Today I’d like to share my impressions of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra as a tablet for artists.

Before this, I had already owned tablets from this lineup many years ago. I also had an iPad Pro 11 M1. I never liked Apple’s stylus. Although I had no other complaints about the device, from a performance standpoint it is a very good machine.

Because of that, choosing a new tablet took me a very long time. My main requirement was being able to work on it while traveling. I’m not expecting a full replacement for a PC—maybe that will never really happen, even though for some people a tablet is their main work tool. I was more focused on preparing work for the computer: gathering references, creating a rough 3D base, sketching ideas to show to a client, and doing all of this without sitting at my usual workstation.

So why did I choose Samsung, even after a new Wacom tablet came out? Because Samsung has a huge ecosystem of accessories. When traveling, I want to be confident about the safety of my tablet, especially with such a large screen. That’s why I always buy reinforced protective cases. There’s also great availability of screen films or glass protectors, replacement nibs, and spare stylus tips. Although, to be fair, Wacom probably wouldn’t have had issues with that either. I also wanted to be sure about long-term device support. Wacom doesn’t promise system support, and based on my past experience with their drivers, I had serious doubts about future compatibility.

Why didn’t I choose an Apple tablet? First and foremost, because of the pen. I hated the original Apple Pencil—and the stylus is the main reason to buy a tablet in the first place. After buying Samsung, I didn’t regret it. The stock stylus (which, by the way, comes included with the tablet) is very good. It feels better than the iPad stylus and doesn’t require charging. And after purchasing a compatible Wacom One stylus for about $40, working on the Samsung tablet feels the same as using a professional desktop graphics tablet or a pen display.

Yes, Android has a slightly smaller selection of apps compared to iOS. But I bought a Clip Studio license, and it can be considered a full replacement for Photoshop. It handles large files with many layers perfectly well. And most importantly for me, I can use the same brushes as on my desktop computer in Photoshop.

I also tried 3D work in Nomad. It allows working with models of up to 10 million polygons without noticeable lag, which is more than enough for a mobile device.

I also really like DeX mode, where you can move windows around almost like on a regular computer.

Yes, this tablet is practically impossible to use while holding it in the air because of its size. But on your lap, resting on a table, or lying on a bed, it’s perfect. And as a nice bonus, it supports microSD cards, so you don’t have to pay the price of a second tablet just to expand storage.

Additionally, using the SuperDisplay app, you can connect it as a second screen to a computer. This allows you to use it like a regular graphics tablet, with pen pressure sensitivity in standard programs. There is a slight lag over Wi-Fi, but it doesn’t bother me when sketching. Working on a full illustration might be problematic, though. In the future, I plan to try a wired connection and possibly update this review.

Overall, if I had to choose again between Apple, Wacom, or Samsung, I would choose Samsung. Even despite Apple’s higher raw performance. I simply wouldn’t be able to fully use that power due to the limitations of the device and the design of the stylus.