Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra vs iPad Pro With M5: Which Premium Tablet Gives You More?

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra and Apple’s 13-inch iPad Pro with M5 feature similar starting prices of $1,399.99 and $1,499 respectively, with the Tab S12 Ultra arriving in the US on October 7th. Both devices boast premium OLED displays in slim 5.1mm bodies, but the Tab S12 Ultra edges out the iPad Pro in screen size, available storage, and accessories.

The Tab S12 Ultra includes the S Pen, expandable storage up to 2TB via microSD cards, and Samsung’s DeX desktop mode, while the iPad Pro offers the Apple Pencil Pro and the option to connect an external 5K display. Independent performance and battery testing by Tom’s Guide revealed the iPad Pro with M5 outperforming the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra in CPU and graphics benchmarks and delivering longer battery life.

The Samsung tablet supports up to seven years of OS updates, while Apple does not disclose a fixed number of iPadOS upgrades. Buyers prioritizing screen real estate, expandable storage and Samsung’s Android ecosystem may find the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra more appealing at the current price point, while those seeking higher performance, longer battery life and a lighter tablet may lean towards the iPad Pro with M5.