Thinking of buying a Galaxy Tab S11? First, take a look at these other Samsung tablets

There are plenty of tech products out there. Some are great buys offering excellent value, but others aren't. Most fall somewhere in the middle.

Unless you have the means to buy one of everything, you have to decide if something is the right fit for you. That can be hard; the companies making them will tell you that you need one to make your life complete, people who got a lemon or just didn't like it will say the product is garbage, and reviewers simply can't cover everything.

Often, it's good to take a step back and see what you're going to get inside that pretty package. Was it worth what you paid for it? Will you get enough use from it to justify the purchase? Or maybe you should hold off and see what's coming next.

We can't make those decisions for you, but we can tell you what we think and maybe where you should start your decision-making process.

Why buy the Galaxy Tab S11?

The Tab S11 and Tab S11 Ultra are the new kids on the block and come with some features not found on other models. Nobody knows if any of those features will filter down with updates, so I suggest you count on not having them.

New AI tools. Nobody seems to be able to make a new product without adding a handful (or more) of AI tools and gimmicks to it. The Tab S11 series is no exception. You'll find improvements to Galaxy AI, and with the newer models, you can use Gemini Live if you want to "talk" about what's on your screen or what you see in the camera.

Samsung DeX extended mode is Samsung's attempt to make the Tab S11 more like a traditional laptop, with the ability to use an external monitor as a second screen. If you use a tablet for work, this could come in pretty handy.

A better S Pen. The new S Pen for the Tab S11 series has an improved tip that will give you more freedom to change your writing or drawing angle, and the new hex shape should be easier to hold. For digital artists, this could be a very big deal.

A new chip. The S11 uses MediaTek's Dimensity 9400+ processor and will provide better graphics in games and be faster on paper if you need it. Of course, it's also AI-focused with its own LLM built in for better performance.

Why Buy the Galaxy Tab S10?

At the beginning of 2025, the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra was the best Android tablet you could buy. It hasn't stopped working or lost any features in the past nine months. You can buy it brand new in the box today for between $800 and $900. That's about the same price as the smaller Galaxy Tab S11 and a good bit cheaper than the S11 Ultra.

You will have plenty of features too; it's not like the thing is ancient. AI, Samsung DeX, a big, bright display, and a fast chip are all in place, and everything that made it great in early 2025 still makes it great in the fall of 2025.

And if you need 5G on your tablet, the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus is the only model with it. None of the Tab S11 models come with 5G connectivity, so if that's what you're looking for in a tablet, this is the model you'll want to consider.

What you need to decide is if any of the new features on the S11 series are must-haves. If so, it's worth spending a little extra for something that works better for you.

Samsung makes other tablets, too

You know if you need a Galaxy Tab S11 or S11 Ultra. There are reasons why you might need the new features or the processing power. Most of us just want one.

Ask yourself why? You need to figure out what you will be using the tablet for before you spend a penny, because Ultra and Pro tablets are simply overkill for what most of us use a tablet for.

My wife uses a Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. I'm not big on tablets, but my mom got me an iPad for Christmas and I use it sometimes. I'm more of a Chromebook fellow. But it's nice, and for doodling, the Tab S10 is far better than anything else I've tried. S Pen FTW. However, if I were buying a new tablet today, I'd buy a Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 Plus.

I'm never going to work using a tablet because the keyboard options are horrible. Compared to almost any laptop or Chromebook, Samsung and Apple make terrible tablet keyboards for typing or navigating through a spreadsheet.

I'm not going to carry a tablet around as a camera. I have a phone with a camera. I have a "real" camera, too, if I wanted to carry it around. The same goes for a music player, a machine to use for virtual meetings, or almost anything.

For me, a tablet is something to use when I'm goofing around or reading and want a bigger screen. Sure, the Galaxy Tab S10 and S11 are faster than the A9, but that makes zero difference when watching YouTube or Netflix, and if I wanted a pure gaming tablet, I'd use an iPad with a much better chip for it.

What about you? Do you see yourself using Samsung DeX for virtual windows to make work easier, or using AI to do ... whatever? Or are you just going to goof off with it?

That's what you need to decide before you buy, because a cheap tablet can also be the best tablet for a lot of people.

Galaxy Tab A9 Plus: $175 at Walmart

If you don't need anything pro or ultra in your tablet, it's tough to beat the Galaxy Tab A9 Plus at under $200. That's about $900 cheaper than the best, but for a lot of people it's the right choice.

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