Galaxy Tab S11 vs iPad Pro (M5)
The Galaxy Tab S11 is an 11-inch Android tablet with an S Pen in the box, IP68 dust and water resistance and a microSD slot. The iPad Pro (M5) adds a tandem OLED display, the M5 chip, Thunderbolt, Wi-Fi 7, Face ID and a 13-inch option, but the Apple Pencil costs extra.
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Quick answer
Choose Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 ($999.99) if you use an Android phone, you want a pen in the box or you want IP68 or microSD storage. Choose Apple iPad Pro 11 (M5) (from $1,199) if you want the most powerful tablet, you need Thunderbolt or an external display or you want a 13-inch screen or Face ID.
Last updated Prices checked Oct 2026
Check Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 price (opens in a new tab)Check Apple iPad Pro 11 (M5) price (opens in a new tab)
Key facts at a glance
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 | Apple iPad Pro 11 (M5) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $999.99 (Samsung) | From $1,199 (Apple Store) |
| Sizes | 11-inch | 11-inch or 13-inch |
| Display | Dynamic AMOLED 2X | Ultra Retina XDR tandem OLED, ProMotion 10Hz–120Hz, 1600 nits peak (HDR) |
| Chip and memory | MediaTek Dimensity 9400+, 12GB (MyNextTablet, Samsung) | Apple M5, 12GB (256GB/512GB models) |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB plus microSD | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB |
Pick the Galaxy Tab S11 if you use Android, want a pen in the box, IP68 water and dust resistance, or expandable microSD storage. Samsung lists it at $999.99. Pick the iPad Pro (M5), from $1,199 at Apple’s store, if you want the tandem OLED display, the faster M5 chip, Thunderbolt, Wi-Fi 7, Face ID or a 13-inch screen. WIRED[5] calls it the most powerful tablet.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 vs Apple iPad Pro 11 (M5): side-by-side
| Galaxy Tab S11 | iPad Pro (M5) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $999.99 (Samsung) | From $1,199 (Apple Store) |
| Sizes | 11-inch | 11-inch or 13-inch |
| Display | Dynamic AMOLED 2X | Ultra Retina XDR tandem OLED, ProMotion 10Hz–120Hz, 1600 nits peak (HDR) |
| Chip and memory | MediaTek Dimensity 9400+, 12GB (MyNextTablet, Samsung) | Apple M5, 12GB (256GB/512GB models) |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB plus microSD | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB |
| Pen | S Pen included | Apple Pencil Pro or Apple Pencil (USB-C), sold separately |
| Water and dust | IP68 | — |
| Port | USB-C 3.2 (MyNextTablet) | Thunderbolt / USB 4, up to 40Gb/s |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, Thread (Apple N1) |
| Unlock | Under-display fingerprint sensor (MyNextTablet) | Face ID |
| Thickness | 5.5 mm | 5.3 mm (11-inch) |
| Battery | 8,400 mAh | Up to 10 hours web or video |
How much do they cost?
Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 plans
| Option | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 11-inch Wi-Fi | $999.99 | S Pen included; 128GB, 256GB or 512GB |
Apple iPad Pro 11 (M5) plans
| Option | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 11-inch Wi-Fi | From $1,199 | WIRED listed $999 at its 2025 launch |
| 13-inch Wi-Fi | Higher | WIRED listed $1,299 at launch |
What are the pros and cons?
Samsung Galaxy Tab S11: pros
- S Pen included
- IP68 dust and water resistance
- microSD card slot
- Bright AMOLED display and good speakers (MyNextTablet)
Samsung Galaxy Tab S11: cons
- 11-inch only
- Wi-Fi 6E rather than Wi-Fi 7
- The new S Pen has no battery, so Air Gestures are gone (MyNextTablet)
- IT Pro calls it slightly overpriced
Apple iPad Pro 11 (M5): pros
- WIRED calls it the most powerful tablet
- Tandem OLED display and excellent speakers (WIRED)
- Thunderbolt / USB 4 and one external display up to 6K
- 13-inch option
Apple iPad Pro 11 (M5): cons
- From $1,199 before the Pencil or keyboard
- Not a huge upgrade over the M4 model (WIRED)
- Official keyboard is expensive (WIRED)
- Only one USB-C port (WIRED)
Which should you choose: Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 or Apple iPad Pro 11 (M5)?
