Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra vs iPad Air 13-inch (M4)
63.7Performance80.4
62.6Display35.4
69.7Battery35.6
49.5Portability61
75.2Features74.4
6 spec wins — Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra4 spec wins — iPad Air 13-inch (M4)
InnoReviews verdict
Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra wins this tablet face-off, 64.9 to 57.4, pulling ahead mainly in battery (+34) and display (+27). iPad Air 13-inch (M4) still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra
- Stronger display score: 63 vs 35
- Stronger battery score: 70 vs 36
- 125% higher charging: 45 W vs 20 W
- 100% higher Refresh rate: 120 Hz vs 60 Hz
- 55% higher Peak brightness: 930 nits vs 600 nits
Reasons to pick the iPad Air 13-inch (M4)
- Stronger performance score: 80 vs 64
- Stronger portability score: 61 vs 50
- 131% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 12,591 vs 5,450
- 79% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 3,576 vs 2,000
- 16% lower weight: 616 g vs 732 g
- Lower launch price: $799 vs $1,200
Display
| Spec | Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra | iPad Air 13-inch (M4) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 14.6 ″+13% | 12.9 ″ |
| Panel type | Dynamic AMOLED 2X | Liquid Retina IPS LCD |
| Resolution | 2960x1848 | 2732x2048 |
| Pixel density | 239 ppi | 264 ppi+10% |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz+100% | 60 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 930 nits+55% | 600 nits |
Performance
| Spec | Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra | iPad Air 13-inch (M4) |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy | Apple M4 |
| AnTuTu | 1,540,000 | — |
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 2,000Top 42% | 3,576+79%Top 7% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 5,450Top 40% | 12,591+131%Top 9% |
| RAM | 12 GB | 12 GB |
| Storage options | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB + microSD | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB |
Battery
| Spec | Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra | iPad Air 13-inch (M4) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 11,200 mAh | — |
| Charging | 45 W+125% | 20 W |
| Endurance | — | 10 h |
Design
| Spec | Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra | iPad Air 13-inch (M4) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 732 g | 616 g+16% |
| Thickness | 5.5 mm+10% | 6.1 mm |
| Material | Armor Aluminum | Aluminum |
Camera
| Spec | Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra | iPad Air 13-inch (M4) |
|---|---|---|
| Rear camera | 13 MP+8% | 12 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
Connectivity
| Spec | Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra | iPad Air 13-inch (M4) |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 6 |
| Cellular | 5G optional | 5G optional |
| USB | USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 | USB-C (10Gbps) |
Features
| Spec | Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra | iPad Air 13-inch (M4) |
|---|---|---|
| Stylus | S Pen (included) | Apple Pencil Pro |
| Keyboard support | Yes | Yes |
| Speakers | Quad | Stereo |
| Operating system | Android 13 (One UI 5.1.1) | iPadOS 26 |
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