Not tested. This is a research score for the documented features, compatibility and ownership trade-offs discussed in this review, not a performance measurement.
Features & capability 30%8.5
Biggest Android tablet OLED, a faster Dimensity 9500, IP68, S Pen in the box and 19:44 video battery results, though sustained gaming loads throttle.
Compatibility & connectivity 20%7.0
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, microSD and DeX are strong, but Android apps and DeX still can't match Windows or macOS software, as GSMArena and Expert Reviews note.
Ownership & upkeep 20%7.0
Seven years of updates help, but C$1,899.99 plus a C$499.99 keyboard, no charger and a 12-month Canadian warranty weigh on ownership.
Setup & everyday use 15%7.5
Pogo-pin keyboard and quick DeX make daily use easy, but 692g and a glossy screen mean it's best on a desk.
Documentation & support clarity 15%8.0
Samsung.ca clearly lists specs, the update promise and warranty terms, though the Canadian keyboard and 5G pricing were harder to confirm.
Compare scores within the same product category. Small decimal differences should not override your needs or the evidence limits.
How the Standpoint Score works
We score five aspects of the documented product on a 0–10 scale, then calculate a weighted total:
- Features & capability30% of the total
- Compatibility & connectivity20% of the total
- Ownership & upkeep20% of the total
- Setup & everyday use15% of the total
- Documentation & support clarity15% of the total
This product’s 7.7/10 is an editorial research assessment. It does not claim measured performance, tested reliability or a verified customer satisfaction rate. Compare it with products in the same category, and read each criterion’s reasoning above.
Read the full rubric and score bands ↗From a tech standpoint.
The Tab S12 Ultra is the best large Android tablet you can buy, and it's still a hard sell. Outlets agree the gains over the Tab S11 Ultra are modest: a faster chip and longer video battery life, with the same screen, body and battery cell. Buy it if you're coming from an older tablet and want seven years of updates. If you own an S11 Ultra, skip it. If you're buying fresh and the price stings, a discounted S11 Ultra is nearly the same tablet for less. Add the C$499.99 Pro Keyboard and you're near C$2,400, which is Surface Pro money.
Reasons to consider it
- The 14.6-inch OLED is the biggest, brightest Android tablet screen going: GSMArena measured a 1,514 nit peak, the highest in its comparison
- Battery life is excellent for the size: Expert Reviews and Android Headlines both logged 19 hours 44 minutes of looped video, over two hours more than the S11 Ultra
- A seven-year update promise, IP68 dust and water protection, a microSD slot and an S Pen in the box make the price easier to defend against an iPad Pro
- The Dimensity 9500 gives a real if modest speed bump, with outlets reporting roughly 20 to 25 percent more CPU speed than the S11 Ultra
Go in knowing
- At C$1,899.99 before a keyboard, it costs more than a Tab S11 Ultra that is still on sale, for the same screen, body and battery
- The Pro Keyboard is a C$499.99 add-on at Best Buy Canada, and no charger is in the box
- Android apps and DeX still can't replace a laptop for desktop software, a point GSMArena and Expert Reviews both make
- At 692g and 14.6 inches, it's a desk tablet, and the glossy screen reflects in bright rooms and outdoors
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The specification sheet.
Published specifications from the linked sources. Configurations and availability can differ by country.
- Display
- 14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2960 x 1848, up to 120Hz, 1,600 nits peak (Samsung)
- Chip
- MediaTek Dimensity 9500 (3nm), octa-core up to 4.21GHz
- Memory and storage
- 12GB RAM with 256GB or 512GB; microSD up to 2TB (Samsung.ca)
- Battery and charging
- 11,600mAh, 45W wired; up to 23 hours of video playback (Samsung claim); no charger in the box
- Size and weight
- 208.5 x 326.3 x 5.1mm, 692g Wi-Fi model, IP68
- Connectivity
- Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, USB 3.2 Gen 1, no NFC
- Software promise
- Up to 7 OS upgrades and security updates; security support listed until September 30, 2033
- Canadian price (Oct 23, 2026)
- Samsung.ca and Best Buy Canada: C$1,899.99 (256GB), C$2,199.99 (512GB); Pro Keyboard C$499.99 at Best Buy Canada
- Canadian warranty
- 12-month limited warranty on Galaxy Tab S series; consumables such as batteries are excluded
C$1,899.99 for last year's tablet with a new chip?
The Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra costs C$1,899.99 for the 256GB Wi-Fi model at both Samsung.ca and Best Buy Canada, and the 512GB version is C$2,199.99. Those are the prices on October 23, 2026. Nearly every outlet that has reviewed it reaches the same awkward conclusion: this is a Tab S11 Ultra with a faster processor. The 14.6-inch OLED, the 11,600mAh battery and the 692g aluminum body all carry over.
That makes the question for this review a narrow one. Is a faster Dimensity 9500 chip worth roughly C$150 to C$200 more than a Tab S11 Ultra you can still buy? For most people the answer is no, and the next section shows why. The tablet itself is superb. The price comparison is what makes it awkward.
There's a second number to keep in mind. Samsung's Pro Keyboard is C$499.99 at Best Buy Canada, which puts a laptop-style setup near C$2,400 before tax. We'll come back to what that money buys, but first you need to know what actually changed.
What changed since the Tab S11 Ultra, and who should ignore it
Samsung's own pitch is a short list. The Dimensity 9500 replaces last year's Dimensity 9400+, and Samsung claims up to 19 percent faster CPU and 17 percent faster GPU performance, plus a 61 percent jump in the neural engine. Android 17 with One UI 9 comes in the box. The speakers now fire toward the corners, and Adobe Photoshop is bundled for a trial period, according to iPhone in Canada's hands-on and SamMobile's review.
Everything else is unchanged. SamMobile says the display matches the S11 Ultra, and GSMArena confirms the same 11,600mAh battery. The S Pen still lacks Bluetooth, so no remote Air Actions. The notch is still there. Android Headlines goes as far as calling the design identical, and recommends S11 Ultra owners skip this one.
So who should ignore the S12 Ultra? Anyone who owns the S11 Ultra, full stop. Anyone who mostly streams video and browses should also pass, since a C$1,500 tablet will do that just as well. The people it makes sense for are buyers on an older Ultra, such as an S8 or S9, or anyone who wants the longest software support Samsung offers on a big screen. If that's you, the chip is a bonus rather than the reason.
How much faster is the Dimensity 9500, really?
Faster, yes, by a margin you'd notice in benchmarks more than in daily use. Expert Reviews reports roughly 23 percent faster single-core and 21 percent faster multi-core performance in Geekbench 6 than the Tab S11 Ultra, with the GPU about 9 percent faster. Android Headlines logged 2,840 single-core and 9,447 multi-core in Geekbench 7, and an AnTuTu score above 3.5 million.
Sustained load is where the picture dims. Android Headlines ran a 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress loop and recorded a best score of 7,087, a lowest score of 2,620 and 37 percent stability. A thin 5.1mm slab can't hold peak speed under a long gaming session, and Expert Reviews also calls it a little weak for gaming. Short bursts like photo exports and app launches are fine. A forty-minute shooter is where it throttles.
Against Apple, the tablet still loses on raw power. Expert Reviews says the Tab S12 Ultra trails both the M5 and M4 iPad Pro in benchmarks, and Android Headlines agrees the iPad Pro M5 is faster. For what most people do on a big tablet, which is notes, sketching, documents, video and a handful of editing apps, that gap rarely shows. Next question: does the battery back up that performance?
Why a 19-hour video test and a 13-hour real-use score can both be true
Samsung quotes up to 23 hours of video playback, which assumes dim 720p video with the radios off. Independent runs are lower but still strong. Expert Reviews recorded 19 hours 44 minutes in a local video test, over two hours longer than it logged for the M5 iPad Pro 11, and Android Headlines reached the same 19:44 with Wi-Fi on, 50 percent brightness and 1080p video. Both put it about two and a half hours ahead of the S11 Ultra.
GSMArena measures it differently. Its Active Use Score, a mix of web, video and gaming, came to 13 hours 23 minutes, which it says matches the S11 Ultra. Same battery, so same mixed-use endurance. The video gain shows up in the looped-clip tests but not in mixed use. SamMobile's reviewer measured about 10 percent drain per hour streaming Netflix at maximum manual brightness.
In practice that means a full day at a desk is easy. Android Headlines reports a workday in DeX at 70 percent brightness ended with 42 percent left. Charging is the weak spot. GSMArena measured a full 0 to 100 percent charge in 1 hour 24 minutes at 45W, about 11 minutes quicker than the S11 Ultra, but Chinese rivals like the Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro and Huawei MatePad Pro finish faster. And Samsung.ca confirms that no charger is in the box, so budget for one.
