Apple iPad Air M3 11" vs Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+
Apple iPad Air M3 11" (#4) vs Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ (#5): in our Performance Tablets scoring the Apple iPad Air M3 11" totals 8.8/10 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ 8.2/10, the Apple iPad Air M3 11" leading on CPU Performance and GPU Performance and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ on RAM & Storage.
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Side by side
| Apple iPad Air M3 11" | Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $599 | $999 |
| Display | 11" Liquid Retina LCD, 2360×1640, 60Hz | 12.4" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2800×1752, 120Hz |
| Processor | M3 (8-core CPU, 10-core GPU) | MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ |
| RAM | 8GB | 12GB |
| Storage | 128GB-1TB | 256GB/512GB + microSD |
| Battery | 10 hours | 10,090mAh |
| Weight | 461g | 571g |
How they differ in real use
Built from our best performance tablets scoring, each product's published specifications, and verified owner feedback — not hands-on testing.
Both the Apple iPad Air M3 11" and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ made our Top 5 Performance Tablets, at #4 and #5. Mid-tier champion with M3 chip handling 95% of Pro tasks. $400 less than iPad Pro 11" with Pro-level performance for most users. Best Android performance (excluding OnePlus) with Dimensity 9300+ and 12GB RAM. Smooth One UI, exceptional multitasking with DeX.
We score performance tablets on CPU Performance (30%), GPU Performance (30%), RAM & Storage (20%), Sustained Performance (10%) and Value (10%). On that basis the Apple iPad Air M3 11" totals 8.8 out of 10 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ 8.2. The widest gap is CPU Performance, where the Apple iPad Air M3 11" scores 9 against 8 for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ — benchmarks. GPU Performance also separates them: 9 for the Apple iPad Air M3 11" versus 8 for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ claws back ground on RAM & Storage.
On paper, the specifications that actually differ: Display — 11" Liquid Retina LCD, 2360×1640, 60Hz on the Apple iPad Air M3 11" versus 12.4" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2800×1752, 120Hz on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+; Processor — M3 (8-core CPU, 10-core GPU) on the Apple iPad Air M3 11" versus MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+; RAM — 8GB on the Apple iPad Air M3 11" versus 12GB on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+; Storage — 128GB-1TB on the Apple iPad Air M3 11" versus 256GB/512GB + microSD on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+; Battery — 10 hours on the Apple iPad Air M3 11" versus 10,090mAh on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+; Weight — 461g on the Apple iPad Air M3 11" versus 571g on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+.
Pricing as of July 29, 2026: $599 for the Apple iPad Air M3 11" and $999 for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+, a $400 difference in the Apple iPad Air M3 11"'s favor. Owners praise the Apple iPad Air M3 11" for M3 chip proven performance and lighter than Pro; the most common complaint is 60Hz display dated. Owners praise the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ for 12.4" sweet spot size and s Pen included ($100+ value); the most common complaint is mediaTek trails Snapdragon.
Apple iPad Air M3 11"
- M3 chip proven performance
- Lighter than Pro
- Magic Keyboard compatible
- Apple Pencil Pro support
- 60Hz display dated
- No OLED option
- 8GB RAM limit
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+
- 12.4" sweet spot size
- S Pen included ($100+ value)
- IP68 water resistant
- microSD expansion
- MediaTek trails Snapdragon
- No cellular in some markets
- Not as bright as iPad Pro
Which should you buy?
The Apple iPad Air M3 11" is the better fit for pro-level performance savings and magic Keyboard users — it is the higher-scoring pick here, chiefly for CPU Performance and GPU Performance. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ is the better fit for android premium buyers and s Pen users, and the stronger choice if RAM & Storage matters more to you than the overall score. Since the Apple iPad Air M3 11" is both the higher scorer and $400 cheaper, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ only makes sense for android premium buyers. The Apple iPad Air M3 11" is a poor fit for 120Hz priority; the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ is a poor fit for max brightness needs.
Choose the Apple iPad Air M3 11" if
- Pro-level performance savings
- Magic Keyboard users
- Apple Pencil Pro users
Skip it if
- 120Hz priority
- OLED needs
Choose the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ if
- Android premium buyers
- S Pen users
- Balanced size needs
Skip it if
- Max brightness needs
- Gaming performance
Common questions
Is the Apple iPad Air M3 11" better than the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+?
In our Performance Tablets ranking the Apple iPad Air M3 11" scores higher overall, 8.8 to 8.2, with the biggest advantage in CPU Performance. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ is stronger on RAM & Storage, so it is the better pick if that matters most to you.
How much more does the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ cost than the Apple iPad Air M3 11"?
$400 more as of July 29, 2026: $999 for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ against $599 for the Apple iPad Air M3 11". Prices move, so the merchant page shows the current figure.
What is the main difference between the Apple iPad Air M3 11" and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+?
The headline spec difference is Display: 11" Liquid Retina LCD, 2360×1640, 60Hz on the Apple iPad Air M3 11" versus 12.4" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2800×1752, 120Hz on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+. In use, the gap that matters most is CPU Performance (9 vs 8 in our scoring): benchmarks.