Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ vs. Lenovo Tab P12 Pro: Similar screens, different price

Pitting the new and upgraded Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ up against the ever-reliable Lenovo Tab P12 Pro

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ is the mid-range option in the new Tab S9 lineup and does not disappoint. With an improved dual camera setup, massive battery, and optimized S pen, the new Tab S9+ is the best Android tablet around right now.

The Lenovo Tab P12 Pro has been a powerful and reliable device for the last two years and still stands up to new competition. With a large display and solid performance, the Tab P12 Pro is not to be sniffed at, despite its age.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ is one of the latest tablets released by Samsung, bringing with it exciting new features and slightly upgraded specs from its predecessor - though still enough to already earn it a spot at the top of our best Android tablet ranking.

On the other hand, the Lenovo Tab P12 Pro has been on the market since 2021 but despite its age offers a spec sheet that could compete. Should existing Tab P12 Pro owners be considering an upgrade to the latest Samsung tech - and should anyone be considering picking up the Lenovo tablet new to save a few hundred bucks?

As the Galaxy Tab S9+ has just been released, you can expect the price to be at its peak, and currently that price is $1,000, rising by a further $150 if you want to add in 5G support. For a tablet, that's quite a hefty price to pay, especially considering the limited upgrades from the Galaxy Tab S8+, though at least the S Pen stylus is included in the price.

By contrast, the Lenovo Tab P12 Pro has been on the market for two years and has settled at a price point of $700-800. This is still pretty expensive though, so the Lenovo will have to impress to justify the outlay.

The Galaxy Tab S9+ and Lenovo Tab P12 Pro both have distinguished designs that showcase the best of their brand's aesthetics. The Galaxy Tab S9+ sticks with a relatively similar design compared to that of the Galaxy Tab S8+, but there are no complaints in that regard. The Tab S9+ is also available in a new color: Beige. You can opt for Graphite if Beige doesn't quite suit your style.

Aside from a new color option, the Tab S9+ also features a few crucial design components to ensure this tablet lasts much longer. With an IP68 rating, the Tab S9+ is both dust- and water-resistant for up to 1.5m for 30 minutes, plus the display is covered in Corning Gorilla Glass.

The Lenovo Tab P12 Pro has a design of its own that works great for many users. While it is only available in a single Storm Gray color option, the overall look is so clean and sleek that the lack of color choices doesn't even matter. Unfortunately, however, the P12 Pro doesn't have a reinforced screen or an IP rating to compete with the Galaxy Tab S9+, but it does stand out in a few other areas.

The P12 Pro is slightly lighter at 565g, compared to the Tab S9+ at 586g, and it has an 87.4% screen-to-body ratio, whereas the Tab S9+ only sits at 84.3%. The P12 Pro also places its fingerprint scanner on the side, unlike the Tab S9+'s in-display scanner - either a pro or a con, depending on your preference.

Moving on to the display specs, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ and the Lenovo Tab P12 Pro are unexpectedly similar. The Galaxy Tab S9+ has a 12.4-inch AMOLED dynamic display with a resolution of 1752 x 2800, and 120Hz refresh rate.

The Lenovo Tab P12 Pro has a larger 12.6-inch AMOLED display, though at a slightly lower resolution of 1600 x 2560, and the same 120Hz refresh rate.

Both tablets support HDR, though using different standards: the Samsung offers HDR10+, while the Lenovo backs Dolby Vision, so your preference will depend on which is better supported by the streaming services you tend to watch.

The Tab P12 Pro's display is a little larger, and takes up more of the tablet's body, which may well be a point in its favour. But with a crisper resolution and overall better panel quality, we'd say Samsung still pips it here - but it's close.

When it comes to software, you want to be aware of what these devices are truly packing behind their dazzling designs and displays. Starting with the Galaxy Tab S9+, this tablet runs the newest and latest software on Android 13, with Samsung's One UI on top. More importantly, it includes Samsung's promise of four full Android version updates plus a fifth year of security support, meaning it will receive updates through to 2028.

