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Tablet comparison

Apple iPad Air 11-inch M2 vs Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G

Compare screen, performance, battery and accessories.

Compared products
01Selected
Apple iPad Air 11-inch M2

Apple iPad Air 11-inch M2

  • 462 g.
  • 10.86 inch screen.
  • Apple M2 processor.
  • 8 GB RAM in this version.
  • Runs iPadOS.
KSh 75,000Out of Stock
02
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G

  • 498 g.
  • About 120 Hz display refresh rate.
  • About 11 inch screen.
  • Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) processor.
  • Storage: UFS.
KSh 87,000In Stock
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2 spaces available

Apple iPad Air 11 M2 (2024)KSh 78,000
Apple iPad Air 5 (M1)KSh 82,000
Alexa Tablet 12 Pro (2026)KSh 75,900
Xiaomi Pad 8 ProKSh 87,000
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE PlusKSh 66,000
Xiaomi Pad 8KSh 60,000
Lenovo Idea Tab Plus 5GKSh 59,000
2 of 4 products

Our quick verdict

Choose the Apple iPad Air 11-inch M2 if you want a lighter build (462 g). Choose the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G if you prefer Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and Android 13.

Weight

Apple iPad Air 11-inch M2
462 g
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G
498 g

Display

Apple iPad Air 11-inch M2
10.86 inch screen
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G
About 11 inch screen

Performance

Apple iPad Air 11-inch M2
Apple M2 processor
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G
Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) processor

Memory

Apple iPad Air 11-inch M2
8 GB RAM
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G
Up to 12 GB RAM

Battery life

Apple iPad Air 11-inch M2
Up to 10 hours per charge
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G
8,400 mAh battery

Key differences

The main differences to help you choose.

Apple iPad Air 11-inch M2

  • Lighter: 462 g (vs 498 g).
  • Video output to a monitor over USB-C (DisplayPort).

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G

  • 120 Hz display.

What matters most to you?

Choose any priorities

How each product answers the questions buyers ask most. Tick a topic to add it, untick one to hide it.

More topicsFewer topics
6 priorities selected.
How each product answers the selected priorities
PriorityApple iPad Air 11-inch M2Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G
Display11-inch display, 264 ppi11-inch OLED display, 120 Hz, 274 ppi
PerformanceApple M2 processorQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor
Memory8 GB RAMUp to 12 GB RAM
Battery lifeUp to 10 hours per charge8,400 mAh battery
Battery capacity28.93 Wh battery8,400 mAh battery
ChargingCharging through USB-C using a power adapter or computer45 W wired charging

Detailed comparison

Explore the full specifications, section by section.

General

General specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 11-inch M2Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G
BrandAppleSamsung
ModeliPad Air 11-inch (M2, 2024)Samsung Galaxy Tab S9
Announced20242023, July 26
ConnectivityWi-Fi: Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), 2x2 MIMO, dual band; Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.3; USB: USB-C with charging, DisplayPort and USB 3 data up to 10GbpsNo verified value available; this is an unknown authoring state, not a manufacturer-backed specification.Mobile network: GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G; Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct; Bluetooth: 5.3, A2DP, LE; USB: USB Type-C 3.2, magnetic connector
CamerasRear: 12MP wide camera, f/1.8; Front: Landscape 12MP Ultra Wide front camera, f/2.0No verified value available; this is an unknown authoring state, not a manufacturer-backed specification.Rear: 13 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, AF; Front: 12 MP, f/2.4, 120˚ (ultrawide)
Status—Available. Released 2023, August 11
Models—SM-X710, SM-X716B
SAR EU—0.66 W/kg (body)

Design

Design specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 11-inch M2Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G
Dimensions247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1mm254.3 x 165.8 x 5.9 mm (10.01 x 6.53 x 0.23 in)
Weight462g (Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular)498 g (1.10 lb)
Build materials—Glass front, aluminum frame, aluminum back

