Just picked up my Galaxy Tab S11 today (regular size, Silver) and I’m honestly thrilled Samsung brought back the 11-inch option alongside the Ultra. Last year I had the S10 Plus model, which I barely touched, and that really drove home for me how much a compact form factor leads to actual everyday use. The Ultra is still amazing...I’m hanging on to my Tab S9 Ultra for that big cinematic screen-- but the Plus just felt stuck in the middle for me.
On the price side: Samsung’s trade-in deals remain unbeatable. I used my S10+ as the trade, and my 256GB (free upgrade from 128GB right now) S11 ended up costing me $168.57 before tax. At that point, the upgrade was a no-brainer.
Performance: This thing runs the new MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ with 12GB of RAM, and it’s no slouch. I ran Geekbench and it outperforms last year’s MediaTek chip and even tops Apple’s A16 iPad. It does fall a bit short of my M2 iPad Pro 12.9”, but for an 11-inch tablet, it’s extremely impressive.
Display: I also took some brightness/viewing angle measurements, and the S11’s panel actually bested both last year’s S10 Plus and my S9 Ultra in my controlled indoor tests. Samsung panels rarely disappoint, and this one continues the trend — gorgeous colors, wide angles, and brighter than ever.
Software & Design: The hardware feels fantastic in hand, and One UI has come so far since the dreaded TouchWiz days. Honestly, I even prefer it over stock Pixel Android now. The whole package just feels refined, polished, and ready for work or play.
Final take (early days): The Ultra will get all the attention, but the regular Tab S11 shouldn’t be overlooked. It’s light, compact, powerful, and just plain fun to use. If you value portability and practical use, the 11-inch model might actually be the sweet spot.