Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite Review: A Worthy Rival To The iPad
July 21, 2020Samsung’s latest tablet may be ‘Lite’, but seems to be heavy on features
Performance: Exynos 9611, 4GB RAM
Display: 10.4-inch TFT (1200 x 2000)
Storage: 128GB
Battery: 7,040mAh (1 Day Battery Life)
Rear Camera: 8MP
Front Camera: 5MP
Rating: 8/10
Price: RM1,699 (WiFi Only)
Apple’s venerable iPad is arguably the most popular tablet in the world. The are several different versions of them to choose from, that cater to a variety of users. And with each passing year, the technology behind them is continually being improved, which puts them in a different league compared to what Android has to offer.
It is this superiority that have caused dwindling sales figures of Android tablets. Google, the company with more money than God’s accountant, threw in the towel late last year, because they felt that trying to catch up with Apple was frivolous endeavor.
This is why Samsung’s perseverance in this area is more than commendable. Despite the various set backs, it has chosen to soldier on. And the the fruit of its labor was the Tab S6. It’s a really good tablet, the best as far as Android was concerned. But its pricetag is out of reach for the average consumer.
Now, the Tab S6 Lite, the less expensive version of its bigger brother, will whet most consumers’ appetite . Visually, there very subtle differences between the two, the most notable of which being the recessed section on the rear, that seats the stylus. The magnetic pull isn’t great, but good enough to keep it anchored to the tablet’s base.
What’s It Like?
Like the Tab S6, the Tab S6 Lite, is a really well built tablet, made of solid aluminum and featuring aesthetics that pay homage to older industrial designs. It has a nice weight to it too, which makes it feel good in the hand and convenient to carry. The cheaper Tab A (2019), despite having a smaller screen, feels heavier and more cumbersome to use.
The Lite’s screen may not be an AMOLED panel, but is bright enough and produces vibrant colours. It’s a good choice for media consumption, performing flawlessly for video streaming, browsing the internet, reading e-magazines or committing to art drawings.
Essentially, the Tab S6 Lite’s primary purpose revolves around the use of its stylus. Samsung’s ‘pencil’ though a passive one, is really good for what it is . The tip glides over the screen, with just the right amount of friction, which inspires confidence. Its quite precise too, which should be to the liking of creative types who enjoy drawing or sketching.
The stylus can even be used as an air mouse. Hovering it a few millimetres above the screen, brings up a cursor,which follows the tips. position. The side mounted button serves several functions that include a selection tool, mouse click and eraser. It offers a decent user experience, one that is especially decent for artwork for stuff like the PenUp app.
Jotting down notes is an absolute doddle, because there’s almost no delay and each stroke is recorded fairly accurately. The software interface does a decent job of transcribing handwriting and converting it to printed text. Looking up words and phrases are easy, which make it an excellent digital book/library.
It’s powered by the Exynos 9611, the same chip in the Samsung Galaxy M31 and A51, which is a decent mid-range processor. And unlike the Tab A, the Lite has 4GB RAM, which provides some much needed headroom. It performs well, regardless of what you ask of it. However, it’s comparatively less responsive than the Tab S6, especially when asked to juggle between multiple apps at once.
This’s isn’t much of a concern though, as the performance deficit doesn’t become apparent until you’re playing demanding gaming titles or attempting to edit video clips on it. But for the moderate stuff, this tablet is able to do it all very well.
That said, don’t expect it to take excellent videos or pictures. Equipped with just an 8MP rear shooter and a dismal 5MP selfie camera, the Tab S6 Lite, takes ‘ok’ pictures in broad daylight but struggles to stitch together passable shots at night. But, its unreasonable to ask too much of this device, considering its pricetag.
Should I Buy One?
If you’re looking for a decent tablet with pen support, then this is the device for you. It’s far cheaper than the Tab S6 but doesn’t really show it. In fact, we think that this is the best relatively affordable tablet that Android has to offer, because you’d be hard pressed to find an alternative and with similar appeal.
