Choosing between the iPad Pro M4 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra may be a no-brainer for some people. That’s especially true if you’re a sworn team Apple or team Android.
But if you’re a hardcore tablet user, you know that getting the better of the two can make all the difference. Has Samsung finally found the secret sauce to beat Apple’s latest flagship iPad? In this top-down buyer’s guide, we put the new Samsung Galaxy flagship tablet side by side with the iPad Pro M4.
Specs
The numbers tell an interesting story right off the bat. The iPad Pro M4 comes with Apple’s newest M4 processor, the same chip that powers some MacBook Pros. You get 8GB of RAM on the base models and 16GB if you spring for higher storage, from 128GB all the way up to 2TB.
Samsung goes down a different path with the S10 Ultra. The MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ chip handles the heavy lifting, backed by either 12GB or 16GB of RAM. Storage is pretty much the same, starting at 128GB and topping out at 1TB.
The iPad Pro M4 sports a 13-inch Tandem OLED display with 2,752 × 2,064 pixels. Samsung goes bigger with a 14.6-inch Super AMOLED pushing 2,960 × 1,848 pixels. Both tablets support 120Hz refresh rates.
Camera setups are fairly similar. The iPad Pro M4 has a 12MP main camera with a 10MP ultrawide lens on the back, plus a 12MP TrueDepth camera up front. Samsung matches with a 13MP main paired with an 8MP ultrawide and throws in a regular 12MP front camera and an ultrawide selfie cam.
Both tablets rock USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 support.
Pricing
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra starts at $1,199, which sounds like a lot until you see the iPad Pro M4’s $1,299 starting price for the 13-inch model. Apple does offer an 11-inch version for $999.
Samsung throws in a stylus for free, while Apple charges extra for the Apple Pencil. That’s easily another $100+. The iPad Pro M4 has one up, though. You can get it with 5G in the US, something Samsung doesn’t offer with the Tab S10 Ultra.
Design and display
Both tablets feel premium, with thin profiles and solid build quality. The iPad Pro M4 measures 11.09 × 8.48 × 0.2 inches and weighs 1.28 pounds. Samsung’s tablet is bigger at 12.85 × 8.21 × 0.21 inches and heavier at 1.58 pounds, which makes sense given the larger screen.
Neither tablet is what you’d call comfortable to hold for long periods. After 15 minutes of holding either one, your arms will start begging for a break.
As for the display, the Ultra wins on pure size with that 14.6-inch screen, but the iPad Pro fights back with superior brightness. Lab tests show the iPad Pro M4 hitting 938 nits in standard mode and 1,516 nits with HDR content. Samsung’s screen maxes out at 564 nits normally and 775 nits with HDR.
What does this mean in real life? The iPad Pro M4 will be much easier to see outdoors or in bright rooms. Samsung’s screen looks great indoors but struggles when the sun hits it.
Samsung’s color accuracy gets closer to perfect scores on the demanding DCI-P3 color space. Apple wins on the more common sRGB standard that most content uses.
Performance
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra sits pretty with 12GB of onboard RAM and the MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ chip revving under the hood.
With Android 14, One UI 7, and Galaxy AI, you can customize across the board and do pretty much anything with AI on your side. For example, you can make voice payments at restaurants, online marketplaces, and even online casinos that accept Google Pay.
You can easily and smoothly multitask between apps. The Galaxy S10 Ultra makes light work of video games like GTA. The same goes for streaming your favorite shows and movies.
The iPad Pro M4 matches every bit of that and then some. It destroys Samsung’s processor in benchmark tests. We’re talking about nearly double the performance in multi-core tests and much better graphics scores.
Neither tablet will replace your phone’s camera, but both do a decent job for video calls and the occasional photo. The iPad Pro M4’s 12MP rear camera takes good shots with nice detail and colors. The 10MP ultrawide lens is handier for capturing scene rather than group photos.
Ultra’s 13MP main camera is a slight winner in pure megapixel count, but the photo quality is similar between the two tablets. The 8MP ultrawide lens on the Samsung tablet is a bit weaker than the iPad Pro’s.
Front-facing cameras are where Samsung gets creative. The Tab S10 Ultra has a regular 12MP selfie cam and an ultrawide option for fitting more people into video calls. Apple sticks with a single 12MP TrueDepth camera, but it works well for Face ID unlocking and video calls.
Both tablets can record 4K video and handle video calls without breaking a sweat.
Battery life
This is where Apple pulls ahead by a wide margin. With a 31.29-watt-hour battery, the iPad Pro M4 lasted over 13 hours in tests, while Samsung’s tablet managed just over 9 hours under the same conditions.
Wrapping up: Which tablet should you buy?
Both tablets cost over $1,000 and pack premium features that most people only dream about.
Pick the iPad Pro M4 for the best performance, longest battery life, and brightest screen. It’s better for creative work, gaming, and general productivity.
Go with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra if you want the biggest screen possible and prefer Android. The included stylus makes it great for taking notes or digital art. It’s also slightly cheaper and often available with better trade-in deals.
