Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 nearly matches the iPad Air

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S11 is built as an Android answer to the iPad Air, pairing a compact design with strong performance and the company’s One UI 8.5 software. It is also priced like a premium tablet, starting at $899.99 / £869 / AU$1,399, so its weaknesses matter.

The S11 looks and feels excellent. Its one-piece metal chassis is exceptionally solid, smooth, and close to seamless around the display. The trade-off is a slippery rear panel, while the tablet is available only in Grey and Silver. At 484g, it remains compact and relatively light.

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(Image credit: Future)

Display and design

The 11-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel runs at 1600 x 2560 and 120Hz, with good brightness and vibrant colors. However, some interface elements look slightly soft, and Ultra HD video is not as sharp as expected. A thick inner bezel further limits the usable screen area.

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The touchscreen is the S11's biggest hardware disappointment. It feels too friction-heavy for smooth swipes and gestures and attracts dust and debris readily. The included S Pen is much better: its hexagonal body is comfortable, its button can act like a right-click, and it glides across the screen with responsive palm rejection. Both long edges are magnetic for attaching the stylus, although the top edge is not.

(Image credit: Future)

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(Image credit: Future)

The tablet uses a MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ chipset, 12GB of RAM, and 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB of storage. It has an 8,400mAh battery, 45W wired charging, a 13MP rear camera, a 12MP front camera, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5, and USB-C.

Software and performance

Samsung’s first-party apps are easy to ignore, though several AI tools are useful. Photo Assist can remove unwanted objects, add content from text prompts, and apply styles such as Anime and Pop Art. Results are not perfect every time, but the tool is effective for quick edits. A drawing app, notes app, and calendar are also included, although Google’s equivalents remain better choices for cross-device work.

One UI 8.5 is clear, stable, and easy to navigate. App windows can be resized, minimized, or switched between full-screen and pop-out modes. Gesture-based multitasking is awkward and slow, however, particularly because of the touchscreen’s friction; the three-button navigation bar is faster.

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(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future)

Everyday work, browsing, 4K streaming, and gaming run smoothly. Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal played well, and a Bluetooth controller worked flawlessly. The tablet stays relatively cool, with only a few warm spots on the rear. The cameras are less impressive: their low megapixel count produces low-fidelity photos that software enhancements cannot fully rescue.

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(Image credit: Future)

Battery life and value

The S11's battery life is a strong point. Samsung claims 18 hours of continuous streaming, compared with about 10 hours for the iPad Air. After a couple of days of mixed productivity, browsing, streaming, and gaming, the review unit had fallen to 30%. A full recharge took about two hours.

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(Image credit: Future)

The base model includes 12GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and an S Pen. Cellular connectivity costs an additional £50 / AU$250, while US buyers get only the Wi-Fi model. The tablet is available now in Grey and Silver.

An equivalent iPad Air bundled with an Apple Pencil currently costs slightly less and offers a better display. Android buyers seeking value can instead consider the OnePlus Pad Go 2, priced at $399.99 / £319 (around AU$570) with 8GB of RAM.

(Image credit: Future)

The S11 earned review scores of 4.5/5 for design, 4/5 for performance, 4.5/5 for battery, 3.5/5 for display, 3.5/5 for software, and 3/5 for value. It is the closest iPad Air-style experience in Android form, but the iPad remains the sharper buy if display quality and price carry more weight.