First Impression: Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE

This year, Samsung has expanded the Fan Edition family by introducing tablets and wireless earbuds. In case you missed our previous coverage of the Galaxy FE models, here you go:

I think this is an excellent move by Samsung to introduce more budget-friendly devices under the Galaxy S umbrella. There is a gap between the Galaxy S and Galaxy A market that needs to be filled. Instead of building up a brand-new series, why not just capitalise on the success of the Galaxy S family and bring what matters the most to the market without breaking the bank?

Today what we have in the studio is the Galaxy Tab S9 FE, the smaller tablet compared to the Tab S9 FE+. Let’s unbox and check out what you get and my first impression of the device.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE comes in slim packaging with the product illustration at the front.

What you ultimately get in the package is:

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE
S Pen (colour-matched)
USB-C to C cable
paper documentation

Yes, it is that simple. No charger in the package.

Not to forget about the SIM tray ejector tool.

Let’s not be confused about it since the Tab S9 FE indeed comes with 5G or Wi-Fi-only models. Both models support microSD card storage expansion on the same tray. Our model is Wi-Fi-only model so the SIM tray only can accommodate a microSD card.

Apart from that is the inclusion of a full-size S Pen in the package.

The pen can be magnetically attached to the back of the tablet. However, since the pen is non-powered, you don’t need to pair and charge it.

The rear camera is an 8MP sensor equipped with a standard wide-angle lens. The front camera is an ultra-wide angle 12MP camera for video calls and teleconferences.

Then the display is a 10.9-inch 2304 * 1440 pixel resolution IPS LCD panel. It has a 90Hz refresh rate so it somehow balances the best of both cost and fluid motion user experience.

Underneath the display is an Exynos 1380 chipset with either 6GB RAM + 128GB Storage or 8GB RAM + 256GB Storage. Powering the device is an 8000mAh battery with 45W QC2.0 charging.

First Impression

As of the time of writing, I have logged in to my Google account and currently installing apps on it. So far, my first impression has been quite positive with a fluid user experience. While the tablet is still running on Android 13 with OneUI 5.1, the tablet user interface is intuitive albeit looking slightly dated. I am looking forward to the arrival of the Android 14 and OneUI 6 with a polished user experience and features.

Do stay tuned for our upcoming full review of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE.

Learn more about Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE.