The Galaxy Tab S9 10.9″ is a powerful, large-screen tablet designed for media consumption, and it’s currently on sale for $399 on Amazon, $50 off the regular price. In the growing market for budget-friendly Android tablets, companies are targeting consumers who don’t want to spend over $1,000 on a high-end device. Samsung is aiming to make a mark in the upper mid-range segment with its Galaxy Tab S9 FE series, which includes the standard S9 FE and the S9 FE+. I’ve been reviewing the S9 FE+, which starts at $549, and it’s pretty good!

I’m not claiming it’s the best tablet ever, but the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ is a solid choice. While it marks the return of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab FE line after a break in 2022, the mid-range tablets haven’t seen significant changes, just a few updates to meet 2024 standards. The S9 FE+ exemplifies this, offering a big screen and long battery life despite being a modest upgrade. The standout feature is its 12.4-inch 16:10 IPS LCD screen, which is remarkably close to OLED quality. With a resolution of 2560 x 1600, the display delivers sharp content, vibrant colors, and decent contrast. I’ve enjoyed everything from watching movies to reading articles on this tablet, and it all looks fantastic, as expected from a Samsung device.

Is it as stunning as an OLED panel? Not quite. There’s a noticeable gray tint when displaying very dark scenes, like nighttime in a movie, but given the price, it’s forgivable. The screen is housed in an aluminum chassis available in four colors: Silver, Gray, Lavender, and Mint (which I have, and it’s definitely the best one). The design features flat sides, circular speaker grilles, and antenna stripes, making it look very similar to other Galaxy Tab models and even Apple’s iPads when placed side by side.

While the Tab S9 FE isn’t the most comfortable tablet to hold for extended periods (no flat-edged tablet is), it’s thin and light enough to prevent fatigue. However, the flat edges can dig into your hand over time, a common issue with modern tablets. Fortunately, the bezels are thick enough to provide a place for your thumbs.

Under the hood, Samsung has equipped it with the Exynos 1380 processor, a mid-range chipset not meant to compete with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 or Apple M1. However, it’s a suitable processor for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+, offering generally reliable performance during my testing. Apps and games respond well, with only occasional slowdowns when switching rapidly between apps.

My unit has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, which is adequate for most users. There is also a 12GB RAM/256GB storage option available for an additional $100, providing extra capacity that can be useful for heavy multitaskers.

The device runs on Samsung’s One UI 5.1 atop Android 13, a solid operating system. It features the usual One UI look and an extensive array of features and settings, including multitasking options like split-screen, multi-window, and DeX, which provides a desktop-like interface for productivity. DeX is most effective with a keyboard and mouse, which Samsung offers as the $229 Book Cover Keyboard. Though I didn’t review it, it’s likely useful for DeX mode.

However, as with any Android tablet, you’ll encounter inconsistencies in how apps open and scale on the display. While app support has improved thanks to Google’s push for developers to optimize for larger screens, it’s not flawless. Apps like X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Slack either don’t fully stretch to fit the display or stretch too much, leaving excess white space. This is a broader issue with Android on tablets, not Samsung’s fault, but it’s worth noting.

Battery life on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ is impressive, featuring a 10,090mAh battery that lasts two to three days with light use. On a plane, you could easily watch two movies, play games, and read an ebook before needing to recharge. Standby time is excellent too; after leaving the tablet unattended overnight, the battery only dropped from 100% to 96%, reminiscent of the endurance you’d get from an iPad Air.

If you’re considering the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+, think about what you really need in a tablet. If a large screen and long battery life are priorities, this tablet is a great choice.

However, if you’re fine with a smaller device or need a secondary tablet, the Pixel Tablet is an excellent alternative. It features a smaller 10.2-inch screen, a Tensor G2 processor, and includes a speaker dock that transforms it into a smart display. Plus, it’s about $200 cheaper.

But if you’re set on a large tablet for watching movies and multitasking while keeping costs reasonable, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ is a solid option. It might not have any standout features, but as a general everyday tablet that’s larger than average and includes a stylus, it’s quite good.

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