Samsung is the only manufacturer that still releases high-end Android tablets. The only competition comes from the much more popular iPads. Is the latest Galaxy Tab S6 a better buy than the cheaper iPad Air and more expensive iPad Pro 11?
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
Price From € 699,-Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (2.8GHz octa-core)
RAM 6GB
Storage 128 or 256 GB (with micro SD slot)
Screen 10.5 inch OLED (2560 x 1600 pixels)
Battery 7040 mAh
wireless WiFi, Bluetooth 5, GPS, NFC
Format 24.4 x 16 x 0.6 cm
Weight 420 grams
OS Android 9.0 (Pie)
Other Fingerprint scanner behind the screen, S-Pen, optional accessories
Website www.samsung.com
8 Score 80
- Pros
- Thin and light
- Screen quality
- S-Pen for the enthusiast
- Negatives
- Price
- Software
- No audio port
If you are looking for a just good tablet, it is best to buy an iPad Air 2019 (549 euros). Demanding, professional users can go to the iPad Pro series (from 849 euros). Samsung hopes to win iPad users with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6, whose entry-level model costs 699 euros. The biggest difference is the software: the iPads run on Apple's iPadOS, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 on Google's Android operating system.
Android is especially popular on smartphones and while everything works fine, little effort has been made to adapt the software for the tablet. Samsung apps show notifications about 'your phone', for example. And at the time of writing, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 is still running Android 9 from the summer of 2018, complete with the non-useful Bixby assistant. It is present everywhere. If you hold down the on and off button on the tablet, you start Bixy. Switching off the device is done via a button in the software. Not logical. Overall, the software feels less refined than iPadOS. iPads also get updates faster and longer.
S-Pen
The Tab S6 is thinner and lighter than the same-sized iPads, which is great, because it has a large battery that lasts all day. Charging is done via the USB-C connection and takes a few hours. The four speakers produce good sound, but a 3.5 mm audio port is unfortunately missing. The 10.5-inch OLED screen looks beautiful and crystal clear and lends itself well to gaming and watching videos. With the included S-Pen you can make (note) drawings on the screen, which works fine. Still, we prefer the (sold separately) Apple Pencil of the iPad, which feels nicer in the hand and writes more naturally. For example, Samsung advertises gesture control via the S-Pen, which works moderately in practice. The S-Pen charges magnetically through the back of the Tab S6 but falls off quickly, especially if you put the tablet in your bag or pick it up. A special, separately available Samsung cover is a wipe for the bleeding.
Hardware
Under the hood of the Tab S6 is a lightning fast octacore processor, preferably 6GB or 8GB and 128GB or 256GB storage memory. Serious hardware that's in line with the competition. Behind the display is an excellent fingerprint scanner, but advanced facial recognition such as on the iPad Pro is missing.
Conclusion
With the Galaxy Tab S6, Samsung has the best Android tablet of late 2019 and early 2020. Nice for those looking for it, but with its starting price of 699 euros, it is particularly pricey. An Android tablet that costs half the price is less good, but also runs Netflix and popular apps just fine. Apple's iPad Air 2019 is also an interesting cheaper alternative. The 11-inch iPad Pro is more expensive than the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 but also offers better hardware and software.
