Which midrange tablet is worth your dime?

• 

  Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+

  Tried and tested

  $550 $600 Save $50

  The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ is an admirable mid-range tablet. Its Exynos 1380 chipset and upgradable RAM provide enough power for daily tasks and entertainment. But its best feature is the IP68 rating. You can also rest easy at the beach since it’s water and dust-resistant.

  Pros

  • Water and dust-resistant
  • Up to 12GB RAM
  • S Pen stylus included

  Cons

  • Battery doesn’t last as long as we’d like
  • Less powerful chipset

• 

  OnePlus Pad

  A mid-range marvel

  $430 $480 Save $50

  With its respectable speed and impressive display, the OnePlus Pad is a worthy mid-range tablet. You’ll also enjoy fast charging and a battery that’ll last days. Plus, the Pad’s quad speakers are surprisingly loud for a tablet. We wish the Pad included a stylus, but overall, it’s a solid pick.

   

  Pros

  • Long-lasting battery and fast charging
  • 120Hz refresh rate display
  • Excellent screen-to-body ratio

  Cons

  • Stylus sold seperately
  • One less year of software support

Hey, did you know that Samsung makes tablets? Of course, you do. Anyone looking for a reputable Android tablet has probably come across the Samsung Galaxy Tab series. There are others, but it’s slim pickings out there for Android users. As such, Samsung has enjoyed a lion’s share of the market, being the only major competitor to Apple’s iPad.

But there’s a fairly new wild card tablet in this stacked deck, the OnePlus Pad. And given its specs and affordable price, the OnePlus Pad is a clear rival to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+.

But which of these two tablets takes the crown? Let’s dive in and find out.

Price, availability, and specs

Samsung has met its mid-range match

The Samsung Galaxy S9 FE+ base model includes 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. That’ll cost you $600. You won’t want to do heavy video editing on this thing, but drawing, casual gaming, and streaming should be fine. If you need a RAM boost, spring for the $700 model with 12GB and 256GB of storage.

For a new player, the OnePlus Pad comes to the field with some impressive specs. With a competitive price of $480, you get 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, which is the same as the S9 FE+’s base model — and $120 cheaper, too. The downside is that the Pad doesn’t let you upgrade that RAM or storage. What you see is what you get.

Regarding availability, you can find the S9 FE+ anywhere you shop, from Amazon to Best Buy. It’s usually on sale, too. The same can’t be said for the Pad, which is only available on Amazon and the OnePlus website.

• 	Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+	OnePlus Pad
  Storage	128GB , 256GB	128GB
  Operating System	Android 14 and One UI 6	Android 14 and OxygenOS 14
  Battery	10,090mAh	9,510mAh
  Ports	USB-C	USB-C
  Display type	IPS LCD, 90Hz	IPS LCD, 144Hz
  Price	From $600	From $480
  Colors	Gray, Silver, Mint, Lavender	Halo Green
  Display dimensions	12.4″	11.6″
  Display resolution	2560 x 1600	2000 x 2800
  IP rating	IP68	None
  Weight	628g	552g
  Charge options	Wired	Wired
  SIM support	No	No
  SoC	Samsung Exynos 1380	MediaTek Dimensity 9000
  Cellular connectivity	No	No
  Wi-Fi connectivity	Wi-Fi 6	Wi-Fi 6
  Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3
  Stylus	S Pen included	Yes
  RAM	8GB, 12GB	8GB
  Front Camera	12MP ultrawide	8MP ultrawide
  Rear Camera	8MP main; 8MP ultrawide	13MP with LED Flash
  Dimensions	285.4 x 185.4 x 6.5mm	258 x 189.4 x 6.5mm
  Charging speed	45W wired	67W wired

Design

Subtle but significant differences

Both tablets sport a sturdy build. Measuring 12.4 inches, the S9 FE+ looks darn near identical to its premium sibling, the Galaxy Tab S9+. The tablet’s rounded corners and brushed metal feels elegant and well above its price tag. It’s also available in four tasteful colors: gray, mint, lavender, and silver.

There are some more practical aspects to the S9 FE+’s design as well, like the fingerprint scanner and Samsung’s S Pen stylus. This tablet even has an IP68 rating, practically unheard of in tablets. You could drop the S9 FE+ in your bathtub or get it splashed by the pool, and it will remain relatively unscathed.

The OnePlus Pad is a different story. First off, it’s smaller at 11.6 inches and a tad lighter than the S9 FE+ at about 1.2 pounds. Still, our review noted that it felt more weighty than expected. At first glance, the Pad looks like any other tablet, except with more curvy corners. It’s a nice-looking tablet, even though it’s only available in “halo-green.” Be forewarned — this tablet is a smudge magnet, so have a microfiber cloth on hand.

The oddest difference between the Pad and the S9 FE+ is the rear-facing camera. On the S9 FE+, the dual camera is right where you’d expect it, in the upper corner. The Pad went in a different direction by placing the camera in the upper center. That wouldn’t be a big deal if it weren’t for the raised lens. Depending on your hand size, your fingers will land on the lens. Now, is this a deal-breaker? We suppose that hinges on how you like to hold your tablet.

