The Samsung Galaxy A9 Plus tablet is an affordable option in the budget tablet segment, priced around ₹18,000. After using this tablet extensively for three months, particularly for gaming and light productivity tasks, I’m here to provide a detailed review. Whether you’re considering it for day-to-day use, productivity, or casual entertainment, let’s explore if this tablet truly delivers value for money and meets your needs.
Design and Build Quality
When it comes to the design and build quality of the Samsung Galaxy A9 Plus, Samsung has done a commendable job in balancing aesthetics and durability at a budget price point. The tablet features a metallic body with a plastic finish on the sides. This gives it a premium feel, while still being light enough to handle for extended periods.
- Right Side: The right edge houses the power button, microphone, and volume controls. The positioning of these buttons is convenient for both portrait and landscape modes.
- Bottom Edge: This side contains the Type-C USB port, speakers, microphone, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Having a headphone jack on a modern tablet is a big plus for users who prefer wired audio devices.
- Left Side: The left side is home to the SIM card slot, memory card tray, and a pogo pin connector for keyboard or accessory support.
- Top Edge: The top edge features an additional set of speakers, providing a more immersive audio experience, especially when the tablet is held in landscape mode for movie watching or gaming.
At 480 grams, the tablet strikes a balance between sturdiness and portability. It’s light enough to hold in one hand for extended periods without fatigue, and the well-sized bezels allow for a secure grip without the risk of accidental touches. In my experience, I haven’t encountered any problems with accidental touches while holding the screen in either hand.
Display Quality
The 11-inch TFT LCD display of the Galaxy A9 Plus is one of its standout features, especially at this price point. The display boasts a 90Hz refresh rate, which is a notable upgrade for smoother scrolling, especially when browsing the web, checking social media, or reading content. It’s not the most advanced display technology out there, but it serves its purpose well for casual entertainment.
- Resolution & Pixel Density: The screen resolution is slightly above Full HD, offering a 206 PPI pixel density. While the display doesn’t offer the crispness of AMOLED or high-end LCD panels, it’s more than enough for day-to-day use.
- Content Viewing: Watching YouTube videos, movies, or playing light games on this screen is a pleasant experience. The display delivers clear visuals without noticeable pixelation, and the colors appear rich, thanks to Samsung’s reliable color reproduction technology. However, the screen does fall short when used in dark environments, as backlight bleeding becomes noticeable in dark scenes, which can be a bit distracting during night-time movie viewing.
- Outdoor Visibility: The display is bright enough to use outdoors, even in direct sunlight. This makes the tablet ideal for outdoor reading or using it during travel. In terms of brightness, it doesn’t suffer from significant glare, and I had no trouble viewing the content even under harsh sunlight.
Although it’s not a top-tier display, it serves its intended purpose well. If you’re someone who uses a tablet for basic media consumption, browsing, or reading, you won’t find any major issues with the display.
Audio Performance
Audio quality is another key area where the Galaxy A9 Plus excels for its price. The tablet comes equipped with a quad-speaker setup that provides a rich, immersive sound experience. The speakers are adequately loud for medium-sized rooms, so you can easily use the tablet for watching movies or playing music without the need for external speakers.
- Dolby Atmos Support: The addition of Dolby Atmos support further enhances the listening experience by offering clear dialogue, well-defined music beats, and a balanced soundstage. Whether you’re watching a YouTube video, a movie, or listening to music, the speakers perform well in delivering clear and loud audio.
- Immersive Experience: The placement of the speakers is also well thought out. With the additional set of speakers on the top edge, the audio feels more balanced and evenly distributed, especially when the tablet is held in landscape mode.
Despite the excellent sound output for its size, the bass could be more pronounced, especially for those who enjoy listening to bass-heavy music. However, considering the tablet’s price, the audio quality is impressive for everyday use.
Performance and Processing Power
Under the hood, the Samsung Galaxy A9 Plus is powered by the Snapdragon 695 processor, a mid-range chipset that was released back in 2021. This is paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. Although the Snapdragon 695 isn’t the most cutting-edge processor in the market today, it’s still quite capable of handling day-to-day tasks efficiently.
- Multitasking: The 8GB RAM ensures that you can multitask without running into performance issues. Switching between apps, browsing the web, and working on documents is a smooth experience. The tablet handles apps without any noticeable lag or stuttering, even when you have several apps open at once.
- Gaming Performance: For light to mid-range gaming, the tablet performs admirably. Games like Asphalt 9, PUBG Mobile, and Call of Duty Mobile run without significant frame drops or lags. The 90Hz refresh rate also makes gaming smoother, contributing to a better overall experience.
- Performance Consistency: During my time with the tablet, I didn’t face any significant performance hiccups while scrolling through social media, streaming videos, or using productivity apps. The Snapdragon 695 is certainly capable of delivering stable performance for most users.
