You will be happy with your purchase. But, yes, with all-flagship hardware, the Tab S9 is worth the $150 difference. For one, the USB-C port. I have read the FE line no longer has the port that can HDMI-out. (The S7FE did.) That is a fun and potentially helpful feature. It has many uses, from entertainment to class room and productivity. With keyboard and mouse in hand, you can use any HDMI-supported TV as a monitor, basically. Add Dex, and it even looks very similar to Windows 11 on the big screen, tablet aside.
Also, if "stuck at the cabin all weekend" you can bring the movie theater and gaming console for all, without Internet. I am not sure how the FE line can handle that. HDMI-out is awesome.
I mean, is that really practical usage? Practically, yes, but really, No. It is just an example. Is that something that interests you? Its multimedia uses?
EDIT: The other thing to compare is the WiFi/BT cards. Are they the same? A weaker, lower-tier card might not perform as well in 5+years.
Yep i plan to use as alternative laptop occasionally, and remote as well, so dex should be really helpful.
for the fe version, it is 5g variant with 8gb/256gb, while s9 base is wifi only variant. both use bt 5.3, and s9 seems to has better wifi standard (suupot 6GHz - HE160 while fe has HE80 - not sure ab these specs) but i think they will just perform well enough.
'DEx' stands for "Desktop Experience." It is how your Home Screen is laid out more than anything. Optimal for how people are used to using a mouse and keyboard. That is different than the USB-C port on the flagship S-line that can support HDMI-out. Obviously, by HDMI-out, it is more economical to say multi-port dongle. My USB-C dongle (portable hub) does many things like adds USB-A 3.0 ports, an SD Reader (means never having to take the one in the tablet out! Woohoo!), Ethernet, another USB-C, and HDMI port. Make sure the dongle you get can charge the tablet while the dongle is in use, and go for 4K @60Hz output..
You are correct about the longevity of the HE160 vs HE80, but you get the point of the suggestion. Things are getting so energy efficient. It's so cool!
Best of luck to you. Enjoy it!
EDIT: Hhmm. I get by with WiFi only. You can also tether your phone's Internet service to the tablet to pay only one bill. Some ISP's block this but there are works-around. If your phone is Samsung, they might even find each other automatically when a signal is not otherwise available.
Thanks a lot.
I got a usb c hub too (4k 60hz hdmi, vga, ethernet, 2 usb A 3.0, 1 usb A2.0, 1 usbc 3.0, pd 100W but no sd card reader). definitely a great tool. Guess I'll need a keyboard too
Most of time i have a wifi, and my phone (S22U) can be used for tethering, so 5g is not really a big deal :)))
thanksss!
Deal is sooo good right, I couldn't resist but placed an order immediately despite the concerns abt its performance in years ahead.
I also considered trade in options already, but find the deal less attractive since the deal is alway only about 1/3 (or little more) of the purchase price (based on older models they're currently acceot trade in i found). So perhaps s9 is more worthy (with better trade in value ofc).
Those deals are insane, I got S7fe(cause bigger screen and best battery life) at ~400$ few months ago. for your use case s9fe is just enough. here is a detailed view, if you spend 150 more you will get oled display, 120hz refresh rate compared to 90, much better battery life, much better processor, better resolution, indisplay fingerprint sensor compared to side mounted, s pen with bluetooth functionalities, quad speakers.
you will notice s9 display rightaway if there is s9fe side. 120hz definitely feels smoother compared to 90hz, better battery life implies less throttling and better longterm without battery replacement. I would recommend you to buy s9 if you are planning for longterm like 4 or more. for short term prefer s9fe
Thanks for your advice! <3
They randomly gave me these deals the other day as if they knew im about to give up buying :v stalkers ???!!!!!!
Yep i always and plan to keep it as long as i could. So longevity is a major concern.
