Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite review: Bringing the S Pen to the masses

Tablets are no longer in vogue, and people are buying them in fewer and fewer numbers these days. Samsung, of course, doesn't actually intendance almost the declining sales and continues to launch new tablets every now and then. Concluding twelvemonth, Samsung launched the Galaxy Tab S5e, with the intent of bringing much of what makes its flagship tablets so great to a more affordable price point.

The Galaxy Tab S5e was an unbeatable value proposition at the fourth dimension of its launch, and prices for that tablet accept reduced further since then. Merely Samsung decided the Tab S5e wasn't affordable enough, and it launched the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite this twelvemonth as an even cheaper alternative for those who weren't smashing on getting i of the visitor's high-end tablets.

Of class, a lower cost means more than compromises on the spec sail, and the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite certainly has them in abundance, like an LCD display instead of an AMOLED console, merely ii (AKG-tuned) speakers instead of four, a processor that'south weaker than the ane found in the Galaxy Tab S5e, and no Samsung DeX support or keyboard accessory.

Still, despite being cheaper, the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite supports (and comes bundled with) the Southward Pen, and it offers some other attractions also, like a 10.4-inch display, a vii,040 mAh bombardment, and the latest software (Android 10 with One UI 2.1) out of the box. But is all that worth the request price, or is the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite a tablet you should avert?

Permit's discover out in this review.

Galaxy Tab S6 Calorie-free design

The Galaxy Tab S6 Calorie-free may exist an affordable entry in Samsung'southward Galaxy Tab S lineup, but thanks to a metallic body, it feels premium and high-end when you hold information technology in your hands. Naturally, a metallic build ways the tablet is slippery as all hell. Combined with the x.iv-inch display, this tablet is best handled with two hands, every bit gripping the wide, slippery trunk with one mitt can become uncomfortable in a few minutes. When you're using the S Pen to draw, propping information technology upward against your thighs is recommended.

The Milky way Tab S6 Lite has no cutout on the back for attaching the Due south Pen. The sides of the tablet are magnetic, only the stylus only properly sticks to the lower correct side, below the power and book buttons. At that place's a satisfying click when the South Pen latches on to the tablet, though I but ended upwardly carrying/belongings it separately every bit it can get in the way at times, similar when yous're switching between landscape and portrait orientation. Not having a slot for the S Pen is simply a limitation one has to accept when it comes to tablets.

The Tab S6 Lite may not be every bit thin or lite as its flagship cousin, but at 7mm and 467 grams, it's still quite sleek and lite. The thicker body gives it an advantage that the Galaxy Tab S6 (or the Galaxy Tab S5e) doesn't accept: It has a headphone jack. In that location are no headphones in the box, though, so you volition have to bring your ain to enjoy wired audio on this tablet. In fact, despite back up for 15W fast charging, the Tab S6 Calorie-free also comes bundled with a regular non-fast charger, making it articulate that Samsung had to cut downwardly on more than than specs to continue the overall cost down.

Unfortunately, the Tab S6 Lite doesn't accept a physical or in-display fingerprint sensor, leaving facial recognition every bit the only biometric option. While face recognition works well for the most function, you lot volition have to manually wake upward the screen using the ability button or by borer information technology twice before yous can unlock it, as there is no elevator-to-wake gesture. Furthermore, facial recognition can be fooled with a bit of endeavour, then y'all might just desire to depend on the skilful one-time pin or pattern lock if security is a major concern for you.

Galaxy Tab S6 Low-cal display

The x.four-inch brandish on the Tab S6 Lite has a 16:10 aspect ratio and a resolution of 2000 by 1200 pixels. Except for the big screen estate, the display doesn't exactly have whatever redeeming qualities. Information technology has somewhat muted colors, doesn't become uncommonly bright, and lacks the deep blacks y'all go on an AMOLED brandish. And while text and images expect sharp enough, you will instantly notice the jagged edges when yous burn upward a game.

