I replaced my laptop with the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra. It was a big mistake

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra should be the one big-screen mobile device I need. It’s a high-spec, big-screen tablet with plenty of power, a really impressive keyboard accessory, and good software.

For the last few weeks, I’ve used it like I do a laptop, which means video, work, emails, and a selection of apps. It is, after all, priced like a laptop. The tablet and keyboard I’m using cost $1,800.

How has it been? Let’s just say I am looking forward to returning to my Apple MacBook Air.

What’s good about the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra?

If you liked the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra, you’ll also like the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra, as the two are practically indistinguishable. The 14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen is glorious. It’s colorful, sharp, and detailed. I’ve been able to use it outside without a problem due to the impressive brightness, while the 120Hz refresh rate makes it comfortable to view.

Then there’s the sheer size of the thing. It’s massive, and makes watching video so pleasurable. The One UI 9 software’s split screen mode is simple to activate, and because of the amount of space you have, running a browser next to Google Docs or another app never feels constricted.

I rarely use a laptop with a touchscreen, but I do find that it can speed up certain tasks after spending a while with the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra. Samsung’s DeX, which turns the software into a more desktop-style system, continues to not only be easy to activate but also comprehensive and logical, although for my requirements, it’s often overkill.

Performance from the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 processor, a slight upgrade over the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra, is more than adequate. I haven’t seen any slowdown or pauses when running Chrome, Docs, and Asana together in a three-window split view. I’m aware this isn’t pushing the tablet, but it’s my usual workflow, so as long as it copes, I’m happy. Battery life is also stellar, and it has easily lasted me for a working week with a couple of hours of use each day.

It’s attached to the $400 Samsung Pro Keyboard accessory. The design is really clever, with its folding hinge which doubles as a support, strong magnets, and a decent keyboard. The chiclet keys are well-spaced and have just the right amount of travel. The metal construction protects the screen like a case when it’s folded up, too.

It sounds good, so what’s the problem?

When I use the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra to watch videos, or when it’s sitting on a desk and I’m typing away, it’s a decent partner. However, it’s when you use it long-term that issues start to come up. The trouble is, the same issues rarely arise with a true laptop. It means the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra becomes arduous to use, and I ended up leaving it on the table to use just for entertainment. This isn’t good when the investment is so high.

Combined, the weight of the tablet and Pro Keyboard is 1.32 kilograms, making it very substantial compared to compact laptops. Compact is not a word I’d use to describe the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra, and I know it’s not the point, but wow, it’s annoyingly large to carry around. It barely fits in my usual crossbody bag, and I really notice the weight. I like the Pro Keyboard, but the trackpad is slow and unresponsive, and the physical click needs quite a lot of force and precise placement of your finger to operate in the expected manner.

The Pro Keyboard has a solid base so it can be used on your lap, but there’s no adjustment in the angle of the screen, unlike a laptop or the floating screen system used by Apple’s Magic Keyboard accessories. I’ve found it’s often impossible to eliminate glare unless you move position, which isn’t always possible or ideal.

The angle of the screen renders the face unlock system useless because the camera is always looking up into the sky. There’s a fingerprint sensor under the screen, which is always less preferable than a physical scanner in the power key, but provided you register both thumbs and a couple of fingers, it doesn’t frustrate too much. It’s not all that fast, though.

Give me back my laptop

After using the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra for the day, I usually come away thinking it’s too big, too heavy, too compromised, and poorly designed for work purposes. If I took away the Pro Keyboard and just used a stand so it’s a mini television — where it excels — I’d like it a lot more. Even without the Pro keyboard, it’s still a $1,400 Android tablet, and that’s a high price for a one-trick device.

It’s at this point that I return to my 13-inch MacBook Air. It’s a 2026 model with the M5 chip and 24GB of RAM, which is currently $1,500, and although the screen is slightly smaller, the pixel density is very similar to Samsung’s big tablet. No, it’s not as colorful, but I can live with it. The Air is lighter, more compact, has a better trackpad, a more intuitive fingerprint sensor, and a screen I can angle. It’s a vastly superior work device, and perfectly acceptable for video.

The MacBook Air is my personal choice of laptop, but there are similar experiences available with Windows laptops, and a new Googlebook is considerably cheaper than the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra with the Pro Keyboard if you’re set on deep Android compatibility.

I do wonder if the smaller, lighter Galaxy Tab S12 Plus would suit me better, but it would still cost $1,550 with the Pro Keyboard, so I wouldn’t be saving money, and most of the hardware issues would remain.

I can’t work out who it’s for

The cost of the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra becomes a serious problem when it doesn’t get close to being a do-it-all machine. Like every tablet, regardless of cost, it’s great at entertainment (although the overall size puts me off any long gaming sessions) and for sitting in one spot in the house. Beyond this, the compromises make it difficult to endure for more than occasional use.

I end up wondering who to recommend the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra to. It doesn’t do anything different from most other tablets, isn’t all that good for regular work, and the price puts it far beyond impulse buy territory. A laptop of almost any description is more versatile and much easier to live with, and shockingly, will probably be cheaper to buy.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra’s impressive hardware, grand dimensions, and gorgeous screen make it desirable, but in the real world, the desirability doesn’t translate into the level of usability I expect from a $1,800 device.