What you need to know
- Rumors about Samsung’s next big tablet, the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra, claim it might take things slow with major upgrades.
- The tablet might settle for the same cell inside the Tab S11 Ultra, which debuted at 11,600mAh with 45W charging support.
- Android Central ranked the Tab S11 Ultra quite high, but some areas, such as its RAM totals and keyboard that could be better.
If you were wondering, we are expecting Samsung to drop another wave of Galaxy tablets this year, but rumors about its next Ultra’s battery are incredibly tame.
Early this week, a report by Galaxy Club (Dutch) claimed that Samsung is working on a Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra that might play it safe (via GSMArena). To start, the publication casts doubt on any battery upgrades later this year. According to its research, the post alleges that the Tab S12 Ultra features a battery cell similar to what consumers received with the Tab S11 Ultra.
With that in mind, it’s reportedly “unlikely” that the Tab S12 will receive any increases to its battery capacity. If true, that means the tablet would continue to feature an 11,600mAh battery. What’s more, Samsung could pair this once again with 45W wired charging support.
Additional rumors suggest the Tab S12 Ultra will come equipped with a 14.6-inch display, identical to its predecessor. What’s more, rumors suggest Samsung will provide its One UI 9 software (Android 17) when it debuts later this year. Expectations place the tablet’s launch in the second half of 2026, likely around late August/September like Samsung’s 2025 versions.
Taking it beyond Ultra
Tablets have come a long way, but in our review of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra, it’s hard to see another product beating it. Android Central’s Andrew Myrick praised the Ultra for its near-15-inch display, premium design, S Pen, and expandable storage. What’s more, the device is pretty thin, though it does drop one of its selfie cameras. The big question was: how could Samsung do better?
Andrew’s major gripe was with Samsung’s unwillingness to give more RAM to its other variants. Another area of improvement is more accessory-focused, as Andrew brings up its keyboard attachment. The keyboard is pretty flimsy and can often result in typos or mistaken inputs. We’ll have to wait and see if Samsung is looking at these areas for meaningful improvements. However, right now, what we’re also thinking about is price.
Samsung had more than a handful of price increases in the U.S. earlier this year, and it’s got us worried. The 1TB Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra saw the biggest price jump, rising $280 to $1,899. If this is where the Tab S11 Ultra is sitting at right now, is this the new starting point for the Tab S12 Ultra?
Android Central’s Take
I’ll have to agree with Andrew. I enjoyed what Samsung brought for its Tab S11 Ultra. Even the Plus wasn’t too bad. The devices were clean, crisp, and wonderfully One UI. Thinking on a performance level, more RAM would be nice. However, as Andrew mentions, there’s always that difference between RAM/storage options. The higher storage devices always bring the higher (more attractive) RAM numbers. It’s also worth mentioning the state the world’s in with RAM and AI. It might be worth not getting our hopes up.