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB (expandable through microSD) |
Entrance Cameras | 12MP (huge) + 12MP (ultrawide) |
Rear Cameras | 13MP (huge) + 8MP (ultrawide) |
Battery | 11,200mAh w/ 45W Quick Charging |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 7 / Bluetooth 5.3 |
Audio | Quad AKG-tuned audio system |
Safety | Optical Fingerprint scanner under-display |
Dimensions | 326.4 x 208.6 x 5.4mm |
Weight | 718 grams |
Working System | One UI w/ Android 14 |
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Extremely: What I like
It doesn’t matter what your emotions are in terms of utilizing Android tablets, generally it is best when an organization acknowledges that it would not have to make any drastic design modifications. That is precisely what Samsung has achieved with the Tab S10 Extremely, because it looks like we simply have up to date internals packed inside the identical shell from the Tab S9 Extremely.
Which means in the event you’re upgrading from the earlier model, you will not need to shell out a bunch of additional money for brand spanking new instances or equipment. This was one thing that drove me completely mad when Samsung went from the Tab S8 Extremely to the Tab S9 Extremely. Fortunately, it isn’t a problem this time round.
Externally, actually, all the pieces stays the identical, apart from the colours on the Tab S10 Extremely. The 14.6-inch AMOLED show is as lovely as ever, making it excellent for getting work achieved, taking part in video games, or propping it as much as watch a film.
Oh yeah, and the S Pen continues to be included within the field, which was to be anticipated however continues to be welcome.
The most effective half is that the chances of what you are able to do with the Tab S10 Extremely are virtually infinite. I’ve used it as an exterior monitor for each my desktop and gaming handheld, a wise house dashboard, a digital pocket book, and extra. Actually, I am scripting this on the Tab S10 Extremely utilizing Samsung DeX, which is related wirelessly to my 49-inch Samsung OLED ultrawide monitor.
It is a bit odd, positive, particularly as a result of the enormous 14.6-inch show is presently doubling as an enormous touchpad. That is as a result of this type of simply occurred on a whim, and the Extremely is related to Samsung’s Ebook Cowl Keyboard Slim (the one with out a built-in trackpad.) After all, connecting a mouse would make extra sense, however I type of like how I can simply attain up and have the world’s largest touchpad.
To shortly recap, the Tab S10 Extremely is principally the Tab S9 Extremely that will get one further 12 months of updates. Nicely, not precisely. In a transfer that also surprises me, Samsung went with the MediaTek Dimensity 9300 Plus as a substitute of the Snapdragon 8 Elite and even the 8 Gen 3.
However to be fairly trustworthy, aside from one very particular area of interest, you would not understand it. And that is factor as a result of if that weren’t the case, Samsung would have a lot larger issues on its arms.
So why would Samsung transfer away from Qualcomm in favor of MediaTek? That is proper, you guessed it — AI. The Galaxy Tab S10 Plus and S10 Extremely are being touted as the corporate’s “first tablets purpose-built for AI.” However earlier than getting too forward of ourselves right here, let’s examine how the Dimensity 9300 Plus compares to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 from the Tab S9 Extremely:
Check | Galaxy Tab S10 Extremely | Galaxy Tab S9 Extremely |
|---|---|---|
Geekbench 6 (single-core) | 2021 | 2075 |
Geekbench 6 (multi-core) | 6855 | 5505 |
Geekbench AI (Quantized rating) | 2859 | 1672 |
Whereas single-core scores match up with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, the Dimensity 9300 Plus destroys its competitor in multi-core Geekbench AI. Which simply so occurred to be the 2 key areas of focus when Samsung launched the Tab S10 Extremely.
Nevertheless, I’d go as far as to say that you simply would not discover a distinction in the event you had been requested to make use of both of those in some kind of “blind take a look at.” On the one hand, that is nice, as it will be a really completely different story if Samsung’s flagship pill ended up performing worse. On the opposite, you may’ve hoped to see extra of a bounce within the single-core efficiency.
