Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Tab S9 FE on October 16, 2023. It boasts a premium build with an aluminum back and frames, weighing 524 grams and featuring an SPen. The display is an IPS LCD, 90 Hz, 10.9 inches, and it has stereo speakers tuned by AKG.
The tablet has corners instead of a curved display, with the USB Type-C port and speaker positioned at the bottom center and right, respectively. On the top side, the secondary speaker is also placed on the right. Here is my Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Review after using it for 2 weeks.
Table of Contents
Setup Experience and Software Overview:
The Tab S9 FE runs the full OneUI. Out of the box the tablet was on Android 14 and OneUI 6.0. Regarding the setup experience, it is just like any other Samsung phone. I restored my S23’s backup, and it was completed in around 20 minutes. My home screen, list of apps, and even the settings got restored.
Unlike phones, the tablet offers both a taskbar view and edge panels, though I opted to disable both.
Let’s talk a bit about the menu structure. While Android tablets may not be the preferred choice for every visually impaired individual, my prior experience with an Acer tablet prepared me. When holding the tablet in portrait mode and navigating in settings or certain apps, clicking on a settings category, for example, brings up included options displayed on the right side of the screen, while the main window remains visible. As a result, typical swipes may give the impression that you’re still stuck on the previous menu, but you can locate the new menu by exploring the right side. To return to the main window or app screen, simply move your finger to the left side of the screen.
There are some apps optimized for Android tablets, but for other apps the experience is like using the phone interface on a bigger screen.
I successfully added my tablet to both WhatsApp and Telegram as a secondary device, allowing me to receive messages and make calls without any issues. Additionally, Samsung enables the initiation of regular phone calls using the phone app found on the tablet. However, it’s worth noting that the calls only function if the Samsung phone app is set as the default dialer on both devices. To enable this feature, you need to authorize the secondary device to manage calls. I attempted to enable the option in settings to continue using other apps and take calls on another device, but I failed in the first attempt because I was using the ACR phone app on my S23.
Braille:
Using my favorite onscreen braille keyboard, the Advanced Braille Keyboard, I noticed that my typing speed is slower because of the size compared to what I could achieve on the phone. However, it is still fast enough for typing notes or messages.
Loudspeaker and audio features:
The tablet doesn’t support vibrations or haptic feedback, but this isn’t a dealbreaker for me. The audio quality is impressive, particularly when holding the tablet in landscape mode for the best experience. It also features Dolby Atmos. When using Samsung Type-C headphones, I am particularly impressed by the sound quality. Additionally, the built-in microphones are of top quality, so kudos to Samsung.
Battery:
The Galaxy Tab S9 FE comes with an 8000 mAh battery, and it takes around 2 hours to fully charge with a 25W adapter. Additionally, it supports 45W charging if you own a compatible charger. It’s worth noting that there is no charging brick included in the box, only a USB-C cable is provided.
In my experience over the past two weeks, I’ve charged the tablet three times and am pleased with the battery performance. For instance, I watched a 2-hour live stream on YouTube with the screen off, thanks to YouTube Premium, and the battery only decreased by 5%, from 100% to 95%.
Biometrics and Camera:
The fingerprint sensor is integrated into the power button, providing quick and accurate authentication. Additionally, I’ve set up face recognition, which reliably detects my face from a distance of around 30 centimeters. However, at times when entering the PIN is needed, this process may be less convenient for swipers. With TalkBack, at one swipe, the number is announced, and then the letters assigned to it with the next swipe.
I don’t have much to say about the camera because I haven’t really tried it, but I don’t think it’s any different in terms of the software features. That means you have TalkBack guiding you to put your face at the center of the frame with either camera. Speaking of cameras, the tablet features an 8 MP main camera with 4K support and a 12 MP ultrawide selfie camera. I think this is quite decent for online meetings or video calls.
Performance
The Exynos 1380 processor gave me pause before purchasing this tablet, but I’ve found it to be much better than I expected. The model I purchased comes with 128 GB of storage and 6 GB of RAM. The good news is that storage can be expanded using a microSD card.
Holding the tablet for an extended period can become uncomfortable, but as I mentioned earlier, I’m accustomed to it. While the S9 FE shares the same processor as the A54, I couldn’t help but notice the significant speed difference with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in my S23. Nonetheless, the S9 FE’s processor performs admirably for everyday tasks, making it suitable for daily use.
I disabled the three navigation buttons, and it responds quite well to my navigation gestures. Although I experimented with some of the S Pen gestures, they aren’t optimized for blind users. The S Pen features a button that allows you to launch apps by hovering it near the screen and pressing the button.
Unfortunately, the on-screen keyboard falls short in terms of usability. The keys are large, and their positions change depending on the app you’re using and whether you’re typing letters or numbers. Braille input or an external keyboard presents a much more practical solution. Fortunately, I’m proficient with both options.
The tablet comes with Samsung TalkBack installed, and since the home screen launcher is the same as what’s found on Samsung phones, it supports TalkBack actions. Additionally, I installed Jieshuo, and it works quite well. It is easier to perform 4-finger gestures on a big screen, as you may imagine.
I haven’t experienced any overheating issues during my usage so far. However, it’s worth noting that I don’t play games and have not yet tried video calling.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I am quite satisfied with my experience thus far. The tablet’s weight could be considered a downside, but given its sturdy build, it is acceptable. I have paired my Logitech Bluetooth keyboard with it, which has made me rely less on my laptop, especially in situations where I need to join a group call quickly or take notes without having to power up my laptop.
While some may argue that having only two loudspeakers is a drawback compared to tablets with four speakers, I’ve found that the audio quality is surprisingly loud and clear, surpassing that of many entry-level tablets with four speakers.
See also:
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE – Full tablet specifications on GSMArena
This thing sounds very nice! I kinda wish I’d picked this up instead of my cheap Chuwi tablet. The Chuwi sounds very similar to this, but one big big drawback is not enough touch points for the Talkback Braille keyboard to work. Strangely enough, even when connecting a Focus 40 Blue to it, text entry still won’t work as it keeps giving me an error message about TB Braille keyboard not being compatible. I would’ve thought that regardless of whether or not it worked on screen, that should make no difference as to whether or not text entry works with the Braille display. Otherwise, for simple stuff like scrolling on facebook and listening to youtube, it works well enough. But this Samsung sounds a lot nicer.