Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 release date rumors, price, news and leaks

We're hearing a slow and steady drip of Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 leaks, and it's starting to sound like one of the best Android tablets we've seen - or we could say 'they' are, as it sounds like there will be a Plus, Lite and Ultra version of the slate too.

Initially, we thought the new family of slates would launch in August - that would be a year after the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 and Galaxy Tab S7 Plus dropped - but with that month in the rear-view mirror, our sights are set on January and beyond.

These tablets could be rivals to Apple's top iPad Pro slates, especially the Plus and Ultra versions with their giant screens and top processors - that is, if the rumors are correct about all the specs.

Below then you’ll find a list of the main things we want from Samsung’s next top tablets, but before that we’ve included details on the likely release date and price, along with the leaks and rumors that are starting to build up – and we'll be updating this article whenever we hear anything new, so check back regularly.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8: cut to the chase

What is it? The next premium Samsung tablet
When is it out? Possibly early 2022
How much will it cost? We don't know, but it's sure to be expensive

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 release date and price

One release date rumor points to early 2022 for the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8. That's in line with another more recent rumor, which suggested the range would land alongside the Samsung Galaxy S22, which we're expecting in or around January. Another source has also now said the same.

Some rumors suggested the tablets would come in August 2021, a year after their predecessors, but time disproved those notions.

As for the price, there’s no news there, but the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 started at $649.99 / £619 / AU$1,149, while the pricier Galaxy Tab S7 Plus started at $849.99 / £799 / AU$1,549, so prices may be similar for the next model. If anything though the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 range might cost more, since the trend is for prices to rise.

Design and display

The first major Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 leak to get our attention reveals plenty about the upcoming slate, which will apparently be available in 11-inch, 12.4-inch and 14.6-inch variations – with that last one a huge addition to the line.

According to one leak, the Ultra's 14.6-inch screen will have a 2960 x 1848 resolution, and it might have 6.3mm thick bezels.

And here comes your very first look at the #Samsung #GalaxyTabS8! (360° video + gorgeous 5K renders + dimensions)On behalf of @ZoutonUS -> https://t.co/0b2b38mFKD pic.twitter.com/FJRIvaoYeZOctober 22, 2021

We've now seen a few unofficial renders leak, to give us an idea of what the Tab S8 series will actually look like: you can check out renders of the Galaxy Tab S8 and Tab S8 Plus, and the new Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra (which may come with a display notch).

And, following my #Samsung #GalaxyTabS8 leak, now comes your very first look at the MASSIVE #GalaxyTabS8Ultra! (360° video + stunning 5K renders + dimensions)On behalf of my Friends over @91mobiles -> https://t.co/jEPtgn1jvc pic.twitter.com/iCmZuSdvWEOctober 23, 2021

That notch rumor has been further evidenced in a leak from Evleaks that includes more imagery of the upcoming tablets. You can see each of these below:

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8, S8 Plus, and S8 Ultra. pic.twitter.com/tQZNW30Dn1December 6, 2021

On top of the leaked renders, we've even now seen photos of the Galaxy Tab S8 range, including the Tab S8 itself, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus.

These come from a certification listing, and are likely accurate - though they don't reveal a huge amount, as you can see below.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 (SM-X706N), Tab S8+ (SM-X806N), Tab S8 Ultra (SM-X906N) and SM-T270 live images. pic.twitter.com/nCKfp2a2YkJanuary 5, 2022

There's also expected to be a Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Lite, but we've yet to hear anything about the design of this tablet. We'd expect it to have a similar size screen to the Galaxy Tab S8, or perhaps a touch smaller.

We've now heard about colors too, with the Galaxy Tab S8, Tab S8 Plus and Tab S8 Ultra all apparently coming in a Dark Gray shade, while the two cheaper models will apparently additionally be available in silver. Elsewhere, we've heard that the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra will be 208.6 x 326.4 x 5.5mm - so very slim.

Specs and features

Specs-wise, the tablets are said to top out at 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage for the largest model according to most leaks, though the latest leaks says to expect up to 16GB of RAM, while 5G variants will also likely be available.

All three models are being tipped to have dual-lens 13MP+5MP cameras on the back, along with an 8MP camera on the front (though the Tab S8 Ultra apparently also has a 5MP ultra-wide lens on the front).

Though there's some disagreement there, with another leak saying the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra has a 6MP secondary camera on the back, and a pair of 12MP ones up front.

One of these leaks also points to an 8,000mAh battery in the standard Galaxy Tab S8, a 10,090mAh one in the Tab S8 Plus, and a 12,000mAh one in the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra.

That's slightly at odds with another leak though, which agrees on the size of the battery in the Galaxy Tab S8 Plus, but suggests the Ultra model has an 11,500mAh one, and subsequent leaks have backed this up. Though we've also now heard mention of just an 11,200mAh battery in the top model, so this spec is unclear.

As for the chipset, one leak points to the Exynos 2200 being used in the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 being used in the Galaxy Tab S8 Plus. These are expected to be the two speediest Android chipsets of early 2022.

That said, we've elsewhere heard that all three models might use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset. Additionally, the three slates might support 45W charging, which is reasonably speedy.

We've also heard about the software, with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra (and probably the rest of the range) apparently running Android 12, overlaid with Samsung's One UI 4.1. This is said to have new features like an Extra Dim mode and a dedicated Samsung Health app.

What we want to see

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 and particularly the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus are excellent slates, with the latter topping our best Android tablets list, but they’re not perfect. Here’s what Samsung can do to make the Tab S8 even better.

1. More ports

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 is almost a laptop, especially once you add the optional keyboard accessory, but it has just one USB-C port, which limits its versatility a bit.

So for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 we’d like to see a second port added, and ideally also a 3.5mm headphone port. Tablets don’t need to be as slim and compact as phones, so we reckon the usefulness of having such a port is greater than the space saved by removing it.

2. A competitive price

The Galaxy Tab S range is positioned at the high end of the market, so these slates are always going to be expensive, but we noted in our Tab S7 review that the price is a bit too high really, so we’d like to see that addressed for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 range.

We’re not convinced the price will go down, but stranger things have happened, so we’ve got our fingers crossed.

3. A backlit keyboard cover

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus — The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7's keyboard isn't backlit (Image credit: Future)

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 supports an optional keyboard cover, one which is generally pretty good, but the fact that the keys aren’t backlit means it’s hard to use in the dark.

It’s a small thing but one that could make a big difference to some people, so we’d like the keyboard cover for the Galaxy Tab S8 to have backlit keys.

4. An OLED screen on all models

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus has an OLED screen, but the basic Tab S7 is lumbered with an inferior LCD one, so for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 we want to see OLED on both models.

With more and more companies offering OLED screens on their devices and Apple now offering them on almost every iPhone, we think it’s reasonable for even the most basic slates in Samsung’s flagship tablet range to use OLED too.

Plus, while Apple has embraced OLED on its phones, the iPad range actually still uses LCD, so this is one way in which the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 could stand out.

5. A fingerprint-resistant back

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 and Tab S7 Plus have an aluminum back and a premium look and feel, but one thing that spoils the look somewhat is how prone to picking up fingerprints they are, as we noted in our review.

This is a problem faced by many phones and tablets, but it’s one that we’d like Samsung to try and solve for the Galaxy Tab S8, especially as tablets don’t get covered up by cases as frequently as phones, so we want a back that stays pristine.