Samsung Unveils Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra and S12+ With 3nm Chip and 5.1mm Body

Thin design, faster chip and longer battery

Samsung says the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra measures 5.1mm, making it the company's thinnest Galaxy Tab, while the series as a whole offers the most powerful performance of any Galaxy Tab so far. The tablets use a 3nm processor that, according to Samsung, delivers up to 61% faster NPU processing, 19% faster CPU performance and 17% improved GPU power compared with the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra.

Battery life is rated at up to 23 hours on the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra and up to 21 hours on the Galaxy Tab S12+ on a single charge. With the 45W adapter, the battery goes from 0% to 100% in about 95 minutes, per the company.

A newly designed 3D Vapor Chamber is meant to dissipate heat and keep performance steady during demanding work such as video editing or graphics design. Both models also carry an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.

Displays, audio and software

The Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra has a 14.6-inch display, while the Galaxy Tab S12+ has a 12.6-inch screen with slimmer bezels than its predecessor. Both use Dynamic AMOLED 2X panels reaching up to 1,600 nits of peak brightness. An upgraded Vision Booster adjusts brightness in real time based on lighting conditions. Audio comes from a 4-channel spatial system, which Samsung says is twice as many channels as the previous generation.

The tablets run Android 17 with One UI 9 and the latest Galaxy AI. Users can split the screen into up to three sections in Multi Window layout. Samsung's example: taking notes in Samsung Notes on one side while a lecture plays and an AI assistant is open on the other, with Note Assist summarizing the notes.

Both models ship with an S Pen. Optional accessories include the Pro Keyboard, which has an aluminum finish and a Galaxy AI Key, and the Book Cover Keyboard Slim.

AI tools and bundled apps

The series comes with a six-month trial of Google AI Pro. Users can ask Gemini questions and use Gemini Notebook to bring notes, images, recordings and files into one workspace, where it can create summaries, podcasts and quizzes. Samsung Browser can summarize information across open pages and surface a relevant source viewed days earlier, according to Samsung.

Samsung says Adobe Photoshop comes pre-loaded on the series, which it describes as a first for Android tablets. It includes an AI Assistant and Adobe Firefly-powered features such as Generative Fill and Image to Video. Buyers get four months of free access to the Photoshop mobile plan.

• Notability: newly pre-loaded, six-month free trial and 20% off the first subscription.
• Goodnotes: one year of free access.
• LumaFusion: offered at a 66% discount.
• Notion: one month of the Plus plan free.
• Clip Studio Paint: six-month trial and 20% off the first subscription.

Samsung puts the total value of the benefits at approximately $600. It also points to MyScript Math, MyScript Notes, Noteshelf and ArcSite, the last of which converts rough field sketches into CAD.

What it means for buyers

Samsung is positioning the Galaxy Tab S12 series at students, professionals and creators who want a tablet for study, note-taking and creative work. Jay Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Customer Experience Office, Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics, said the series is "designed for people who are constantly exploring new ideas, developing new skills, and bringing their ambitions to life."

The source text does not include pricing or availability details, so those remain to be confirmed by Samsung.