Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE Honest Review: Is It Worth It for Everyday Use in 2025?

Samsung has introduced the Galaxy Tab S10 FE, its newest mid-range tablet for 2025, continuing the brand’s strong presence in the Android tablet market. Samsung was the top tablet brand in India throughout 2024, thanks to its trusted brand image, expansive offline availability, and aggressive online sales strategies. The new Tab S10 FE looks like another solid option for those seeking a premium experience without the flagship price tag.

This year’s Tab S10 FE features a lighter build and an all-metal body with a familiar design and an impressive 8,000mAh battery. Despite being lighter, Samsung hasn’t compromised on the premium metal construction. It’s much more comfortable to hold now, especially due to the evenly distributed weight and the smoother rounded edges.

There are also three standout features in the hardware. First, the tablet carries an official IP68 water and dust resistance rating—an extremely rare feature at this price point. Whether it’s an accidental splash or minor spills, the device remains safe. Second, a fingerprint sensor adds convenience and security, making it easier to unlock than relying solely on pins or patterns. And third, Samsung includes a stylus in the box—a regular S Pen that’s ideal for note-taking, drawing, and everyday productivity. While it’s not the Bluetooth-enabled Pro model with air gestures, it’s still reliable, easy to grip, and magnetically attaches to the side of the tablet.

Battery life is another win here. The Tab S10 FE consistently delivers around 8 hours of screen-on time, which puts it on par with competitors like the Xiaomi Pad 7 and Apple’s 11th-gen iPad.

Software is where Samsung truly shines. The Tab S10 FE is one of the first to run One UI 7, and the company has done a great job optimizing the interface for a large-screen experience. From split-screen multitasking and floating windows to advanced S Pen features like scribble-to-text, it offers excellent productivity features. You can also save app pairs to launch them together in split view—a particularly handy feature for frequent multitaskers.

Samsung promises seven years of software updates, so users can expect new features and improvements over time. And thanks to Samsung’s ecosystem integration, those who already own Samsung devices will find features like app continuity and auto switch useful. It creates a seamless experience similar to what Apple offers.

However, not everything is perfect. The display’s 90Hz refresh rate is a letdown considering many similarly priced tablets now offer smoother 120Hz panels. The LCD screen itself is bright and responsive, but an AMOLED display would have been a nice upgrade, offering deeper blacks and better contrast. There’s also no official display protection or oleophobic coating, which means it’s more prone to scratches and smudges.

Audio-wise, the stereo speakers offer a solid multimedia experience, but competitors like the Xiaomi Pad 7, with its quad-speaker setup, provide a richer and louder soundstage.

Where the Tab S10 FE stumbles most is performance. Powered by the Exynos 1580—also found in the Galaxy A56—the chipset doesn’t quite meet expectations for tablet-level workloads. Basic tasks like browsing or watching videos run fine, but there’s a noticeable delay when launching apps or multitasking, especially in split-screen mode with the S Pen in use. Gaming isn’t its strength either. The maximum PUBG setting is capped at 30fps, and even then, the experience can be jittery.

For casual users, the tablet performs adequately. Light games like Subway Surfers and tasks like video calls, YouTube, and web browsing run smoothly. But when compared to the iPad 11th gen with its A16 chip or Xiaomi Pad 7 with Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3, the Tab S10 FE falls behind in raw performance.

Despite these shortcomings, Samsung has delivered a compelling tablet with excellent build quality, strong software support, and productivity tools that many casual users will appreciate. However, the processor does limit its long-term usability. Tablets are not upgraded as frequently as phones, so the longevity of the Exynos 1580 chip is questionable.

If your needs are basic—media consumption, web browsing, note-taking—and you’re already within the Samsung ecosystem, the Tab S10 FE makes sense. Otherwise, options like the Xiaomi Pad 7 or the iPad 11th gen offer more power and better value. Even Samsung’s previous Tab S9 FE remains a competitive option, especially if you’re looking to save a bit more without sacrificing too much.