Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra: New Chip, Same Screen and Battery

The Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra is, on Samsung’s own spec sheets, the Tab S11 Ultra with a newer chip, better cooling and more speaker channels, starting at $1,399.99 in the US from 7 October. That is $200 more than the S11 Ultra cost at launch, and $100 more than Samsung’s store charges for it now.

The 14.6-inch screen, the 11,600mAh battery, the memory and storage tiers and the cameras are all unchanged. Whether the chip is worth the difference depends on whether the S11 Ultra was ever too slow for you, which no spec sheet can answer.

Tab S12 Ultra against Tab S11 Ultra, in Samsung’s figures

	Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra	Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra
US starting price	$1,399.99	$1,199.99 at launch; $1,299.99 on Samsung’s store, 4 Oct
Chip	MediaTek Dimensity 9500	MediaTek Dimensity 9400+
Cooling	3D vapor chamber	Flat vapor chamber, per Samsung
Screen	14.6in, 2,960 × 1,848, 120Hz, 1,600 nits peak	Same
Battery and charging	11,600mAh, 45W	Same
Memory and storage	12GB + 256GB or 512GB; 16GB + 1TB; microSD to 2TB	Same
Cameras	13MP + 8MP ultra-wide rear, 12MP ultra-wide front	Same
Speakers	Four, with 4-channel spatial audio	Four (“Quad Speaker”)
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 7	Wi-Fi 7
Thickness	5.1mm	0.20in, about 5.1mm
Ships with	Android 17, One UI 9	Android 16, One UI 8

The cooling row comes from a Samsung footnote, which says the S12 Ultra’s 3D vapor chamber replaces the “flat vapor chamber” of the S11 Ultra.

What the extra money buys

• The chip. Samsung claims 19% faster CPU, 17% faster GPU and 61% faster NPU than the S11 Ultra. Those are Samsung’s numbers, from its own lab, and we have not tested them.
• Cooling. A new 3D vapor chamber, which Samsung says dissipates heat faster, aimed at long video edits and design sessions.
• Sound. Samsung says its 4-channel spatial audio has twice as many channels as the previous generation. Both Ultras are listed with four speakers, so the change is in how they are driven, not how many there are.
• A year’s head start on software. It ships with One UI 9 on Android 17, and Samsung promises up to seven OS upgrades and security updates.

“Thinnest Galaxy Tab” needs a footnote. Samsung calls the 5.1mm S12 Ultra its thinnest Galaxy Tab. Its own US release gave the S11 Ultra as 0.20in thick, which is 5.08mm. On Samsung’s published figures, the difference is smaller than the rounding.

When a successor keeps the screen, battery and cameras, the older model at a lower price can be the better buy, the pattern in when a newer model is not the better buy. Here the S11 Ultra’s price has gone up rather than down, which narrows that case to $100.

The Tab S12+

The smaller model is a 12.6-inch tablet at $1,199.99, with the same Dimensity 9500, a 10,600mAh battery, 45W charging, Wi-Fi 6E and a single 13MP rear camera. Samsung names the Tab S10+ as its predecessor, not an S11 model, and says the S12+ (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) has slimmer bezels.

Before you buy

• The keyboards are extra. Samsung bundles the S Pen with both models, but the Pro Keyboard and the Book Cover Keyboard Slim are sold separately.
• The 45W adapter is extra too. Samsung’s footnote says the adapter for its 45W charging figure is sold separately.
• The 5G models take a physical SIM and an eSIM, by Samsung’s spec table; how an eSIM differs from a physical SIM matters before you add a data plan.
• Our shortlist still lists the S11 Ultra. The tablet shortlist averages published outlet scores, and adds a model only once three outlets have scored it; the S12 Ultra does not go on sale until 7 October.

Questions people ask

When does the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra come out?

Samsung says the Galaxy Tab S12 series goes on sale in the US on 7 October 2026, in Gray and Silver. It was announced on 30 September.

How much is the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra?

It starts at $1,399.99 in the US, and the Tab S12+ at $1,199.99. Samsung’s US release does not say which storage tier the starting price buys. The Tab S11 Ultra launched at $1,199.99 and Samsung’s store listed it at $1,299.99 on 4 October.

What is the difference between the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra and S11 Ultra?

On Samsung’s spec sheets: a MediaTek Dimensity 9500 chip instead of the Dimensity 9400+, a 3D vapor chamber for cooling, 4-channel spatial audio and One UI 9 on Android 17. The 14.6-inch screen, 11,600mAh battery, 45W charging, memory tiers and cameras are the same.

Is the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra faster than the S11 Ultra?

Samsung says so: 19% faster CPU, 17% faster GPU and 61% faster NPU than the Tab S11 Ultra. Those are Samsung’s own figures, from its own lab, and we have not tested either tablet.

Does the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra come with an S Pen?

Yes, Samsung lists the S Pen in the box for both the S12 Ultra and S12+. Its spec table notes Bluetooth Low Energy is not supported on that pen. The Pro Keyboard and Book Cover Keyboard Slim are sold separately.

Does the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra have a microSD slot?

Yes. Samsung lists microSD up to 2TB for both S12 models, alongside 256GB, 512GB and 1TB of built-in storage on the Ultra.