What does Samsung's thinnest tablet change for daily work?

Thinner than a pencil, stronger than before

The Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra measures 5.1 millimeters thick. That makes it the thinnest Galaxy Tab Samsung has ever shipped. The Tab S12+ comes in at 5.3 millimeters. Both models weigh less than their predecessors. The Ultra weighs 692 grams in its Wi-Fi version. The Plus weighs 553 grams. A 3-nanometer MediaTek Dimensity 9500 processor sits inside both. Samsung claims a 61 percent faster neural processing unit, 19 percent faster CPU performance, and 17 percent improved GPU power compared to the Tab S11 Ultra. A new 3D Vapor Chamber dissipates heat more efficiently than the flat chamber in the previous generation. The chassis carries an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. Samsung notes the rating is not permanent and may diminish with normal wear.

Battery that outlasts a workday

The Ultra packs an 11,600 milliampere-hour battery. The Plus uses a 10,600 milliampere-hour cell. Samsung rates video playback at up to 23 hours for the Ultra and 21 hours for the Plus. Testing used 720p video stored locally with Bluetooth earphones connected over LTE. Real-world results vary by network, brightness, and battery condition. Charging reaches 100 percent from empty in about 95 minutes with a 45-watt adapter. The adapter is sold separately. Samsung recommends only approved chargers and cables.

Screen and sound built for the road

Both tablets use Dynamic AMOLED 2X panels with 120-hertz refresh rates. The Ultra spans 14.6 inches diagonally at 2960 by 1848 pixels. The Plus spans 12.6 inches at 2800 by 1752 pixels. Peak brightness hits 1,600 nits. High Brightness Mode delivers 1,000 nits outdoors. An upgraded Vision Booster adjusts brightness in real time based on ambient light. Audio upgrades to quad speakers with four-channel spatial audio. That is twice the channel count of the previous generation. The system works for streaming, tutorials, or editing.

Software that turns the slab into a workspace

The series launches with Android 17 and One UI 9. Multi Window splits the screen into up to three sections. A user can take notes in Samsung Notes on one side while playing a lecture and running an AI assistant on the other. The bundled S Pen captures handwriting directly in Samsung Notes. Note Assist summarizes notes when they contain at least 200 characters. A Samsung Account login is required. The S Pen does not support Bluetooth Low Energy. Two keyboards are sold separately: the Pro Keyboard with an aluminum finish and a Galaxy AI Key, and the Book Cover Keyboard Slim with adjustable viewing angles. Pressing Alt plus the Galaxy AI Key lets the user switch between Bixby, Gemini, or Perplexity.

AI assistants and a bundle of pro apps

A six-month trial of Google AI Pro arrives out of the box. The trial includes access to Gemini and Gemini Notebook for organizing notes, images, recordings, and files into summaries, podcasts, or quizzes. Samsung Browser adds AI that understands webpage content across multiple tabs and browsing history. It can summarize open pages or surface a relevant source viewed days earlier. The tablet comes pre-loaded with professional apps worth approximately 600 dollars in trials and discounts. Adobe Photoshop appears on an Android tablet for the first time, optimized for the form factor with S Pen support and Firefly generative features. Notability, Goodnotes, LumaFusion, Notion, and Clip Studio Paint are also pre-loaded or available as stubs with free trials ranging from one month to one year plus subscription discounts. MyScript Math solves handwritten equations and shows steps. MyScript Notes summarizes handwritten notes into study materials. Noteshelf 3 offers customizable layouts. ArcSite converts rough field sketches into precise CAD drawings. App availability and terms vary by country and region.

Availability, updates, and care

Sales begin October 7 in select markets. Colors are Gray and Silver. Samsung promises up to seven OS upgrades and seven years of security updates. Timing may vary by model and market. Samsung Care+ offers accidental damage repairs, extended warranty, and certified expert support at home and abroad. Phone users on One UI 9 can check Care+ status and enroll from the Warranty and care menu in Settings. The menu also provides self-diagnostics, repair requests, and remote support for connected devices.