The tablet landscape has long been dominated by Apple’s iPad lineup, especially among creative professionals and premium users. However, Samsung made a bold move with the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, aiming to redefine what an Android tablet can be. Featuring an enormous 14.6-inch Super AMOLED display, ultra-thin bezels, and flagship-level internals powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, this tablet isn’t just big, it’s powerful. Add to that an included S Pen with ultra-low latency and Bluetooth features, and you get a productivity-centric device built for artists, students, business users, and content consumers alike.
Fast forward to mid-2025, and the question arises: does the Tab S8 Ultra still hold its ground, especially with newer models like the Tab S9 Ultra available? While the latest hardware iterations may offer incremental upgrades, the Tab S8 Ultra remains a compelling choice particularly given its now significantly reduced price. With strong software support, DeX mode for a desktop-like experience, and a thriving accessory ecosystem, it continues to offer a rich, versatile user experience. In this in-depth review, we’ll explore everything from design and display to performance and battery life to help you decide whether the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is still worth buying in 2025.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra Design & Build Quality
The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra immediately grabs attention with its sheer size and premium design. Built from Samsung’s tough Armor Aluminum, the tablet measures just 5.5mm in thickness making it one of the thinnest tablets ever created yet it feels incredibly sturdy in hand. Weighing 728 grams, it’s surprisingly light for its dimensions but still carries enough heft to feel like a serious device. This isn’t something you’ll comfortably hold with one hand for long sessions; it’s clearly made for use on a stand, a desk, or in a lap like a portable workstation.
From the front, the design is almost all screen, with ultra-slim bezels surrounding the massive 14.6-inch Super AMOLED display. A small, unobtrusive notch sits at the top center in landscape orientation, housing dual front-facing cameras that are ideal for video calls, streaming, or virtual meetings. The notch is tastefully integrated and easy to overlook thanks to the immersive screen real estate. It also helps the device maintain a symmetrical look while ensuring that the user stays centered in the frame during calls, a thoughtful design choice for professionals and content creators alike.
Flip the tablet over and you’ll find a clean, minimalist back panel finished in Samsung’s sleek Graphite color. A glossy black strip runs horizontally near the top, housing the dual rear cameras and serving as the magnetic charging area for the S Pen. This magnetic zone securely holds and wirelessly charges the stylus, keeping it ready for use at all times. The overall look and feel of the Tab S8 Ultra is modern, professional, and premium. However, due to its size and form factor, it’s most comfortable when used with a stand or keyboard attachment underscoring its role as a hybrid between a tablet and a laptop.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra display – The Best in Class
The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra’s display is undeniably its most striking feature. With a massive 14.6-inch Super AMOLED panel, a crisp 2960 x 1848 resolution, and a 120Hz refresh rate, the visual experience is nothing short of stunning. The screen delivers deep blacks, vivid colors, and incredibly fluid animations whether you’re navigating menus, flipping through web pages, or sketching with the S Pen. The high refresh rate also enhances touch responsiveness, making everything from scrolling to stylus use feel smooth and natural.
Thanks to HDR10+ support, the tablet excels at media consumption. Streaming platforms like Netflix, YouTube, and Disney+ come to life with rich contrast and punchy highlights. The display’s size also makes it perfect for multitasking; you can easily run two or even three apps side by side without feeling cramped. For creative professionals, the expansive canvas is ideal for digital art, photo editing, and video playback, offering excellent color accuracy and immersive visuals. It also works brilliantly as a secondary screen for a laptop, especially in Samsung’s DeX mode or via wireless screen sharing.
While the display doesn’t reach the same brightness levels as the iPad Pro’s mini-LED screen, its 420-nit peak brightness is still sufficient for most indoor environments. The 16:10 aspect ratio strikes a good balance between media and productivity, offering ample vertical space for documents and websites, and a more cinematic experience for video.
Although outdoor visibility in direct sunlight could be better, the AMOLED panel’s contrast and color reproduction easily compensate in everyday use. For anyone who values screen quality whether for work or play the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra sets a new benchmark in the Android tablet world.
Join our Best Reader Giveaway & Win a free Tablet – Apply Now
S Pen Experience – Precision and Power
One of the standout features that sets the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra apart is the included S Pen. Unlike Apple’s Pencil, which comes at an extra cost, Samsung bundles the stylus in the box ready to go right from the start. It magnetically snaps onto the back of the tablet, where it also wirelessly charges. With an ultra-low latency of just 2.8ms and support for 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity, the S Pen delivers an impressively natural and responsive writing and drawing experience. Whether you’re jotting notes or sketching intricate details, it feels like using a real pen on paper.
Creative users will especially appreciate the wide range of apps that support the S Pen. Clip Studio Paint, Autodesk Sketchbook, and Infinite Painter offer professional grade tools for artists, illustrators, and designers. Samsung Notes, on the other hand, is perfect for students and professionals alike allowing handwritten notes to be seamlessly converted into editable text. The pen’s tip offers just enough friction to provide control without scratching the display, and palm rejection works well, even during long drawing sessions. This makes the Tab S8 Ultra a genuine tool for productivity and creativity.
Beyond drawing and writing, the S Pen also supports Bluetooth functionality for added convenience. You can use it as a remote shutter to snap photos or control presentation slides with simple gestures, handy features for business users and content creators. Combined with Samsung’s Air Command shortcuts, the S Pen transforms from a stylus into a multi-purpose tool. Whether you’re marking up PDFs, signing documents, or fine-tuning a video timeline, the S Pen significantly enhances the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra’s utility. It’s not just an accessory, it’s an essential part of what makes this tablet one of the most versatile creative devices on the market.
