Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Neither tablet is a dependable laptop replacement for every kind of work. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra is the more natural choice if you want a very large Android screen and a DeX desktop-style workspace; the 2025 iPad Pro with M5 is a stronger fit when the apps and creative workflows you rely on are best supported on iPadOS. Before choosing either, check that your actual apps, files, peripherals, and work tools function on the tablet—not just on a desktop computer.
Which tablet is better for replacing a laptop?
Choose by workload, not by the promise of a desktop-like interface. Samsung announced the Galaxy Tab S12 series on September 30, 2026; Apple’s current comparison point in the available official product material is the iPad Pro with M5, introduced in 2025. Both offer features intended to make multitasking more capable, but neither turns mobile apps into their desktop counterparts.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
- Choose the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra if you want Android, a 14.6-inch screen, and Samsung DeX’s PC-like workspace approach, especially for browser-based work, documents, calls, and note-taking.
- Choose an iPad Pro M5 if the iPadOS versions of your essential apps and your existing Apple or creative workflow are the deciding factors. It comes in 11-inch and 13-inch sizes and runs iPadOS 26.
- Keep a laptop in the plan if your work depends on desktop-only software, extensions, drivers, or tools that you have not confirmed work on Android or iPadOS.
Tom’s Guide has assessed the Tab S12 Ultra as capable of replacing a laptop for email, web work, video calls, note-taking, documents, and light multitasking, particularly with a keyboard and DeX, while noting limitations in Android app versions and the DeX/keyboard experience. That is the publication’s assessment, not a comparative test of both tablets here.
What are the key differences?
| Factor | Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra | Apple iPad Pro with M5 |
|---|---|---|
| Current model reference | Announced September 30, 2026; Samsung product material highlights the Ultra. | Introduced in 2025; available in 11-inch and 13-inch sizes. |
| Display size | 14.6 inches, according to Samsung Electronics. | 11 inches or 13 inches, according to Apple. |
| Multitasking approach | Samsung DeX; Samsung’s UK product specification describes up to four workspaces. | iPadOS 26 windowing system. |
| Keyboard options | Optional Pro Keyboard with trackpad; Samsung also identifies Book Cover Keyboard Slim as an S12-series accessory. Verify Ultra compatibility and features against the listing for your region. | Optional Magic Keyboard; confirm that the model fits the exact iPad Pro size and generation. |
| External display details established here | A complete matched external-display specification is not stated in the Samsung material described here. | Apple’s 11-inch M5 technical page lists Thunderbolt/USB 4 and one external display up to 6K at 60Hz or 5K at 120Hz. Check the matching 13-inch technical page before applying those limits to that model. |
| Comparable current US price, including keyboard | Not stated in the cited Samsung material. | Not stated in the cited Apple material. |
Will your apps and work files run?
This is the first compatibility question to settle. DeX and iPadOS 26 windowing can help organize multiple apps, but neither feature guarantees that a desktop application, browser extension, or company tool is available or works the same way on a tablet. A mobile app with the same name may lack desktop features.
#1 Best Overall
- WHY IPAD PRO — iPad Pro with the Apple M5 chip delivers extraordinary performance for effortless productivity on a stunning display. Take on pro workflows with Neural Accelerators for AI and a redesigned iPadOS with game-changing capabilities.*
- PERFORMANCE AND STORAGE — iPad Pro with M5 brings next-generation speed and the power of on-device AI to all your tasks.* Featuring up to 2TB of storage, 16GB of memory, and Neural Accelerators for next-level AI performance.*
- IPADOS — Run pro apps and get more done with iPadOS 26 with Liquid Glass design and game-changing capabilities.* With an intuitive and flexible windowing system, you can control, organize, and manage your workflows like never before.
