/ A head-to-head battle of two top tablets.
Kandis Blake is a passionate product review writer. She had six years of testing and reviewing electronics experience before joining TheTweaks. Here At TheTweaks she joined as Review Writer where she tested and reviewed different gadgets. The interesting fact is that she did not rely on the spec sheet, Infact she gives her verdict on the basis of real world testing after spending almost 2 weeks with that product. Kandis is a brilliant writer but in her free time she loves to play badminton as well.
This year, two of the hottest tablets are at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to price. Samsung’s biggest and boldest tablet line offers the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra features 14.6 inches of AMOLED display, S Pen included in the box and specs that make you do a double take. Just a couple of months later, the Apple iPad Air M4 has been released, though it’s more “Air” than ‘Ultra’, the M4 chip on the board inside is certainly not something to be brushed aside.
I’ve spent time with both of these and the truthful answer to the question “Which one should you buy?” is not as straightforward as brand loyalty. Let me explain.
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra | Apple iPad Air M4 (13-inch) |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 14.6″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz | 13″ Liquid Retina IPS, 60Hz |
| Resolution | 2960 x 1848 (239 PPI) | 2732 x 2048 (264 PPI) |
| Processor | MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ (3nm) | Apple M4 (3nm) |
| RAM | 12GB / 16GB (1TB model) | 12GB |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Battery | 11,600 mAh | 9,705 mAh (13″) |
| Charging | 45W wired | 20W wired |
| Stylus | S Pen (included) | Apple Pencil Pro (sold separately) |
| IP Rating | IP68 | None |
| OS | Android 16, One UI 8 | iPadOS 26 |
| Starting Price | $1,199 (256GB) | $799 (13″, 128GB) |
| 1TB Price | $1,619.99 | $1,299 |
This is the point where S11 Ultra flexes hardest. The 14.6 inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a 120Hz refresh rate is really one of the best displays I’ve seen. Brightness is crisp and black, with colors that are vivid and the screen reaches 1457 nits when on, making outdoor use no problem (PCmag). When it comes to movie viewing, photo editing or simply a larger screen to work with, Samsung takes this one with little doubt.
iPad Air M4 suports a 60Hz Liquid Retina IPS display screen. The difference is obvious from the Samsung’s AMOLED, particularly in dark scenes and scrolling conditions. What Apple does deliver is a higher pixel density score at 264 PPI and Samsung’s is at 239 PPI, so text and small details are slightly crisp with the smaller screen. That’s a compromise, but for the majority of users who watch more media than they listen, the AMOLED display of the Tab S11 Ultra has little downside.
The 3nm process is used to manufacture both chips. The Dimensity 9400+ is not a joke: the Galaxy Tab S11’s (base model) performance in benchmarks indicates a Geekbench 6 Single-Core of around 2,776 and Multi-Core of around 8,811, while 3DMark High scored 6,313 (PhoneArena).
The Apple M4 is a different beast when it comes to straight-up single-core performance, however. Geekbench 6 scores on M4-powered iPads have settled in the region of +3,700 single-core and +14,000 multi-core, which is in line with the performance of the chip on all M4 devices. According to Apple (Geekbench Browser), the M4 iPad Air is capable of being as much as 2.3x faster than the M1 version and approximately 30% faster than the M3 version.
This is an actual factor, depending on the reasons for purchasing a Tablet.
The Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is equipped with an S Pen. No extra cost. With low latency and a natural writing feel, it is best for note-taking. Samsung’s Notes has evolved into a powerful and polished productivity tool. If you are a student, professional or casual sketcher, it offers outstanding value just out of the box.
Apple Pencil Pro, has to be bought separately which is around $129. But once you get it, experience is a step up to creatives. The barrel roll (a gyroscope that allows you to roll the tip to create shaped brushes), squeeze gesture, hover detection and haptic feedback make it feel more responsive and intuitive in apps like Procreate or Adobe Fresco. If you’re an avid digital artist, it’s a worthwhile additional investment
Out of the two, the Tab S11 Ultra is the better value (including S Pen), and the iPad Air is the better creative option (Apple Pencil Pro).
To be honest, nobody buys a $1200+ tablet just because of the camera. Both devices are used for video calls, document scanning and the occasional shot when a phone is not around, so it’s better to know what you are dealing with.
Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra has a 13MP(+ 8 MP) rear camera and a 12MP front camera. The back shooter on a tablet is actually pretty decent. The outdoor shots were crisp and had good dynamic range, and the ultrawide is great to use when you want to scan whiteboards or documents lying flat on a desk. The video recording features up to 8K. Impressive but this is more a spec sheet talk than something that’s likely to be a practical feature.
iPad Air M4 has a 12MP front (landscape) and back (wide) camera. The rear camera isn’t that important for regular use, but where Apple put more effort is the front-facing camera. It’s a nice feature that the front camera is in landscape mode so you don’t seem to be looking off to the side during FaceTime or Zoom. Unlike Samsung’s Auto Framing feature, Center Stage is smoother on the iPad Air as it keeps you in frame even as you move.
The iPad Air M4 frames and holds a video call slightly better than the iPad Pro 12.9″ M4.The iPad Air M4 is marginally better at framing and consistency when making video calls. Otherwise, the distinctions between the two are small and won’t make much difference in your decision to purchase.
The Galaxy S11 Ultra has the biggest 11,600 mAh battery that lasts through a full day of work including note-taking, video playing or using the S Pen. In real-world testing, it delivers 9-10 hours of active use. 45W fast charging takes roughly an hour and 30 minutes to charge fully, which is an improvement.
The iPad Air M4 (13-inch) has 9,705 mAh of battery capacity, which supports 20W charging. Apple’s chip efficiency means battery life can hold up. Apple claims “all day battery life”, which is accurate for the majority of users. However, the Samsung has more room, and for those who are power users, it’s noticeable over the course of a day.
This is where your choice really gets personal.
The Tab S11 Ultra is powered by Android 16, One UI 8 and also has the built in Galaxy AI integration like the Note Assist, Drawing Assist, and Live Translate features. Samsung has been very aggressive with AI tooling and it shows. There’s also DeX support for a desktop-like experience and an expandable local storage for microSD modules, which saves you from having to purchase extra device configurations.
iPadOS 26 introduces Apple’s new Liquid Glass design, improved window system and deeper Apple Intelligence integration system to make features like Image Wand, Writing Tools and Clean up more efficient. The upgraded Neural Engine keeps everything running smoothly.
The iPad also benefits from the richer library of tablet optimized apps. For users with a Mac or iPhone, features like Continuity, AirDrop, and Universal Clipboard make a seamless cross-device experience that Android ecosystems still struggle to match.
The $1,899.99 price for the 1TB Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is definitely a difference from the $1,299 price of the 1TB iPad Air M4. But the comparison isn’t simply about price, it’s about what you really need.
Spending time with both, I always found myself coming back to the iPad Air M4 as my daily companion. It was faster, deeper app support, and using iPadOS 26 to multitask felt truly grown up. However, entertainment and note-taking purposes go to the Tab S11 Ultra, particularly for those who are leaving Apple entirely.
Neither tablet is a bad choice. But knowing what you use a tablet for will make this decision obvious. Check out our detailed review here Apple’s iPad Air M4 and Samsung Galaxy S11 Ultra.
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