Display

Display specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 11-inch M2Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G
Display11-inch marketed size; 10.86 inches measured as a rectangle, with less viewable area11.0 inches, 350.9 cm2 (~83.2% screen-to-body ratio); Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+
Screen resolution2360 x 1640 pixels at 264ppi1600 x 2560 pixels, 16:10 ratio (~274 ppi density)
Display protectionFingerprint-resistant oleophobic coatingCorning Gorilla Glass
Display featuresLiquid Retina IPS display; P3 wide colour, True Tone, full lamination and antireflective coating; 500 nits; Apple Pencil Pro / USB-C support and hover120Hz, HDR10+

Performance

Performance specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 11-inch M2Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G
ProcessorApple M2Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm)
CPU8 cores: 4 performance and 4 efficiency coresOcta-core (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510)
GPU9-core GPUAdreno 740

Memory & Storage

Memory & Storage specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 11-inch M2Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G
RAM8GB8GB, 12GB
Storage—128GB, 256GB
Storage technology—UFS
Expandable storage—microSDXC (dedicated slot)
Internal—128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM

Cameras

Cameras specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 11-inch M2Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G
Rear camera12MP wide camera, f/1.813 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, AF
Front cameraLandscape 12MP Ultra Wide front camera, f/2.012 MP, f/2.4, 120˚ (ultrawide)
Rear camera featuresAutofocus with Focus Pixels, Smart HDR 4 and up to 5x digital zoomLED flash, HDR, panorama
Rear camera video4K at up to 60fps; 1080p slow motion at up to 240fps4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps
Front camera featuresCenter Stage, Smart HDR 4 and Retina FlashHDR
Front camera video1080p at up to 60fps4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps

Battery & Charging

Battery & Charging specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 11-inch M2Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G
Battery28.93Wh rechargeable lithium-polymer battery; up to 10 hours of Wi-Fi browsing/video, or up to 9 hours of cellular browsing on cellular models. Runtime varies with settings, usage and network.Li-Po 8400 mAh
ChargingCharging through USB-C using a power adapter or computer45W wired

Software

Software specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 11-inch M2Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G
Operating systemiPadOSAndroid 13, up to 4 major OS updates, One UI 6

Network

Network specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 11-inch M2Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G
Network—GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
SIM—Nano-SIM + eSIM (cellular model only)
2G bands—GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands—HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands—1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66
5G bands—1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6
Speed—HSPA, LTE, 5G - cellular model only

Connectivity

Connectivity specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 11-inch M2Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G
BluetoothBluetooth 5.35.3, A2DP, LE
Wi-FiWi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), 2x2 MIMO, dual bandWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct
PositioningAll models: digital compass, Wi-Fi and iBeacon; cellular models additionally provide GPS/GNSSGPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS
USBUSB-C with charging, DisplayPort and USB 3 data up to 10GbpsUSB Type-C 3.2, magnetic connector
NFC—No
Radio—No

Durability

Durability specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 11-inch M2Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G
Water resistance—IP68 dust tight and water resistant (immersible up to 1.5m for 30 min)

Features

Features specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 11-inch M2Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G
SensorsTouch ID, three-axis gyroscope, accelerometer, barometer and ambient light sensorFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Colors—Beige, Graphite
Additional features—Wireless Samsung DeX (desktop experience support)
Stylus support—2.8ms latency (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro)

Audio

Audio specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 11-inch M2Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G
LoudspeakersLandscape stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers (4 speakers)
3.5 mm headphone jack—No

Similarities

  • Both support Wi-Fi 6E.
  • Both use Bluetooth 5.3.
  • Both charge over USB-C.
  • Both have stereo speakers.
  • Both have 11-inch screens.
  • Both connect over Bluetooth.

In summary

Choose Apple iPad Air 11-inch M2 for iPadOS and a lighter build; Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 is the choice for Android.

Back to compared products ↑

In-stock alternatives

Apple iPad Air 5 (M1)For Apple iPad Air 11-inch M2Apple iPad Air 5 (M1)View product ↗Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE PlusFor Apple iPad Air 11-inch M2Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE PlusView product ↗Xiaomi Pad 8 ProFor Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5GXiaomi Pad 8 ProView product ↗Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 PlusFor Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5GSamsung Galaxy Tab S10 PlusView product ↗

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