Samsung Unveils Galaxy Tab A11+ & A17 5G in the US
Samsung has officially refreshed two new budget devices inthe US, the Galaxy Tab A11+ and the Galaxy A17 5G.
Both of these 5G-enabled devices deliver flagship software support, running Android 16 with the OneUI 8 skin, and feature displays with a 90Hz refresh rate.
The Samsung Galaxy A17 5G is scheduled to arrive in US stores on January 7th, followed by the Tab A11+ on January 8th.
With this new launch, Samsung is targeting the new year, new tech crowd with affordable pricing.
The Samsung Galaxy A11+: A Budget Productivity Beast
Price & Availability
Key Specs
Display
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+ comes with an 11-inch TFT display with a 90Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling and switching between apps.
The display Mohs level 5, whichis pretty standard, that scratches at level 5 of the Mohs scale. The display has a resolution of 1200 by 1920, which is plenty sharp at this price point.
Processor
Powering the tablet is the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 (4nm) chipset. This is a notably powerful System-on-a-Chip (SOC) for a device of this type, and it's the identical processor utilized in smartphones such as the CMF Phone 2 by Nothing.
This tablet delivers solid performance for multitasking and less-demanding games. However, users should not expect high frame rates or top-tier graphics quality when playing resource-intensive titles like Withering Waves or Genshi Impact.
The Tab A11+ runs on the newest Android 16 operating system, featuring Samsung's customized OneUI 8 interface. Samsung's commitment to providing up to seven years of OS updates ensures this tablet will remain relevant and usable for a significant period.
On board the storage it has two storage variants, 128GB 6GB RAM and 256GB 8GB RAM, for the best multitasking experience, I recommend going for the 8GB RAM version as you wil likely not experience any major lags. The storage can be expanded by a further 2TB via a microSD card.
Battery and Charging
The tablet is equipped with a 7040mAh battery and supports 25W wired charging. While this is a modest power source, I believe Samsung could have opted for a larger battery, perhaps 8000mAh; it is understandable, given the device's price point.
The 25W charging will be quite slow while charging the 7040mAh battery, so you have to exercise patience while charging the device.
Useful Extras
The tablet boasts several other valuable features, including quad-core speakers tuned with Dolby Atmos, the 'Circle to Search' function, and WI-FI connectivity. A welcome addition is the 3.5mm headphone jack, a feature now absent from all Samsung smartphones. Furthermore, the device is rated IP52 for dust and water resistance.
Ideally, this device is mainly for students, those who are looking for a budget yet powerful tablet, and for casual users who want a tablet for entertainment.
The Samsung Galaxy A17 5G: The Sub-$200 King
Price and Availability
Key Specs
Display
On the display, the Samsung Galaxy A17 5G features a 6.7-inch AMOLED display paired with a 90Hz refresh rate and 800 nits peak brightness.
The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, which is the top-of-the-line glass protection.
Since the device has an AMOLED display, you can expect immersive visuals while watching content with deeper blacks.
The Gorilla Glass Victus can withstand drops up to 2 meters on hard surfaces, even more rough ones like concrete, but glass is glass, and glass breaks, so I recommend using a screen protector, as protection is always cheaper than the alternative.
Cameras
At the rear, the phone comes with a 50MP main camera with OIS, a 5MP ultrawide lens, and a 2MP macro lens. At the front, you get a 13MP selfie shooter. Unfortunatley both cameras can only shoot videos at 1080p at 30fps.
Processor and Software
Under the hood, the A17 5G is powered by Samsung's own Exynos 1330 chipset (5nm). Comparing this chipset to the Mediatek 7300 on the Tab A11+, the Dimensity 7300mAh is much beefier.
On the software front, the A17 5G is launching with Android 15 out of the box on top of OneUI 7. The software is not the latest, as this phone was launched earlier this year.
It will, however, get 6 years of Android updates, so if you are planning to buy this phone, be assured that you will use it for a long period of time, but only time will tell if Samsung will live up to the promise of the 6 years of OS updates.
Storage and RAM
The phone has storage and RAM configurations, 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM, and 256G 8GB RAM.
For the best experience, I highly recommend going for the 6GB RAM variant and above, and if you take a lot of photos and videos, then go for the 256GB storage.
Battery and Charging
The battery is the standard 5000mAh battery paired with 25W fast charging, and it should last you an entire day of use, depending on your usage. For heavy users and especially those who play games, you can expect to juice this device up twice a day.
Value Analysis: Are They Worth it?
Galaxy Tab A11+
Comparing the Galaxy Tab A11+ with the iPad 10th Gen, in terms of raw power, the A14 Bionic wins. The iPad 10th Gen also has a bigger battery, coming at 7606mAh.
The rear camera on the iPad can record videos up to 4K 60fps, while the rear cameras on the Tab A11+ can only do 1080p.
The display on the Galaxy Tab A11+ is slightly bigger, coming at 11 inches with a 90Hz refresh rate, while the iPad 10th Gen has the same IPS LCD but lacks a fast refresh rate.
Galaxy A17 5G
While the Galaxy A17 5G is a decent device, its 25W charging speed is slow for 2026. Samsung should also consider integrating silicon-carbon technology into the battery to increase its milliampere-hour capacity.
Also, Samsung should switch to the hole punch notch in 2026; it’s the only company in 2026 that will be using the outdated water drop notch.
Conclusion and Buying Advice
For under $450, a user can get both 5G and a capable tablet. Not only that, you are guaranteed 6+ years of OS updates, so these two devices will stick along for a very long time.
Will you pick up the Tab A11+ for school or the A17 5G as a backup phone? Let me know down in the comments.