Particularly in the event you occur to see what the Snapdragon 8 Elite can do within the Galaxy S25 with its 3,025 single-core rating and 9,640 multi-core rating. Thoughts you, that is for a cellphone that prices $400 lower than the bottom mannequin Galaxy Tab S10 Extremely. Moreover, the 8 Elite launched after the Tab S10, so it is sensible we did not see it right here.
However, there’s nearly nothing to essentially complain about in terms of efficiency. You will nonetheless take pleasure in Samsung’s suite of Galaxy AI options, paired fairly properly with Google Gemini. So, I can solely hope that Samsung has left sufficient overhead for another potential AI options that we’ll see within the years to come back.
Oh, and bear in mind how I stated that Samsung basically saved the design the identical because the Tab S9 Extremely? That additionally goes for the microSD card slot, which is a welcome inclusion on any machine, not to mention one that may function a gaming and media playback behemoth.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Extremely: What I do not like
Large screens and trackpads apart, my Tab S10 Extremely normally resides in DeX mode. I do not actually have a lot cause to ever return to “common” Android as a result of it is all icky and annoying there. Nicely, a minimum of for tablets of this measurement.
With Google lastly engaged on a correct desktop mode for Pixel gadgets, it solely additional drives the purpose house that sure Samsung tablets ought to default to DeX mode out of the field. And if would not need to do it for each pill, the Tab S Extremely needs to be the primary.
The normal Android expertise nonetheless would not work effectively on tablets and even foldable telephones. App scaling is bizarre; apps do not play good when going past the confines of a slender rectangle, and generally even the interface simply appears to be like odd. DeX solves most of these issues with slightly assist from One UI.
It makes whole sense for Samsung to only embrace the concept of the Tab S Extremely offering a Microsoft Floor expertise, powered by One UI and Android. Nevertheless, this leads me to a different situation that I hoped it will resolve however has but to take action.
Samsung must “borrow” Apple’s iPad Professional Magic Keyboard design.
I applaud the corporate for making it so you need to use the Tab S9 Extremely instances with the newer mannequin. Technically, there are two “new” keyboard instances that launched alongside the Tab S10 Extremely. However the one actual distinction is the addition of the Galaxy AI key subsequent to the arrow keys.
Sadly, you have got a pill that may double as a laptop computer, however it’s arguably one of the uncomfortable “laptops” that you’re going to ever use. With the Ebook Cowl Keyboard, all the pieces works superb, however strive utilizing it along with your Tab S10 Extremely in your lap, and you will instantly need to pull out your hair.
The Ebook Cowl Keyboard Slim is barely higher, as it is a bit extra inflexible than its counterpart. Nevertheless, you miss out on the trackpad, which is okay in some situations however is not the best expertise for everybody.
Every time I get a brand new Android machine, whether or not it is a cellphone, pill, or gaming handheld, the very first thing I attempt to do is see how effectively it could possibly deal with emulation. Most trendy gadgets can deal with as much as PS2 video games pretty simply. The actual take a look at is seeing how effectively Change emulation performs.
That is the place my first annoyance concerning the transfer to MediaTek got here to thoughts after I heard the rumors. Graphics drivers for MediaTek gadgets are… effectively… they simply do not fairly stack as much as Qualcomm. They’re going to simply deal with techniques with mature emulators, however when you begin stepping into Change and Home windows emulation, it is a completely completely different story.
I will not bore you with the main points, however principally, Qualcomm gadgets permit for using {custom} driver help and Vulkan extensions. In case you ever hear about “Turnip” drivers, these are custom-compiled drivers which might be utilized in a wide range of emulators, together with Change, 3DS, PS Vita, and others.
These drivers can provide improved compatibility together with elevated efficiency, which sounds nice! Till you study that you simply will not have the ability to use these {custom} drivers with MediaTek’s Mali drivers. This in the end signifies that in the event you attempt to emulate one in all your favourite Change video games solely to see that it will get between 10-15fps, you are merely out of luck.