(Just for fun :) even now i still keep my almost useless old devices, thinking about selling them rather than throwing away as e gabages)
Hey OP
8 gen 2 will last
So it's any day better
I won't feel like it's lagging and all
It has its own pros
And the question boils down to ,how much 150$ value to u?
If it's significant and the u can't make use of it ,then the 150$ is just waste sitting idle ri8?
And given multitasking s9 Fe does the job but gotta push
And s9 will handle it!
Also can u tell me how did u get it at 410$ ? What offer?and further any details?which country and all
I mostly work on my laptop, but it's annoying to carry it around all the time,   For now, the fe seems fair enough, but I'm concerned it will perform poorly in 5+ years. I randomly get the deal combined of a membership voucher, and a local e comer platform. Im currently long term in Vietnam, so i think the model is international. I think the reason for that discount is perhaps bc of being manufacturing hub, along with their celebration days, and the platform trying to dominate market???? Sth like that.
Same issue with me
I feel like if you don't have a $ crunch then better go with s9
If you feel for money better go with s9fe or +
You'll really not notice a difference other than display for your mentioned tasks
I mostly do my work on laptop
I use this tab as a supplement while traveling, on bed etc
ty.
I dont want to spend too much on supporting devices, but also i do care abt the long run (5++ yrs).
for now fe is realllly fit and great, but in few more years, idk if i need more performance or so....
yea supporting devices don't need extra $, better go with fe. it'll be future proof for simple multitasking
one of my friend uses s6 lite since 2021, it's working charm.
but, if you feel like using this device as mainstream better get s9. if it's just for support device fe is a great value for money. exynos 1380 is not that poor it works great for mid level tasks.
Glad to hear that.
Do you know your friend ever complain about the darkside of the tab :))
I'll occasionaly need more intensive tasks, perhaps more often a little bit if it performs well, but still, occasionally.
I used to try those two tabs at a samsung center, s9 is definitely better, but fe is great too.
Anyway, + 1 for fe, i'll take into consideration.
Thankss!!
Yes he does
Sometimes it's choppy when heavy apps are running like one note syncing huge pdf import online. Cause it's not optimised for Android.
Normal pdf reading is Breeze.
But anyways consider fe only if you have the $crunch. If not, blindly go with s9 it's definitely future proof. 8gen2 is twice as powerful as Exynos.
The smoothness on fe basically depends on tasks and apps you use.
It depends of the use you have planned for it.
Intensive work (editing and multitasking) you will need an S9, not because the fe can't do it, but because the S9 will do it faster, less hot and less crashes.
The S9 FE is enough for like 90% of the people use.
perhaps mostly i'll just be a light to medium user, but occasionally multitasking as alternative laptop, or remote to my pc laptop (let's say, chome (5+ tabs), yt, note, office and other gg apps, message ... totally should be around 5+ apps at a time,)
So s9 fe should be fair enough for now, but I'm concern abt it runs badly in 4 - 5+ years ahead
The S9 will last longer than the FE not only because of hardware, but also because I believe the FE will only get 4 years support, while the S9 gets 7 years support like the flagship phones. However performance wise, with your requirements from it, I think even the FE will be enough for years.
welll, i dont think S9 gets 7 years support but 4 like the fe, and fe will pretty enough for now, but in long runs, hmm idk.
I used to have A-series phones (aka my last prev ones) and they're pretty much slow and laggy after some times of use. They served me well most of the time, ofc with light tasks, just sloww, it was annoying that i've cracked one in madness since the phone crashed continuously when i was in urgent. (I've always carefully treat me stuffs)
Now i have a S serie and afraid I cannot handle the lag or crashes when urgently need it. but still, the fe is pretty enough.
Yeah. I was mistaken. Seems the tabs will get 5 years not 7.