Performance & Software – A True Workhorse
The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is a powerhouse built to deliver top-tier performance. Under the hood, it’s equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, one of the fastest mobile chips available when the tablet launched. Paired with up to 16GB of RAM, it delivers seamless multitasking, snappy app launches, and smooth performance across demanding tasks like 4K video editing, graphic design, and high-end gaming. Whether you’re using it for productivity or play, the tablet never feels sluggish. Storage options are generous too, with configurations up to 512GB and support for microSD cards up to 1TB, giving you more flexibility than many competing tablets.
Out of the box, the Tab S8 Ultra runs Android 12 with Samsung’s One UI 4.1. By mid-2025, it’s upgradeable to Android 13 and is expected to receive several more years of updates. One UI is tailored to large screens, offering refined multitasking features, app continuity, and deep customization options. Perhaps the most powerful feature is Samsung DeX, which transforms the traditional Android interface into a desktop-like environment. With DeX enabled, the tablet behaves like a laptop, supporting keyboard shortcuts, taskbars, and a windowed interface great for users who need to run multiple apps in a productive layout.
DeX also supports drag-and-drop between apps, external monitor connectivity via USB-C or wirelessly, and seamless app switching making the Tab S8 Ultra a strong alternative to a traditional PC setup. Whether you’re preparing spreadsheets, writing documents, or editing media, DeX makes multitasking fluid and intuitive. This dual-mode functionality tablet when you want it, desktop when you need it adds a level of versatility that few Android tablets can match. For professionals, students, and digital creatives, the Tab S8 Ultra’s performance and software ecosystem offer the perfect balance between power and flexibility.
Battery Life & Charging
The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra packs a massive 11,200mAh battery, which delivers solid endurance for a device of its size and power. With moderate use such as browsing, video streaming, note-taking, and productivity tasks it comfortably lasts 8 to 10 hours on a single charge. Whether you’re working through a full day of meetings or catching up on shows during downtime, the battery life holds up well. Standby drain is minimal, making it suitable for extended use across multiple days for light users.
When it’s time to recharge, the tablet supports 45W fast charging, although the charger is sold separately. Using a compatible adapter, you can get up to 50% battery in about 40 to 50 minutes, with a full charge taking roughly two hours. While not the fastest charging on the market, it’s reasonable considering the large battery capacity. This makes overnight charging or quick top-ups during breaks practical and reliable. For heavy users or travelers, carrying a high-wattage USB-C charger or power bank ensures the Tab S8 Ultra stays ready for action throughout the day.
Camera Capabilities
Cameras aren’t usually the highlight of a tablet, but Samsung made a solid effort with the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. On the rear, it features a 13MP main camera and a 6MP ultra-wide lens. While they won’t replace your smartphone for photography, they perform well enough for scanning documents, taking reference photos, or capturing quick snapshots in good lighting. The image quality is clear, and autofocus helps when snapping text or barcodes. It’s a practical setup for basic tasks rather than creative photography.
The real star, however, is on the front. The Tab S8 Ultra includes dual 12MP front-facing cameras one wide and one ultra-wide perfectly positioned along the landscape edge. This layout is ideal for video conferencing, offering a natural angle during Zoom, Google Meet, or Teams calls. Samsung’s Auto Framing feature dynamically adjusts the frame to keep you centered as you move, giving the experience a professional touch. Even better, both cameras support 4K video recording, which is rare for tablets. Whether you’re attending meetings, teaching online, or live streaming, the front camera setup offers one of the best video call experiences you can get on a tablet today.
Accessories & Ecosystem Integration
Samsung’s Book Cover Keyboard, though sold separately, is a must-have for users looking to unlock the full productivity potential of the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. This full-sized, backlit keyboard includes a responsive trackpad and a comfortable typing experience, effectively transforming the tablet into a capable laptop alternative. It magnetically attaches to the tablet and works seamlessly with Samsung DeX, allowing users to navigate and multitask with ease. For those who prefer more customization, the Tab S8 Ultra also supports a wide range of Bluetooth accessories, USB-C hubs, and wired peripherals including external monitors, mice, and storage drives.
What truly elevates the experience is Samsung’s cohesive ecosystem. Features like Quick Share enable fast, wireless file transfers between Samsung devices, while phone syncing lets users respond to calls and texts directly from the tablet. Galaxy Buds automatically switch audio sources when connected to both devices, and SmartThings integration allows control of smart home devices right from the tablet. Additionally, the Tab S8 Ultra can function as a second screen for Windows PCs, perfect for extending workspaces or managing multitasking setups. Together, these accessories and ecosystem features make the Tab S8 Ultra more than just a tablet it becomes a versatile productivity hub.
Software Support in 2025
Samsung’s update policy guarantees 4 years of Android updates and 5 years of security patches. As of mid-2025, the Tab S8 Ultra is still actively supported with Android 13 and scheduled to receive Android 14.
This makes it a smart long-term investment, especially with its current discounted price of around $649 (down from its original $1,099). Refurbished units can be found for even less without compromising on performance.
Pros & Cons
| Pros: | Cons: |
| 1. Massive 14.6″ AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh | 1. Expensive accessories (keyboard cover) |
| 2. Included low-latency S Pen | 2. Large size not ideal for portability |
| 3. Desktop-like DeX mode | 3. No IP rating for water/dust resistance |
| 4. Strong multitasking and performance |
Final Verdict – Is It Still the Best Android Tablet?
Even in 2025, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra remains a top-tier Android tablet. Its stunning display, power-packed internals, unmatched S Pen experience, and desktop flexibility make it the ultimate tool for creators, professionals, and power users.
While the newer Tab S9 Ultra offers minor improvements, the S8 Ultra still holds its own especially now that it’s available at a reduced price. If you’re looking for the best all-in-one Android tablet experience that bridges work and play, the Tab S8 Ultra is absolutely worth it.