However, for users looking for a tablet specifically for gaming or demanding applications like video editing, a more powerful chipset would have been preferable. The tablet is capable, but there are more powerful options in the market for those who need heavy processing power.
Connectivity Options
The Samsung Galaxy A9 Plus is equipped with a range of modern connectivity features that make it a solid choice for users on the go. The tablet supports Bluetooth 5.1, Dual-Band Wi-Fi, GPS, and 5G SIM support. The 5G support is a notable addition, as many budget tablets still rely solely on 4G.
- Wi-Fi and 5G Performance: I primarily used the tablet on a Wi-Fi network, and connectivity was stable throughout. There were no issues with dropped connections or slow speeds. I also used it with 4G and 5G networks, and I didn’t encounter any issues related to network drops or weak signals.
- SIM and Call Functionality: The inclusion of a SIM slot allows you to use the tablet for voice calls, text messages, and internet browsing without relying on Wi-Fi. This makes it a great option for travelers or people who want to have a larger screen without needing to tether to a smartphone.
- Drawback: While the tablet supports calls, using it as a phone for voice calls is not particularly convenient. The large form factor makes it uncomfortable to hold up to your ear for long conversations. The loudspeaker works well for calls, but it’s better suited for hands-free communication.
Software and Features
The Samsung Galaxy A9 Plus comes with Android 13 out of the box, and it has been updated to Android 14 with One UI 6.1. Samsung has done a great job of optimizing the tablet’s software to provide a fluid experience, and it includes several productivity-focused features that enhance its usability.
- Samsung DeX: One of the standout features of the A9 Plus is Samsung DeX, which turns the tablet into a desktop-like experience when connected to an external monitor. This allows you to work with multiple apps on a larger screen, resize windows, and arrange apps in a more organized manner. It’s a great feature for productivity and can help increase your efficiency when working on documents or presentations.
- Phone Link: Samsung’s Phone Link feature allows you to connect your tablet with your PC, giving you access to tablet apps on your computer. This feature also enables you to access your tablet’s screen from your PC, making it easier to transfer files or view apps without picking up the tablet.
- Screen Mirroring: The Screen Mirroring feature allows you to cast the tablet’s display onto a TV or external monitor, which can be useful for presentations or media consumption.
These features enhance the tablet’s usability for work and productivity, making it a good option for users who want to get work done on a larger screen without needing a full-fledged laptop.
Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy A9 Plus comes equipped with a 5MP front camera and an 8MP rear camera, both of which are suitable for basic photography, video calls, and document scanning.
- Rear Camera: The 8MP camera is sufficient for capturing basic photos, documents, and barcodes. While it’s not great for high-quality photography, it gets the job done for casual snaps or scanning receipts and documents.
- Front Camera: The 5MP front camera is decent for video calls. In well-lit conditions, it produces clear and sharp images, making it a reliable option for video conferencing.
- Video Quality: Both cameras support 1080p video recording at 30fps. While the rear camera performs adequately, the front camera can struggle in low-light conditions, though it works fine for everyday video calls.
- Dual Microphones: The tablet comes with dual microphones, ensuring that voice calls and video recordings capture clear sound. However, the tablet lacks a fingerprint scanner, relying on facial recognition, which can be inconsistent under certain lighting conditions.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy A9 Plus features a 7040mAh battery, which provides solid battery life throughout the day. The tablet is capable of lasting 7-8 hours on a full charge with moderate use. The battery life will vary depending on your usage, with video streaming or gaming leading to a quicker drain.
- Charging Speed: The A9 Plus supports 33W fast charging, allowing the tablet to charge quickly. In about 30 minutes, the battery can be charged up to 20%, and a full charge takes roughly 2-2.5 hours.
- Battery Features: Samsung includes a restrictive charging mode that stops charging the battery at 80% to prolong its lifespan. This is a useful feature for users who tend to keep their device plugged in for long periods.
Conclusion
The Samsung Galaxy A9 Plus tablet is a well-rounded device that delivers good performance, a quality display, and excellent connectivity features at a budget price point. With its sleek design, solid performance, and features like Samsung DeX, it can serve as a productivity device or a media consumption tablet for most users.
For casual gamers, students, or those looking for a tablet for document editing, media consumption, and basic productivity, the Galaxy A9 Plus provides great value. The quad-speaker setup, expandable storage, and 5G connectivity are especially useful for those who need a reliable device for entertainment or remote work.
However, if you’re looking for a device specifically for high-end gaming or heavy productivity tasks, you may want to consider a more powerful tablet with a higher-end processor. Despite these limitations, the A9 Plus is a solid option for users who are looking for a budget tablet that can handle everyday tasks with ease.
For those looking to save on the price, the tablet often goes on sale for ₹15,000-₹16,000, which makes it a highly competitive option in this price range. It is a strong contender in the budget tablet market, offering performance, features, and build quality that make it a smart choice for most users.