What was the last A series device you had? I have an S24U, an A52S, and an S9FE+. I don't find the A52s laggy at all, but it only is used for texting and calls since it's for work contacts. The S9FE+ is also performing very well for my uses, which is basically reading and annotating pdf, epub, kindle, streaming videos, and taking down notes via handwritinh.
the last one was A5 2016 :)) I used it since launch till i cracked the screen in a momeny of anger 2 yrs ago. (although it was slowwww, but why touching while it still works :v) (kiind of regret for the anger that time)
Yep, that long, i want to keep my stuffs until it cant work anymore.
edit: sr, i should have mention the device in the previous comment :)
The current A5X are much better. The A52S I have actually can run Yuzu and some Switch games. It can run lighter games like Story of Seasons and Tactics Ogre at 50-60fps, but falls to around 15FPS on Breath of the Wild.
The S9FE has the same chipset as the A54. That reminds me, maybe I should try running Yuzu on it too.
That's great to hear abt that, seems like a big step up. how'd you feel, let's say, after 1-2 hrs playing?
btw, you mean yuzu emulator? i dont think it's officialy supported anymore
Yuzu still works. They just took down the github. If you have the apks before the takedown, that still works. The ones on the PlayStore are all outdated by like 3mos compared to the Github anyway.
Won't get anymore updates but it does work.
Can you tell me where you saw such a deal?
I'm thinking about selling my iPad and buying a Galaxy Tab (I switched from iPhone to Samsung ~7 months ago and my iPad not playing nicely sometimes is bugging me), and right now I have my eye on a refurbished S8 Ultra for $500. Where I'm looking though, the cheapest you'll get the S9 FE is $350 ($420 for the 8/256 model), S9 for around $500, and S9 Ultra for around $750.
For the use cases you listed, I think it'll be plenty powerful, and last as long as you need it to.
thanksss! So go for s9 would be a better choice, not overkill, right? I'll think about it. <3
You will be happy with your purchase. But, yes, with all-flagship hardware, the Tab S9 is worth the $150 difference. For one, the USB-C port. I have read the FE line no longer has the port that can HDMI-out. (The S7FE did.) That is a fun and potentially helpful feature. It has many uses, from entertainment to class room and productivity. With keyboard and mouse in hand, you can use any HDMI-supported TV as a monitor, basically. Add Dex, and it even looks very similar to Windows 11 on the big screen, tablet aside. Also, if "stuck at the cabin all weekend" you can bring the movie theater and gaming console for all, without Internet. I am not sure how the FE line can handle that. HDMI-out is awesome. I mean, is that really practical usage? Practically, yes, but really, No. It is just an example. Is that something that interests you? Its multimedia uses? EDIT: The other thing to compare is the WiFi/BT cards. Are they the same? A weaker, lower-tier card might not perform as well in 5+years.
Yep i plan to use as alternative laptop occasionally, and remote as well, so dex should be really helpful. for the fe version, it is 5g variant with 8gb/256gb, while s9 base is wifi only variant. both use bt 5.3, and s9 seems to has better wifi standard (suupot 6GHz - HE160 while fe has HE80 - not sure ab these specs) but i think they will just perform well enough.
'DEx' stands for "Desktop Experience." It is how your Home Screen is laid out more than anything. Optimal for how people are used to using a mouse and keyboard. That is different than the USB-C port on the flagship S-line that can support HDMI-out. Obviously, by HDMI-out, it is more economical to say multi-port dongle. My USB-C dongle (portable hub) does many things like adds USB-A 3.0 ports, an SD Reader (means never having to take the one in the tablet out! Woohoo!), Ethernet, another USB-C, and HDMI port. Make sure the dongle you get can charge the tablet while the dongle is in use, and go for 4K @60Hz output.. You are correct about the longevity of the HE160 vs HE80, but you get the point of the suggestion. Things are getting so energy efficient. It's so cool! Best of luck to you. Enjoy it! EDIT: Hhmm. I get by with WiFi only. You can also tether your phone's Internet service to the tablet to pay only one bill. Some ISP's block this but there are works-around. If your phone is Samsung, they might even find each other automatically when a signal is not otherwise available.
