We’re in the middle of a busy period for fans of Samsung's tablets, because not only has the company recently unveiled the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9, the Galaxy Tab S9 Plus, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, but we’re soon expecting the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus.
These two FE models look set to be more affordable and less powerful takes on the standard Tab S9 and the Tab S9 Plus, so they could prove excellent options for Samsung fans after a mid-range slate.
Not much is known for sure about them yet, but leaks and rumors have revealed a number of likely specs, along with roughly when the release date might be, and we’ve even seen leaked renders. You’ll find all of that below, and we’ll update this article whenever we hear anything more about the Galaxy Tab S9 FE line.
Cut to the chase
- What are they? The next mid-range Samsung tablets
- When are they out? Possibly around September or October
- How much will they cost? Expect a mid-range price
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE: release date and price
- May land in September or October
- A mid-range price is likely
We don’t know exactly when the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE line will land, but there’s reason to think these tablets will arrive soon.
For one thing, Samsung itself has mentioned the Tab S9 FE line by name on its French website, which confirms that they’re on the way and will be called the Tab S9 FE and Tab S9 FE Plus. But a listing – even an accidental one – probably wouldn’t appear until close to launch, so we doubt we’ll be waiting long.
More specifically, leaker and display expert Ross Young has claimed that production of these tablets is two months behind that of the main Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 series.
S9 FE production is 2 months behind the S9 Series.June 21, 2023
Those tablets were announced on July 26 and ship on August 11, so if Young is right, we might see the Galaxy Tab S9 FE and Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus ship around October 11 – but they may well be announced in September or even sooner. Whenever they’re announced, it seems likely that they’ll be unveiled alongside the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE, which we’re also expecting later this year.
As for what these tablets might cost, that’s harder to predict because there haven’t been any pricing leaks yet. However, they’re sure to undercut the standard Samsung Galaxy Tab S9, which starts at $799.99 / £799 / AU$1,299.
There wasn’t a Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 FE to compare them to, but the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE started at $529 / £519 / AU$799, so we’d think the Galaxy Tab S9 FE will cost at least that much and quite possibly more, while the Tab S9 FE Plus will cost more still, but likely less than the standard Galaxy Tab S9.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE: design and display
- 10.9 and 12.4-inch screens have been rumored
- Expect similar designs to the rest of the Tab S9 line
The main news on the design front comes from reputable leaker @OnLeaks, who shared renders of both the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus, some of which you can see below.
These show that the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE has one rear camera, while the Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus has two, and the two slates look a lot like the standard Tab S9 and the Tab S9 Plus, respectively.
You can also see a magnetic S Pen silo on the rear, and fairly large bezels around their screens, with those displays apparently being 10.9 inches in the case of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE, and 12.4 inches for the Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus.
Those are basically the same sizes as the standard and Plus models – though the standard Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 is marginally bigger than the FE is rumored to be, at 11 inches.
This leak also includes dimensions, with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE apparently being roughly 254.3 x 165.8 x 6.7mm, while the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus is said to be around 285.4 x 185.4 x 6.54mm.
You can see the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE in a silver shade here, while the Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus is shown in a dark gray or black color, but the source claims that both tablets will be available in gray, light green, light pink, and silver shades, which echoes shades mentioned in an earlier Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE colors leak.
Colors on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 SeriesS9/S9+/S9 Ultra: Beige and GrayS9 FE/FE+: Gray, Light Green, Light Pink and SilverJune 21, 2023
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE: cameras and battery
- One rear camera for the Tab S9 FE and two for the Tab S9 FE Plus
- The Plus model may charge at 45W
Based on the leaked images above we’re expecting the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE to have just one rear camera, while the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus will probably have two.
An FCC (Federal Communications Commission) certification for the Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus – spotted by MySmartPrice – also points to two cameras on that slate.
The camera specs aren’t known, but it’s possible that they’ll be the same as the standard Tab S9 and the Tab S9 Plus. In which case, the Galaxy Tab S9 FE might have a 13MP rear camera and a 12MP selfie snapper, while the Tab S9 FE Plus might have a 13MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide, and a 12MP front-facing one.
As for the battery, the same FCC certification as mentioned above lists the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus as supporting 45W charging. We haven’t yet heard anything about battery capacities though.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE: specs and features
- Rumors of a mid-range Exynos 1380 chipset
- There might be 6GB of RAM in the FE and 8GB in the FE Plus
One of the earliest Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE leaks took the form of benchmark listings, which revealed that both models might have a mid-range Exynos 1380 chipset (also found in the likes of the Samsung Galaxy A54), paired with 6GB of RAM in the case of the Tab S9 FE, and 8GB in the case of the Tab S9 FE Plus.
That same chipset and 8GB of RAM has also been mentioned for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus by another source, who additionally claimed that both models have a side-mounted fingerprint sensor and dual speakers.
Finally, the FCC listing mentioned further up reveals the existence of both 5G and Wi-Fi-only models, and states that these slates will support Samsung’s S Pen stylus and keyboard accessories.
