Choosing between the different storage versions of the Galaxy Tab S12+ and Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra, Samsung's flagship tablets for 2026, is fairly straightforward. Work out how much space you need, check the price, and pick the one that suits you.
Whichever version you choose, you get the same MediaTek Dimensity 9500 processor. Samsung doesn’t give the cheaper models fewer CPU cores just because you don’t need as much storage.
Apple’s new iPad mini makes that decision a little more complicated.
Less storage comes with a weaker Apple A20 Pro chip
The new iPad mini uses Apple’s A20 Pro chip, but there’s a difference between the storage options that buyers could easily miss.
The 128GB and 256GB models have a five-core CPU and a 16-core Neural Engine. Choose the 512GB version, and you get a six-core CPU and dual 16-core Neural Engine instead.
Apple has done something similar with the iPad Pro before. The M4 and M5 models give buyers an extra CPU core when they choose the higher storage options.
But this is a first for the iPad mini. Previous generations offered the same processor configuration regardless of storage, so returning mini buyers now have another detail to check before choosing a model.
The extra CPU core is an efficiency core. All versions still have two high-performance CPU cores and a seven-core GPU.
Still, someone who wants the most capable version of the chip has to buy 512GB of storage, whether they need that space or not.
Samsung keeps the processor choice simple
Both the Galaxy Tab S12+ and Tab S12 Ultra use the Dimensity 9500 across their storage options. The Ultra offers more RAM with 1TB of storage — 16GB instead of 12GB — but its processor stays the same.
That distinction is worth keeping in mind. Samsung isn’t offering identical RAM in every configuration, but buying the 256GB version still gets you the same CPU and GPU as the more expensive versions.
Samsung's tablets also offer the benefit of expandable storage. Both Galaxy Tab S12 models also support microSD cards up to 2TB, giving you another way to store photos, videos, and files before you have to turn to cloud storage.
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