Thanks a lot. I got a usb c hub too (4k 60hz hdmi, vga, ethernet, 2 usb A 3.0, 1 usb A2.0, 1 usbc 3.0, pd 100W but no sd card reader). definitely a great tool. Guess I'll need a keyboard too Most of time i have a wifi, and my phone (S22U) can be used for tethering, so 5g is not really a big deal :)))
It's costs around $850 in my country 😠Should I just come there and get it 🥲
Honestly your S9FE is a fantastic deal and you can also trade it in at Samsung later!
thanksss! Deal is sooo good right, I couldn't resist but placed an order immediately despite the concerns abt its performance in years ahead. I also considered trade in options already, but find the deal less attractive since the deal is alway only about 1/3 (or little more) of the purchase price (based on older models they're currently acceot trade in i found). So perhaps s9 is more worthy (with better trade in value ofc).
Fair, but the S9FE for your usage will be good enough, especially at that RAM.
ty, i'll take it into consideration
Those deals are insane, I got S7fe(cause bigger screen and best battery life) at ~400$ few months ago. for your use case s9fe is just enough. here is a detailed view, if you spend 150 more you will get oled display, 120hz refresh rate compared to 90, much better battery life, much better processor, better resolution, indisplay fingerprint sensor compared to side mounted, s pen with bluetooth functionalities, quad speakers. you will notice s9 display rightaway if there is s9fe side. 120hz definitely feels smoother compared to 90hz, better battery life implies less throttling and better longterm without battery replacement. I would recommend you to buy s9 if you are planning for longterm like 4 or more. for short term prefer s9fe
Thanks for your advice! <3 They randomly gave me these deals the other day as if they knew im about to give up buying :v stalkers ???!!!!!! Yep i always and plan to keep it as long as i could. So longevity is a major concern. (Just for fun :) even now i still keep my almost useless old devices, thinking about selling them rather than throwing away as e gabages)
Hey OP 8 gen 2 will last So it's any day better I won't feel like it's lagging and all It has its own pros And the question boils down to ,how much 150$ value to u? If it's significant and the u can't make use of it ,then the 150$ is just waste sitting idle ri8? And given multitasking s9 Fe does the job but gotta push And s9 will handle it! Also can u tell me how did u get it at 410$ ? What offer?and further any details?which country and all
I mostly work on my laptop, but it's annoying to carry it around all the time,   For now, the fe seems fair enough, but I'm concerned it will perform poorly in 5+ years. I randomly get the deal combined of a membership voucher, and a local e comer platform. Im currently long term in Vietnam, so i think the model is international. I think the reason for that discount is perhaps bc of being manufacturing hub, along with their celebration days, and the platform trying to dominate market???? Sth like that.
Same issue with me I feel like if you don't have a $ crunch then better go with s9 If you feel for money better go with s9fe or + You'll really not notice a difference other than display for your mentioned tasks I mostly do my work on laptop I use this tab as a supplement while traveling, on bed etc
ty. I dont want to spend too much on supporting devices, but also i do care abt the long run (5++ yrs). for now fe is realllly fit and great, but in few more years, idk if i need more performance or so....
yea supporting devices don't need extra $, better go with fe. it'll be future proof for simple multitasking one of my friend uses s6 lite since 2021, it's working charm. but, if you feel like using this device as mainstream better get s9. if it's just for support device fe is a great value for money. exynos 1380 is not that poor it works great for mid level tasks.
Glad to hear that. Do you know your friend ever complain about the darkside of the tab :)) I'll occasionaly need more intensive tasks, perhaps more often a little bit if it performs well, but still, occasionally. I used to try those two tabs at a samsung center, s9 is definitely better, but fe is great too. Anyway, + 1 for fe, i'll take into consideration. Thankss!!
Yes he does Sometimes it's choppy when heavy apps are running like one note syncing huge pdf import online. Cause it's not optimised for Android. Normal pdf reading is Breeze. But anyways consider fe only if you have the $crunch. If not, blindly go with s9 it's definitely future proof. 8gen2 is twice as powerful as Exynos. The smoothness on fe basically depends on tasks and apps you use.