The Galaxy Tab S11 is the better value for Android users. It comes with an S Pen, is IP68 rated, takes microSD cards, and MyNextTablet calls it the best Android tablet on the market. The iPad Pro (M5) is the more powerful and better-connected tablet, with a tandem OLED display, Thunderbolt and Wi-Fi 7. But it starts at $1,199 at Apple’s store before the Pencil or Magic Keyboard. WIRED[5] notes that most people would be perfectly happy with an iPad Air.
Choose Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 if…
- You use an Android phone
- You want a pen in the box
- You want IP68 or microSD storage
Choose Apple iPad Pro 11 (M5) if…
- You want the most powerful tablet
- You need Thunderbolt or an external display
- You want a 13-inch screen or Face ID
Pricing compared
Samsung lists the 11-inch Galaxy Tab S11 at $999.99 (checked October 2026). It comes with 12GB of memory and 128GB, 256GB or 512GB of storage. Apple’s store lists the iPad Pro from $1,199. WIRED’s[5] October 2025 review gave launch prices of $999 for the 11-inch and $1,299 for the 13-inch, so Apple’s price has gone up since launch. On the iPad, the Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard cost extra. The S Pen comes in the Samsung box.
Display and design
Apple lists the iPad Pro’s Ultra Retina XDR tandem OLED with ProMotion from 10Hz to 120Hz, 1000 nits full screen and 1600 nits peak for HDR content. Samsung uses a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel and says it is brighter than before. The iPad Pro 11-inch is 5.3 mm thick and the Tab S11 is 5.5 mm. The Tab S11 is IP68 rated for dust and water. Apple doesn’t list a water-resistance rating for the iPad Pro.
Performance and connectivity
The iPad Pro’s M5 has a 9-core CPU on 256GB and 512GB models and a 10-core CPU on 1TB and 2TB models. It uses a Thunderbolt / USB 4 port that can drive one external display up to 6K at 60Hz. The Tab S11 uses MediaTek’s Dimensity 9400+ with 12GB of RAM. MyNextTablet found it slightly faster than the OnePlus Pad 3 in 3DMark graphics, but says some games are better optimized for Snapdragon chips. The iPad has Wi-Fi 7. The Tab S11 has Wi-Fi 6E.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Galaxy Tab S11 come with a pen?
Is the iPad Pro M5 waterproof?
Which has expandable storage?
Sources
Pricing and plan details were checked on the official pages below as of Oct 2026. Vendors change prices, credits and plan names often, and some show regional pricing at checkout, so confirm on the vendor’s site before you buy.
- Samsung: Buy Galaxy Tab S11 (checked October 2026) (samsung.com)
- Samsung: Galaxy Tab S11 Series overview and specs (samsung.com)
- Apple Store: Buy iPad Pro (checked October 2026) (apple.com)
- Apple: iPad Pro (M5) technical specifications (apple.com)
- WIRED: Apple iPad Pro (M5, 2025) review (wired.com)
- MyNextTablet: Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 review (mynexttablet.com)
- IT Pro: Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 review (itpro.com)
Related
iPad Air (M4) vs Galaxy Tab S11
Air starts cheaper with M4 and iPadOS. Tab S11 counters with 120Hz AMOLED, IP68 and an S Pen in the box.
comparisoniPad Air (M4) vs iPad Pro (M5)
Air is the value multitasker from $749. Pro adds Tandem OLED, ProMotion, Face ID and Thunderbolt — worth it when the display is the product.
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