Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra benchmark leak: A serious performance upgrade is coming

A new chip with higher clock speeds

If you have been waiting for Samsung's next big tablet, an early performance test has just given us a clearer picture of what is coming. The Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra has appeared on Geekbench 7, and the results point to a noticeable jump in speed over last year's model.

The listing, spotted in a benchmark database, shows a device with the model number SM-X940 running Android 17. Inside is MediaTek's Dimensity 9500 chipset, which is the standard version, not a Plus variant. That detail matters because the current Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra uses the Dimensity 9400 Plus. Samsung appears to be swapping a Plus chip for a non-Plus chip, but the newer processor still looks faster on paper.

Benchmark scores show a clear improvement

What this means for Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra benchmark leak

The Dimensity 9500 inside the tested Tab S12 Ultra has a prime core running at 4.21GHz. That is noticeably higher than the 3.73GHz prime core in the Tab S11 Ultra's Dimensity 9400 Plus. The rest of the CPU layout includes three cores at 3.50GHz and four cores at 2.70GHz.

Higher clock speeds do not automatically mean better real-world performance, but they do give the chip more headroom for demanding tasks like video editing, multitasking, and gaming. The benchmark numbers back up the idea that this tablet will feel snappier.

12GB of RAM and Android 17 out of the box

In the Geekbench 7 test, the Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra scored 2,760 points in single-core performance and 9,291 points in multi-core. For comparison, a Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra with the same 12GB of RAM scored 2,281 in single-core and 8,005 in multi-core. That works out to roughly a 21 percent improvement in single-core tasks and about 16 percent in multi-core work.

Those are meaningful gains for anyone who uses a tablet for heavy apps. A faster single-core score helps with everyday responsiveness, while a higher multi-core score benefits tasks that use all processor cores at once, such as exporting a video or running multiple apps side by side.

It is worth noting that the Tab S12 Ultra test ran Android 17, while the S11 Ultra result used Android 16. Google's newer operating system could have contributed to the better scores through system-level optimizations. So the entire performance jump may not come from the chip alone. Still, the Dimensity 9500 is clearly the bigger hardware change between the two devices.

What this means for buyers

The benchmark listing also confirms that the tested unit has 12GB of RAM. That matches the memory configuration of the previous generation, so Samsung is not bumping up the base RAM this time. For most users, 12GB is plenty for a large-screen tablet that handles split-screen apps, note-taking, and media consumption.

Android 17 will come preinstalled, which means buyers will get the latest software features and security updates from day one. If you are curious about how Samsung's software experience compares to other tablets, you can check our phone reviews for similar hands-on coverage of the company's devices.

When will Samsung announce the Tab S12 Ultra?

If you already own a Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra, the S12 Ultra may not look like a dramatic redesign. Early leaks suggest Samsung is sticking with a familiar exterior. The real upgrade appears to be under the hood, where the Dimensity 9500 should make the tablet feel noticeably faster in daily use.

For anyone considering a switch from an older tablet or a competing model, the performance jump is worth paying attention to. The benchmark scores suggest this will be one of the faster Android tablets available when it launches. You can use our phone comparison tool to see how it stacks up against other large-screen devices once official specs are out.

Battery life and camera quality are still unknown at this point. The benchmark test does not reveal those details. But if raw speed is your priority, the early signs are promising.

A familiar design with a faster heart: Galaxy Tab S12

Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy Tab S12 series sometime in September. That timeline lines up with the company's typical release pattern for its premium tablets. With the launch just around the corner, we should not have to wait long to see how this benchmark performance translates into real-world use.

As with any pre-release benchmark, it is smart to take these numbers with a grain of salt. A single Geekbench listing can be faked or may not represent the final retail software. Still, the results give us a solid early look at what Samsung is planning.

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