M4 iPad Pro vs Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 | Shocking Tablet Upset?!

Today let's compare my two favorite tablets. The M4 iPad Pro and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9. Both pretty good in their own rights, but which makes more sense for you?

[Square_Penix]

Bro, I started medical school at 36 and I’m a surgeon now. Don’t ever be afraid to chase those dreams!

[tonymiller]

I'm 44 and just started back to school to get my degree. Tab S9+ is my primary computing device right now.

[Theinspirationalrogue]

bro there are 60 year olds just graduating with their degrees, you good .

[ColinHuijser]

Okay massive rant coming up... You're absolutely right, and I hate it so much... I have a Samsung tab S7+ right now and I love the damn thing. I've had it for almost four years, and what's so amazing about it is that is has an excellent OLED screen, 120hz refresh rate and the best pen. The iPad only has that now and people are wetting their trousers... Well ok, yeah the screen is amazing on the iPad but still, the screen on my tabS7+ looks amazing as well. And after 4 years it stills operates as brand new, it never feels slow. It has only recently begun to feel a bit sluggish in for example Lightroom. The keyboard case is great and you have a place to put your pen. WHY HASN'T APPLE SOLVED THIS AFTER ALL THIS TIME?!

But here's the kicker, and this is what I'm most frustrated about.... I'm going to buy the iPad M4. And here's why: I absolutely love working on my tablet. I want to do all my work on my tablet, I kind of dislike my laptop now, that's how much I love my tablet. I only want to use a desktop with 2 screens for ultimate multitasking and power use, or use my tablet. But there's a big problem: I can't use any of the pro apps that I want to use on the Samsung...

I want to edit on my tablet in resolve, which I love and use on my Mac, but I can't on Samsung. I want to write my scripts in Final Draft. Not available on Android. I want to use the full version of photoshop: no can do. I want to take notes in Goodnotes; well okay you can, but like you said, it kinda sucks on Samsung...
And I absolutely hate all of this. Because I'm now going to switch back to Apple again (I used to have an iPad before I switched to Samsung) because I really want and need to use those apps. I'm going to spend more than 2K on a device that in some ways will be WORSE than my four year old tablet (the multitasking, the pen) or similar (120hz, OLED - kinda) only because my Samsung has no acces to the professional apps. Pffff.

And I know why it is: Android releases about 500 devices each year and the app developers cannot optimize for so many devices, but they can optimize for the couple of Apple products. But I just WISH Samsung could make a lucrative deal with Blackmagic and Adobe and some other developers, that they could only optimize for their absolute flagship products like the Galaxy tab+ or Ultra. Because let's be honest: the Samsung Tab is the only actual competitor to the iPad. So forget about all the other crap, just fix it on the Tab. But that won't happen because Apple's deal is too good for them I guess and they probably don't want to bite the hand that feeds them.

But here's the thing: I think they'd make good money from it. I would buy all of Samsungs stuff and persuade all my friends as well. Hell, I almost convinced some people to switch to Samsung phones before I started to change my mind (because op the iPad and Resolve/photoshop etc) because you know what: the phones are better as well! There's splitscreen, close all apps, swipe right to go back in every app etc. Why is there no splitscreen on iPhone!?

Okay... rant finished. But for real, I think the iPad will be amazing as well. The optimization on the Apple stuff is absolutely amazing and I'm looking forward to have all my devices in the same ecosystem again. And that screen... you can professionally grade on it. Stunning. And the M4 will probably last for years. But dear god do I hope iPad OS 18 will make things better. I don't necessarily want Mac OS on a tablet, I don't think those two systems match well, but I hope the multitasking will be better and that they'll take the restraints of. And oh lord I just wish tablets would have a desktop. I dunno, I love working from my desktop.

Anyhoe, sorry for the long post. Love your vids man, you're not one of those corporate shells that only says the good stuff to get shit for free. Keep up the good work!

[black.bird.]

13:58 The key sentence 👌🏻
This is the first time I am convinced that the Galaxy Tab is better suited for me. I will have to wait a couple of years before my 10-year-old laptop retires.
Thanks for the video. It helps.

[TerryManning]

Got my Master's at 50. You can do it!

