Apple recently announced two new iPad models, the iPad Pro (2024) and the iPad Air 6.
The iPad Pro (2024) boasts a slimmer design, a brighter display, and a more powerful processor than its predecessors. We’ve already compared the tablet to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, but how does it stand up to the standard Galaxy Tab S9?
Keep reading to learn more about how these two tablets compare.
The iPad Pro (2024) is slimmer
When it comes to design, who wins will depend on your priorities.
If you want a thin, lightweight tablet, the iPad Pro (2024) is a clear winner, with a depth of 5.3mm or 5.1mm and a weight of 0.98 lbs (~445g) or 1.28 lbs (~581g) depending on if you opt for the 11-inch model or the 13-inch version.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9, comparatively, is 11 inches in size and 5.9mm thick. The tablet weighs 500g, making it heavier for its size but lighter than the larger 13-inch iPad Pro.
When it comes to colours, both tablets are available in two neutral shades. The iPad Pro comes in Silver and Space Black, while the Galaxy Tab S9 is available in Graphite or Beige.
The iPad Pro (2024) boasts a brighter display
Another major upgrade on the iPad Pro (2024) is the tablet’s brighter display.
Apple announced the Ultra Retina XDR, which uses the company’s new Tandem OLED display technology to combine the lights of two OLED panels and achieve a brighter screen. The result is a tablet that can reach 1000 nits of brightness when displaying SDR and HDR content, or 1600 nits of peak brightness with HDR.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 features a Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a brightness of 420 nits and a peak brightness of 750 nits.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 comes with a stylus
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 comes with Samsung’s S Pen stylus in the box. This is a huge bonus for digital artists, note-takers, and really anyone who likes the sound of using a pen to scrawl on their tablet.
The iPad Pro (2024) supports the new Apple Pencil Pro, along with the standard Apple Pencil (USB-C). However, neither stylus comes with the tablet. This means you’ll need to pay an additional $79/£79 to $129/£129 to get your hands on it, depending on the pencil you choose.
The iPad Pro (2024) packs the M4 chipset
The Apple M2-powered iPad Pro (2022) was our one to beat when it comes to performance and Apple has knocked its performance out of the park with the M4-powered iPad Pro (2024).
According to Apple, the tablet has a 50% faster CPU, 4x faster GPU, and improved power efficiency compared to its predecessor.
While we haven’t had the opportunity to test the tablet ourselves just yet, we have tested the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 and the iPad Pro (2024)’s predecessor, the iPad Pro (2022).
We found the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy-powered Galaxy Tab S9 to be incredibly powerful, with the Tab S9 series beating out any of its Android competitors in terms of performance. However, the Tab S9 couldn’t compete with the iPad Pro (2022).
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 is much cheaper
A major benefit to picking up the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 over the iPad Pro (2024) is its price.
The Galaxy Tab S9 starts at $699/£799 for 128GB of storage and Wi-Fi-only, while the iPad Pro (2024) begins at $999/£999 for 256GB and Wi-Fi-only. Increasing the storage on the Galaxy Tab S9 to a matching 256GB will cost you $799/£899.
That’s a $200/£100 to $300/£200 saving (plus a free stylus) when you opt for the Galaxy Tab S9 over the iPad Pro.
