The Samsung Galaxy Tab S12+ wants to be your entertainment hub and your work machine. Here's our review.
The price of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12+ in India starts at Rs. 1,44,999
The perception around tablets has changed ever since the launch of book-style foldables. We're beginning to see devices like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, which can unfold into larger displays, offer a middle ground between smartphones and tablets. A dedicated tablet still has a few advantages, especially if you want to get real work done. A large display, more room for multitasking, and productivity-focused accessories are just some of the things that make it different. But even then, it faces another challenge: Can it be useful enough to replace a laptop without becoming prohibitively expensive?
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S12+ attempts to do just that. It promises a large AMOLED display, flagship-grade hardware, Samsung DeX, and support for a keyboard accessory. But does it deliver on its laptop-replacement pitch? Here's our review.
Samsung hasn't tried to reinvent the Galaxy Tab S12+ design, and I don't have an issue with that. The tablet has a flat metal frame, a matte rear panel, and rounded corners. The rear camera and flash are arranged neatly on the back. The matte rear panel helps reduce fingerprints to some extent. The metal construction and slim profile give the tablet a premium feel.
It is remarkably slim for a tablet of this size, coming in at just 5.3mm. The Galaxy Tab S12+ weighs 555g and is easy enough to slip into a bag. It doesn't feel like you are carrying another laptop. That said, I would not want to hold it in one hand for an extended period. The large display makes it more comfortable to use with both hands or prop up on a desk.
The Galaxy Tab S12+ comes in Grey and Silver colour options. Unfortunately, neither colour is particularly attractive. The overall design of the tablet seems more about refinement than making a statement.
The USB Type-C port sits along the frame, while there are also pogo-pin connectors on the rear. This makes attaching compatible Samsung keyboard accessories straightforward. The buttons are also easy to reach when using the tablet in landscape orientation.
A really nice addition is the IP68 dust and water resistance. It offers peace of mind if you carry a device as expensive as the Galaxy Tab S12+ between home, office, and other places.
One of the main reasons I would consider the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12+ is the 12.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. The large panel gives you enough room to read, work with documents, and keep multiple apps open without everything feeling cramped. The resolution is also sharp, and the AMOLED panel delivers deep blacks.
I watched The Diplomat, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, and VisionQuest on the Galaxy Tab S12+, and the large display made it a good device for settling in with a few episodes. The AMOLED panel's contrast works particularly well in darker scenes. Meanwhile, animated content such as Cyberpunk: Edgerunners particularly benefits from the rich colours. Scrolling through long webpages, moving between apps, and navigating menus all feel smooth, thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate.
However, one problem kept me from enjoying the display without reservations: reflections. The glossy screen really reflects nearby lights and windows. This became a distraction for me not just outdoors, but indoors, too. The reflections become particularly hard to ignore when the content on screen is dark.
This is a shame because the panel itself is excellent. Perhaps Samsung could take a leaf out of Xiaomi's playbook and offer an anti-reflective screen coating.
The Galaxy Tab S12+ runs MediaTek's Dimensity 9500 chipset under the hood. It is a flagship-class chipset that gives the tablet plenty of headroom for demanding apps and graphics-intensive games.
I had little reason to worry about everyday performance. Apps open quickly, navigating the UI is responsive, and app-switching is instant. Gaming is a strong suit, too. I ran demanding titles like Genshin Impact at high graphics settings, and it performed admirably. Call of Duty: Mobile also feels well-suited to the large screen. The only game that the Galaxy Tab S12+ struggled with was Bright Memory: Infinite, but only when everything was pushed to the max.
One thing to note is that because it is so slim, there is little room for dedicated cooling hardware. The tablet tends to get hot after about 30 minutes of Call of Duty: Mobile gameplay. Meanwhile, web browsing and HDR video streaming only make it warm, not uncomfortably hot.
Software, meanwhile, is where Samsung's experience with large-screen devices starts to pay off. If you have used a Samsung tablet before, you know One UI offers the typical Android conveniences. The extra display space makes multitasking more comfortable, and Samsung provides enough tools to make use of it.
The biggest part of that experience is Samsung DeX. It essentially converts your tablet into a desktop-style interface, complete with resizable app windows and a familiar taskbar. When paired with the keyboard, the Galaxy Tab S12+ becomes a competent, compact workstation.
This is where the Galaxy Tab S12+ makes its strongest argument for productivity. Keeping a browser open beside a document, referring to information in one window while writing in another, or leaving a messaging app accessible while working — all feel more natural on a screen this size.
This, however, does not mean that DeX can replace a conventional desktop OS in every way. It has its own limitations. For example, some Android apps are still designed primarily for touchscreens. This means that if you use their windowed versions, they don't always use the available space well. Second, some websites and web apps can behave differently from their desktop counterparts.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S12+ has ecosystem features, too, and they are useful for those who already own a Galaxy smartphone. I didn't get the chance to try them since I didn't have one.
Along with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12+, the tech giant offers an optional Pro keyboard. It is an important part of the entire experience, especially if you intend to use the tablet as a laptop alternative. The keyboard attaches through the tablet's pogo-pin connectors. So you don't need to pair it over Bluetooth or charge it separately, and setup is pretty straightforward. Once attached, you get a physical keyboard and trackpad, effectively turning the tablet into a laptop-style setup.
Typing on a screen as large as the Galaxy Tab S12+ can often feel like a chore, and that is where the physical keyboard comes in. I found it much easier to work on documents and respond to messages with the proper keys in front of me. The trackpad is just as important. It lets you move the pointer, select text, and switch between windows without repeatedly reaching up to touch the display. Together, these features make Samsung DeX feel more like a desktop environment.
The Pro Keyboard also gets an adjustable stand. With the help of it, you can set the screen at a comfortable angle while working through documents or keeping a browser open beside another app.
However, another way to look at the accessory is in terms of the cost of the overall setup. The Pro Keyboard is sold separately for Rs. 24,999. That is a substantial amount to add to an already expensive tablet, crossing the Rs. 1.5 lakh mark for the entire package.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S12+'s 10,600mAh cell is a sizeable battery for the tablet. During less demanding workloads like browsing, reading, and working on documents, the tablet can last upwards of 12 hours. However, it drains much faster once you start streaming HDR videos or playing graphics-intensive games.
But having a large battery capacity can be troublesome, too, especially if the charging speeds are slow. And that is sadly the case with the Galaxy Tab S12+, which supports a meagre 45W wired charging. It takes almost two hours to juice up from zero till the “fully charged” notification appears.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S12+ gets a lot right. The slim, premium build makes it easy to carry, the AMOLED display is excellent for work and entertainment, and the flagship provides plenty of performance. Samsung DeX is a genuine productivity advantage, too. The keyboard also makes a real difference if you plan to write or work on the tablet regularly.
It is not perfect, though. The reflective display is annoying, and the keyboard's high price makes an already expensive tablet harder to recommend as a laptop replacement. Charging takes much longer than I would like.
I think the Galaxy Tab S12+ is best suited to people who want a premium tablet for entertainment and productivity, especially those already invested in Samsung's ecosystem. If you mainly stream videos or browse the web, you can spend much less. The Galaxy Tab S12+ gets remarkably close to doing it all, but at this price, close may not be enough for everyone.
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