There’s another factor concerning the Tab S10 Extremely that continues to bug me. For no matter cause, Samsung’s “Extremely” pill is not out there with a mobile connection. This has bugged me for the previous few iterations, however after studying that these in Europe can select between having Wi-Fi or mobile, I used to be hopeful that the S10 Extremely could be a deviation from that sample.
Positive, it isn’t an issue with the Galaxy S10 Plus, so in the event you really need cell connectivity, that is nonetheless an possibility. However what about these of us preferring the bigger show? Particularly contemplating that the S10 Extremely is basically a super-sized and Android-powered Floor Professional.
I perceive that it will solely make this already-expensive machine price much more. However on the identical time, I do not perceive Samsung’s rationale in terms of limiting or holding options from its “Extremely” gadgets.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Extremely: The competitors
For the primary time in a number of years, I really feel like there’s some actual competitors within the higher-end Android pill area. Whereas nothing else can actually match up by way of the show, there are actually choices that may sustain with Samsung’s flagship tablets.
The OnePlus Pad 2 is the primary that involves thoughts, merely due to how a lot of an enchancment it’s over the earlier mannequin. We now have the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, a beautiful 3K LCD panel (which is nice for PWM), and Open Canvas presents a distinct tackle multitasking. Plus, even in the event you determine to choose up the Stylo 2 and Good Keyboard, it would nonetheless price you lower than the Tab S10 Extremely.
It is a comparable story, a minimum of on paper, with the Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus. This was introduced at CES 2025 and has flown below the radar a bit, however possibly that can quickly change. Lenovo, too, opted towards going with the Snapdragon 8 Elite however as a substitute depends on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. You will additionally take pleasure in a 12.7-inch 3K show with a 144Hz refresh charge and 16GB of RAM. Lenovo consists of each a stylus and a removable keyboard within the field.
Final however definitely not least is the massive elephant within the room, Apple’s iPad Professional. It has all the pieces you would need from a laptop computer substitute — a giant and vibrant display screen, a wonderful keyboard, and you may even get mobile in order for you. Nevertheless, the most important caveat is that it is operating iPadOS, and whereas that could be nice for some, I nonetheless want Apple would give us macOS on this {hardware}.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Extremely: Do you have to purchase it?
You can purchase this if…
- You need the most important pill that cash should buy
- You need a pill that may substitute your laptop computer
- You are already entrenched within the Samsung ecosystem
You should not purchase this if…
- You are on a funds
- You need a pill with mobile connectivity
- You do not want a display screen this large
- You need to take pleasure in retro emulation and want the most effective compatibility
- You have already got the Galaxy Tab S9 Extremely
Frankly, the Galaxy Tab S10 Extremely is not for everybody. That assertion can be true even when we had the Snapdragon 8 Elite or 8 Gen 3 over the Dimensity 9300+. It is cumbersome to make use of as a standard pill, though the 14.6-inch show is ideal for media consumption and taking part in video games.
In case you had been to ask me for a suggestion, I might in all probability inform you to only get the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus. With the additional cash saved, you would spring for extra storage or seize one with mobile connectivity. Nevertheless, even that opens one other can of worms once you go searching at competing tablets with a similarly-sized display screen.
That being stated, there is a cause we selected this because the finest pill of 2024. There’s nothing fairly like having a tool of this measurement powered by Android. In case you do determine to choose up the Galaxy Tab S10 Extremely, I extremely suggest enabling DeX as quickly as you get all the pieces arrange. It simply makes extra sense than being confined to the normal Android UI.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Extremely
Samsung packed the Galaxy Tab S10 Extremely to the gills with as many options because it may, with out altering the design only for the sake of it. However we’re not fully positive about how effectively this behemoth of a pill will fare with MediaTek operating the ship as a substitute of Qualcomm.
