Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra, S12+ launch in India with AI features, starting ₹1,29,999

Samsung's thinnest Galaxy Tab yet, built for work that used to need a laptop
The Tab S12 Ultra measures just 5.1mm thick while packing a 14.6-inch display and creative software.
Mark

So Samsung is saying these are laptop-sized tablets. Are they actually trying to replace laptops, or is this just marketing?

Mimi

They're not trying to replace laptops—they're trying to occupy the space where someone might choose a tablet over a laptop. The 14.6-inch screen on the Ultra is genuinely large, and with the S Pen, multi-window support, and apps like Photoshop pre-installed, you can do real creative work.

Luke

But here's what I want to know: how many people actually do that? Samsung's numbers on performance improvements sound impressive, but we don't have independent benchmarks yet. And the software support claim—seven OS upgrades—is good, but that's still less than what you'd get from a high-end iPad.

Mimi

Fair point. But the Galaxy Forever programme is interesting because it acknowledges that tablets are expensive and people want flexibility. Forty percent buyback value after a year is a real commitment.

Mark

What about the AI features? Are these actually useful, or is it just branding?

Mimi

Note Assist and the browser summarization are practical—they save time. But the real value is the six-month trial of Google AI Pro. After that, you're paying for Gemini access separately.

Luke

And that's the thing: Samsung is bundling a lot of software trials and discounts, but once those expire, the actual cost of ownership goes up. The keyboard alone is nearly ₹27,000. You're looking at a serious investment.

Mark

So who is this actually for?

Mimi

Content creators, students who want a large screen for note-taking and research, people who travel and want something bigger than a phone but lighter than a laptop. The IP68 rating means it can handle dust and water, so it's durable.

Luke

The storage expansion to 2TB is genuinely useful for video editors and photographers. That's a real differentiator. But I'd want to see real-world performance data before saying this is a laptop replacement.

Mark

When do people actually get these?

Mimi

October 7. And there are enough discounts and financing options that the entry price of ₹89,999 for the Tab S12+ is more accessible than it looks on paper.

  • Samsung is pressing into premium tablet territory with two devices — the 14.6-inch Ultra and 12.6-inch S12+ — that are thinner than many smartphones yet powerful enough to challenge laptops as daily work tools.
  • The MediaTek Dimensity 9500 chip, bundled Galaxy AI features, and pre-loaded professional software like Adobe Photoshop signal that Samsung is targeting creators and professionals, not just casual consumers.
  • Pricing starts at ₹89,999 and climbs steeply, creating real tension around value — Samsung counters this with bank cashback, ecosystem discounts of up to ₹15,000, and bundled software trials worth considerable money.
  • The new Galaxy Forever programme attempts to dissolve buyer hesitation by guaranteeing a 40 percent buyback within the first year, reframing a high-cost purchase as a manageable, upgradeable subscription.
  • With seven years of OS and security updates promised, Samsung is positioning these tablets not as gadgets but as long-horizon investments — devices meant to grow with their owners rather than age against them.

In a market where the line between tablet and laptop grows thinner each year, Samsung has introduced the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra and S12+ to India — devices that ask whether a larger, more capable screen might serve modern work and creativity better than the machines we've long taken for granted. Arriving October 7 at prices beginning at ₹89,999, these tablets carry not just powerful processors and expansive displays, but a constellation of AI tools, creative software, and a new ownership programme designed to ease the anxiety of committing to expensive technology. They arrive as a quiet argument that productivity need not be tethered to the traditional laptop form.

Samsung has launched the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra and Tab S12+ in India, both built around the proposition that a screen larger than a laptop's might be exactly what serious users need. Available from October 7, the Ultra starts at ₹1,29,999 and the Plus at ₹89,999, with 5G and higher-storage variants priced above that.

The Ultra's 14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display — Samsung's largest and thinnest Galaxy Tab ever at just 5.1 millimeters — and the Plus's 12.6-inch panel both run at 120Hz with peak brightness of 1,600 nits, remaining legible even in direct sunlight. Both are powered by MediaTek's Dimensity 9500 chip on a 3-nanometer process, offering significant leaps in neural, CPU, and graphics performance over the previous generation. With 12GB of RAM, up to 512GB of internal storage expandable to 2TB, and batteries that Samsung claims charge fully in 95 minutes, these are devices designed to sustain a full working day.

Galaxy AI is central to the experience — summarising notes and browser tabs, surfacing relevant sources, and integrating with a six-month Google AI Pro trial that includes Gemini. Pre-installed creative tools include Adobe Photoshop, a free year of GoodNotes, discounted LumaFusion for video editing, and ArcSite for converting sketches into CAD drawings. Both tablets ship with Android 17 and One UI 9, and Samsung has committed to seven major OS upgrades over their lifetime.

