Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ Review: Big-Screen Ambition, Mid-Range Reality
- hoeyeen
- 1 hour ago
- 7 min read
If you’ve been eyeing a tablet that can handle both your everyday workload and weekend Netflix binges without blowing past the RM3K mark, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ might just be what you’re looking for. It’s not part of the premium Ultra family, but it gets a lot of the basics right. And with that massive 13.1-inch display, it’s clearly built for people who want more room to create, multitask, or simply chill.
I’ve been using the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ for over a week now. On paper, it promises a premium-like experience at a more wallet-friendly price. But after proper hands-on testing, does it live up to the hype? Let’s dive in from work to play, and everything in between.
TL;DR
Pros | Cons |
Big, high-quality screen | DeX still needs polishing |
Great battery life | Cameras are just functional |
S Pen included | AI features a bit of hit and miss |
Expandable storage | |
Solid speakers | |
Decent mid-range performance | |
Get it if you want | Skip it if you want |
A large-screen tablet that’s cheaper than an iPad Pro | Super portable one-hand use |
Long battery life for all-day usage | Seamless desktop replacement |
Great entertainment and casual productivity combo | Advanced creative workflows or pro-level performance |
S Pen included without extra cost |
Design & Build: Sleek, but Big
Right out of the box, the Tab S10 FE+ gives off a premium vibe despite being a “Fan Edition” model. The matte finish on the back feels sturdy and has enough grip to not feel slippery, though it’s definitely not a one-handed device unless you’re a basketball player. At 664g and measuring over 300mm wide, it’s a large slab of tech, which is more suited for lap or desk use than holding it up for long periods.
Bezels are slim, but not ultra-thin, which helps with handling. It comes in a few nice colours, gray, silver, and the blue one in my hands. The build is IP68-rated, meaning it can handle some water and dust, which is good for our unpredictable Malaysian weather.
Verdict: Nice design and solid build quality, but definitely on the larger side.
Display: Big, Bright, and Smooth Enough
The star of the show is clearly the 13.1-inch LCD display. It’s not AMOLED, and refresh rate is capped at 90Hz, but unless you're used to 120Hz flagship screens, this is still a buttery smooth experience. Resolution is a sharp 2880 x 1800, and brightness peaks at 800 nits — bright enough for indoor and most outdoor use, though reflections can be a pain in direct sun.
I found the screen great for:
Watching Netflix in bed
Editing social posts or thumbnails
Splitting two apps side-by-side (like Notes + YouTube)
Doodling or sketching with the S Pen
The only catch? The size. While the screen is awesome for content and multitasking, the tablet’s aspect ratio makes it a bit long and narrow, which makes it awkward to use in portrait orientation. Also, watching content outdoors under harsh sunlight isn’t ideal. It's still usable, but not as punchy as an OLED. If you plan to mostly use it at a desk or with a keyboard cover, no problem. But if you’re always on the move, this might not be your best travel buddy.
Verdict: Fantastic size and quality for the price, but still a fingerprint magnet.
Audio & Multimedia: Surprisingly Good Sound
I was honestly impressed by the stereo speakers. With Dolby Atmos support, the sound is clear, rich, and loud enough to enjoy movies or music without reaching for a Bluetooth speaker. Vocals are crisp, bass is respectable, and the speakers don’t distort even at higher volumes. This makes the Tab S10 FE+ a seriously good media machine and you would not need any external speakers.
Pair that with the large display, and you’ve got a solid entertainment setup, which is perfect for chill nights.
Verdict: Audio + display combo makes this tablet a binge-watching champ.
S Pen & Note-Taking: Handy, But Basic
The Tab S10 FE+ comes with an S Pen in the box, which is a win, considering most other brands make you buy it separately. That said, this is the non-Bluetooth version, so no Air Actions or remote shutter tricks.
Still, it works great for:
Writing notes in Samsung Notes
Annotating PDFs or slides
Casual sketching or journaling
Math Solver (auto-calculates equations)
There's even handwriting-to-text and AI-powered handwriting “neatening,” which works decently if your writing’s messy. The pen itself has low latency and is responsive, though artists or power users might miss the extra features of the more advanced S Pens.