The Lenovo Tab P12 Pro launched with Android 11, and the company has been slowly working an update to Android 13. It's likely that this will be the tablet's final major Android update though, which is a major mark against it.

Performance is one of the biggest gaps between the two tablets. The Galaxy Tab S9+ is the clear winner here, powered as it is by a Galaxy-exclusive version of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, the latest and greatest chipset around for Android devices. It packs all the power you need for multi-tasking or intense gaming sessions, especially when paired with the tablet's 12GB of RAM. You can also choose between 256 or 512GB storage, expandable with microSD.

The Tab P12 Pro was a bit of a powerhouse when it launched, but times have changed. Its Snapdragon 870 was a flagship chipset but now feels dated. It's still got enough oomph for day-to-day work and streaming Netflix, but it's likely to struggle with anything more advanced, especially the latest games. It's further limited by including only 6 or 8GB of RAM, and 128 or 256GB storage - though, again, this is upgradeable with microSD.

The other unique edge the S9+ offers is the S Pen stylus, which comes included with the tablet. Samsung's updated stylus is among the best around, and enables a whole host of new ways to use the tablet which the Lenovo simply can't compete with. While the P12 Pro does support a stylus, one isn't included in the box, and your options are rather more basic.

Battery life is one of the most important factors to consider with any device, and both tablets knock it out of the park here. The Galaxy Tab S9+ has a large 10,090mAh battery, which should easily last a full day of use on a single charge. If the battery runs low, the Tab S9+ supports 45W fast charging, so you can quickly recharge and get right back to work without missing a beat.

The Lenovo Tab P12 Pro has a very slightly larger 10,200mAh battery, and supports the exact same 45W fast charging, leaving little between the two - though thanks to its more efficient chipset, in practice the Tab S9+ will run for longer.

Tablet cameras have generally been pretty subpar compared to those in the smartphone realm, but that doesn't mean they're awful. Samsung includes a dual rear camera with the Galaxy Tab S9+ offering up a combination of a 13MP main lens and an 8MP ultrawide lens. On the front you'll find a 12MP ultrawide that should be suited to group video calls - which it can even shoot at up to 4K@60fps.

The Lenovo Tab P12 Pro has a slightly less impressive dual camera setup in the rear, with a 13MP main camera but only a 5MP ultrawide, and neither lens is a match for Samsung's on quality. The front packs an 8MP selfie camera - it's not an ultrawide like Samsung's, but it is joined by a ToF sensor to enable better portrait mode and depth detection. The video capabilities also fall short of its competition, only shooting 1080p@30fps from the front camera, though you can get 4K footage from the rear lenses.

Given the massive difference in camera quality and video shooting capabilities, it's easy to see that the Galaxy Tab S9+ has a better camera setup.

These two tablets take similar approaches, but time has taken its toll on the Lenovo. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ outclasses it thanks to a durable design, more color options, longer software support, more powerful performance, and a great camera setup. There's a reason we think it's the best Android tablet around right now.

The powerhouse

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ is a powerhouse of a tablet, and while the price is high, the payoff is the best Android tablet on the market right now.

The Lenovo P12 Pro has been on the market since 2021, so naturally it's not going to be able to go toe-to-toe with the latest and greatest on every spec. That said, it's by no means a bad device: it still offers solid cameras, reasonable performance, and an excellent display. With limited software support it's probably not worth buying new right now - consider the Galaxy Tab S8+ instead if you want something cheaper than the S9+ at the same size - but if you own one that's going strong then there's no harm hanging onto it.

The big screen beast

The Lenovo Tab P12 Pro has been a powerful and reliable device for the last two years and still holds its own. With a large display and solid specs, the P12 Pro probably isn't worth buying new, but has some life left in it yet.

Heather is a commerce writer with Android Police. She has been a full-time content writer since graduation from SAIT Polytechnic in 2018. She is an experienced article writer working for many brands over the years.While a professional content creator, Heather has worked with various organizations, businesses, and events to create captivating content for media streams. Heather enjoys photography, videography, and producing on top of writing, and says her creative abilities outside of writing allow her to think outside the box when creating unique and original content.