Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 (Wi-Fi, 8 GB / 128 GB) / Apple iPad Air (4th generation) Wi-Fi

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 (Wi-Fi, 8 GB / 128 GB): Galaxy Tab S9 11-inch Wi-Fi, SM-X710 (8 GB / 128 GB); Graphite and Beige. The 5G version, Tab S9+ and Tab S9 Ultra are separate models.

Apple iPad Air (4th generation) Wi-Fi: iPad Air (4th generation, 2020), Wi-Fi model; 64 GB or 256 GB. The Wi-Fi + Cellular model (A2324) adds LTE, eSIM and GPS and is 2 g heavier. The iPad Air 5 (M1) and iPad Air 3 are separate models.

SpecificationSamsung Galaxy Tab S9 (Wi-Fi, 8 GB / 128 GB)Apple iPad Air (4th generation) Wi-Fi
Release year20232020
Display11-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X; 60–120 Hz

120 Hz makes scrolling and S Pen drawing smoother; it drops to 60 Hz when content is static.

Samsung		10.9-inch Liquid Retina, LED-backlit IPS; 2360 × 1640 pixels, 264 ppi; wide colour (P3), True Tone; fully laminated, antireflective coating (1.8% reflectivity); 500 nits

Full lamination removes the gap between glass and panel, so the Apple Pencil tip looks closer to the line and reflections drop. True Tone adjusts white balance to ambient light. The refresh rate is 60 Hz; ProMotion is reserved for the iPad Pro.

Apple
ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy Samsung—
Memory and storage8 GB RAM, 128 GB storage; microSD up to 1 TB (sold separately) Samsung—
CamerasRear 13 MP AF; front 12 MP ultra-wide Samsung—
Battery8400 mAh (typical)

No charging adapter is included in the box.

Samsung		—
S PenBluetooth LE S Pen in the box; IP68

The S Pen attaches magnetically to the back of the tablet and charges there; Bluetooth LE enables remote-control gestures.

Samsung		—
DurabilityTablet and S Pen IP68

IP68 describes dust-tightness and water immersion resistance under set conditions; it is not recommended for beach or pool use.

Samsung		—
AudioQuad stereo speakers tuned by AKG; Dolby Atmos SamsungStereo speakers (landscape), dual microphones Apple
ConnectivityWi-Fi 6E; Wi-Fi Direct; Bluetooth 5.3

The 6 GHz band requires a Wi-Fi 6E router.

Samsung		—
Operating systemShipped with Android 13 Samsung—
Size and weight254.3 × 165.8 × 5.9 mm; 498 g (Wi-Fi) Samsung247.6 × 178.5 × 6.1 mm; 458 g (Wi-Fi) Apple
ColoursBeige, Graphite Samsung—
Chip—A14 Bionic, 64-bit architecture, Neural Engine Apple
Storage—64 GB or 256 GB

Capacity is chosen at purchase; there is no memory card slot.

Apple
Rear camera and video—12 MP Wide, ƒ/1.8, five-element lens, autofocus with Focus Pixels, Smart HDR 3; 4K 24/30/60 fps, 1080p 120/240 fps slow motion Apple
Front camera—7 MP FaceTime HD, ƒ/2.2; 1080p 60 fps video; Retina Flash Apple
Authentication—Touch ID in the top button Apple
Pencil and keyboard—Apple Pencil (2nd generation) and Apple Pencil (USB-C) support; magnetic connector and Smart Connector

The Apple Pencil (2nd generation) pairs and charges when attached to the magnetic connector on the side. The Smart Connector links keyboards that need no separate charging or Bluetooth.

Apple
Wireless—Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), simultaneous dual band 2.4/5 GHz, HT80 MIMO; Bluetooth 5.0

The Wi-Fi model has no built-in GPS; location comes from Wi-Fi networks.

Apple
Port—USB-C

USB-C is used for charging, connecting to a computer and, with suitable accessories, for external displays or storage.

Apple
Battery and charging—28.6 Wh lithium-polymer; up to 10 hours of web or video on Wi-Fi; 20 W USB-C power adapter and 1 m USB-C cable in the box Apple
Sensors—Touch ID, three-axis gyro, accelerometer, barometer, ambient light sensor Apple