Set for release on October 7, the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Tab S12+ and Tab S12 Ultra feature MediaTek Dimensity 9500 processors inside an unchanged chassis. According to leaks published by WinFuture and Evan Blass, the high-end tablets start at 1,299 euros and 1,539 euros respectively, introducing a shift to MediaTek silicon for Samsung’s flagship mobile slate line.
The MediaTek Shift Under the Hood
For the first time in the history of the Galaxy Tab S lineup, Samsung is stepping away from its traditional processor ecosystem to adopt MediaTek hardware. According to reports from WinFuture, both the Tab S12+ and the Tab S12 Ultra will run on the MediaTek Dimensity 9500. This octa-core system-on-chip pushes clock speeds up to 4.21 GHz. When tested in smartphone configurations such as the Vivo X300 Pro, the Dimensity 9500 hits Geekbench 6 scores of around 3 315 points in single-core and 9 914 in multi-core metrics, positioning it firmly among current high-end mobile architectures.
https://x.com/_evanblass_/status/2102589798628184518
Memory configurations start aggressively. Base models launch with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of onboard storage. Users looking for maximum headroom can spec the Ultra tier up to 16 GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage, though that configuration pushes pricing into territory that rivals traditional high-end laptops. MediaTek is already looking past this silicon generation toward 2 nm manufacturing nodes, but for now, the Dimensity 9500 represents the engine driving Samsung’s autumn hardware push.
Hardware Specifications and the Curious Case of Regression
Despite the interior overhaul, the physical enclosures remain remarkably familiar. WinFuture reports that the twelfth-generation tablets preserve the structural design of their predecessors almost trait for trait. The Tab S12+ retains its 12.6-inch display format, a 10 600 mAh battery capacity, 45-watt fast charging support, and an IP68 dust and water resistance rating. Interestingly, the hardware specs reveal a subtle downgrade: the Tab S12+ drops one rear camera sensor compared to the preceding Tab S10+, marking the only literal hardware regression in the specification sheet.
Moving up to the larger form factor, the Tab S12 Ultra expands the battery capacity to 11 600 mAh to feed its expansive display. Pricing details leaked ahead of the October 7 launch event indicate a clear upward trajectory. European markets will see the Tab S12+ start at 1,299 euros, while the Tab S12 Ultra opens at 1,539 euros.
Hardware Comparison Overview
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S12+: Starts at 1,299 euros; features a 12.6-inch display, 10 600 mAh battery, 45W charging, IP68 rating, and MediaTek Dimensity 9500.
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra: Starts at 1,539 euros; features an 11 600 mAh battery, configurations up to 16 GB RAM and 1 TB storage, and MediaTek Dimensity 9500.
Market Positioning Against Apple’s M-Series Ecosystem
At price points exceeding 1 300 euros, Samsung is directly targeting a market segment willing to pay a steep premium for mobile productivity. In the French market, Apple’s 11-inch iPad Pro powered by the M5 chip starts at 1 119 euros, undercutting Samsung’s larger Plus variant while leaning on Apple’s established custom silicon reputation.
By keeping the exterior housing identical across multiple generations, Samsung is continuing a familiar hardware recycling playbook seen elsewhere in its product catalog. The core gamble relies entirely on whether the raw compute performance of the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 can justify a stagnant industrial design against aggressive competition from Cupertino.