- APPLE INTELLIGENCE — Apple Intelligence is the personal intelligence system that helps you communicate, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly with groundbreaking privacy protections at every step.*
- 13-INCH ULTRA RETINA XDR DISPLAY — The world’s most advanced display, featuring extreme brightness, precise contrast, ProMotion, P3 wide color, and True Tone.* Nano-texture display glass available in 1TB and 2TB configurations
Check your apps before choosing
- List required apps and confirm the exact Android or iPadOS version supports the features you use.
- Check browser extensions and web services, including any desktop-only functions.
- Test the file formats you exchange with colleagues and verify that formatting, comments, and collaboration features behave as needed.
- Confirm VPN access, employer security tools, peripheral drivers, and any required sign-in or device-management software.
- Check the specific mouse, storage device, monitor, or other peripheral you expect to attach.
If even one essential item is unavailable or materially limited, a desktop-style interface will not solve that gap. Check with your employer or software provider where compatibility is unclear.
How do DeX and iPadOS 26 handle desk work?
Samsung DeX
Samsung describes DeX as a PC-like desktop and its UK product specification says it supports up to four workspaces. This makes it a relevant option for people who prefer a desktop-style way to arrange Android apps. The four-workspace figure is a stated feature on Samsung’s UK page, not an independent productivity result.
Rank #2
- WHY IPAD PRO — iPad Pro with the Apple M5 chip delivers extraordinary performance for effortless productivity on a stunning display. Take on pro workflows with Neural Accelerators for AI and a redesigned iPadOS with game-changing capabilities.*
- PERFORMANCE AND STORAGE — iPad Pro with M5 brings next-generation speed and the power of on-device AI to all your tasks.* Featuring up to 2TB of storage, 16GB of memory, and Neural Accelerators for next-level AI performance.*
- IPADOS — Run pro apps and get more done with iPadOS 26 with Liquid Glass design and game-changing capabilities.* With an intuitive and flexible windowing system, you can control, organize, and manage your workflows like never before.
- APPLE INTELLIGENCE — Apple Intelligence is the personal intelligence system that helps you communicate, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly with groundbreaking privacy protections at every step.*
- 11-INCH ULTRA RETINA XDR DISPLAY — The world’s most advanced display, featuring extreme brightness, precise contrast, ProMotion, P3 wide color, and True Tone.* Nano-texture display glass available in 1TB and 2TB configurations
iPadOS 26
Apple describes a new windowing system in iPadOS 26 and support for external displays. That may suit users whose iPad apps and workflows already meet their needs. It is not evidence that the iPad Pro runs macOS or desktop versions of iPad apps.
These are distinct tablet operating-system designs, not proof that either tablet is equivalent to a Windows or macOS laptop. Decide based on the apps and windowing behavior you need.
Rank #3
- WHY IPAD PRO — iPad Pro with the Apple M5 chip delivers extraordinary performance for effortless productivity on a stunning display. Take on pro workflows with Neural Accelerators for AI and a redesigned iPadOS with game-changing capabilities.*
- PERFORMANCE AND STORAGE — iPad Pro with M5 brings next-generation speed and the power of on-device AI to all your tasks.* Featuring up to 2TB of storage, 16GB of memory, and Neural Accelerators for next-level AI performance.*
- IPADOS — Run pro apps and get more done with iPadOS 26 with Liquid Glass design and game-changing capabilities.* With an intuitive and flexible windowing system, you can control, organize, and manage your workflows like never before.
- APPLE INTELLIGENCE — Apple Intelligence is the personal intelligence system that helps you communicate, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly with groundbreaking privacy protections at every step.*
- 13-INCH ULTRA RETINA XDR DISPLAY — The world’s most advanced display, featuring extreme brightness, precise contrast, ProMotion, P3 wide color, and True Tone.* Nano-texture display glass available in 1TB and 2TB configurations
Which screen size and keyboard setup suits your work?
