Last month, Samsung unveiled its Galaxy Tab S9 FE lineup, which are relatively more affordable versions of its flagship Tab S9 series. It comes in two sizes, namely the regular model at 10.9 inches and the Plus version at a whopping 12.4 inches. The company sent me the Galaxy Tab S9 FE+, the big boy, and so far, it’s an unwieldy tablet with good build quality.
The Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus sports a 16:10 12.4-inch LCD display with a 90Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 700 nits. The screen has rounded corners and disappointingly thick bezels with a resolution of 2560×1600, giving it a relatively low pixel density of 243 ppi.
The tablet also has rounded corners as well as flat sides with a metal frame, giving it a slightly industrial look. On the back, you’ll find two standalone camera bumps for the 8MP main and ultra-wide lenses, keeping it in line with the minimal look that Samsung has kept throughout most of its recent lineups.
This device is definitely designed to be used horizontally, as the 12MP front camera as well as its two microphones are placed on the right-hand side and even the two stereo speakers are situated to be in line with the camera placement. On the left side, or the bottom depending on how you look at it, there are connector pins to attach the keyboard.
It comes with an S Pen that can be magnetically attached to the back as well as the horizontal sides, although it can only be charged when connected to the back. The pen is an active stylus with pressure and tilt sensitivity with a single action button to activate certain features. Looking inside the settings, there seems to be support for the S Pen Pro, but that’s sold separately.
For protection, both the Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus and the S Pen are rated at IP68 for dust and water resistance, providing peace of mind in case you’re caught in the rain while carrying the tablet. Powering the whole thing is a 10,090mAh battery with support for 45W charging and up to 15W for reverse charging, but the latter speed is limited to certain Samsung devices.
Weighting in at 628g, almost 50g more than the Tab S9 Plus, and having a tall screen, the tablet isn’t the easiest to hold and Samsung didn’t provide me with the Book Cover or any sort of case with a stand, so I’ll see if that affects the ease of using this giant mobile device. Stay tuned for my review of the Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus to see if this product, which starts from RM2,799, is worth the money.
