The new Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE is looking to be the best value-for-money tablet on the market today and I’m excited to finally get my hands on one to review. Being an FE model, Samsung has shaved off certain features from their standard Tab S9 range, but they’ve shaved the right things. Like they did with the Tab S6 Lite. For digital artists in need of an affordable standalone device, this tablet checks all the boxes. Let’s dive in.
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The highlights
- Excellent price
- S Pen is included
- Second Screen feature
General specs
Tablet size: 254.3 x 165.8 x 6.5 mm / 10.01 x 6.53 x 0.26 in
Weight: 524g / 1.15lb
Display: IPS LCD 90Hz
Display Res: 1140 x 2304 (16:10 ratio)
Memory: 128GB with 6GB RAM / 256GM with 8GB RAM
Camera: 8MP (main), 12MP (front)
USB: 2.0 so no video output
Find the full Tab S9FE specs sheet over on GSMArena.
The Tablet
Coming in at slightly larger than an A5 page, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9FE is the perfect size for an on-the-go digital sketchbook.
Along one side you have the unlock button/fingerprint reader and volume buttons. The volume buttons in some apps (like Infinite Painter) can be used for different functions such as undo/redo or adjusting brush sizes. Just next to that is where your S Pen will magnetically snap to to the tablet when not in use.
Instead of snapping to the side, you can set your pen below the 8MP rear camera where the magnet seems stronger.
The 12MP front camera is set in the middle of the bezel on the same side as the volume buttons, as well as the AKG-tuned speakers on either side.
The display
The Galaxy Tab S9 FE has a 10.9″ IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1140 x 2304 pixels and 90Hz refresh rate. I have no complaints about this display for drawing. The images are clear and crisp. It is all a step up from the Tab S6 Lite (which I really liked), but is not quite the level of the standard Tab S9 model, of course.
The S pen
The S Pen that comes with the S9 FE and S9 FE Plus does not have a battery. This means you don’t get the Bluetooth features available in the standard Tab S9 S Pen models, but these aren’t a necessity at all.
There is a button along the side of the S pen which can often be programmed to different functions in various digital art apps. In Infinite Painter for example, I have this set to my eyedropper for fast colour-picking.
There are some good alternatives to the S Pen as well such as the Wacom One stylus, Staedtler Noris Digital, or the Lamy AL-star EMR stylus. All of these have Wacom’s EMR technology inside.
Line quality and drawing with the pen
As always with the S Pen, you can expect great line quality in your drawing app of choice. You get a solid range of pressure sensitivity (4k levels) and also tilt recognition. I was easily able to draw lines with varied weight so I’m happy with the pressure response.
The pen has a rubberized nib so there is some more resistance than you’d get with plastic on smooth glass for example. There is no need to get a matte protector or Paperlike-equivalent to give your screen a little bit of texture for drawing.
The palm rejection seems really good too and I didn’t get any accidental marks or unintended panning of my canvases as I drew.
Recommended apps
Android apps for drawing and painting have come a long way and there is no shortage of good options for your new Galaxy Tab.
My personal favourite app for Android is Infinite Painter, which has a wide variety of of textured, painterly brushes, as well as a strong brush engine for you to create your own. With the Tab S9 FE, you can expect to get about 25 layers for an A2 canvas at 240 DPI. I normally don’t go over about 10 layers at any given time on my paintings, so I can’t say yet how well the device would perform with 20+ large and detailed layers. (I’ll be sure to explore that and update).
There is also Clip Studio Paint, a hugely popular option. If you have a computer with Clip Studio Paint as well, you can easily shift things over between computer and tablet thanks to it’s cloud services.
For free drawing apps, take a look at Sketchbook and Artflow.
Versatility
It may be an obvious thing to say, but this can be used for much more than just drawing. During my review of the Galaxy Tab S9 FE, I could comfortably watch tutorials and consume content, or take notes, and hunt for inspiration. The 10.9″ display, though small, does offer some room to split-screen the apps. So, you can watch videos on YouTube while you type up a new blog post, or have your reference images up on one side while sketching out some ideas when inspiration strikes.
Together with a stand and wireless keyboard, you could use this as a light-weight computer. Or better yet, as an extension to your main computer.
Using as a drawing tablet or second screen
Samsung’s Second Screen feature will let you cast and extend your Windows display. You can even use this to turn your Galaxy Tab into a drawing tablet. I was actually pleasantly surprised by how responsive this is and will definitely test it further.
Being able to use a tablet as an additional display for my laptop while I travel has been really helpful for my overall productivity. So, I’m glad that this option is available and seems to work really well. You will need to download the Second Screen application from the Microsoft app store though.
There are a couple of other apps out there that enable this like EasyCanvas or SuperDisplay which offer a certain degree of customizability.
Recommended Accessories for the Tab S9FE
If you want to step up your game with the Tab S9, then there are some accessories you might want to consider:
- Tablet stand – to get a better drawing angle, elevate for better extended display or mini computer configuration;
- Drawing glove – for smoother hand movement over the display while drawing. Especially useful in warmer climates;
- Wireless keyboard – to access keyboard shortcuts in certain apps or for much easier typing.
Who is it for?
Beginner digital artists with no computer, looking for an affordable standalone tablet option;
More experienced artists who want an affordable on-the-go digital sketchbook.
Who is it not for?
I would not recommend this for professionals looking to use a tablet for their entire high-res workflow. For that I suggest checking out one of the higher-spec Tab S9 models or an iPad Pro. Animators and sculptors will also want to consider a stronger device.
Buy it…
The Galaxy Tab S9 FE offers great value at it’s price for digital artists. Considering that the S Pen comes included, it’s pricing makes it a pretty decent competitor against the latest base iPad model. It’s no slacker when there is drawing to be done, and at this size, it’s comfortable to take out on the go with you. So far, I see no reason not to recommend this tablet.
If you like what you see, you can buy the Galaxy Tab S9 FE on Amazon
For beginners with a tighter budget, consider the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2022) instead.
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