Screen and portability
The Tab S12 Ultra’s 14.6-inch display gives split-screen work more physical screen area than either listed iPad Pro size. The 11-inch iPad Pro is the more compact option; the 13-inch model falls between the two by diagonal size. These are size-based comparisons, not measurements of comfort, portability, or work speed. Samsung describes the Ultra as 5.1 mm thick and its thinnest Galaxy Tab; that is a manufacturer specification, not a measure of the full keyboard-equipped setup.
Keyboard and trackpad
Samsung offers the optional Pro Keyboard with trackpad as well as the Book Cover Keyboard Slim. Apple’s optional keyboard is Magic Keyboard. The official product information cited here does not establish that one is objectively better for typing or pointing. If possible, compare the exact accessories for key feel, trackpad, viewing-angle range, protection, and the weight of the complete setup. Include the keyboard in your budget rather than judging the tablet alone.
Rank #4
- WHY IPAD PRO — iPad Pro with the Apple M5 chip delivers extraordinary performance for effortless productivity on a stunning display. Take on pro workflows with Neural Accelerators for AI and a redesigned iPadOS with game-changing capabilities.*
- PERFORMANCE AND STORAGE — iPad Pro with M5 brings next-generation speed and the power of on-device AI to all your tasks.* Featuring up to 2TB of storage, 16GB of memory, and Neural Accelerators for next-level AI performance.*
- IPADOS — Run pro apps and get more done with iPadOS 26 with Liquid Glass design and game-changing capabilities.* With an intuitive and flexible windowing system, you can control, organize, and manage your workflows like never before.
- APPLE INTELLIGENCE — Apple Intelligence is the personal intelligence system that helps you communicate, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly with groundbreaking privacy protections at every step.*
- 11-INCH ULTRA RETINA XDR DISPLAY — The world’s most advanced display, featuring extreme brightness, precise contrast, ProMotion, P3 wide color, and True Tone.* Nano-texture display glass available in 1TB and 2TB configurations
Apple Pencil Pro is an optional handwriting and drawing accessory, not a way to address desktop-app compatibility. For either tablet, a USB-C or Thunderbolt hub or adapter may be needed for a particular monitor or peripheral; confirm support for the exact tablet, port, display resolution, and refresh rate before buying one.
What should you check before setting up an external display?
Apple’s 11-inch M5 iPad Pro technical page specifies Thunderbolt/USB 4 and one external display up to 6K at 60Hz or 5K at 120Hz. Apple’s launch material describes external-display support up to 120Hz, but the detailed figures above are specifically from the 11-inch technical page; do not assume every figure applies identically to the 13-inch model without checking its matching specifications.
The Samsung material establishes DeX’s desktop-style positioning, but not a complete matched external-display matrix for the S12 Ultra. Before relying on either tablet as a desk setup, verify the monitor’s resolution and refresh rate, the tablet’s supported output, the hub or adapter, and every attached peripheral. A USB-C-shaped port alone does not establish the display configuration you need.
How should you compare the total cost?
The cited official material does not establish comparable current US prices, storage-tier totals, a complete release-to-delivery schedule, or the full cost of either tablet-and-keyboard setup. Do not infer a price winner from it. Compare live listings in the same market and for the capacities you would actually buy, adding the correct keyboard and any required hub or adapter. Check accessory compatibility for the exact tablet size, generation, and region before treating a bundle as comparable.
Quick Recap
Who should choose each tablet?
Choose the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra if
- Your essential apps are available and capable on Android.
- You want Samsung DeX’s desktop-style workspace and a very large tablet display.
- Your planned keyboard, monitor, and peripherals have been confirmed to work with the exact model.
Choose the iPad Pro M5 if
- Your required apps or creative workflow are strongest on iPadOS.
- You want a choice between 11-inch and 13-inch sizes.
- The windowing and external-display capabilities meet your needs after checking the technical specifications for your particular size.
Keep a laptop if
- Your must-have programs, extensions, files, employer tools, or drivers require desktop operating systems.
- You cannot verify the tablet version of a critical app or the peripherals your work depends on.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
