Samsung’s affordable Galaxy Tab S10 FE duo are smarter than ever

Samsung has long been top dog when it comes to the best tablets not to wear an Apple logo, but the firm’s flagship slates all come with equally flagship prices. For a lot of shoppers, the relatively recent FE series has become the new sweet spot. Similar screen sizes; similar specs; similar software; only with a much lower cost of entry. The new Galaxy Tab S10 FE duo continue that trend – but also shake things up in a few ways.

Rather than being cut-down versions of the 12.4in Galaxy Tab S10 Plus and 14.6in Tab S10 Ultra, the Tab S10 FE and FE+ get 10.9in and 13.1in displays. Never let it be said that Samsung doesn’t offer its customers choice. The new tabs make do with LCD panels rather than OLED ones, and are limited to 90Hz refresh rates, but skinnier bezels and Samsung’s signature colour treatment should mean they’ll still look the part.

Underneath, both models are powered by the home-grown Exynos 1580​ chipset also found in the mid-tier Galaxy A56 smartphone. Entry models get 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, while a step-up version gets 12GB and 256GB. Both have microSD card slots for adding extra capacity when you run out. The Tab S10 FE has an 8000mAh battery while the FE+ gets a 10,090 capacity cell; both can refuel at a respectable 45W over USB-C.

Other goodies include an S Pen stylus bundled in the box, fingerprint scanning power button, and a single camera on either side: a 13MP unit around back and a 12MP webcam up front. Both tabs are IP68 water resistant, too, so can survive a quick dunking.

They come with Android 15 and Samsung’s extensive selection of AI smarts, including handwriting-to-text and math equation solving in the Notes app and an upgraded object eraser in the gallery app. Circle to Search is on board, and they each get a bundle of creativity-focused software preinstalled including LumaFusion, Goodnotes, and Clip Studio Paint.

The Galaxy Tab S10 FE is on sale right now, for $500/£499. The FE+ will set you back $650/£649, in Grey, Silver and Blue colours. 5G variants are also on offer for an extra $100/£100. Early birds who buy through the Samsung web store or participating retailers can bag an AI Book Cover Keyboard Slim (worth $170/£169) for free, turning each tab into an ultra-portable laptop.

• Related: Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review – this colossal creator is my ultimate Android tablet

Tom Morgan-Freelander Deputy Editor

About

A tech addict from about the age of three (seriously, he's got the VHS tapes to prove it), Tom's been writing about gadgets, games and everything in between for the past decade, with a slight diversion into the world of automotive in between. As Deputy Editor, Tom keeps the website ticking along, jam-packed with the hottest gadget news and reviews.  When he's not on the road attending launch events, you can usually find him scouring the web for the latest news, to feed Stuff readers' insatiable appetite for tech.

Areas of expertise

Smartphones/tablets/computing, cameras, home cinema, automotive, virtual reality, gaming