Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra Vs. S12+: What’s The Difference Between These Android Tablets?

Framesira/ShutterstockIt's not uncommon for tech companies to release a brand new tablet year after year, and Samsung does exactly that with its Galaxy Tab lineup. Its latest flagships, the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra and Galaxy Tab S12+, launched in October 2026. The S12 Ultra follows 2025's Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra, while the S12+ effectively succeeds the Galaxy Tab S10+, since Samsung skipped a Plus model in 2025. The two tablets are similar in a lot of ways, but they differ in price, display size, and a few key features.

If you are someone who gets a new tablet each year, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra and S12+ may be on your radar. The first thing many people look at is the price. The Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra starts at $1,399.99, $100 more than its predecessor, while the Galaxy Tab S12+ starts at $1,199.99. Another major difference is display size. The S12 Ultra has a 14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen with a 2960 x 1848 resolution, while the S12+ has a 12.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 2800 x 1752 resolution. Both run at up to 120Hz.

Of course, the two tablets also have a lot in common. Both run on MediaTek's Dimensity 9500 chip, reach up to 1,600 nits of peak brightness, feature four-channel speakers, and an IP68 rating, and come with an S Pen in the box. As with Samsung's previous Galaxy tablets, each new model is only slightly different from the one that came before it. If you want to see how that compares with the rest of the lineup, here's every Samsung Galaxy tablet, ranked from cheapest to most expensive.

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With a $200 price difference between the two, you'd expect some major differences between the Tab S12 Ultra and the Tab S12+. As the more premium model, the S12 Ultra gets a bigger battery, a larger and higher resolution screen, more storage options, faster Wi-Fi, and an extra rear camera.

The S12 Ultra's 14.6-inch display means the tablet itself is bigger too. It measures 208.5 x 326.3 x 5.1 mm, while the Galaxy S12+ measures 187.8 x 289.9 x 5.3 mm, making the Ultra wider, taller and thinner. It's also heavier at 692 grams, while the S12+ weighs 553 grams for the Wi-Fi model and 555 grams for the 5G version.

When it comes to memory and storage, the Ultra gets up to 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. The S12+ tops out at 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Both support microSD cards up to 2TB. The Ultra's battery is bigger at 11,600 mAh, compared to 10,600 mAh on the Tab S12+. Both charge at up to 45W. Connectivity-wise, the Ultra supports Wi-Fi 7, while the S12+ has Wi-Fi 6E and an optional 5G model. The cameras are different as well, with the Ultra pairing a 13 MP main camera with an 8 MP ultra-wide, while the S12+ has a single 13 MP rear camera. Whichever one you pick, it's worth checking out several useful accessories every Samsung Galaxy Tab owner needs.

However, for convenience, the Galaxy S12+ might serve you better since it's about 140 grams lighter. The Ultra's screen is close in size to a small laptop's, which makes it less handy. If you're using an old Samsung tablet, it might be a good time to upgrade, since Samsung is ending support for these Galaxy tablets in 2027. The S12 series is promised up to seven OS and security updates.