🔥 SHOCKING Budget Tablet Showdown of 2025! iPad 11th Gen vs. Galaxy Tab S10 FE—Which One’s the REAL Game-Changer?

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iPad 11th Gen vs. Samsung Galaxy S10 FE: Which Tablet Wins for Content and Multitasking?

In 2025, two heavyweight tablets are vying for your attention: the iPad 11th Generation and the Samsung Galaxy S10 FE 10.9-inch. Both are designed for content consumption and multitasking, but which one comes out on top? Let’s dive into a detailed comparison of their design, display, performance, cameras, battery life, and more to help you decide. I’m Olive, your guide from Versus.com, and we’re breaking it all down!

Apple iPad 11-inch

Design: Sleek, Modern, and a Touch of Durability

Both tablets sport a premium unibody aluminum build with flat sides and rounded corners, giving them a sleek, modern aesthetic. Here’s how they stack up:

• iPad 11th Gen: Features a squarish 3:2 aspect ratio, weighing in at 474 grams. Its fingerprint scanner is integrated into the power button for quick access.

• Samsung Galaxy S10 FE: opts for a wider 16:10 aspect ratio, slightly heavier at 497 grams. It also has a power-button fingerprint scanner and boasts an IP68 rating, making it water- and dust-resistant—perfect for watching TikTok in the shower (though we don’t recommend it!).

Team Preference: Our team leaned slightly toward the iPad for its lighter weight and balanced design, but the Galaxy’s IP68 rating won some fans for its durability.

Winner: It’s a tie—choose the iPad for a lighter, more compact feel or the Galaxy for added ruggedness.

Galaxy Tab S10 FE

Display: Brightness and Smoothness Matter

The display is critical for content consumption, and both tablets deliver solid screens with slight differences:

• iPad 11th Gen: An 11-inch IPS panel with a 3:2 aspect ratio, hitting 542 nits in our luminance test under 100,000 lux simulated sunlight. It’s stuck at a 60 Hz refresh rate, which feels dated.

• Samsung Galaxy S10 FE: A slightly smaller 10.9-inch IPS panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio, but it shines brighter at 957 nits, making it better for outdoor use. Its 90 Hz refresh rate ensures smoother scrolling and animations.

The Galaxy’s brighter screen and higher refresh rate give it an edge, especially for video watching, as its wider aspect ratio minimizes black bars. However, it’s disappointing that neither tablet uses an AMOLED panel, especially since even Samsung’s budget Galaxy A-series phones often feature one.

Winner: Galaxy S10 FE for its brighter, smoother display.

All Accessories

Speakers: Bass vs. Balance

Both tablets come equipped with stereo speakers (one on each side or top and bottom, depending on orientation). Here’s how they sound:

• Galaxy S10 FE: Delivers rich audio with deep bass and high volume, perfect for immersive movie watching or music streaming.

• iPad 11th Gen: Matches the Galaxy in loudness but lacks the same bass punch, resulting in a flatter sound profile.

Winner: Galaxy S10 FE for its bass-heavy, vibrant audio.

Cameras: Casual Snaps and Video Calls

Tablets aren’t known for their cameras, but both the iPad and Galaxy hold their own for casual use and video calls.

Rear Cameras

• iPad 11th Gen: 12 MP sensor with warmer tones, decent detail in good lighting, but noisy in low light. Supports 4K 60 fps video with image stabilization for smoother footage.

• Galaxy S10 FE: 13 MP sensor with cooler tones, comparable detail in good lighting, but oversaturates in low light. Limited to 4K 30 fps video without stabilization, struggling with illumination changes.

Front Cameras

Both tablets feature 12 MP front cameras positioned on the long side, ideal for video calls.

• Galaxy S10 FE: Cooler tones with smoother images but less detail in low light. Sticks to 4K 30 fps video.

• iPad 11th Gen: Warmer tones with more noise but better dynamic range and stabilization, supporting 4K 60 fps. It handles bright backgrounds better, making it the better choice for video calls.

