Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite gets a 2022 refresh. Samsung s6 lite 2022
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite gets a 2022 refresh
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is a 10.4 inch Android tablet that hit the streets in 2020 with starting at 430 in the US, making it a lower-cost (and lower-spec) alternative to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 which had launched a year earlier.
Now that the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series is here, you’d think Samsung might be ready to offer a Galaxy Tab S8 Lite or FE model. But instead it looks like the company’s next tablet is a refreshed Galaxy Tab S6 Lite.
The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2022) is up for pre-order in Italy for €400 and it’s expected to begin shipping later this month. It will most likely launch in other countries soon as well, but Samsung doesn’t seem to have officially announced the tablet yet.
The updated tablet looks virtually identical to the 2020 model, but it features to key upgrades:
- The new model has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G processor rather than a Samsung Exynos 9611 chip.
- The new model ships with Android 12 rather than Android 10, which means it will most likely continue to receive OS and security updates for two years longer than the 2020 model.
Here’s a run-down of key specs for both versions of the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite:
| Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2022) | Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2020) | |
| Display | 10.4 inch, 2000 x 1200 LCD S-Pen | 10.4 inch, 2000 x 1200 LCD S-Pen |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G 2 x Kryo 465 Gold (Cortex-A76) CPU cores @ 2.3 GHz 6 x Kryo 465 Silver (Cortex-A55) CPU cores @ 1.8 GHz Adreno 618 graphics 8nm | Samsung Exynos 9610 4 x Cortex-A73 CPU cores @ 2.3 GHz 4 x Cortex-A53 CPU cores @ 1.7 GHz Mali-G72 MP3 graphics 10nm |
| RAM | 4GB | 4GB |
| Storage | 64GB | 64GB or 128GB |
| Initial Software | Android 12 | Android 10 |
| Front camera | 5MP fixed-FOCUS | 5MP fixed-FOCUS |
| Rear camera(s) | 8MP auto-FOCUS | 8MP auto-FOCUS |
| Battery | 7,040 mAh | 7,040 mAh |
| USB | USB Type-C | 2.0 Type-C |
| Headphone? | 3.5mm | 3.5mm |
| microSD? | Yes | Up to 1TB cards |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 | Wi-Fi 5 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions | 244 x 154 x 7mm | 244.5mm x 154.3mm x 7mm |
| Weight | 465 grams | 467 grams |
It remains to be seen whether Samsung will launch a lower-cost version of the Galaxy Tab S8 anytime soon. So while both versions of the tablet are mid-range devices, the newer processor and software in the updated model should make it a better choice for folks who are looking to pick up a new tablet in the €400/400 range this year.
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Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite review
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is a well-rounded iPad competitor, and it’s arguably the best non-premium tablet the company has ever put out. It has strengths, from the inclusion of the S Pen to software customization options and a fairly robust and good-looking design. There are some performance issues, however, which could affect the overall user experience.
Cons
- – Some issues with S Pen
- – Can be a little sluggish in use
- – Android not perfectly optimized for tablets
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Two-minute review
It’s become something of a cliche to call every new Android slate an iPad competitor, but it’s incredibly hard to avoid that in this Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite review, because more so than most it seems like an attempt to break Apple’s stranglehold on the tablet market.
From the price to the screen size and various features, the device feels very much like it’s been designed to tempt potential buyers from the iOS ecosystem to the Android tablet one.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is ostensibly an affordable version of the premium Tab S6, but it doesn’t actually have much in common with that tablet; instead, it seems more like a particularly accomplished member of the Galaxy Tab A line of cheap tablets.
With Prime Day 2021 scheduled for June 21, we could see the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite price reduced, especially with the Tab S7 FE new on the scene. if you’re looking to buy the popular S6 Lite, it might be worth waiting until then and checking out the deals.
The key feature of the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is that it comes with an S Pen stylus (it’s actually the most affordable Samsung tablet to come with a stylus) which is great for doodling, note taking and annotating. You don’t have to pay extra for it, as you do for the Apple Pencil for use with iPads, but Samsung’s stylus misses a few tricks by comparison with Apple’s stylus.
The tablet feels and looks pretty durable, with smaller bezels than the Galaxy Tab A and a solid rear that feels sturdy enough to survive hard knocks. The presence of a 3.5mm headphone jack, which isn’t a guaranteed feature in tablets, will be appreciated by many too.
Stylus problems aren’t the only issue the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite has – it can also be a little slow to respond, with slight delays when you’re tapping the screen or swiping, and its chipset isn’t great for playing high-end games, or other demanding tasks.
Another problem is that Android, or at least Samsung’s One UI take on Android, just isn’t as good a tablet operating system as iPadOS, although there are features and perks that might make up for this, especially in the stylus department.
