Intro
Samsung’s offer starts to sound even more tantalizing when you factor in that it comes with a stylus without any additional payment. In contrast, you would have to purchase an Apple Pencil separately if you need one for your iPad.
So, is there any other reason to go for Apple’s tablet in this case, besides the usual “ecosystem” one? Or should you save that $100 and get Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus with an S Pen?
| Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus * | iPad Air M3 |
|---|---|
| Taller and narrower: 300.5 x 194.7 x 6 mm | 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.1 mm |
| Expected to be closer to 700 g | 616 g |
| Aluminum body | Aluminum body |
| LCD 13.1-inch screen | LCD 13-inch |
| Smoother 90Hz screen refresh rate | 60Hz screen refresh rate |
| Resolution: 2880 x 1800 pixels | Resolution: 2732 x 2048 pixels |
| Only HDR10 support | HDR10 and Dolby Vision support |
| 13 MP back camera | 12 MP back camera |
| 12 MP front camera | 12 MP front camera |
| Slower Exynos 1580 chip (5nm) | Apple M3 flagship-grade processor (3nm) |
| Expected to max out at 256GB internal storage | Maxes out at 1TB internal storage |
| Expandable storage via microSD card | No option to expand storage |
| Comes with S Pen | Does not include a stylus |
| 10,090 mAh battery | 9,705 mAh battery |
| 45W wired charging | 20W wired charging |
*rumored
Table of Contents:
Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus vs iPad Air M3 Design and Display
The iPad might have a better display
Tablet design has arguably become even less exciting than smartphone design over the past few years, largely because camera modules—now the primary differentiating factor for mobile devices—are typically less prominent and important on tablets.
But there are some expected differences between the two. For starters, like the rest of its non-Pro devices, the display on the M3 iPad Air is only capable of a 60Hz refresh rate. The Tab S10 FE Plus, on the other hand, should come with a 90Hz refresh rate, just like its predecessor.
The iPad Air might have a sharper display, though, as it comes with a resolution of 2048 x 2732 pixels, which is more than the expected 2880 x 1800 pixels for the new Fan Edition tablet from Samsung.
Also, it might be a small detail, but it’s worth pointing out that Apple’s tablet supports both the HDR10 and Dolby Vision HDR formats, which means you will be able to enjoy more HDR content. The S10 FE Plus will likely support only HDR10.
Lastly, regarding brightness levels, we measured around 1,500 nits on the M3 iPad Air (at 20% APL) during our review. There’s currently no information on what to expect from Samsung’s tablet, and frankly, the company hasn’t performed particularly well in this area with its previous tablets. We hope the Tab S10 FE Plus signals a change and at least matches the brightness offered by the iPad Air.
Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus vs iPad Air M3 Keyboard and Stylus
If you are familiar with Samsung’s previous Galaxy Tab models, then you probably know that the company is a bit more generous compared to Apple when it comes to accessories.
The Tab S10 FE Plus is expected to come with an S Pen inside the box, unlike Apple’s tablet, for which you have to purchase an Apple Pencil separately—an additional cost between $69 and $119, depending on which model you go for.
The iPad Air also doesn’t include a keyboard in the box, but probably neither will the Tab S10 FE Plus (Samsung is not THAT generous). To enjoy the extra typing comfort from a keyboard, for Samsung’s tablet you would have to get the Book Cover Keyboard ($199), and for the M3 iPad Air the Magic Keyboard ($299).
Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus vs iPad Air M3 Performance
Where Apple takes an undeniable lead
Apple’s in-house “M” series chipsets were a game-changer when they first arrived, and they are still some of the best silicon that’s out there. The M3 iPad Air comes, well, with the Apple M3 chip, which helped the Air outperform even the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra during our performance benchmarks!
So, one can argue that the lack of an included stylus is alleviated by the fact that you have an absolute beast of a mid-range tablet.
Many might agree that Apple is far from utilizing this massive reserve of raw power, but we expect to notice an obvious difference in performance when comparing these two tablets.
It’s worth noting that the faster display refresh rate of the Galaxy Tab might make it feel snappier and quicker, though.
Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus vs iPad Air M3 Software
With Android 15, we expect smoother animations, better battery optimization, and enhanced integration between apps. One UI 7 should further refine Samsung’s software experience, improving multitasking features such as multi-window and floating windows, making the FE Plus an even more versatile productivity machine.
The M3 iPad Air runs iPadOS 17, which is not as good when it comes to multi-tasking. Features like Stage Manager and Split View come in handy when you want to do something more productive, but still don’t make the experience that friendly to power users.
Software support on the M3 iPad Air is expected to be just as good as for the rest of the Apple products, meaning around 6 years of OS updates. Samsung has significantly improved its software support, promising around four years of major Android updates and five years of security patches, but we hope the company bumps those numbers up by one with this new generation of Tab FE models.
Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus vs iPad Air M3 Audio Quality
The iPad Air has only two speakers, which is also what we expect the Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus. If you want the four-speaker experience, you will have to pay extra for them and get either the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus or an iPad Pro.
But even with its dual speakers, we found the M3 iPad Air to have great audio quality across its lows, mids, and highs. Samsung’s Fan Edition tablets, even the Plus models, usually can’t reach that same level of audio fidelity, but we have our fingers crossed that this will change with the new models.
Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus vs iPad Air M3 Battery and Charging
The Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus is rumored to have a somewhat larger 10,090 mAh battery compared to the 9,705 mAh one inside the M3 iPad Air. Which one will have the better battery life remains to be seen, but Apple tends to be a bit better with its tablets in this department.
Charging-wise, the Tab S10 FE Plus takes the cake, said to feature 45W vs the 20W on the iPad.
Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus vs iPad Air M3 Camera
Should be pretty even
The front cameras on both tablets are 12 MP.
Which one should you buy?
If you don’t think you need the extra horsepower that comes with Apple’s M3 processor, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE Plus—so far—seems like the more sensible purchase, as you simply get much more for your money.
Of course, if you already own several Apple products, than the M3 iPad Air makes more sense. But if you don’t have use for the integration with other Apple products, you can enjoy your free S Pen and use the money you save on a Book Cover Keyboard.