[LifeonFireforGod]

1. There is nothing wrong with going back to school. I graduated from seminary at 40. Good for you Gary!

2. I traded my Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra for an iPad Air m1. I did that because my entire family is in the Apple ecosystem, plus I am making the conscious shift to using a tablet as my only computer for livestream, video editing, etc, and the iPad Air is the device I could afford to make this shift.

[bryans]

Great comparison, as usual. Both are great devices, but more than I need. I took advantage of the new iPad releases and picked up the iPad Air 5 when the price dropped to $399US.

[kollt_cs]

So it's settled, I'm getting my little sister a samsung tab for her notes taking and college work.
Thanks for the great vid.

[ljacobs]

I agree with you. I prefer the Tab S9 because of its flexibility and customizability, especially when using Dex. I actually prefer the Samsung ecosystem because there are more devices that it is compatible with, including seamless switching between the earbuds and watches. I suppose it's a matter of which ecosystem you prefer, but I find iPadOS unnecessarily limiting. As for note-taking, I use Samsung Notes, which I find superior to Goodnotes.

[xoanxose]

I switched from the ipad pro to the samsung galaxy tab 3 years ago (I'm now on the tab 9 as well) and never looked back. One thing I've not see mentioned in the review is how you can still use the Samsung easily as tablet without detaching the case just flipping it over, which you cannot do with ipad pro, great when reading documents or books or viewing pictures on portrait mode. I just wish Dex would support natively 4k on external monitor, can be a bit blurry on those.

[palamidis]

I have samsung tab s6, and it's my favorite tab, I don’t use laptops any more.
I use it in the classroom all the time, the connectivity of Samsung tabs is something else.
I have an sd card, 1TB, and I have everything there, movies, music, libraries...
Now I m gon a buy S9, i am so excited!!!

[bobrobadob]

“It’s the Dark Souls of computing” is the most accurate statement ever about using the iPad for productivity.

[MikloV]

I switched from a Galaxy Tab S7+ to an M1 iPad Pro and I really miss DeX mode. I love the iPad, but there’s a lot that I miss about the Samsung.

[garynagle]

I recently bought the iPadPro M4 13”. I use a foldable ProtoArc keyboard and Bluetooth Logitech Mx anywhere mouse. Can work on my laptop or tablet. Marked more sense for me to be able to use on multiple devices.great video

[seenBC]

I'm also 40. And I'm inspired to go to school more now...I've been wanting to for a while now

[CartoonMonkeyStudio]

I have an older M1 Ipad pro, and the S9 Ultra. I end up using the S9 ultra more, not sure an oled screen / new processor brings anything new to the ipad for me. Superdisplay on Android / and a windows laptop make the S9 Ultra into a real time wacom pen display for another machine. Game changer. The ipad has it's uses, but I always feel more at home on the S9.

[iu]

Your videos are just so good. Your opinions are so honest and relatable. Even when I don't agree (and I agree a lot), it doesn't take away from the review. These kinds of reviews are for the 99.99% of people who buy these devices. People who use them in their daily life and are NOT comparing. If I have an iPhone and MacBook - get the iPad ...no-question.
If not, the Samsung is the tablet de jure.
It is not difficult, but people want to compare and say this one is slightly better than the other - if you are in the ecosystem .... you will not notice 'cos you will never have both.
Why would anyone get both who is not reviewing them.
They cost over $1000 each!

Thanks for doing this so we don't have to.

[The_Calm_Chaos]

This was a very good comparison. I've had both and while I've stuck with the iPad, mostly because of the ecosystem and slightly better aps, the Tab really impressed me in many ways that the iPad didn't. I also really loved the Samsung 2-in-1 book cover at the time - especially how you could separate the tablet from the keyboard but still keep the back cover on, as well as the way the 'book' kept the stylus in a secure place. I also preferred the feel of the Samsung stylus compared to the iPad pen, and that it also didn't need charging to use it for most things. I agree that the magic keyboard feels like it's constructed better, but it makes it so heavy in the end, which is not so good for transportation. They're both really good tablets and in the end it just comes down to how you want to use them, and I guess what ecosystem you are in.

[jasonculver]

One big advantage the Samsung also has is the IP68 dust and water resistance.