The glossy screen reviewers love, and the reflection problem they mention
The 14.6-inch panel is why this tablet exists. Resolution is 2960 x 1848 at up to 120Hz, with Samsung claiming 1,600 nits at peak. GSMArena measured a 1,514 nit peak on a small white patch, the highest in its comparison, and 1,031 nits in automatic brightness mode. Expert Reviews recorded about 1,700 nits of peak HDR brightness, and 89 percent DCI-P3 coverage in the Vivid mode.
Brightness for ordinary use is a different story. GSMArena logged 437 nits at maximum manual brightness, rising to 708 with Extra Brightness turned on, versus 452 for the S11 Ultra. The HDR peak is a short burst, so sunny patios will still be hard on it. SamMobile notes that the anti-reflective coating seems to be gone, and Expert Reviews says the glossy glass reflects in bright rooms.
Sound is good. GSMArena rates the four speakers excellent for loudness while noting weaker highs, and Expert Reviews says they lack richness and bass. Neither is a complaint you'd hold against a tablet. The 5.1mm body also adds IP68 dust and water protection, which almost no large tablet offers. That durability matters once you start carrying a C$1,900 slab to class or a job site.
DeX and the C$499.99 keyboard: is this a laptop yet?
Samsung sells the Tab S12 Ultra as a laptop alternative, and the keyboard is what completes the pitch. The Pro Keyboard connects through pogo pins with no Bluetooth pairing, has a dedicated Galaxy AI key, and is listed at C$499.99 at Best Buy Canada for the S11 Ultra and S12 Ultra. A slimmer Book Cover Keyboard is C$299.99. Add the Pro Keyboard to the 256GB tablet and the total is C$2,399.98. SamMobile puts the combined weight at about 1.33kg, and Expert Reviews calls the keyboard well spaced and backlit, but heavy with a fixed viewing angle.
DeX is the desktop mode. Plug in a monitor over USB-C and you get windowed apps, a taskbar and multiple workspaces. Android Headlines drafted much of its review in DeX and likened it to a Chromebook. Still, every outlet draws the same line: it's still Android. GSMArena says it can't match Windows or macOS for app compatibility, and Expert Reviews notes that DaVinci Resolve isn't available on Android.
My read is simple. If your work lives in a browser, Google Docs, note apps and Photoshop on a tablet, this setup replaces a laptop at a desk. If you need Excel macros, desktop Adobe apps or a development environment, it won't. At that point, the Windows rivals in the next section make more sense.
Against the iPad Pro, the Surface Pro and Samsung's own older Ultra
Samsung's cheapest rival is its own. Samsung.ca lists the Tab S11 Ultra 256GB at C$1,749.99, and a Best Buy Canada listing showed a new one at C$1,696.99. That is C$150 to C$200 less for the same screen, body and battery, and Android Headlines said the S11 Ultra was worth buying at a lower price. For most buyers this is the smart pick.
Apple is the other choice. Apple.ca lists the 11-inch iPad Pro M5 from C$1,699. Best Buy Canada lists the 13-inch iPad Pro M5 512GB Wi-Fi at C$2,379.99 and the Magic Keyboard for the 13-inch at C$449.99. Android Headlines puts the iPad Pro M5 at 579g against 692g and calls its raw speed better, though it has no microSD slot, no IP68 and no DeX equivalent. If you want something cheaper from Apple, the iPad Air M4 13-inch is C$1,449.99 for 256GB at Best Buy Canada, and we've reviewed it as well.
Windows is the third route. Best Buy Canada lists a Microsoft Surface Pro 13-inch with Snapdragon X2 Plus, 16GB and 512GB at C$2,299.99. That is close to the S12 Ultra with a keyboard, but it runs full Windows apps. Choose the Samsung for the display, pen and battery. Choose the Surface if you need desktop software. Either way, check what upkeep looks like before buying.
Seven years of updates, a 12-month warranty and no charger
Samsung.ca promises up to seven OS upgrades and seven years of security updates, with security support listed until September 30, 2033, though it adds that timing varies by model and market. That is the best large-tablet support promise on the market and the strongest reason to pay the premium. The tablet ships with Android 17 and One UI 9.
The Canadian warranty is shorter. Samsung Canada's warranty page lists 12 months for Galaxy Tab S series tablets, covering manufacturing defects with repair or replacement, and excludes consumables such as batteries. Claims go through 1-800-SAMSUNG, live chat, or a carry-in or mail-in service centre. Samsung also sells optional Care+ for accidental damage and battery failure, though Care+ Premium isn't offered for delivery or pickup in Quebec.
