-
Big and powerfulSamsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra
The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is Samsung’s flagship tablet, offering a giant 14.6-inch screen, MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ SoC, and an 11,200mAh battery.
Pros- Excellent performance
- S Pen included
- Android OS updates for seven years
Cons- Tricky fingerprint sensor placement
- Expensive
- Giant screen not suitable for everyone
-
A neat midrange optionGoogle Pixel Tablet
The Pixel Tablet is the only Google slate on the market with an 11-inch display, Tensor G2 SoC, and a 7,020mAh battery. It comes with an optional Charging Speaker dock.
Pros- Good performance
- Optional Charging Speaker Dock can be handy
Cons- Android OS updates for three years
- Poor cameras
Samsung’s tablet portfolio has a new flagship: the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. This premium Android tablet brings iterative improvements, including a new chip, Wi-Fi 7, and the promise of Android updates for seven years. Although it has no significant direct competitors in the Android space, it has several indirect competitors, including Google’s Pixel Tablet. The Pixel Tablet is a multimedia tablet and smart home controller, delivering a good performance that has improved with software updates. It’s also significantly cheaper. So, does it make sense to splurge on the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra or save money with the Pixel Tablet? Let’s find out.
Price, availability, and specs
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra comes in three storage variants. The base 256GB model starts at $1,200. And the 512GB and 1TB models will set you back by $1,320 and $1,620, respectively. It’s also widely available and comes in two colors.
The Pixel Tablet, on the other hand, comes in two storage variants and two packs. The tablet-only pack costs $399 for the 128GB model and $499 for the 256GB model. However, if you opt for the tablet plus charging speaker dock, you’ll have to shell out $499 for the 128GB variant and $599 for the 256GB model. The dock can also be purchased separately for $129. The Pixel Tablet is also widely available in two colors. A third color option is available if you opt for the dock combo.
Here’s a look at the tablets’ raw specifications.
-
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra Google Pixel Tablet SoC MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ Google Tensor G2 Display type AMOLED, 120Hz IPS LCD, 60Hz Display dimensions 14.6″ 10.95″ Display resolution 2960 x 1848 2560 x 1600 RAM 12GB or 16GB 8GB Storage 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB (expandable with microSD card) 128GB or 256GB Battery 11,200mAh 7,020mAh Charging speed 45W 15W Charge options Wired Wired Ports USB-C USB-C SIM support Nano-SIM, eSIM No Operating System Android 14 with One UI Android 14 Front Camera 12MP main; 12MP ultrawide 8MP Rear Camera 13MP main; 8MP ultrawide 8MP Cellular connectivity LTE, 5G No Wi-Fi connectivity Wi-Fi 7 Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.3 Bluetooth 5.2 Dimensions 208.6 x 326.4 x 5.4mm 258 x 169 x 8.1mm Weight 718g (Wi-Fi) 493g IP rating IP68 None Colors Moonstone Gray, Platinum Silver Porcelain, Hazel, Rose Stylus S Pen included No
Read our review
Review: The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra left me begging for a smaller tablet
An awkward experience through and through
Read our review
Google Pixel Tablet review: That first-gen feeling
It’s a fine midranger, but the Pixel Tablet’s best ideas are half-baked
Design and display
Ultra’s giant screen isn’t ideal for everyone
The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra and the Pixel Tablet have distinct designs despite their typical tablet appearance. The Tab S10 Ultra has thin bezels and an S Pen slot and noticeable camera bumps on the back. It’s also significantly larger and heavier. The Pixel Tablet has thicker bezels, a less pronounced single rear camera bump, and an essentially clean exterior with a subtle textured finish. It also lacks any kind of notch and houses the front shooter in the bezel.
Both tablets have an aluminum frame, an aluminum exterior, and a glass front. However, the Tab S10 Ultra is more durable, with its IP68 dust and water resistance. The device also uses the company’s Enhanced Armor Aluminum, which is said to be more durable than regular aluminum.
The Tab S10 Ultra has an edge on the display front; it has an OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. But it’s also a giant 14.6 inches, which may not be everyone’s cup of tea. The Pixel Tablet relies on an IPS LCD panel with a 60Hz refresh rate. So, the Tab S10 Ultra will produce more vibrant and lifelike colors with inky blacks than the Pixel Tablet. That said, the Google tablet’s 10.95-inch display is much easier to handle and more suitable for most users.
