Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra vs iPad Pro (2021): Which is better

Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra vs iPad Pro (2021): Apple shipped more tablet devices than any phone company in 2021. With that much money it made from its Apple iPad lineup, other phone makers are bringing the heat. And Samsung is one of those companies.

While the iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) is arguably the best tablet of 2021, the rules of best tabs are fast changing. And to spice things up, Samsung has released the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra which is no doubt the most powerful Android Tab yet. So, between the iPad (2021) and Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, which is better?

Well, the only to find out is by comparing the specifications of both devices. So, let’s get started.

Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra vs iPad Pro (2021)

Specifications	Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra	iPad Pro (2021)
Display	14.6-inch, 120Hz	12.6-inch, 120Hz
RAM	12GB	8GB
Storage	256GB	128GB – 1TB
Back Camera	13 + 6MP	12 + 10MP + TOF
Front Camera	12 + 12MP	12MP
Chipset	Snapdragon 8 Gen 1	Apple M1
Software	Android 12	Apple iPadOS 14
Battery	11,200mAh (45W)	40.88Wh (18W)
Stylus	YES	YES

Display and Design

Both devices have a few things in common when it comes to displaying but has lots of differences. Perhaps the noticeable similarity is that both displays have support for a 120Hz refresh rate. Aside from that, every other thing is pretty different.

The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has a 14.6-inch display, AMOLED panel, and 1848 x 2960 pixels resolution. The iPad Pro (2021) comes with a 12.9-inch display, Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED LCD panel, and 2048 x 2732 pixels. The screen of the iPad Pro (2021) is brighter but smaller.

As per the design, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra comes with a cut-out notch, has slimmer bezels, and a small camera module at the back. While the iPad Pro (2021) has a bigger notch, bigger bezels, and a bigger camera module at the rear.

Both devices are very different even when you spot them from afar. However, when it comes to displaying qualities, both devices offer a really good experience. The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra does offer that extra screen size to get more work done.

Camera

The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra comes with dual rear cameras and dual front cameras. At the rear, it has a 13MP main camera and a 6MP ultra-wide lens. While upfront it comes with a 12MP main camera and a 12MP ultrawide lens.

The Apple iPad Pro (2021) comes with a triple rear camera and a single front camera. At the rear, it has a 12MP main camera, a 10MP ultra-wide lens, and a TOF 3D LiDAR scanner depth sensor. Upfront it comes with a 12MP selfie camera.

The major boost here for the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is that both the back and front cameras can shoot videos in 4K resolution. But for the iPad Pro (2021), only the rear camera can shoot videos in 4K resolution.

Typical of every tablet, the cameras of both devices here are not that exciting. These devices are not built for photography and videography. You can check out the comparison between the Galaxy S22 Ultra and iPhone 13 Pro Max if you need a camera device.

Cameras in tablet devices are mostly used for online video calls or meetings. In this regard, the front camera of the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra will give you better quality.

Performance | Storage | RAM | 5G

Both devices have awesome performance but the performance of the iPad Pro (2021) is on another level. Allow me to explain.

Apple used a brand new in-house Apple M1 chip inside the iPad Pro (2021). This chip was previously used inside its PC devices. So, basically, the iPad Pro (2021) brings PC performance inside a tablet device. In 2021, there was no tablet that came close to the performance of the Apple iPad.

This does not in any way mean the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip inside the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has bad performance (no way). In its own right, the performance of the chip inside the Tab S8 Ultra is insane but the performance of the iPad Pro 2021 is on another level of insanity.

The RAM options of the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra are 12 or 16GB of RAM with storage options of 256 and 512GB. Apple iPad Pro (2021) comes with 8 or 16GB of RAM with storage options ranging from 128-1TB.

The chipset inside both devices has support for 5G network connectivity. There is also a Wi-Fi-only version of both tablets that is more affordable. As far as performance goes, the iPad Pro 2021 is the better device.

Software

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra boots OneUI 4.0 based on Android 12 out of the box. While the Apple iPad Pro (2021) boots the Apple iPadOS 14 out of the box. Samsung has promised up to 4 years of major software updates for its device while the iPad Pro (20201) will get up to 6 years of software updates from Apple.

It’s no secret that Apple has better software update plans for its devices. So, this is not coming as a surprise at least to tech analysts like myself.

Battery

The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is powered by an 11,200mAh battery with 45W fast charge support. While the iPad Pro (2021) is powered by a 40.88Wh with 18W charge support. There is no wireless charge support available on both devices.

The battery inside the Tab S8 Ultra is bigger, lasts longer, and has better charging technology than that of the iPad Pro. So, if you want to use your device for a longer time and also easily top it up when it’s low, buy the Tab S8 Ultra.

Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra vs iPad Pro (2021): Price

The price of the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra 12 + 256GB storage option is about $1,099 and the price of the iPad Pro (2021) Wi-Fi-only model starts at $989. The iPad Pro (2021) has been around for a while so it’s quickly going out of stock in many places.

Buy Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra and iPad Pro (2021)

Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra	Price	iPad Pro (2021)	Price
Buy on Amazon UK	£1,099	Buy on Amazon	$989

Galaxy S22 Ultra vs iPad Pro (2021): Verdict

If you’re asked to pick between the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra and iPad Pro (2021) which should you pick? Well, the answer will obviously vary depending on who you ask. But here are the facts.

The iPad Pro (2021) has a better chipset which means better performance. But, it’s limited when it comes to the camera, battery, and size (note, 12.9-inch is big but in this comparison it’s small). So, for those that need that extra camera, better battery, and bigger screen, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra fulfills these needs.

In the end, choosing between buying the iPad Pro (2021) and Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra comes down to why you need a tablet device. The Galaxy Tab gives you more room to be productive. So, if I’m to score both tablets, I’ll give the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra (53%) and the iPad Pro (2021) (47%).