Samsung's Tab S9 and Watch 6 lineups are the secret stars of Galaxy Unpacked
Samsung announced more than folding phones at Galaxy Unpacked.
What you need to know
- Samsung just announced its range of Galaxy S9 tablets, including the Galaxy S9, S9+, and S9 Ultra.
- The company also announced the Galaxy Watch 6 and Galaxy Watch 6 Classic.
- Samsung's Galaxy Flip 5 and Galaxy Fold 5 were announced at Galaxy Unpacked today as well.
Many people tuned into Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked to see the company's new folding phones. While the Galaxy Fold 5 and Galaxy Flip 5 are impressive, they aren't the only devices unveiled at today's event. Samsung announced an entire range of Galaxy Tab S9 tablets and a pair of Galaxy Watch 6 devices.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 lineup
The star of the Galaxy Tab S9 family is the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra. It features a 14.6-inch AMOLED 2x display with a refresh rate of 120Hz. With Samsung's reputation for screens, that should be one of the best displays you can get on a tablet.
The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra runs on the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor that's seen in the Galaxy S23 series. You should be able to get the most out of that chip thanks to an advanced vapor chamber for heat dissipation.
Samsung improved the S Pen experience with its new tablets. You can now write directly into search bars, browsers, and app stores, allowing you to keep the pen in your hand more instead of having to jump back and forth between using a pen and a virtual keyboard.
The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra rounds out its impressive spec sheet with a 13MP autofocus camera and an 8MP ultra-wide lens on the back and 12MP and 12MP ultra-wide lenses on the front.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9: $800 at Samsung
With an IP68 rating, 120Hz OLED display, waterproof S Pen with just 2.9ms latency, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
chip with top-tier performance, and extra battery capacity, the Galaxy Tab S9 is a significant step up compared to the Tab S8. And pre-ordering it nets you a free storage upgrade!
The Tab S9 Plus has similar specs to its Ultra sibling, but it features a smaller 12.9-inch dynamic AMOLED 2x display. There are some other differences, which you can parse through in the spec table below.
The Galaxy Tab S9 is the smallest of the bunch. It features an 11-inch dynamic AMOLED 2x display and a smaller 8,400mAh battery.
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Since the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7, the Galaxy Tab family of devices has been able to act as a second screen for your PC. That means you can attach your tablet to your computer and use the Galaxy Tab S9 as an external monitor and then detach them and use them as a regular tablet when you'd like.
While it's not the same as running Windows on a tablet, the Tab S9 series supports DeX Mode, which provides a PC-like experience when you attach a keyboard.
The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra starts at $1,199. The Galaxy S9 Plus has a starting price of $999, while the Tab S9 starts at $799. Our colleagues over at Android Central went hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 series.
Category | Galaxy Tab S9 | Galaxy Tab S9+ | Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra |
---|---|---|---|
Display | 11-inch AMOLED (120Hz) | 12.4-inch AMOLED (120Hz) | 14.6-inch AMOLED (120Hz) |
Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy |
Memory | 8GB | 12GB | 12GB/ 16GB |
Storage | 128–256GB; 1TB microSD | 256–512GB; 1TB microSD | 256/512GB/1TB; 1TB microSD |
Battery | 8,400mAh | 10,090mAh | 11,200mAh |
Rear cameras | 13MP AF | 13MP AF + 8MP UW | 13MP AF + 8MP UW |
Front cameras | 12MP UW | 12MP UW | 12MP + 12MP UW |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6E; Bluetooth v5.3 | 5G (optional); Wi-Fi 6E; Bluetooth v5.3 | Wi-Fi 6E; Bluetooth v5.3 |
Audio | Quad Dolby Atmos Speakers | Quad Dolby Atmos Speakers | Quad Dolby Atmos Speakers |
Security | Samsung Knox; On-Screen Fingerprint | Samsung Knox; On-Screen Fingerprint | Samsung Knox; On-Screen Fingerprint |
Protection | IP68; Armor Aluminum | IP68; Armor Aluminum | IP68; Armor Aluminum |
Colors | Beige, Graphite | Beige, Graphite | Beige, Graphite |
Dimensions | 165.8 x 254.3 x 5.9mm; 10.01 x 6.53 x 0.23" | 185.4 x 285.4 x 5.7mm; 11.23 x 7.30 x 0.22" | 208.6 x 326.4 x 5.5mm; 12.85 x 8.21 x 0.21" |
Weight | 498g / 1.1lb | Wi-Fi: 581g/ 1.28lb; 5G: 586g/ 1.29lb | 732g/ 1.61lb |
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 lineup
Galaxy Unpacked saw a slew of announcements, including the Galaxy Fold 5 and Galaxy Flip 5. While those folding phones are the star of the show in the eyes of many, my head was turned by another device, emphasis on the word turned. The Galaxy Watch 6 classic brought back the rotating bezel that was taken away in the previous generation, and the end result looks gorgeous.