The Galaxy Tab S6 Calorie-free also lacks any sort of HDR certification, and yous also encounter black bars to a higher place and beneath videos because of the 16:10 aspect ratio. Once again, the only advantage you are getting hither is that you have a large screen for all your content and for putting that Southward Pen to employ. LCD displays just can't match the dazzler of AMOLED panels, and if yous thought you lot'd exist getting a viewing feel as good every bit what you get on Samsung's costlier tablets, you volition be disappointed.

Galaxy Tab S6 Lite S Pen

The display may not be cracking, simply you get the same fantabulous stylus feel that you get on Samsung's flagship devices. There's no Bluetooth or gesture functionality on the Tab S6 Light's S Pen, only it works smashing when yous really use it on the screen. My married woman started using Galaxy Note smartphones merely a few months ago and loves drawing with the S Pen on her Note 10 Light, and she loved having admission to the Tab S6 Lite'due south big screen for a few days.

The S Pen is very responsive, and the palm rejection is excellent so there'south never any adventitious touch when y'all're drawing something. Naturally, you can likewise take notes with the S Pen or annotate screenshots, just like you can on the Tab S6 and the Note flagships. All of the Southward Pen tools are nowadays here except Translate, which lets you hover over a word and instantly have information technology translated into a chosen language, though perhaps Samsung will add together that feature with an update later on on.

Milky way Tab S6 Low-cal audio

The two AKG-tuned speakers on the Tab S6 Lite produce articulate, distortion-free audio. They are loud enough for a medium sized room when you lot're watching a movie, and thanks to Dolby Atmos support, you lot get good stereo separation: I was able to conspicuously hear all the dissimilar instruments in the amazing 'Lighting of the Beacons' scene in theLord of the Rings: The Render of the King.

You tin can recollect of the Tab S6 Light's speakers equally equivalents of the stereo speakers on flagship Galaxy smartphones, only the former are notably louder, every bit you lot would wait from a tablet. And if you have a skilful pair of wired audio headphones, yous tin can use those thanks to the headphone jack. Information technology'south as consummate an audio feel as yous volition get at the sub-$400 price point on a tablet, or even on whatsoever of Samsung's not-flagship phones.

Milky way Tab S6 Lite performance

The Exynos 9611 processor that powers the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite has been seen on multiple upkeep and mid-range Galaxy phones in the last year, including the Milky way A51, and its performance is not very special. You will meet some stutter in the animations and apps won't always open up as apace as you lot would like, just it gets the job done when you lot're navigating through the user interface, browsing, watching videos, or drawing or taking notes in the Samsung Notes app.

When it comes to gaming, the Exynos 9611 is a capable performer on phones, and that's also the instance on the Tab S6 Light, probably because its screen resolution is but slightly higher than phones like the Galaxy A51. Heavy games like PUBG, Call of Duty, andAsphalt ixrun well, at least at their default graphics settings. Frame drops tin occur, but they are rare and don't affect the overall experience.

Sadly, because there's only 4GB of RAM, the Tab S6 Light can struggle to keep apps in memory. Multitasking with ii apps open on the screen at the aforementioned time works great, but the tablet tends to kill off apps in the groundwork pretty quickly. The not-so-powerful performance and express retentiveness is probably the reason why the Tab S6 Low-cal does not back up DeX mode.

Galaxy Tab S6 Lite software

The Tab S6 Lite is Samsung's first tablet to launch running Android 10 and Ane UI 2.one out of the box. This is a lower mid-range tablet, and so the feature set is limited compared to the Galaxy Tab S6 and the Milky way Tab S5e. At that place's no DeX way, as I said in the performance section, which is unfortunate because DeX manner and the S Pen are a lucifer made in sky.

You practice get some of the useful One UI two.x features, like a screen recorder, Bixby Routines, Quick Share, and Music Share. There'south alsoTelephone call & text on other devices, which lets you make and receive calls and letters on your tablet by logging into the same Samsung account every bit your Milky way phone. And, this being a tablet, you tin can also make multiple user accounts, so others in your family can use it as well.

