The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is not a tablet for everyone. Designed with power users in mind, it’s a device built for professionals who demand serious performance, whether for work, creative design or high-level multitasking.
Equipped with a massive display, advanced S Pen functionality and Samsung’s top features, it caters to those who need a tablet that can keep up with intensive tasks. However, this level of capability doesn’t come cheap; the Tab S10 Ultra commands a premium price, especially when paired with essential accessories like a keyboard and case.
For users ready to invest in one of the most powerful Android tablets available, the Tab S10 Ultra delivers a truly “Pro” experience.
Design
The design of the Tab S10 Ultra can be summed up in one word: large. This is a big, heavy tablet, weighing 718g and measuring 326.4 x 208.6 x 5.4mm. It’s not something you’d want to hold one-handed for long. If you're looking for a tablet primarily for reading, this isn’t it, you’d have a tired arm in no time. For comparison, the iPad Pro is lighter at 682g and measures 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4mm.
However, the size suits the tablet's purpose as a "Pro" device. With a larger display, it’s excellent for multitasking, video editing, drawing and even watching videos, thanks to the expansive screen space. The drawback though, is that you’ll likely need a keyboard to fully utilise the S10 Ultra’s potential, and that comes at a considerable extra cost.
The Tab S10 Ultra features a glass front, an aluminium back and what Samsung refers to as an “Enhanced Armor Aluminium Frame,” which they claim makes it stronger than ever. However, given its weight, dropping it isn’t ideal, so a case is highly recommended.
It comes in two colours, Grey and Silver. Both are pretty boring, which is to be expected for a “professional” device.
The tablet comes with an S-Pen included and this magnetically attaches to the back of the tablet. This is a solid connection, and it also acts as a charger for the stylus. I initially thought the tablet might be unstable on a flat surface, but it actually sits securely without rocking, even when pressing the edges. However, one downside is that the S Pen tends to roll off when pulling the tablet out of a bag or drawer, another good reason to invest in a case.
Both the tablet and the S-Pen have an IP68 resistance rating meaning they’ll survive submersion in up to 1.5 metres of freshwater for 30 minutes. However, it's important to know that Samsung states it is “not advised for beach or pool use.”
Display
The display is excellent. It’s a 14.6-inch, 120Hz, dynamic AMOLED 2X screen that has smooth navigation and is great for watching videos and movies.
It has a peak brightness of 930 nits, which isn’t the best. The screen has an anti-reflective coating that, when combined with “Vision Booster”, is supposed to improve screen visibility and colour accuracy in bright lighting conditions. However, this didn’t work as well as I had hoped. While it’s definitely better than a device without these features, I would’ve preferred a brighter screen as I still had to squint a bit when outside. I also noticed that the screen is a fingerprint magnet and in bright conditions, all I could see were my finger marks.
With that said, in normal conditions, the screen is vibrant and brilliant for gaming and doing work. The colours pop when drawing and it looks great.
Cameras
There are two rear cameras, a 13MP main and an 8MP ultra-wide. These are fine. I’ve never had a legitimate use for rear cameras on a tablet, but if you’re using it for work it will do the job. Just don’t expect top-of-the-range phone capabilities.
On the front there’s a 12MP main and a 12MP ultra-wide. These are good for work related uses like Zoom calls. The cameras support auto framing to keep you and anyone else in frame and it has four stereo speakers which produce clean, loud audio so you can easily hear who you’re talking to.
Features/S-Pen
The S-Pen is included in the box, and it’s responsive and smooth for writing, drawing and navigating. It’s lightweight, and there are convenient shortcuts on the device to quickly access “pen-oriented” apps like Screen Write and Sketch to Image.
The Tab S10 Ultra also includes familiar Samsung features like DeX, Split View (allowing up to three apps on screen), Quick Share and Multi Control, which lets you use two Samsung devices with a single keyboard. Each works seamlessly, with Split View being especially useful on the big screen, for watching a video on one side while taking notes on the other.
The Galaxy AI features truly shine on this device. While not unique to the Tab S10 Ultra, they are particularly effective on the larger screen. Features like PDF Translate (for translating entire PDFs), Voice to Text, Note Summary, Sketch to Image and Circle to Search, enhance the “Pro” experience and add to the tablet’s versatility.
Performance
Surprisingly the S10 Ultra is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ processor, meaning a departure from the Qualcomm Snapdragon processors. The S9 Ultra had a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.
Samsung claims the new processor provides an 18% improvement to the CPU, a 28% improvement to the GPU and a 14% improvement to the NPU over the S9 Ultra. While it’s hard to confirm these statistics, I had no problem using the tablet at all. Whether I was surfing the web, playing games or video editing, it was smooth, and I didn’t encounter any slowdowns or stuttering.
We ran the Samsung Tab S10 Ultra through Geekbench 6, which tests the CPU, and it revealed a single-core score of 2197 and a multi-core score of 7204. These results indicate that the Tab S10 Ultra performs very well for everyday tasks, such as web browsing, app launches and multitasking, thanks to its strong single-core performance. The high multi-core score of 7204 shows that it’s equally adept at handling more demanding tasks like video editing, gaming and running complex applications. Overall, these scores highlight the Tab S10 Ultra's powerful capability for both routine and intensive tasks.
We also ran the Samsung Tab S10 Ultra through the 3DMark Wildlife Extreme test, and it scored 5140 with an average frame rate of 30.78 FPS. This high score shows the device’s strong graphical performance, making it well-equipped to handle graphically intensive tasks like high-end gaming and 3D applications. The average FPS of 30.78 indicates that the Tab S10 Ultra can maintain smooth visuals even with demanding graphics, delivering a solid experience in both gaming and other GPU-intensive tasks.
Battery
The Tab S10 Ultra is equipped with a massive 11,200mAh battery, though its large capacity doesn’t fully translate to extended runtime. It typically lasts around 8-9 hours on a single charge, which is adequate for a day of moderate use, but we had hoped for a bit more longevity.
It supports 45W fast charging which will get you from 0 - 35% in 30 minutes. A full charge will take over an hour which is quite long but is to be expected in a battery this big.
Frustratingly, there is no charger in the box, so you’ll have to find a suitable 45W charger. This one is very good.
Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is built for serious users, with top-tier performance, a massive display and advanced S Pen capabilities that cater to professionals. It’s excellent for everything from daily tasks to demanding applications like video editing and gaming.
However, its large size makes it best suited for desk use, and to get the most out of it you’ll need a keyboard and case which adds to the cost. The display is brilliant indoors, though it could perform better outdoors. Battery life is solid at around 8-9 hours, but it lacks a bundled charger, which is a drawback.
While there isn’t a lot of innovation here (it’s very similar to the Tab S9 Ultra), this is the best of what Samsung has to offer. And for those who need a powerful Android tablet and are prepared to invest, the Tab S10 Ultra is a high-performance option that you’ll love.