Software
It’s One UI vs. the Pixel Experience
Both Google and Samsung tablets run on Android 14. However, while you get One UI 6.1.1 customizations with the Tab S10 Ultra, the Google tablet has the Pixel experience. The One UI does a much better job of utilizing the Tab’s extra-screen real estate and has a more refined multitasking experience. While you can use two windows side by side on the Pixel Tablet, Google is behind Samsung in the multitasking experience. However, the Pixel Tablet is suitable for multimedia consumption. And if you buy the tablet with the dock, you also get an additional Hub Mode. Hub Mode is a unique feature that turns the Pixel Tablet into a versatile smart home controller, digital photo frame, Google Cast receiver, and Google Assistant smart speaker. Both tablets also get their share of AI features.
One clear advantage of the Samsung tablet is the long software support period. It’s set to get Android OS updates for seven years, much longer than the three years promised for the Pixel Tablet. The Pixel Tablet was introduced with Android 13 and has already received Android 14. It will also get Android 15 but may or may not get the Android 16 update. But it will receive security patches until at least June 2028.
Performance and battery life
Samsung has got the advantage
Unlike the previous Ultra tablets, Samsung has used a MediaTek chip in the Tab S10 Ultra. The Dimensity 9300+ is a powerful chip, delivering a snappy and responsive experience. Whether you are browsing social media, binge-watching Netflix, or playing games, the 9300+ doesn’t disappoint. The presence of up to 16GB of RAM is undoubtedly helpful and will keep the tablet snappy for years.
On the other hand, the Pixel Tablet has the Tensor G2. While it’s not the fastest chip around, it does a good job of keeping things responsive. You may have to play graphic-intensive games at a lower resolution or experience an occasional hiccup. But otherwise, you’ll find the tablet functions smoothly, even with its 8GB RAM.
Samsung’s Tab S10 Ultra also has a leg up on the battery front, with its bigger 11,200mAh battery, delivering a multi-day backup on a single charge. The Pixel Tablet has a 7,020mAh battery, which isn’t too shabby but doesn’t match the Samsung tablet. The Google offering is also slow to charge at 15W, whereas you get faster 45W charging with the Samsung tablet.
Additionally, the dock is undoubtedly an interesting Pixel Tablet accessory. It packs mediocre speakers that can fill a medium-sized room. Plus, the dock charges the tablet and acts as a stand for consuming content, reading recipes, etc. There is no such official Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra dock.
But the Tab S10 Ultra comes bundled with an S Pen that you can use to doodle, draw, take notes, and more. It’s an excellent stylus with superb latency. The Pixel Tablet also supports styluses but doesn’t come with one. You can buy any USI 2.0-compatible stylus on the market and use it with the Google tablet.
Moreover, the Tab S10 Ultra has Wi-Fi 7 support, Bluetooth 5.3, an under-display fingerprint sensor, and a microSD card slot. The Pixel Tablet is limited to Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. It lacks a microSD card slot but has a fingerprint sensor built into the power button, which is a much better spot for it.
Camera
Mediocre cameras all around
Cameras are never a high point for any tablet, and that remains true for the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra and the Pixel Tablet. The Tab S10 Ultra has two rear cameras: a 13MP wide-angle shooter and an 8MP ultrawide camera. They take decent enough shots for document scanning and the rare instances when you don’t have your smartphone. The quality of the photo depends on the availability of light; better lighting results in better shots. But you’ll always be better off with your smartphone if you have that.
Like the rear, there are two front cameras on the front of Tab S10 Ultra; they are both 12MP shooters, one with an ultrawide lens and the other with a wide lens. These are perfectly okay for video calls and occasional selfies.
The Pixel Tablet houses an 8MP rear shooter, which is a far cry from the fantastic cameras found in Pixel smartphones. It’s pretty bad, and the photos are often a smeary mess. The front 8MP camera is similar and leaves much to be desired.
Which is right for you?
Although the Samsung and Google offerings do the tablet thing, they are too far apart to be a consideration for the same customer. The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra packs various advantages and upgrades over the Pixel, but it also has a giant display that may not be a fit for everyone. So, if you want a massive tablet with excellent multitasking capabilities, the Tab S10 Ultra is a fantastic option. It delivers a responsive experience, packs a beautiful OLED screen, and has a large battery. It’ll also get updated for seven years and has a bundled S Pen.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra
A powerful premium tablet
The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is an excellent choice for a top-end Android tablet with a giant screen. It delivers impressive performance and will receive updates for seven years.
However, if you just need a good, reasonably-sized tablet for media consumption and casual gaming, the Pixel Tablet is a solid choice. It’s powerful enough to handle most things with ease. It also supports USI 2.0 styluses and has decent battery life. The device may not get many more Android updates, but it will continue to receive security patches for a respectable amount of time. Moreover, it gives the option of a Charging Speaker Dock that may be useful for some folks.
Google Pixel Tablet
Excellent midrange alternative
The Pixel Tablet is an excellent midrange Android tablet that offers good performance. It may not be the best in everything, but it does everything well enough.