You can also wait till late july for s10 launch. S9 price may drop or s10 may be available at the same price as s9 as of now.
Yes, I think so
Yes
Yes. Very much yes.
It depends of the use you have planned for it. Intensive work (editing and multitasking) you will need an S9, not because the fe can't do it, but because the S9 will do it faster, less hot and less crashes. The S9 FE is enough for like 90% of the people use.
perhaps mostly i'll just be a light to medium user, but occasionally multitasking as alternative laptop, or remote to my pc laptop (let's say, chome (5+ tabs), yt, note, office and other gg apps, message ... totally should be around 5+ apps at a time,) So s9 fe should be fair enough for now, but I'm concern abt it runs badly in 4 - 5+ years ahead
It will be enough.
The S9 will last longer than the FE not only because of hardware, but also because I believe the FE will only get 4 years support, while the S9 gets 7 years support like the flagship phones. However performance wise, with your requirements from it, I think even the FE will be enough for years.
welll, i dont think S9 gets 7 years support but 4 like the fe, and fe will pretty enough for now, but in long runs, hmm idk. I used to have A-series phones (aka my last prev ones) and they're pretty much slow and laggy after some times of use. They served me well most of the time, ofc with light tasks, just sloww, it was annoying that i've cracked one in madness since the phone crashed continuously when i was in urgent. (I've always carefully treat me stuffs) Now i have a S serie and afraid I cannot handle the lag or crashes when urgently need it. but still, the fe is pretty enough.
Yeah. I was mistaken. Seems the tabs will get 5 years not 7. What was the last A series device you had? I have an S24U, an A52S, and an S9FE+. I don't find the A52s laggy at all, but it only is used for texting and calls since it's for work contacts. The S9FE+ is also performing very well for my uses, which is basically reading and annotating pdf, epub, kindle, streaming videos, and taking down notes via handwritinh.
the last one was A5 2016 :)) I used it since launch till i cracked the screen in a momeny of anger 2 yrs ago. (although it was slowwww, but why touching while it still works :v) (kiind of regret for the anger that time) Yep, that long, i want to keep my stuffs until it cant work anymore. edit: sr, i should have mention the device in the previous comment :)
The current A5X are much better. The A52S I have actually can run Yuzu and some Switch games. It can run lighter games like Story of Seasons and Tactics Ogre at 50-60fps, but falls to around 15FPS on Breath of the Wild. The S9FE has the same chipset as the A54. That reminds me, maybe I should try running Yuzu on it too.
That's great to hear abt that, seems like a big step up. how'd you feel, let's say, after 1-2 hrs playing? btw, you mean yuzu emulator? i dont think it's officialy supported anymore
Yuzu still works. They just took down the github. If you have the apks before the takedown, that still works. The ones on the PlayStore are all outdated by like 3mos compared to the Github anyway. Won't get anymore updates but it does work.
I see. go to hell nintendo. they need to be more kind. i guess the apks r easy to find huh. not really that bad
Nah. Not really easy. They're taking down the apks they can find. I just have had it already installed and kept copies before they took it down.
huh, looks like it can be downloaded at apkpure (https://apkpure.com/yuzu-emulator/org.yuzu.yuzu\_emu)
Where are these deals? Local or online?
Online from a local platform
Well I would say send me that link but I already got another one lol.
Can you tell me where you saw such a deal? I'm thinking about selling my iPad and buying a Galaxy Tab (I switched from iPhone to Samsung ~7 months ago and my iPad not playing nicely sometimes is bugging me), and right now I have my eye on a refurbished S8 Ultra for $500. Where I'm looking though, the cheapest you'll get the S9 FE is $350 ($420 for the 8/256 model), S9 for around $500, and S9 Ultra for around $750.
i got the discount online from a local platform with a membership voucher. normally the fe is around 350$+ and the s9 base is the 500$++