Last year, Samsung changed the tablet game in a big way — literally — with the introduction of the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, a ginormous 14.6-inch tablet with an expansive OLED screen and performance to spare. While it’s a premium pick to be sure, it’s the best Android tablet for those who want to pull out the stops for maximum productivity.
Now, Samsung is making it clear this more-than-plus-sized tablet wasn’t just a one-off experiment. This year’s Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra carries on the tradition with some modest improvements in camera specs plus the powerful new bespoke Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 “for Galaxy” chip introduced earlier this year with the Galaxy S23 lineup. More significantly, Samsung has added a new color to the mix, seemingly confirming that the 14.6-inch form factor is here to stay.
Source: Samsung
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra
Samsung’s 2023 flagship Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra features an expansive 14.6-inch AMOLED screen, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip, a quad-speaker sound system, dual front-facing cameras, and powerful multitasking and productivity features.
Graphite Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra
Source: Samsung
While last year’s Galaxy Tab S8 and Tab S8+ came in an assortment of Graphite, Silver, and Pink Gold finishes, you could get the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra in any color you liked — as long as it was black.
That’s right, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra was offered solely in Graphite. Some argued that this was a sign that Samsung wanted to emphasize a more professional look for the premium tablet. However, this rare single-color release might have been more of an indication of Samsung’s uncertainty about whether the larger size would take off.
Nevertheless, it’s hard to argue that Graphite offers a more business-like aesthetic. The near-black finish is similar to what you’ll find on many corporate laptops, and of course, it’s a shade that goes with anything.
If you’re hoping for some surprises here, there aren’t any to report. The new Graphite is essentially the same as the old Graphite. It gets a slight gunmetal sheen in certain lighting, but under most conditions, it’s more in the dark gray to black color space. If you like the Graphite of the Galaxy S8 Tab models, this will appeal to you, but be warned that it’s considerably darker than the Samsung-exclusive Graphite Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Beige Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra
Source: Samsung
For those who prefer a more lighthearted aesthetic, Samsung has added a new Beige finish across the entire Galaxy Tab S9 lineup, including the Tab S9 Ultra. Not only is this second color an entirely new thing for the 14.6-inch tablet, but it’s a refreshing change from the Silver of the Galaxy Tab S8, which was really just a lighter and relatively uninspired version of Graphite. By contrast, Beige offers a bit more warmth. It’s the spiritual cousin of the Cream Galaxy S23 Ultra, although, like Graphite, it’s darker.
The downside is that the Beige is still light enough to show off more smudges, but since the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra isn’t the most handheld tablet, that may not be a huge problem.
Between the darkness and the light
Source: Samsung
The most significant change in the design of this year’s Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is that you now have the choice of a darker or brighter finish. Is Beige more fun than Graphite? Well, it would be hard for it not to be, but that’s a pretty low bar to set.
Even last year’s Tab S8 color options were far less whimsical than what had come before. Pink Gold was okay, but it was a far cry from the Mystic Navy of the Galaxy Tab S7. And with the Galaxy Tab S9 lineup, it seems Samsung is trying to get even more serious and less fun. While the lighter Beige is a welcome addition to the dark and dull Graphite (at least you can go with a brighter finish now), it’s nothing near what we’d call exciting.
Whether that matters is another question. Most people spend more time looking at the front of their tablet than the back anyway, and it’s undoubtedly less critical if you slap it in a keyboard case. Unlike smartphones and wearables, one can argue that a tablet doesn’t need to be as colorful. However, that opinion isn’t shared by other mainstream tablet makers, which makes Samsung’s decision to go with only two basic color finishes all the more perplexing.
Source: Samsung
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra
Samsung’s 2023 flagship Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra features an expansive 14.6-inch AMOLED screen, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip, a quad-speaker sound system, dual front-facing cameras, and powerful multitasking and productivity features.
