Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S12 lineup introduces 4-channel spatial audio on the Galaxy Tab S12+ and the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra, with four speakers and four channels — doubling the audio channels compared with the previous generation. Both models will go on sale in select markets on October 7.
Galaxy Tab S12: what’s new in audio
The previous Galaxy Tab S11 and S11 Ultra had four speakers, one in each corner, but those were wired into a dual-channel stereo output. Dolby Atmos was virtualized to create the illusion of a wider soundstage, yet everything was still delivered through two channels. By contrast, the Galaxy Tab S12+ and the Tab S12 Ultra use a true four-speaker, four-channel configuration, and Samsung has applied the upgrade to both models rather than making it Ultra-exclusive.
Real-world impact
In practice, the benefit will depend on the quality of the physical speakers. Both Tab S12 tablets are slightly thinner than the 2025 models and only a few tenths of a millimeter thinner than last year’s models, and Samsung’s ambitions for thinner devices have sometimes led to poorer speakers before — the Galaxy Z Fold 7, and arguably the Galaxy Z Fold 8, have suffered for that reason. We will have to see — or hear — whether Samsung avoided that scenario for its latest premium tablets; the overall sound experience will be covered in upcoming Galaxy Tab S12 reviews. In theory, the upgraded 4-channel audio should sound more immersive for streaming and gaming and could also benefit productivity users who do audio or video editing.
