Aside from Google itself, Samsung appears to be the one firm pushing the thought of Android tablets as extra than simply media consumption gadgets. Even its mid-range FE tablets are offered as potential laptop computer replacements. Whether or not or not a pill is that very important to you, how does the brand new Galaxy Tab S9 FE stack up vs the Galaxy Tab S7 FE? Is the improve definitely worth the important pricetag?

Probably the most obtrusive distinction right here is that strictly talking, the S9 FE has a a lot smaller (if nonetheless very sharp) 10.9-inch show. This can be a little misleading — in actuality, you possibly can nonetheless get a 12.4-inch display screen, however you need to go together with the S9 FE Plus. However we’re going to deal with the bottom S9 FE for our comparability, and all variations have a dynamic 48-90Hz refresh fee, whereas the S7 FE is caught at 60Hz. Which means smoother movement with out extreme energy consumption.

The truth that the usual S9 FE is scaled down means you moreover get a smaller 8,000mAh battery, however we’ll speak extra about that later.

Be aware that every one variations of the S9 FE use Samsung’s Exynos 1380 processor, which is paired with an ARM Mali-G68 MP5 GPU. That interprets to about 38% higher CPU efficiency than the S7 FE, and 73% increased GPU efficiency. Don’t anticipate to be blown away, particularly contemplating the customized Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 within the common Galaxy Tab S9, however for many functions the S9 FE needs to be amply quick.

Different function upgrades we have to spotlight embrace extra default RAM (various primarily based in your configuration), a sharper 12-megapixel entrance digital camera, and an influence button-based fingerprint sensor, whereas the S7 FE has no biometric tech to talk of. Samsung has additionally upgraded to Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3, which can matter you probably have appropriate gadgets.

As talked about, the bottom S9 FE (above) is significantly smaller than the S7 FE, because it shrinks from a 12.4-inch show to 10.9 inches. When you’re not ready to sacrifice display screen area, assume try to be trying on the S9 FE Plus as a substitute.

A smaller dimension does translate right into a lighter and extra moveable pill. The S9 FE weighs a sliver below 1.16 kilos, whereas the S7 FE (beneath) is available in at 1.34. That hole could not sound like a lot, however begins to matter if you might want to maintain your pill for lengthy stretches of studying, video, gaming, or engaged on the go.

Each tablets are aesthetically pleasing. We should always level out although that whereas the S7 FE has a devoted magnetic patch on the again for holding its S Pen, that is gone on the S9 FE, which as a substitute depends on edge-based magnets (it returns on the S9 FE Plus). You might discover one or the opposite extra handy and/or visually pleasing, however both manner, don’t anticipate your S Pen to remain connected in case your pill is jostling round in a bag.

Samsung states that the S9 FE’s 8,000mAh battery is able to 18 hours of continuous video. We’ll have to finish our overview to see how this interprets into real-world utilization, however it’s a protected wager that for most individuals, the pill ought to final at the least two days when dealing with a various vary of duties.

The pill has considerably smaller capability than the S7 FE, however with a smaller display screen, it’s additionally consuming much less energy. Actually the S9 FE Plus matches the S7 FE’s 10,090mAh, so there’s an apparent hyperlink between display screen and battery dimension.

A minor merchandise to flag is that whereas each tablets assist 45W USB-C charging, solely the S7 FE comes with a charger within the field. That mentioned, it’s a 15W charger, so that you’ll want a greater brick anyway if you need a full recharge in an inexpensive period of time.

The comparability is just a little tough right here for a number of causes. Samsung US isn’t promoting the 5G model of the S7 FE on its web site, for one, and there’s no 64GB tier of the S9 FE. Extra importantly in fact the S7 FE is a much bigger 12.4-inch gadget, its direct successor being the S9 FE Plus.

On prime of that, Samsung has been oddly cagey about sharing regional availability for the S9 FE, or US costs. We all know that when it ships to the US on October 10, 2023, the pill will begin at $449 for a 128GB Wi-Fi mannequin with 6GB of RAM, however Samsung hasn’t mentioned something about different configurations. We’re not even certain how a lot the S9 FE Plus will price. For some individuals, its worth might resolve whether or not they’ll splurge for a giant display screen or accept the usual mannequin.

When you’re nonetheless glad together with your S7 FE, there’s no pressing motive. Sure, you’ll get higher efficiency, an enhanced show, and fashionable connectivity, however actually that is simply Samsung making an attempt to remain present with rivals like Apple and Google. We’re speaking about incremental updates fairly than something earthshaking.

That may be precisely what you’re after, although, in case you’re involved concerning the efficiency of high-demand apps like picture editors or 3D video games. There’s sufficient of a bounce right here that beforehand sluggish apps may all of the sudden really feel easy, particularly on a 90Hz show.

After crossing that barrier, there’s nonetheless the choice of whether or not it’s best to select the S9 FE or S9 FE Plus. When you can’t bear to have your show shrink from 12.4 inches to 10.9, it’s best to save up for the Plus, however the reality is that most individuals don’t want a 12-inch pill that badly. The ten.9-inch mannequin could even be superior in some conditions, similar to journey. It’s quite a bit simpler to pack, to not point out take out of your carry-on whenever you’re going by safety or making an attempt to observe Dune in your cross-country flight.