Verdict: Good enough for most users — students, teachers, office workers, creatives etc
Performance: Solid Mid-Range Power
Under the hood, you get Samsung’s Exynos 1580 chip, which is the same one with the Samsung Galaxy A56, paired with up to 12GB RAM and up to 256GB of storage. The good thing is that it’s expandable with microSD up to 2TB so you will not need to worry about storage issues or data transferring in future upgrades. In daily use, performance is snappy. Apps open quickly, multitasking is smooth, and even light gaming like Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail ran without major hiccups.
I used it for:
Google Docs and Drive work
Meta Business Suite, Gmail, YouTube, and Spotify in the background
Playing Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail
The performance is more than enough for students, casual users, and light prosumers. You’ll only notice limits if you're pushing heavier creative work or jumping between very demanding apps.
Verdict: Great balance of performance and efficiency for its class.
DeX Mode & Keyboard: Laptop Replacement?
Samsung’s DeX mode turns the tablet UI into a more desktop-like interface, and with the ITFIT Book Cover Keyboard (sold separately), it’s a surprisingly capable setup, but don't expect perfection. Good news is that currently there is still promotion ongoing and you can get the Bluetooth Book Cover Keyboard for free, as long as you purchase it by 15th June.
Typing feels good, the trackpad is responsive, and for basic tasks like writing, emails, research etc, it’s a genuine laptop alternative. The keyboard pad is magnetic so its removable for more convenience when you need to use it for presentation or in tablet form. For students or casual WFH folks, it might be “good enough” for light productivity. For power users, if you're thinking of ditching your laptop entirely, I'd say… not yet. The fact that the keyboard has only, and only Bluetooth connection, means that you will need to take care of the charging separately. Also the keyboard and book cover all in together are actually quite heavy, i would say, which further makes it feels like you’re carrying a laptop.
Verdict: Keyboard is slightly heavy, and DeX needs some polishing.
Camera: Just Enough to Get By
Rear: 13MP
Front: 12MP ultrawide
The rear camera produces decent colours and sharpness in good lighting, good enough for casual shots or document scanning. Don’t expect mobile-level photography, but for a tablet, it's not bad.
The front camera works for video calls, but it has a wide angle that can make you look distant, but it's great for group calls, but not very flattering for selfies, maybe enough for your ID verification.
Verdict: Cameras are functional — that’s about it.
Scanning documents, irrelevant areas are auto cropped out
Battery Life: Excellent for Daily Use
Samsung packed a huge 10,900mAh battery here, and it lives up to expectations. In my testing, I got 7+ hours of mixed use (editing, streaming, Google Docs and all kind of productivity apps) and I still have 25% battery left after a full workday.
It also supports 45W fast charging, provided you have the right charger (not included in box). Being able to hit ~60% in under an hour, you’ll definitely appreciate this if you're always out and about, though you would need to have a compatible charger and cable as well to trigger Samsung's fast charging feature
Verdict: All-day battery life is one of its biggest strengths.
Extras & AI Features
Face unlock & fingerprint scanner: Handy combo, though face unlock struggles in low light.
Samsung Knox: Adds extra security for enterprise or business use.
AI tools: Circle to Search, Note Assist, Object Eraser, and Math Solver. Cool in concept, a bit hit-and-miss in practice. Some feel gimmicky, but others (like handwriting cleanup or quick Google search by circling) can be genuinely useful.
Verdict: Nice-to-have features, but don’t buy the tablet just for the AI.
Final Verdict: A Well-Rounded Big Screen Tablet With Room to Improve
If you're in Malaysia and shopping for a reliable big-screen Android tablet that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ nails a lot of the basics. It gives you a big, sharp display, excellent battery life, strong multimedia capabilities, and just enough performance to handle most people’s daily needs. It’s also cheaper than Apple's big-screen offerings, and throws in an S Pen — a nice bonus.
That said, it’s not for everyone. If portability is your top priority, the size might be overkill. And if you’re a hardcore multitasker or creative pro, the limitations of DeX and the basic S Pen might leave you wanting more. But overall, this is a well-balanced tablet that makes sense for students, casual creators, or anyone who wants a mini workstation without going full laptop.
Pricing & Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ is currently priced at RM2,799 for the Wi-Fi model and RM3,149 for the 5G model. It comes with a free ITFIT Book Cover Keyboard worth RM499 as long as you purchase it by 15 June. For more information, visit Samsung's official product website.