I'm envious of the Android Central team that got to go hands-on with the Galaxy Watch 6. It's the best-looking smartwatch I've seen in ages, and it brings back functionality that Samsung never should have taken away.
For anyone that prefers the touch-bezel-design for their smartwatch, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 sticks with that, though the bezel is 30% thinner than that of the Galaxy Watch 5. The Galaxy Watch 6 will be available in two sizes, 40mm or 44mm. The smaller of those features a 1.5-inch Sapphire Crystal Super AMOLED display, while the larger has a 1.5-inch Super AMOLED display for the latter.
The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is also available in two sizes, though they are larger at 43mm and 47mm.
The new Galaxy Watch 6 is the latest smartwatch from Samsung, sporting a faster processor, more RAM, and the latest Wear OS 4 software with tons of new features. It also has a bigger screen to enjoy all your apps with and connects seamlessly to your Galaxy smartphone, like the new Z Flip 5.
All the devices in the Watch 6 lineup will be available in Bluetooth and LTE configurations, allowing you to choose your level of connectivity.
The Watch 6 devices have all the sensors you'd expect from a high-end smartwatch, including a temperature sensor and a barometer. They can also track your sleep and help you focus on physical and mental recovery with the range of data they collect.
The Watch 6 has an armor aluminum case with a sport band and the Watch 6 Classic has a stainless steel case with an eco-leather band.
Both of the watches run Wear OS 4 with Samsung's One UI 5 Watch. They're each powered by an Exynos W930 Dual-Core 1.4GHz processor as well.
The Galaxy Watch 6 and Galaxy Watch 6 Classic are both available for preorder starting today. The Galaxy Watch 6 line starts at $300 and the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic family starts at $400.
Category | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic |
---|---|---|
Display | 1.3-inch (432x432), 1.5-inch (480x480) Super AMOLED | 1.3-inch (432x432), 1.5-inch (480x480) Super AMOLED |
Processor | Samsung Exynos W930 (1.4GHz) | Samsung Exynos W930 (1.4GHz) |
RAM | 2GHz | 2GHz |
Storage | 16GB | 16GB |
Battery | 300mAh / 425mAh | 300mAh / 425mAh |
Wireless charging | Yes | Yes |
Sensors | Samsung BioActive Sensor (Optical Heart Rate + Electrical Heart Signal + Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis), Temperature Sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Light Sensor | Samsung BioActive Sensor (Optical Heart Rate + Electrical Heart Signal + Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis), Temperature Sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Light Sensor, 3D Hall sensor |
Connectivity | LTE (optional), Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 2.4/5GHz, NFC, GPS/ GLONASS/ GALILEO/ Beidou | LTE (optional), Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 2.4/5GHz, NFC, GPS/ GLONASS/ GALILEO/ Beidou |
Durability | 5ATM, IP68, MIL-STD-810H | 5ATM, IP68, MIL-STD-810H |
Materials | Aluminum, Sapphire Crystal Glass | Stainless Steel, Sapphire Crystal Glass |
Watch bands | 20mm quick release | 20mm quick release |
Dimensions | 38.8 x 40.4 x 9.0 mm; 42.8 x 44.4 x 9.0 mm | 42.5 x 42.5 x 10.9 mm; 46.5 x 46.5 x 10.9 mm |
Weight (w/out strap) | 28.7g; 33.3g | 52g; 59g |
Colors | Graphite, Gold (40mm); Graphite, Silver (44mm) | Black, Silver (43mm, 47mm) |
Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He's covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean's journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.