To soften the premium price, Samsung is layering incentives: up to ₹5,000 in bank cashback, upgrade bonuses, and discounts of up to ₹15,000 when a tablet is purchased alongside an eligible Galaxy smartphone. The Pro Keyboard Cover — which includes a dedicated Galaxy AI key — is 30 percent off when bundled. A new Galaxy Forever programme offers a structured path to ownership: customers pay 75 percent of the device price over 24 months, with Samsung Care+ included, and can return the device between months 11 and 13 for a guaranteed 40 percent buyback. The tablets will be available across Samsung stores, partner retailers, and major online platforms with no-cost EMI options up to 24 months.

Samsung has brought two new tablets to India, each built around the idea that a screen larger than a laptop might be what some people actually want for work and entertainment. The Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra and Tab S12+ arrive on October 7, with prices starting at ₹1,29,999, and they represent a deliberate push toward bigger, thinner devices that can handle serious productivity tasks.

The larger model, the Tab S12 Ultra, carries a 14.6-inch display—nearly the size of a laptop screen—while the Tab S12+ offers 12.6 inches. Both use Dynamic AMOLED 2X panels with 120Hz refresh rates and peak brightness of 1,600 nits, meaning they stay readable even in bright sunlight. Samsung's Vision Booster adjusts brightness automatically depending on the lighting around you. The real difference between the two models lies partly in screen real estate and partly in the camera setup: the Ultra has a 13-megapixel main camera plus an 8-megapixel ultra-wide lens, while the Plus model makes do with a single 13-megapixel rear camera. Both have a 12-megapixel ultra-wide front camera for video calls.

What makes these tablets feel like serious work devices is the software and the processing power underneath. Both run on MediaTek's Dimensity 9500 chip, built on a 3-nanometer process, which Samsung says delivers 61 percent faster neural processing, 19 percent faster CPU work, and 17 percent better graphics performance than the previous generation. They come with 12 gigabytes of RAM and either 256 or 512 gigabytes of storage, expandable to 2 terabytes via microSD card. The Tab S12 Ultra is remarkably thin at 5.1 millimeters—Samsung's thinnest Galaxy Tab ever—while the Plus model measures 5.3 millimeters. Both pack substantial batteries: 11,600 milliamp-hours in the Ultra and 10,600 in the Plus, and both support 45-watt charging that Samsung claims fills them completely in 95 minutes.

The tablets ship with Galaxy AI built in, which means features like Note Assist that can summarize your notes, and a browser that summarizes open tabs and pulls relevant sources. Buyers get a six-month trial of Google's AI Pro subscription, which includes access to Gemini. Samsung has also pre-loaded creative software: Adobe Photoshop comes installed, GoodNotes offers a year free, LumaFusion supports video editing at a discount, and Clip Studio Paint includes a six-month trial. There's also ArcSite, which can convert rough sketches into precise CAD drawings. Both tablets run Android 17 with One UI 9 and will receive seven major OS upgrades and security updates over their lifetime.

The pricing structure reflects Samsung's push to make these devices feel like ecosystem purchases rather than standalone gadgets. The Tab S12 Ultra starts at ₹1,29,999 for the Wi-Fi model with 256 gigabytes of storage, while the Tab S12+ begins at ₹89,999. The 5G variants cost more, and storage upgrades add to the price. But Samsung is layering in incentives: up to ₹5,000 in bank cashback, an upgrade bonus of up to ₹5,000, and if you buy a tablet alongside an eligible Galaxy smartphone, you can get discounts reaching ₹15,000. There's 15 percent off Galaxy Buds purchases and 30 percent off the Pro Keyboard Cover when bought with a tablet. The keyboard itself costs ₹27,999 for the Ultra and ₹26,499 for the Plus, and it includes a dedicated Galaxy AI key.

Samsung is also introducing a new Galaxy Forever programme specifically for tablets in India. For ₹12,499 over two years, customers pay 75 percent of the device price through 24 monthly installments and get Samsung Care+ protection included. The real draw is the assured buyback: if you return or upgrade the device between 11 and 13 months, Samsung guarantees 40 percent of the original price back. That drops to 25 percent if you wait until between 14 and 24 months. It's a way of acknowledging that tablet buyers might want to upgrade without feeling locked in. The tablets will be available in Grey and Silver through Samsung Exclusive Stores, partner retailers, Samsung.com, and other online platforms, with no-cost EMI options stretching payments across up to 24 months through participating banks and financial companies.

Both tablets support Multi Window, allowing users to split the screen into three sections and work across multiple apps simultaneously
— Samsung specifications
Samsung claims a full charge in 95 minutes with a compatible 45W adapter
— Samsung charging specifications
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