The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite also has Daily Board. Daily Board lets y'all view the time, weather, calendar, and a wallpaper slideshow on-screen when the device is charging. It's basically a screensaver characteristic that has been around on Samsung's tablets for some fourth dimension, though I never institute myself using it because I didn't exactly need to charge this thing all that much in the time that I used it for this review.

As far equally software updates are concerned, the Galaxy Tab S6 Low-cal should get both Android eleven and Android 12. Like every other Milky way tablet, this one gets security updates every three months, though going by Samsung'southward track record for updating fifty-fifty its flagship tablets, it would be best if y'all don't expect security updates to actually get in according to schedule.

Galaxy Tab S6 Calorie-free battery life

According to Samsung's official battery life figures, the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite can provide up to 13 hours of video playback on a single accuse. I put this to the exam with both a motion picture streaming on Netflix and a picture played off the internal storage. With the movie stored on the device, the display at seventy% brightness, and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth active, the tablet lost around 23% battery after watching a nearly 150-infinitesimal film, and so a full charge should last for around 11 hours.

The picture I streamed on Netflix was effectually 200 minutes long (the final role of the Lord of the Rings trilogy) and I decided to set up the screen to max brightness. Battery endurance in this instance was expectedly lower. I lost around 43% of bombardment, and then the tablet would accept lasted a fiddling under eight hours if I had gone all the way. It'south still more than adept plenty, and the mileage will no dubiousness exist meliorate with the brandish at 60-70% effulgence.

I didn't exam gaming for long periods, but continuous gaming should let the battery to proceed the lights on for around 6-vii hours before it drains completely. With intermittent light to moderate usage involving browsing, some YouTube videos, and a match or two of Telephone call of Duty, the Tab S6 Calorie-free can easily last 2-3 days earlier it asks for a charge. If you game and scan and watch videos all day long, expect it to die out past late evening, specially if you utilize it at high effulgence.

Fast charging on the Milky way Tab S6 Lite is the good old 15W version. The bombardment can go from 0 to 100% in a little nether three hours, which is proficient enough considering the vii,040 mAh chapters. But, as mentioned earlier, in that location's no fast charger in the box, though that shouldn't be an issue as at that place's a good chance you lot already have a fast charger for your phone that you can utilise for the Tab S6 Light every bit well.

Galaxy Tab S6 Lite cameras

Tablet cameras have traditionally been underwhelming, and Samsung certainly isn't going against that tradition here. The Tab S6 Light has 8MP and 5MP rear and forepart cameras respectively and only just gets the chore done. The front camera is skillful enough for video calls and the occasional selfie, simply there'southward manifestly not a lot of detail considering of the low megapixel count.

The rear camera takes okay photos, though the colors are usually quite muted and the dynamic range isn't that great. Again, cameras on a tablet have e'er fallen in the "serviceable" category, and the aforementioned is true on the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite. You're ameliorate off getting your photography fix on your phone and employ this tablet just for video calls.

Milky way Tab S6 Low-cal verdict

The Milky way Tab S6 Lite hits the sugariness spot as a tablet that gets all the nuts right while offering something non many other tablets in the sub-$400 segment tin boast: Access to Samsung'due south Southward Pen experience. Information technology'south great for drawing and taking notes, and the large screen and excellent stereo sound also brand it a good media consumption device, despite the fact that you have to brand do with an LCD display. Gaming functioning is more than adequate likewise, and information technology'south just the serious workaholics who won't be happy with the Galaxy Tab S6 Calorie-free, owing to the lack of support for Samsung DeX and an official keyboard accessory.

Pros	Cons
Premium design	Full general performance isn't that great
Big screen, South Pen support on a upkeep	LCD display simply isn't every bit good as Samsung'due south AMOLED panels
Good battery life	No Samsung DeX back up, no keyboard accessory
Excellent audio over AKG-tuned stereo speakers	No fast charger in the box
Proficient gaming functioning	No fingerprint sensor
Android 10 and One UI 2.1 out of the box

Source: https://www.sammobile.com/samsung/galaxy-tab-s6-lite/review

Posted by: jesterthemply.blogspot.com

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