Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra: Same 14.6-Inch Display, Faster Chip and $1,400 Starting Price
Samsung's Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra starts at $1,400 for 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, a $200 increase over the Tab S11 Ultra launch price. The pricing was detailed in a comparison published on Oct. 1, 2026, a day after Samsung introduced the Tab S12 series. The Ultra remains Samsung's 14.6-inch flagship tablet. Engadget
The display is unchanged. The S12 Ultra uses a 14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel, Samsung's term for its OLED screen technology, at 2,960 by 1,848 pixels. Peak brightness is rated at 1,600 nits for HDR content and 1,000 nits in high brightness mode, with nits as the standard measure of screen brightness. Those figures match the Tab S11 Ultra exactly. For color-critical review, split-screen document work, or HDR video monitoring on the go, there is no new screen capability.
The processor is the main change. The S12 Ultra uses the MediaTek Dimensity 9500, versus the Dimensity 9300+ listed for the Tab S11 Ultra in the most recent comparison. Both chips are built on a 3nm process, which refers to the size of transistors inside the chip. Samsung claims 19 percent higher CPU performance for general computing, 17 percent higher GPU performance for graphics, and 61 percent higher NPU performance for AI tasks. The S12 Ultra also adds a 3D vapor chamber for cooling, which spreads heat like a radiator to keep speeds steady during sustained loads such as on-device inference, meaning AI run directly on the tablet, 3D rendering, or long gaming sessions where skin temperature and stable clock speeds matter more than short bursts.
Audio moves from two-channel to four-channel spatial audio, a format that places sound in space, through the four-speaker array. Battery capacity is unchanged at 11,600 mAh with 45W wired charging.
The front camera is a single 12-megapixel ultra-wide in a teardrop cutout. Samsung did not restore S Pen remote control. That function was removed on the Tab S11 Ultra and remains absent on the S12 Ultra, which affects users who relied on the pen as a presentation clicker or remote shutter.
Configurations are 12GB plus 256GB, 12GB plus 512GB, and 16GB plus 1TB. Samsung Newsroom Expandable storage is supported via microSD up to 2TB, though cards are sold separately. Samsung notes that a portion of the built-in storage and memory is occupied by existing content. On software, Samsung states that Galaxy AI features require a Samsung account login and were listed as free through 2025. Samsung Notes text conversion applies to texts of 200 to 4,000 characters and requires login and an internet connection. Quick Share requires Galaxy phones and tablets running Android 10.0 with One UI 2.1 or above, plus Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and select Galaxy AI features require a compatible Galaxy phone.
The broader context here is a refinement rather than a redesign, with display, battery capacity, charge rate, and camera hardware carried over while the chip, cooling, and audio take the step forward. In my view, the 61 percent NPU claim is the number to watch, because it points to local AI work and background processing that does not show up in simple speed tests. For fleet buyers and power users, the $200 entry-price increase changes the value calculation. If work was already limited by the screen or battery on the S11 Ultra, this generation does not change that limit. If it was limited by sustained chip performance or on-device AI speed, the S12 Ultra is aimed directly at that limit, and that is where it could open up more headroom.
