I just like the portability of a pill versus a heavy, typically cumbersome laptop computer. I’ve loved engaged on the iPad Air every day, so I’ve regarded ahead to testing the brand new Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ since its launch. This pill is a direct competitor to the M3 iPad Air that Apple simply launched, which has grow to be my pill of selection for writing, studying, and leisure.
However whereas the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ is corresponding to the iPad Air in some methods, it exceeds Apple’s pill’s capabilities in others.
The FE sequence of Samsung units is an reasonably priced different to its flagship units. Similar to there’s a lineup of FE Galaxy smartphones, Samsung makes FE alternate options to its flagship tablets. I’ve examined the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Extremely and S10 Extremely, so I used to be desperate to see how the S10 FE+ compares.
I’ve additionally not too long ago examined a number of comparably priced tablets, just like the Honor Pad V9 and the newest iPad Mini, and the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ fared effectively.
The Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ has an Exynos 1580 chip, which Samsung says makes the pill about 32% quicker than its predecessor, the Tab S9 FE+. This is not a high-end processor, however it’s nice for on a regular basis duties and is one in every of Samsung’s compromises with its FE units.
This pill can deal with on a regular basis media and work duties, and the included S Pen is helpful for notetaking and artistic work. The Tab S10 FE+ is not constructed for energy customers however is ideal for mild work, together with video calls, photograph modifying, messaging, and utilizing Samsung DeX.
The 13.1-inch show is a dimension improve from the earlier Tab S9 FE+, which had a 12.4-inch display screen. The bigger display screen provides extra space for multitasking with break up display screen, media streaming, gaming, and artistic work like sketching.
The battery life is reliably good, particularly while you use this pill for leisure. The S10 FE+ has a big, 10,090 mAh battery, and its environment friendly efficiency ensures it lasts a full workday. For comparability, the longest battery life I’ve examined on a pill up to now is the Honor Pad V9, which has a ten,100 mAh battery. The 2024 iPad Professional has an 8,160 mAh battery and the 13-inch iPad Air M3 has a 9.705 mAh battery, for reference.
I like that Samsung’s newer tablets are IP68-rated for water and mud resistance. This may occasionally not sound like an enormous deal, however as somebody who’s gotten used to carrying my pill round all over the place with me, it’s. I’ve typically needed to dry my pill after an unintended water spill or unknowingly placing it on a moist floor.
The panic that programs via me as I frantically dry my pill every time it touches moisture is just understood by anybody who has misplaced a tool to water or had smartphones over ten years in the past (RIP to my BlackBerry Daring, on each accounts).
Whilst you cannot (and should not) swim with the Tab S10 FE+, you’ll be able to breathe a bit of simpler when it will get moist and transfer on to dry it with out experiencing throat-clenching nervousness. The IP68 score is not there to encourage you to convey your pill while you go scuba diving, however to guard your funding.
| Geekbench 6 scores | Single-Core CPU Benchmark | Multi-Core CPU Benchmark | GPU benchmark |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ | 1,353 | 3,923 | 6,982 |
| iPad Air (M3) | 3,098 | 11,689 | 44,406 |
| iPad Air (M2) | 2,622 | 10,007 | 41,771 |
In benchmark testing, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ proved much more primary than the comparably priced iPad Air from 2024 (M2) and 2025 (M3). When you’re on the lookout for a pill to modify between heavy apps or demanding video modifying, you’d do higher with an iPad Air. However if you happen to’re on the lookout for one with an extended battery life, an included stylus, and water resistance, then the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ is finest.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ is a good midrange pill for leisure, so media fanatics can rejoice in its massive 13.1-inch show and 90Hz refresh price. However creators, college students, and professionals alike may also profit from it, particularly these on the lookout for an on a regular basis pill throughout the Galaxy ecosystem that does not attain premium costs.
The Tab S10 FE+ is slim and really light-weight. It is also waterproof and comes with an S Pen, making it higher fitted to portability than different comparable choices. You’ll be able to take this pill with you virtually wherever and use it for leisure, notetaking, or work with out second ideas concerning the components you may expose it to.