Running costs are mostly accessories. Add a charger, since none is included, plus the keyboard, and the real spend rises quickly. Samsung.ca advertises trade-in credit of up to C$790 with an eligible device. Amazon.ca's search results only showed third-party and import listings when checked, including one international version at C$2,372.20, so buying from Samsung.ca or Best Buy Canada is the safer route. I could not find owner reports from Reddit for this new model, so long-term reliability is unproven.
Buy, skip or buy instead
Buy the Tab S12 Ultra if you're upgrading from a tablet that's several years old, you take handwritten notes or sketch every day, and you want Android with a pen and the longest update promise. Pair it with the Book Cover Keyboard at C$299.99 if you want a lighter, cheaper typing option than the Pro Keyboard. Buy it from Samsung.ca or Best Buy Canada, not an import listing.
Skip it if you own the Tab S11 Ultra. Reviewers from SamMobile to Android Headlines say the same thing. Skip it too if you mostly stream and browse, since a cheaper tablet does that equally well.
Buy instead the Tab S11 Ultra if you want this screen for less, the iPad Pro M5 if you want more speed and a lighter body and don't need microSD or DeX, or a Surface Pro if you need Windows apps. Whichever you pick, the S12 Ultra is a great tablet. It's just not a great value.
The closest alternatives.
| Product | Standpoint Score | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 UltraThis review | 7.7Research | Heavy note-takers, artists and desk workers who want the biggest Android screen with a pen in the box and seven years of… | Amazon.ca ↗ |
| Apple iPad Air (M4) | 8.1Research | Someone who needs a tablet for drawing, documents and travel, not someone assuming every laptop task will transfer. | Amazon.ca ↗ |
| Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5) | 8.4Research | A mobile writer, student or mixed-workload Mac user who values portability and can plan the configuration up front. | Amazon.ca ↗ |
| Apple MacBook Air (Intel, 2020) | 6.4Research | A buyer with a verified Intel-specific application or peripheral requirement, or a two-monitor desk, and realistic… | Amazon.ca ↗ |
Compare scores within a category: Tested means our own use, Research means documentation and attributed outside testing. Price links are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Tech Standpoint earns from qualifying purchases. Disclosure
Questions before checkout.
How much does the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra cost in Canada?
On October 23, 2026, Samsung.ca and Best Buy Canada both listed the Wi-Fi model at C$1,899.99 for 256GB and C$2,199.99 for 512GB. The Pro Keyboard was C$499.99 at Best Buy Canada, and no charger is included in the box.
Should I upgrade from the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra to the S12 Ultra?
Almost certainly not. SamMobile and Android Headlines both tell S11 Ultra owners to skip it, since the display, battery capacity and body carry over. The gains are a faster Dimensity 9500 chip and roughly two and a half hours more video playback in tests.
How long will the Tab S12 Ultra get software updates?
Samsung.ca says it will receive up to seven OS upgrades and seven years of security updates, with security support listed until September 30, 2033. Samsung adds that timing can vary by model and market, so check the support page for Canadian rollouts.
Can the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra replace a laptop?
For browser, document, note and creative-app work, yes, with the Pro Keyboard and DeX desktop mode. For desktop-only software it can't. GSMArena says Android with DeX doesn't match Windows or macOS app compatibility, and Expert Reviews notes DaVinci Resolve isn't available.
Does the Tab S12 Ultra come with a charger and a stylus?
It includes the S Pen and a 1-metre USB-C cable, but no charger. Samsung.ca states the device charger is not included and sells a 45W travel adapter separately. Wired charging is capped at 45W, and GSMArena measured a full charge in about 1 hour 24 minutes.
Sources & further reading.
These are the sources behind this research review. Manufacturer claims are not independent performance measurements. Community accounts, when cited, describe individual experiences.
- Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra Wi-Fi Tablet (256GB, Gray), Samsung Canada ↗manufacturer
- Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra Wi-Fi Tablet (512GB, Silver), Samsung Canada ↗manufacturer
- Samsung Canada warranty information ↗manufacturer
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra review: The biggest, baddest tablet around, Expert Reviews ↗independent review
- Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra review: Verdict, GSMArena ↗independent review
- Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra review: battery and charging, GSMArena ↗independent testing
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra review, SamMobile ↗independent review
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra Review: The Gold Standard of Android Tablets, Android Headlines ↗independent review
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra Hands-On, iPhone in Canada ↗independent review
- Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra and accessories at Best Buy Canada (search listing) ↗retailer
- iPad Pro buy page, Apple Canada ↗retailer
Product software and regional bundles can change. Corrections and editorial disclosures.
Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, Tech Standpoint earns from qualifying purchases. It never changes our verdict or score. Disclosure