The true potential deal-breaker is that the OnePad doesn’t include a stylus, so if you want one, you’ll pay $100 extra for it. When you include the stylus, there’s only a $20 difference between these two tablets.

Display

Size isn’t everything

This is where things get interesting. At first glance, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ measures larger by about an inch when compared to the OnePlus Pad. However, when it comes to tablets, the overall size isn’t the main attraction – it’s the display that captures attention. And it’s in display size where the OnePlus Pad really stands out.

The OnePlus Pad boasts an impressive screen-to-body ratio of 88% for their Pad, eclipsing Samsung’s 84%. Despite the S9 FE+ having a generally larger form, its actual screen size is 10.9 inches. This means the Pad, while physically smaller, makes better use of its real estate by offering a larger display area relative to its size. Additionally, the Pad features a 7:5 ratio, perfect for e-books and PDFs.

The Pad also takes the edge with its higher resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate. In contrast, the S9 FE+ has a 90Hz refresh rate, which should be more than efficient for gaming, movies, and drawing. But the Pad’s display will be smoother, especially during activities that benefit from a higher refresh rate. In this match-up, the Pad takes the lead.

Performance and software

It’s not just about RAM

Both the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ and the OnePlus Pad now run on Android 14, with One UI and OxygenOS, respectively, running on top. Both are popular software skins, though Samsung’s has an edge when it comes to reliability.

Samsung also wins on updates. It will give the Tab S9 FE+ four years of Android updates and security patches. OnePlus will match that on software, but only offers three Android version updates, so the Pad will end at Android 16, while the S9 FE+ goes on to Android 17.

The Tab S9 FE+ is powered by one of Samsung’s latest chipsets, the Exynos 1380, together with 8GB or 12GB of RAM. In our review we found that the Tab S9 FE+ “ran smoothly and looked great,” but that it “just can’t compare to the other offerings in this price range.”

Sadly, that applies even to the cheaper OnePlus Pad. It may cap out at 8GB RAM, but its MediaTek Dimensity 9000 is flagship-grade and considerably more powerful than the Samsung tablet’s Exynos chip.

Performance, however, is often more complicated than specs, right? Real-life usage matters, too, and in our review, we found that the Pad was great for gaming but oddly lagged when we scrolled the home screen. This lag wasn’t a common occurrence; however, it’s worth noting.

The tightrope balance between processor speed and RAM often influences the user experience. Between these two tablets, we’d suggest considering what kind of user you are and what you demand performance-wise. In the end, whether the Tab S9 FE+’s 12GB of RAM tips the scales against the Pad’s swifter processor comes down to real-world usage. But if we were pressed to choose which tablet won this match, we’d have to go with the OnePlus Pad, especially given its more affordable price.

Camera

No clear winner

We’re not huge fans of tablet cameras, as they’re mostly underwhelming. Still, they’re nice for the occasional Zoom meeting. In that sense, both tablets should be adequate. The S9 FE+ features dual rear-facing 8MP cameras and one front-facing 12MP camera.

Now, the Pad may have the edge with its 13MP rear-facing camera, but the picture quality is underwhelming. The 8MP front-facing camera is average as well. We’d recommend you make your video calls in a well-lit room.

It’s a draw for this round.

Sound

Louder than you’d think

While tablets aren’t lauded for their sound quality, many brands have been trying to remedy this. It’s not that easy, either, given the demand for thinner and thinner designs. Yet, somehow, the OnePlus Pad managed to sneak in four speakers with Dolby Atmos, no less. Granted, Dolby Atmos on a tablet doesn’t mean much, but the volume output certainly does. You’ll have no problem enjoying movies, audiobooks, and podcasts on the Pad. Music also sounds decent, so long as you’re not expecting audiophile fidelity.

The S9 FE+ only comes with dual speakers, and while the sound may not reach the volume of the Pad, it should be plenty loud for most users. These speakers benefit from tuning by AKG Acoustics, a respected name in the audio industry. The real question is, can we tell that these speakers were optimally tuned? We guess that’s up to you.

Which should you buy?

If your daily routines involve a mix of entertainment and productivity, then the excellent display, impressive audio quality, and general performance give the OnePlus Pad a definitive edge. Even if you feel the need to buy the $100 OnePlus stylus, it’ll still come out cheaper than the Samsung.

The OnePlus Pad simply gives you more value for the dollar. At $480, you’re getting a tablet powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9000 chipset, offering swift performance for most tasks. Let’s not forget that the Pad offers a better screen-to-body ratio and a higher refresh rate than the S9 FE+. Add the Pad’s excellent battery life and fast charging capability, and you have a compelling Galaxy Tab alternative.

We’re not going to lie. It was hard for us to pick between these two because the S9 FE+ has a lot going for it. We can’t deny that it’s got a solid build. Who wouldn’t want a tablet with an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance? That is a huge selling point for busy folks, parents, or if you like to take your tablet on the go. There’s also the bundled S Pen stylus and an option to pay for more RAM and storage, and Samsung’s lengthier software support, which may make this tablet tempting as a long-term investment.