Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra Launches From $1,200 With Flagship Specs

Samsung has officially launched its latest flagship Android tablets, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra and Galaxy Tab S12 Plus, bringing bigger displays, upgraded performance and new Galaxy AI features to its premium tablet lineup.

The Galaxy Tab S12 Plus starts at $1,199.99, while the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra starts at $1,399.99 in the US. Both models will go on sale from October 7, 2026.

The launch gives Samsung a major new hardware release for the final quarter of the year, with the company targeting users who want a tablet that can handle productivity, entertainment and demanding creative work.

Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra Leads the Lineup

The Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra is the star of Samsung’s new tablet range.

It features a huge 14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 1,600 nits of peak brightness. The tablet is also just 5.1mm thick, making it one of the thinnest flagship tablets in Samsung’s lineup.

The Ultra model includes:

• 14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display
• 120Hz refresh rate
• MediaTek Dimensity 9500 processor
• 12GB or 16GB RAM
• Up to 1TB storage
• 11,600mAh battery
• 45W wired charging
• IP68 water and dust resistance
• S Pen support
• In-display fingerprint sensor

Samsung has also added a new 3D vapor chamber designed to help manage heat during demanding workloads.

Galaxy Tab S12 Plus Offers a Smaller Alternative

The Galaxy Tab S12 Plus is designed for users who want a large premium tablet without going all the way up to the Ultra.

It features a 12.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 1,600 nits of peak brightness.

The tablet comes with:

• MediaTek Dimensity 9500 processor
• 12GB RAM
• 256GB or 512GB storage
• 10,600mAh battery
• 45W wired charging
• IP68 protection
• S Pen support
• In-display fingerprint sensor

Samsung says the Plus model can deliver up to 21 hours of usage, while the Ultra can reach up to 23 hours under its stated conditions.

MediaTek Dimensity 9500 Powers Both Tablets

One of the biggest hardware upgrades is the move to MediaTek’s Dimensity 9500 processor.

The chip is designed to handle demanding applications, graphics and AI workloads while improving overall efficiency.

Samsung is also pairing the processor with an upgraded cooling system, particularly on the Ultra model.

This combination makes the Galaxy Tab S12 series more suitable for users who want to use their tablet for intensive multitasking, creative applications and AI-powered features.

Android 17 and Galaxy AI Come Built In

The Galaxy Tab S12 series launches with Android 17 and One UI 9.

Samsung is also bringing its latest Galaxy AI features to the tablets, giving users more AI-powered tools alongside the company’s existing productivity features.

The large displays are particularly useful for multitasking.

Users can run multiple applications at the same time, making it possible to combine Samsung Notes, a browser, video content and AI tools on the same screen.

Samsung is positioning the tablets as productivity devices rather than simply larger smartphones.

Photoshop Comes to Samsung’s Flagship Tablets

Another notable addition is Adobe Photoshop.

Samsung has partnered with Adobe to bring Photoshop to the Galaxy Tab S12 series, with the application optimised for the large displays and S Pen input.

This could make the new tablets more attractive to designers, photographers and other creative professionals who want a portable editing device.

Samsung is also offering partnerships and promotions involving applications such as Goodnotes, LumaFusion and Notion.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra Price and Availability

The pricing puts the new tablets firmly in the premium category.

Model	US Starting Price	Availability
Galaxy Tab S12 Plus	$1,199.99	October 7, 2026
Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra	$1,399.99	October 7, 2026

Samsung says both models will be available in Gray and Silver in the US.

Samsung is also offering up to seven generations of OS upgrades and seven years of security updates, which could make the tablets more appealing to buyers planning to keep their devices for several years.

Why the Galaxy Tab S12 Launch Matters

The new Galaxy Tab S12 series shows how Samsung is continuing to push premium Android tablets towards laptop-style productivity.

With large AMOLED displays, desktop-style DeX functionality, S Pen support, powerful processors and AI features, Samsung is targeting users who want more than a traditional entertainment tablet.

The Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra is particularly aimed at users who value a very large display and high-end hardware in a thin form factor.

At the same time, the $1,199.99 starting price of the Galaxy Tab S12 Plus gives buyers another option within Samsung’s premium tablet range.

Samsung’s Premium Tablet Strategy

Samsung has made an interesting change to its lineup this year.

Instead of launching a standard Galaxy Tab S12 alongside the larger models, the company has introduced the Galaxy Tab S12 Plus and Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra.

This puts the focus directly on premium tablets with larger screens and stronger hardware.

The strategy also comes as tablet manufacturers increasingly compete for customers looking for portable devices that can replace some laptop tasks.

Samsung’s combination of Android 17, Galaxy AI, DeX, S Pen support and powerful hardware suggests it sees tablets as increasingly important productivity devices.

Final Thoughts

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra is Samsung’s latest attempt to push Android tablets further into the premium computing space.

With a 14.6-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, Dimensity 9500 processor, up to 16GB of RAM, a large battery and a 5.1mm-thin body, the Ultra is clearly designed for demanding users.

The Galaxy Tab S12 Plus offers many of the same core features in a slightly smaller package, starting at $1,199.99.

Both tablets arrive in the US on October 7, giving Samsung a major flagship hardware launch as the 2026 holiday shopping season approaches.

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