Galaxy Tab S9 vs Galaxy Tab A9+: screen size and viewport
The Galaxy Tab S9 lays web pages out at 800 × 1280 CSS px with a pixel ratio of 2; the Galaxy Tab A9+ at 800 × 1280 with 1.5. They are the same width and the same height.
The two screens side by side
Specs compared
| Spec | Galaxy Tab S9 | Galaxy Tab A9+ | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Viewport, portrait (CSS px) | 800 × 1280 | 800 × 1280 | same |
| Device pixel ratio | 2 | 1.5 | +0.5 for the Galaxy Tab S9 |
| Physical resolution | 1600 × 2560 | 1200 × 1920 | Galaxy Tab S9: 78% more pixels |
| Aspect ratio | 16:10 | 16:10 | same |
| Visible height, portrait, with browser bars | ~1152 px | ~1152 px | same |
| Landscape width (CSS px) | 1280 px | 1280 px | same |
| Visible height, landscape | ~720 px | ~720 px | same |
| First released | 2020 | 2021 | 1 year apart |
| Engine in MobileCheck | Chromium (Chrome) | Chromium (Chrome) | same engine |
CSS px are the units media queries see. Visible heights subtract the status bar and the Chrome on Android bars as set in our device profiles; real bar heights vary with settings and scrolling. The release year is that of the first model with each screen.
What this means for your layout
How the width difference affects your layout
Both lay pages out 800 CSS px wide, so every width-based media query, vw unit and percentage resolves exactly the same in portrait. Your layout breaks, or doesn't, at the same points on both; only the height and the pixel density differ.
Pixel density and image sizes
The Galaxy Tab S9 has the denser screen: 2× against 1.5×. A full-width image (sizes="100vw") needs about 1600 px on the Galaxy Tab S9 and 1200 px on the Galaxy Tab A9+ to look sharp.
With a srcset such as 640w, 828w, 1080w, 1290w, 1440w, 1640w, 2048w, the browser would normally pick the 1640w file on the Galaxy Tab S9 and the 1290w file on the Galaxy Tab A9+. Leave out the 1640w candidate and the Galaxy Tab S9 upscales a smaller file.
The Galaxy Tab A9+'s ratio of 1.5 is fractional: one CSS pixel isn't a whole number of device pixels, so 1 px borders and hairlines can be rounded unevenly. Check thin lines on that screen rather than assuming they match.
How much fits above the fold
Different screens, same first view: after the status and browser bars, about 1152 px of the page is visible on both when it opens (1280 − 80 − 48 on the Galaxy Tab S9, 1280 − 80 − 48 on the Galaxy Tab A9+). Whatever fits above the fold on one fits on the other.
In landscape
Turned sideways, the Galaxy Tab S9 is 1280 px wide and the Galaxy Tab A9+ 1280 px. The visible height drops to about 720 px on both, so a 64 px sticky header covers 9% of the screen — under the 25% at which MobileCheck flags fixed bars covering the page.
Same browser engine
Both run Android, so both render with Chromium, the engine behind Chrome. Engine quirks are the same; the differences above come from size and density alone. See how to test a website on Android.
More about these devices
- Galaxy Tab S9 viewport size — one screen for the Galaxy Tab S7 / S8 / S9
- Galaxy Tab A9+ viewport size — one screen for the Galaxy Tab A8 / A9+
Or open the free check with the Galaxy Tab S9 and the Galaxy Tab A9+ preselected: full-page screenshots in Chromium, with problems such as small text and crowded buttons highlighted.
Related comparisons
- iPad Air vs Galaxy Tab S9 — 820 vs 800 px wide, 2× vs 2×
- iPad 9 vs Galaxy Tab A9+ — 810 vs 800 px wide, 2× vs 1.5×
Compare other devices → · All mobile viewport sizes →
Frequently asked questions
Is the Galaxy Tab S9 screen bigger than the Galaxy Tab A9+?
In CSS pixels both have the same area: 800 × 1280 and 800 × 1280. The Galaxy Tab S9 has more physical pixels (1600 × 2560), which makes it sharper rather than roomier.
Do I need different CSS for the Galaxy Tab S9 and the Galaxy Tab A9+?
Not for width: both are 800 CSS px wide, so the same media queries apply in portrait. Check above-the-fold content instead: about 1152 vs 1152 px is visible on first load.
How much of a web page is visible on the Galaxy Tab S9 vs the Galaxy Tab A9+?
About 800 × 1152 CSS px on the Galaxy Tab S9 and 800 × 1152 on the Galaxy Tab A9+ when a page first opens in portrait, after the status bar and Chrome on Android's bars. Bar heights are our device profiles' estimates.