Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 and Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2: Flagship or Budget?

• Source: Samsung

  Samsung Galaxy Tab S9

  Flagship performance

  Unique $50 credit at Samsung until September 11

  Part of Samsung’s 2023 tablet lineup, the Galaxy Tab S9 comes with flagship-grade features and specifications, including a high-end processor, cutting-edge software, and a vibrant OLED display.

  pros

  • best processor
  • latest software
  • Beautiful OLED display

• Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2

  Budget proposal

  The Lenovo P11 Pro Gen 2 is an affordable Android tablet with mid-range specs and a beautiful OLED display. It also offers Dolby Vision and stylus support.

  pros

  • Incredible OLED display
  • Dolby Vision support
  • reasonable pricing

  Cons

  • Struggles with multitasking
  • Limited software support time

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 is here and it has everything you expect from one of the best Android tablets. From Android 13 with Single UI to the industry-leading Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for the Galaxy chip, the Samsung tablet has a plethora of features and specifications that will make most tablets great value for money. But if you’re looking for a brand new tablet on the market, should you shell out big bucks for the S9 or go with something much more affordable like the Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2?

Price, availability and features

There is a huge price difference between these two tablets. While the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 starts at $800, Lenovo priced the P11 Pro Gen 2 at just $400 for the 4GB RAM model and $430 for the 6GB RAM model. However, since the Lenovo tablet launched almost a year ago, the price of the 4GB variant has dropped to $300 and the 6GB model can go as low as $340.

For availability, you can order the Lenovo tablet from Amazon, Best Buy, and Lenovo.com. That said, the Galaxy Tab S9 is currently available for pre-order and generally available on August 11 through all major retailers.

• 	Samsung Galaxy Tab S9	Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2
  to store	128GB, 256GB (expandable via microSD)	128GB (expandable via microSD)
  Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy	MediaTek Company 1300T
  Memory	8GB, 12GB	4GB, 6GB
  OS	Android 13	Android 12
  Battery	8.400mAh	8,000mAh
  ports	USB-C	Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 1
  Camera (Back, Front)	13MP, 12MP	13MP, 8MP
  Display (Size, Resolution)	11 inch, 2560×1600, AMOLED, 120Hz	11.2 inches, 2560×1536 pixels, OLED, 120Hz
  Price	Starting at $800	Starting at $303
  connection	Wireless 6E, Bluetooth 5.3	Wireless 6, Bluetooth 5.1
  Colors	Beige, Graphite	Storm Gray
  Weight	498g	480g

Design

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 and Lenovo P11 Pro Gen 2 have a broadly similar overall design. Still, the use of an aluminum case in Samsung’s offering makes it feel more premium. On the other hand, the Lenovo tablet uses a mix of magnesium alloy, acrylic and polycarbonate. While this mix doesn’t feel as good as aluminum, it does make the Lenovo tablet about 20 grams lighter than the S9.

However, the Tab S9 has slightly thinner bezels for a better screen-to-body ratio and a smaller rear camera bump. Overall, the S9 design feels more elegant, and that’s not surprising given its premium price.

view

The Tab S9 and P11 Pro Gen 2 are similar in terms of display on both tablets using an OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The Tab S9 has an 11-inch display, while the P11 Pro Gen 2 has an 11.2-inch display. Both tablets have HDR10+ support, but the Lenovo tablet has a slight advantage with Dolby Vision support, which will come in handy if you watch a lot of HDR content on Netflix.

You get stylus support and Gorilla Glass protection on both tablets, among other features. So with OLED panels that offer vibrant colors and an almost infinite contrast ratio, no screen will let you down. It’s worth noting that Samsung has bundled the S-Pen stylus with every Tab S9, unlike the P11 Pro. However, you can purchase the optional Lenovo Precision Pen 3 pen for $70.

Performance and battery

This is one area where the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 has a clear advantage over the Lenovo P11 Pro Gen 2. The South Korean technology giant has placed the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 on its tablet for the Galaxy chip; Snapdragon 8 Generation 2 chips. In contrast, Lenovo uses the Mediatek Kompanio 1300T. While the Kompanio 1300T is a decent chip with respectable performance (especially when you’re not multitasking), the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is much more capable and power efficient. You also get 8GB/12GB of RAM on the Tab S9 compared to 4GB/6GB on the Lenovo tablet.

Snapdragon’s power efficiency will also help the Tab S9 provide longer battery backups than Lenovo’s 8,400mAh battery compared to Lenovo’s 8,000mAh battery. The Lenovo tablet battery also needs to power a slightly larger screen with its lower capacity.

When it comes to fast charging, the Tab S9 has an advantage over the P11 Pro Gen 2 as it supports 45W Samsung Super Fast Charge 2.0, while the Lenovo tablet only supports 20W Qualcomm QuickCharge 3.0. So in a pinch, the Tab S9 will be able to harvest more energy from a wall charger than the Lenovo P11 Pro Gen 2.

Software

The Samsung tablet scores on the software front as well, with a newer version of Android and a much more refined skin in the form of One UI. While running Android 13, the P11 Pro Gen 2 still runs on Android 12, but thankfully it has a relatively clean build. The Lenovo tablet is expected to get Android 13 this quarter, but the update has already been delayed twice, so there’s no guarantee it will appear before September 30, 2023.

Samsung has also promised four years of Android updates for the tablet, meaning the last Android update will be Android 17. Additionally, the Tab S9 will receive quarterly security updates for five years. Unfortunately, the P11 Pro Gen 2 is set to receive only two major Android updates, one of which is the much-overdue Android 13. Regarding security updates, the support period will end around November 2025.

cameras

Cameras don’t play a vital role in anyone’s tablet purchase, but as with most high-end Samsung mobile devices, the cameras on the Tab S9 are pretty good. It has the same 13 MP primary shooter as the Tab S8, which we know performs great for a tablet. While you can take good photos in an emergency, it’s still a good idea to use your phone’s camera when taking photos and videos. The same goes for the 12 MP front shooter ported from the Tab S8.

Lenovo has packed a 13MP rear shooter and an 8MP front camera. Neither camera is as impressive as Samsung shooters, but good enough for tablet use, including video calls, document scanning and more.

Which tablet should you buy?

The decision between the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 and Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2 primarily depends on what you want from a tablet. If you’re on a budget and want something that will last for years and deliver top-notch performance, it’s hard to go wrong with the Tab S9. It has a gorgeous screen, a powerful chip, the latest software and good battery life. Of course, you will have to pay a premium for this.

But if you need an affordable tablet for media consumption, occasional light gaming and video calls, the Lenovo P11 Pro Gen 2 is more than enough. Sure, you won’t get the latest Android version out of the box or a high-end processor, but it offers decent performance that won’t make you pull your hair. It also costs significantly less than the Samsung offering.