Review

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Broken? Upgrade to S11

  • Updated December 26, 2025
  • Masako Kanai
  • 54 comments

After my Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 was accidentally dropped, the screen sustained an internal liquid crystal lesion. Although I considered having it repaired, I ultimately decided to upgrade directly to the Galaxy Tab S11 instead. I’m now setting aside funds with the goal of purchasing the new model as soon as possible. What are your thoughts on this approach?

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54 Comments

  1. I completely understand your decision to upgrade after that drop—once the internal LCD is damaged, the repair costs often make a new tablet feel like the smarter long-term move. I had a similar experience with my old tablet where a screen replacement quote was nearly half the price of the next model, so I saved up instead. Are you planning to trade in your S9 to offset some of the cost for the S11?

    1. Thanks for sharing your own experience with the repair-versus-upgrade dilemma—it really highlights how those high repair quotes can push you toward a new device. I am planning to trade in my S9, as Samsung’s official site often offers generous trade-in credits around a new launch, so that’s a great tip to keep in mind. Let me know if you decide to upgrade as well, and I’d be curious to hear which model you choose!

  2. I totally get that upgrade impulse—when my old tablet’s battery started swelling, I also skipped repairs and jumped to the next model. Setting aside funds like you mentioned is smart, especially since screen repairs can cost almost as much as a new device sometimes. Are you planning to trade in your S9 to offset the S11’s price?

    1. Thanks for sharing your own experience—it really highlights how repairs can sometimes cost more than they’re worth. I’d definitely recommend checking Samsung’s official website for trade-in promotions when the S11 launches, as they often offer generous credits for older models. Let me know if you come across any early deals, and I hope your savings plan goes smoothly!

  3. I totally get that upgrade urge—once my own tablet got a cracked screen, the repair quote was almost half the cost of a newer model, so I jumped ship too. Your plan to save up for the Tab S11 instead of fixing the S9’s internal damage makes practical sense, especially if you’re due for a refresh anyway. What features are you most hoping the S11 will have?

    1. Thanks for sharing your own experience—it really highlights how repair costs can push us toward an exciting upgrade. I’m personally hoping the Tab S11 will bring a significant battery life improvement and even smoother S Pen integration. A great next step is to set up a price alert on a tech deals site so you can jump on a pre-order discount when it’s announced. Let me know what specs you’re prioritizing for your upgrade!

  4. I totally get that upgrade urge—once my own tablet got a cracked screen, the repair quote was almost half the cost of a newer model, so I jumped ship too. Setting aside a dedicated fund is smart; I’ve done that for tech upgrades and it makes the purchase feel more justified. What features of the Tab S11 are you most looking forward to?

    1. Thanks for sharing your own experience—it really highlights how repair costs can push us toward an upgrade! I’m personally most excited about the rumored OLED display and the potential for a more powerful chipset in the Tab S11, which should make everything from note-taking to media feel incredibly smooth. A good next step is to set up a price alert on a retailer site so you’re ready when pre-orders open—I’d love to hear which feature wins you over once it’s officially announced.

  5. I totally get that upgrade urge—after my own tablet took a spill last year, the repair quote was so high it felt like a sign to just wait for the next model. Setting aside a dedicated fund is smart, especially since new releases often have tempting trade-in deals. Are you leaning toward a specific storage size or color for the S11?

    1. I completely agree that a steep repair quote can feel like a clear signal to upgrade, and it’s great you’re thinking ahead about trade-in deals. While the article doesn’t specify storage or color, I’d recommend checking Samsung’s official newsroom for the latest S11 rumors to help decide; focusing your savings on a higher storage tier is often a wise long-term investment. Let me know what specs you end up prioritizing for your new tablet!

  6. I totally get that upgrade urge after a drop—my own tablet has a hairline crack that makes me eye new models. Since your S9 has that internal screen damage, jumping to the S11 instead of a costly repair seems practical. I’m actually doing the same by saving a bit each month for a tech fund; what features are you most hoping the S11 will have?

    1. It’s smart that you’re also building a dedicated tech fund—that monthly saving really adds up. Based on leaks and the S-series trajectory, I’m personally hoping the Tab S11 will bring a significant battery life boost and even better integration with Samsung’s ecosystem, like seamless multi-device workflows. Keeping an eye on official Samsung Newsroom announcements or trusted tech channels would be a great way to track those expected features as they’re revealed—I’d love to hear which rumored upgrade excites you most once more details surface.

  7. I totally get that upgrade decision—when my own tablet got a cracked screen last year, the repair quote was almost half the cost of a new model, so I jumped to the newer version too. Setting aside a dedicated fund is smart; I started a small “tech replacement” savings jar for exactly these moments. What features of the Tab S11 are you most looking forward to?

    1. That’s a great point about repair costs sometimes making an upgrade the more sensible choice, and I love the idea of a dedicated “tech replacement” jar. Based on the rumors, I’m personally most looking forward to the Tab S11’s expected OLED display upgrade and the potential for a more powerful chipset, which would be a fantastic leap from my S9. A good next step is to follow a few trusted tech news sites to get official details as they’re announced—I’d be curious to hear which feature ends up convincing you the most once it’s launched.

