Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 vs Apple iPad Air 11″ M3: Which one has the better value?
Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 vs Apple iPad Air 11″ M3: Which one has the better value?
Intro
Samsung’s out with its brightest 11-inch AMOLED tablet yet, complete with a redesigned S Pen in the box, but Apple offers the super-powerful iPad Air for $200 less. Which one offers better value then? Let’s break it down.
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 | Apple iPad Air 11″ M3 |
|---|---|
| MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chip, 3nm | Apple M3 chip, 3nm |
| 11″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2560 × 1600, 120Hz, 1,600 nits | 11″ Liquid Retina IPS LCD, 2360 × 1640, 60Hz, ~500 nits |
| 12 GB of RAM on board | 8 GB of memory |
| 128GB, 256GB, 512GB storage + microSD (up to 2TB) | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage versions |
| 13 MP rear camera | 12 MP rear camera |
| 8,400 mAh battery | 7,606 mAh battery |
| 45W wired charging | 20W wired charging |
| Android 16, One UI 8, Galaxy AI, 7 years of updates | iPadOS 18 (iPadOS 26 soon), Apple Intelligence, ~7 years of updates |
| Redesigned S Pen included | Apple Pencil (USB-C / Pro), sold separately |
| From $799.99 (Wi-Fi only in US) | From $599 (11-inch) |
Design and Display
Both have premium build quality, but very different screens
The iPad Air M3 is thinner at 6.1 mm and lighter at 460 g, but it has noticeably thicker bezels and lacks water resistance.
Image by PhoneArena
But the screen is where Samsung dominates. The Tab S11’s 11-inch AMOLED reaches 1,600 nits peak brightness and has a 60-120Hz refresh rate, making it smooth and vibrant. But despite the fact that this is arguably the most important part of a tablet, the iPad Air M3 rocks a rather outdated 11-inch IPS LCD panel that’s limited to 60Hz and about 500 nits of peak brightness. All of which bring down the user experience that it can deliver.
The Tab S11 comes in Gray and Silver, while the iPad Air offers more playful shades — Space Gray, Starlight, Purple, and Blue.
Keyboard and Stylus
The iPad Air M3, on the other hand, supports two separate styluses, but both are sold separately:
- Apple Pencil (USB-C) — $79: good for notes and simple sketching, but without pressure sensitivity.
- Apple Pencil Pro — $129: comes with squeeze gestures, barrel rotation, haptics, and full pressure/tilt sensitivity. It can be charged magnetically to the iPad, snapping right onto it.
That means while the Galaxy Tab S11 gives you everything you need for creative or productivity work out of the box, iPad Air buyers need to add at least $79 — and realistically $129 — to unlock the same kind of stylus experience.
Performance & Benchmarks
M3 vs. Dimensity
Memory and storage are also different between the two. Samsung ships 12 GB of RAM standard across all models, plus microSD expansion up to 2 TB. Apple offers 8 GB of RAM and fixed storage up to 1 TB, but no expansion.
Software
The iPad Air M3 runs iPadOS 18, moving toward iPadOS 26 with the new Liquid Glass redesign. It also supports Apple Intelligence, Apple’s new AI suite that is still severely behind the competition. Apple generally supports iPads for 6–7 years as well.
Image by PhoneArena
The iPad Air M3 has a smaller 7,606 mAh battery with 20W charging, meaning it will recharge up significantly slower. Both should last a full day, but Samsung has the advantage in charging speed, which is a major plus when it comes to tablet-sized batteries.
Camera
Nothing too spectacular
Image by PhoneArena
Neither tablet is great for photography. The Tab S11 has a 13 MP rear camera and a 12 MP ultrawide front camera with reliable auto-exposure for video calls. The iPad Air M3 sports a 12 MP rear and 12M P ultrawide front as well. Both will do just fine for FaceTime, Zoom, or quick snaps.
Which one should you buy?
Image by PhoneArena
For most people who value display quality and productivity, the Tab S11 feels like the more balanced package. The iPad Air M3 is the better fit only if you specifically need Apple apps or that M3 muscle.
Source link
