The Galaxy Tab S9, Samsung's flagship tablet lineup for 2023, was officially unveiled at the Galaxy Unpacked event in Korea, alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 5, Galaxy Z Flip 5, and the Galaxy Watch 6. Similar to the Galaxy Tab S8 series, you get to choose between three models: the 11-inch Galaxy Tab S9, the 12.4-inch Tab S9+, and the 14.6-inch Tab S9 Ultra.
Months before the Galaxy Tab S9 was announced, we exclusively reported that it will be Samsung's first water and dust-resistant flagship tablet. And now, it is official. The Galaxy Tab S9, Tab S9+, and Tab S9 Ultra have an IP68 certification (even better than IP67), which gives them the same level of water and dust resistance that we find on Samsung's flagship smartphones these days.
Water-resistant Galaxy tablets have been a long time coming
A tablet with an IP68 certification will be able to survive in fresh water at a depth of 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes without sustaining damage and is fully protected from dust, which means you will be able to take it to the beach or use it near a swimming pool without worry.
And, of course, the IP68 rating should give users peace of mind when leaving their tablets on the table. There's no need to worry about accidental water spills damaging the Galaxy Tab S9 series tablets.
Active-branded rugged tablets have had IP ratings for a while now. But for years, we've hoped that Samsung would bring dust and (especially) water resistance to its non-rugged tablets, and this is like a dream come true. The IP68 rating hopefully won't remain exclusive to flagship tablet models, but time will tell. Nevertheless, this is a good start, and the upgrade reinforces Samsung's commitment to the Android tablet segment.
The Galaxy Tab S9 lineup is available for pre-order and will go on sale on August 11. In select markets, pre-order bonuses include a free Slim Book Cover Keyboard worth $199.