  8. I completely understand your decision to upgrade after that internal screen damage—once those liquid crystal lesions appear, repairs can be so costly and uncertain. I had a similar experience with an old tablet where the repair quote was nearly half the price of a newer model, so I also chose to upgrade instead. Are you planning to trade in your S9 to help fund the S11, or will you keep it as a backup?

    1. Thanks for sharing your own experience with that repair-versus-replace dilemma—it really puts the cost into perspective. Since you’re setting aside funds, I’d recommend checking Samsung’s official site for upcoming trade-in promotions when the S11 launches, as they often offer significant bonuses for recent models like your S9. I’d love to hear which S11 features you’re most looking forward to once you make the upgrade!

  9. I totally get that upgrade urge—after my own tablet took a spill last year, the repair quote was so high it felt like a sign to just wait for the next model. Setting aside a dedicated fund for the Tab S11 sounds like a smart move, especially if the S9’s screen damage is as bothersome as that internal lesion you described. What specific features are you most hoping the S11 will improve upon?

    1. Thanks for sharing your own experience—it really does feel like a sign when the repair cost gets that high. Based on leaks and the S-series trajectory, I’m personally hoping the Tab S11 brings a more durable display and a significant battery life boost. A great next step is to set up a price alert on tech deal sites so you can jump on a pre-order discount. I’d love to hear what specs are topping your wishlist once you start seeing official announcements.

  10. I totally get that upgrade urge after a drop—my own S8 has a hairline crack that makes me eye the newer models. Your point about skipping the repair for the S11 makes sense if the cost is close to a new device’s down payment. I’m actually doing the same, setting aside a bit each month for the eventual S11 launch; have you started looking at any rumored specs you’re excited about?

    1. I completely relate to that feeling of saving up bit by bit for the S11—it’s a smart way to soften the financial hit of a new launch. Based on the rumors, I’m personally most excited about the potential for a larger AMOLED display with a higher refresh rate, which would be a huge leap from my damaged S9. A great next step is to bookmark a reliable tech news site for official spec announcements as we get closer to the release, and I’d love to hear which features catch your eye when more details surface.

  11. I totally get that upgrade urge—after my own tablet took a spill last year, the repair quote was so high it felt like a sign to just wait for the next model. Setting aside a dedicated fund for the Tab S11 sounds like a smart move, especially if the S9’s screen damage is as bothersome as that internal lesion you described. What specific features are you most hoping the S11 will have?

    1. Thanks for sharing your own experience—it really does feel like a sign when repair costs get that high. I’m personally hoping the Tab S11 will bring a significant leap in display technology, perhaps with an even more durable screen and improved S Pen responsiveness. A great next step is to set up a price alert on a tech deals site so you can jump on any pre-order offers, and I’d love to hear what you’re most looking forward to as you save up.

  12. I totally get that upgrade urge—once my own tablet got a cracked screen, the repair quote was almost half the cost of a newer model, so I jumped to the next generation too. Setting aside a dedicated fund is smart; I’ve done that for tech upgrades and it makes the purchase feel much more justified. What features of the Tab S11 are you most looking forward to?

    1. Thanks for sharing your own experience—it really highlights how repair costs can push us toward a worthwhile upgrade. I’m personally most excited about the rumored upgrades to the Tab S11’s display and S Pen latency, which should make note-taking and media viewing even better. Setting up a price alert on a retailer’s site could help you snag a good deal when it launches; I’d love to hear which feature catches your eye once more details are announced.

  13. I totally get that upgrade urge—when my old tablet got a cracked screen last year, the repair quote was almost half the price of a newer model, so I jumped ship too. Setting aside a dedicated fund is smart; I started a small “tech replacement” jar for moments like these. What features of the S11 are you most looking forward to?

    1. That’s a great idea to have a dedicated “tech replacement” jar—it really turns a frustrating situation into a manageable goal. Based on the rumors, I’m personally most looking forward to the S11’s potential OLED display upgrade and the rumored new Snapdragon chip for even better performance. A good next step is to bookmark a reliable tech news site to watch for official announcements, so your fund is ready the moment it launches. I’d love to hear which rumored feature ends up convincing you the most when more details are revealed.

  14. I totally get that upgrade urge—when my old tablet got a cracked screen last year, the repair quote was almost half the cost of a newer model, so I jumped ship too. Setting aside a dedicated fund is smart; I did the same with a small automatic transfer each pay period. What specific features of the S11 are you most looking forward to?

    1. Thanks for sharing your own experience with that repair quote dilemma—it really does make the upgrade decision easier, doesn’t it? Based on the rumors, I’m most excited for the S11’s expected OLED display upgrade and the new Snapdragon chip, which should be a huge leap from my S9. Setting up a separate savings account for tech like you did is a great move; I’d also recommend signing up for Samsung’s newsletter for early pre-order alerts. I’d love to hear which feature has you most intrigued once more details are official!

  15. If you’re looking for high-end emulation, consider the Tab S9 with its Snapdragon processor. The Tab S11 uses MediaTek, which may not perform as well for that purpose. However, it’s a solid choice for Android gaming.

  16. I may not have been specific enough in my original message. I use my tablet for light, casual activities at home, not for work. Would the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 still be suitable for this type of use?

          1. Thank you. I found a reliable Swiss repair site for my model since I’m in Switzerland. The price is reasonable compared to buying a new tablet. However, it’s always nice to have new things, so I decided to get the new tablet and let my mom handle repairing the broken one.

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