iPad Pro 11 (2021) vs Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra: The Ultimate Tablet Battle
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra wins on sheer screen size and Android versatility, while the iPad Pro 11 boasts the M1 chip's raw power and iPadOS's optimized ecosystem. It's a close call, but the S8 Ultra offers more value for most users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Apple iPad Pro 11 (2021) | Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - A2301, A2459, A2460 | LTE |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - A2301 | SA/NSA |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G - cellular model only |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2459, A2460 | - | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, April 20 | 2022, February 09 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, May 21 | Available. Released 2022, April 30 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, aluminum back, aluminum frame | - |
| Dimensions | 247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9 mm (9.75 x 7.03 x 0.23 in) | 326.4 x 208.6 x 5.5 mm (12.85 x 8.21 x 0.22 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM | Nano-SIM (cellular model only) |
| Weight | 466 g (Wi-Fi), 470 g (5G) (1.03 lb) | 726 g (Wi-Fi), 728 g (5G) (1.60 lb) |
| Stylus support (Bluetooth integration; magnetic) | Stylus, 2.8ms latency (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Scratch-resistant glass, oleophobic coating | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1668 x 2388 pixels (~265 ppi density) | 1848 x 2960 pixels, 16:10 ratio (~240 ppi density) |
| Size | 11.0 inches, 366.5 cm2 (~82.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 14.6 inches, 612.6 cm2 (~90.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Liquid Retina IPS LCD, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 600 nits (typ) | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x3.2 GHz & 4xX.X GHz) | Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Apple M1 | Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (8-core graphics) | Adreno 730 |
| OS | iPadOS 14.5.1, upgradable to iPadOS 26.1 | Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (dedicated slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM, 2TB 16GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM |
| - | UFS | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 12 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/3.0", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF 10 MP, f/2.4, 125˚ (ultrawide) TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth) | 13 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, AF 6 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide) |
| Features | Quad-LED dual-tone flash, HDR | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 12 MP, f/2.4, 122˚ (ultrawide) | - |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 12 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide) 12 MP, f/2.4, 120˚ (ultrawide) |
| Features | Face detection, HDR, panorama | HDR |
| Single | 12 MP, f/2.4, 122˚ (ultrawide) | - |
| Video | 1080p@25/30/60fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers (4 speakers) | Yes, with stereo speakers (4 speakers) |
| - | Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, EDR | 5.2, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | No | No |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS (Wi‑Fi + Cellular model only) | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO - cellular model only |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 4 (Thunderbolt 4), DisplayPort, magnetic connector | USB Type-C 3.2, magnetic connector |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| - | Wireless Samsung DeX | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | - | 45W wired, 100% in 82 min |
| Type | Li-Po 7538 mAh (28.65 Wh) | Li-Po 11200 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Silver, Space Gray | Graphite |
| Models | A2301, A2459, A2460, iPad13,4, iPad13,5, iPad13,6, iPad13,7 | SM-X900, SM-X906, SM-X906B, SM-X906U, SM-X906N |
| Price | About 870 EUR | About 1150 EUR |
| SAR EU | - | 0.69 W/kg (body) |
Apple iPad Pro 11 (2021)
- Blazing-fast M1 chip
- Excellent display quality
- Optimized iPadOS
- Strong app ecosystem
- Smaller screen size
- Slower charging
- Limited Android compatibility
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra
- Massive, vibrant display
- Versatile camera system
- S Pen included
- Android flexibility
- Slightly less raw processing power than M1
- Can be bulky
- Android tablet app optimization can vary
Display Comparison
The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra boasts a massive 14.6-inch Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, offering vibrant colors and incredible detail. The iPad Pro 11 (2021) features an 11-inch Liquid Retina display, also with a 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate, known for its color accuracy. While the iPad Pro's display is excellent, the S8 Ultra's size advantage is undeniable for media consumption and productivity.
Camera Comparison
The iPad Pro 11 (2021) features a dual-camera system with a 12MP Wide and 10MP Ultrawide lens. The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has a quad-camera setup with a 13MP Main, 6MP Ultrawide, and dual 10MP Telephoto lenses. The S8 Ultra's versatility with its telephoto lenses gives it an advantage for zoom capabilities, while the iPad Pro excels in video recording quality.
Performance
The iPad Pro 11 (2021)'s M1 chip provides blistering performance, easily handling demanding tasks like video editing and gaming. The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is also incredibly powerful, but the M1 generally holds a slight edge in raw processing speed, especially in optimized iPadOS applications. Both tablets offer smooth multitasking and responsive performance.
Battery Life
The iPad Pro 11 (2021) offers solid battery life, typically lasting a full day of moderate use. The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, with its larger display, has a larger battery (10,000 mAh) and also provides all-day battery life, though heavy usage will drain it faster. The S8 Ultra's 45W charging is faster than the iPad Pro's charging speed.
Buying Guide
Who should buy Apple iPad Pro 11 (2021)? Creative professionals, students deeply embedded in the Apple ecosystem, and those prioritizing raw processing power. Who should buy Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra? Android enthusiasts, users needing a large display for multitasking, and those seeking a more versatile tablet experience with S Pen integration.