Audio for Video Calls: The Galaxy is slightly louder, but both perform well in quiet environments.

Winner: iPad 11th Gen for its stabilized video and better dynamic range, especially for video calls.

Performance: Powerhouse vs. Competent

Performance is where the iPad pulls ahead significantly:

• iPad 11th Gen: Powered by the A16 Bionic chip (same as iPhone 14/15), with 6 GB RAM in our test unit (other configurations available). It dominated in:

  • Gaming: Maintained 60 fps in Grid AutoSport and Wuthering Waves, staying cooler at 40°C.

  • CPU Stress Test: Handled Bloons TD6 better, dropping to 16 fps vs. the Galaxy’s 1 fps.

  • Productivity: Exported 99 photos in Lightroom and a 3-minute 4K video in CapCut faster, and opened a massive Excel file in half the time.

  • Benchmarks: Scored over 2500 single-core and 5800 multi-core in Geekbench 6, nearly doubling the Galaxy in 3DMark’s Wildlife Extreme.

• Galaxy S10 FE: Runs on the Exynos 1580 (same as Galaxy A56) with 8 GB RAM in our unit. It held up in gaming but overheated (up to 54°C) and lagged in CPU-intensive tasks and benchmarks.

Winner: iPad 11th Gen, no contest—it’s a performance beast for gaming and productivity.

Software: Productivity and Multitasking

• iPad 11th Gen: Runs iPadOS 18.5, offering 7 years of updates (unofficially, based on Apple’s history). Features include split-screen multitasking, slide-over apps, and keyboard/mouse support, but it lacks a full desktop experience and Apple Intelligence (requires A17 Pro or newer).

• Galaxy S10 FE: Powered by One UI 7 (based on Android 15), also promising 7 years of updates. It excels in multitasking with up to three apps side-by-side and six in floating windows, plus a full desktop mode. AI features like Circle to Search and object eraser add versatility.

Winner: Galaxy S10 FE for its superior multitasking and desktop mode.

Battery Life and Charging

• iPad 11th Gen: Apple claims 10 hours of screen-on time (battery size undisclosed). It required a recharge halfway through our tests and took 2 hours 12 minutes to charge fully at 31W.

• Galaxy S10 FE: Features an 8000 mAh battery, lasting longer in our tests. It charged fully in 1 hour 27 minutes at up to 40W.

Winner: Galaxy S10 FE for longer battery life and faster charging.

Price and Accessories

• iPad 11th Gen: Starts at $349, unchanged from the previous model. Accessories include:

  • Apple Pencil (USB-C): $79

  • Apple Pencil (1st Gen): $99

  • Smart Folio: $79

  • Magic Keyboard Folio: $249

• Galaxy S10 FE: Priced at $499, $50 more than its 2023 predecessor. Accessories include:

  • S Pen: Included free

  • Smart Book Cover: $79

  • Book Cover Keyboard Slim: $139

  • Book Cover Keyboard with Trackpad: $199

The iPad is $150 cheaper, and even with a $79 Apple Pencil, it undercuts the Galaxy’s price.

Final Verdict: Which Tablet Should You Choose?

• Choose the iPad 11th Gen if you prioritize raw performance for gaming, productivity, or pro apps and want a budget-friendly option. Its superior chip, faster processing, and stabilized video make it a powerhouse, though you’ll need to budget extra for accessories like the Apple Pencil.

• Choose the Samsung Galaxy S10 FE if content consumption is your focus. Its brighter, smoother display, bass-rich speakers, and included S Pen make it ideal for media lovers. Plus, its multitasking features and desktop mode are great for productivity on the go.

Ultimately, your choice depends on your priorities and budget. For performance and value, the iPad takes the crown. For media and multitasking, the Galaxy shines. Check out the links below to grab either tablet, and let us know in the comments which one you’re picking!

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