iPad Air M4 vs Galaxy Tab S11: LCD against AMOLED, Pencil against S Pen

At list price, I'd buy the iPad Air. It costs $749 against $999.99 for the Tab S11, and that gap is the reason I'd start with the iPad. If the screen is the thing you'll stare at all day, the Samsung is the better panel on paper.

I haven't used either. The specs below come from the makers' pages and a Smartprix spec listing, which I read on November 1, 2026. The 7.7 and the pick are my opinion.

Screen: the real difference

The Tab S11 has a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel at 2560 x 1600 and 120 Hz, per Samsung and the Smartprix listing. The iPad Air uses an LCD that Apple calls Liquid Retina, 2360 x 1640 at 264 pixels per inch, with 500 nits. Apple's spec sheet doesn't list a 120 Hz mode, and I found no source that states the iPad Air's refresh rate, so I won't put a number on it.

What does that mean in practice? AMOLED shows deeper blacks, so video and comics look better in a dark room. A 120 Hz refresh makes scrolling and pen strokes feel smoother. I'd notice the refresh rate more than the resolution.

Pen

The S Pen comes with the Tab S11 (S Pen included). The iPad Air supports Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil (USB-C). Apple's spec sheet lists no Pencil in the box. I haven't confirmed what Apple charges for either Pencil, so I won't put a number on the extra cost.

If you draw or take handwritten notes, that matters. See the best tablets for drawing and note-taking for how the pen and the apps compare.

Chip, memory and weight

Both tablets carry 12 GB of RAM and 128 GB of base storage. The iPad Air has the Apple M4 chip, the Samsung the MediaTek Dimensity 9400+. I don't have a benchmark from one outlet that ran both, so I won't rank them.

Weight is a tie. The iPad Air is 464 g, the Tab S11 467 g. Samsung rates its 8,400 mAh battery at 18 hours of video, while Apple lists up to 10 hours of web or video on Wi-Fi from a 28.93 Wh cell. Those are different tests and different units, and I found no third-party battery test.

Software

The iPad Air runs iPadOS. The Tab S11 runs Android (One UI), and Samsung's page promises up to 7 generations of Android OS upgrades and 7 years of security updates from global launch. Apple states no comparable number on its spec page. I'd choose by the phone in your pocket as much as the tablet.

The money

The Samsung costs about $250 more at list. I haven't confirmed Apple's Pencil prices, so I can't say how much of that gap a pen would use up. That's still why I'd start with the iPad.

I'd flip it in one case: you'll spend hours a day watching video or reading comics, you already use Samsung, and you'd buy the S Pen anyway. Then the premium buys you things you'll see. Read my Tab S11 review and iPad Air review before deciding, or open the tablet finder.