None of this affects the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite’s usefulness as a portable entertainment machine though – its display is pretty good for a budget tablet, and it’s also got an aspect ratio that’s better for viewing content than that of many iPads. So if you’re just looking for a portable device for watching movies or TV shows, you could do a lot worse.
So the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite isn’t the perfect mid-range slate, but there’s still a lot here to like. enough that we rank it among the best Android tablets.
And if the features on offer here, like the S Pen, good screen and low price, appeal to you, then it’s certainly worth considering as an alternative to the entry-level iPad. If, though, you like a snappy user experience, and a stylus experience that isn’t affected by one or two annoying issues, perhaps an iPad is better for you.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: price and availability
Weight: 467g Dimensions: 244.5 x 154.3 x 7mm Display size: 10.4-inch Resolution: 1200 x 2000 Chipset: Exynos 9611 RAM: 4GB Storage: 64/128GB Rear camera: 8MP Front camera: 5MP Pre-installed software: Android 10 Battery: 7,040mAh Charging: 15W wired
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite availability is a little confusing, and it depends quite a bit on where you are. In the US the tablet isn’t available at the time of writing, but we know it’ll be released for 349 for its Wi-Fi only version, and it’s likely an LTE version will be released too. According to Samsung the device will be released ‘Q2’ of this year, which means it should be available by the end of June.
In the UK the tablet is already available, priced at £349 for the Wi-Fi-only model, or £399 if you want LTE connectivity too. Both of these are for 64GB storage models, which is the only version available in the UK, while in Australia only 128GB slates are available, at AU649 for Wi-Fi-only and AU799 with Wi-Fi plus an LTE connection.
In the regions where it’s available, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite can be easily bought on the Samsung website or Amazon, as well as from certain carriers in each region for the LTE version. Some retailers offer the tablet’s ‘Book Cover’ folio case free when you buy the device, so it’s worth shopping around.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: design
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite has a glass front with a metal frame and rear, and these materials make it feel hardy, as though it could survive being dropped a few times.
The choice of materials does mean the device is a little heavy though, at 467g – for reference that’s at least twice as heavy as most smartphones. With dimensions of 244.5 x 154.3 x 7mm it’s a fairly average size given its screen diameter, and it’s certainly not laptop-sized – in fact we actually managed to fit the tablet into large s on certain items of clothing.
A design feature that may please some is that the bezel which surrounds the screen is pretty slim, compared to those on iPads and Galaxy Tab A slates. The low screen-to-body ratio means the device has a good-size screen without feeling overly large in the hand.
The back of the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite houses the rear camera in the top-left corner (if you’re holding the device in portrait orientation). There’s a 3.5mm headphone jack on the top of the device, a power button and volume rocker on the right edge, and a USB-C port on the bottom edge.
Not all affordable tablets have USB-C ports, as some have micro USB, which is slower for data transfer and charging, so we’re happy to see the inclusion of it here. The audio jack will also please many users of wired headphones.
The Tab S6 Lite comes in Oxford Gray, Angora Blue or Chiffon Rose colors, although not all different colors are available in every region. Our review model was Oxford Gray, as pictured.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite comes with the S Pen stylus in the box, which is a useful addition for drawing, sketching and taking notes. Unlike the full-fat Galaxy Tab S6 there’s no there’s no slot in the body for stowing the stylus, so you have to perch it on the right edge magnetically, although if you get the Book Cover (which we tested the tablet alongside, as you can see in the images), this has a compartment for it.
While the addition of an included stylus may impress some prospective buyers, and certainly changes the way you use your tablet, it’s not perfect – there are some issues, which we’ll get to later in this review.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: display
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite has a 10.4-inch LCD screen with a 2000 x 1200 resolution. That’s only 0.1 inches smaller than the non-Lite tablet, but the lack of that slate’s higher-resolution AMOLED panel is one of the sacrifices of this budget tablet.
The screen quality is pretty good for LCD – it’s nice and bright, and easy to view even when you’re outdoors, but the colors sometimes look a bit washed-out compared to displays on other devices, and when we were playing games or watching films the low resolution was sometimes noticeable.
Saying that, depending on the streaming services you watch content on, or your subscription package, this resolution may be all you need, and only those with access to 4K content may find the tablet misses the mark.
In addition, the 5:3 aspect ratio is just a step off 16:9 (it’s 15:9 to be precise), which is the aspect ratio lots of TV shows and streaming movies are broadcast in. This means that when you’re watching content you don’t have prominent black bars at the top and bottom of the screen, as you’ll find on iPads, which tend to have 4:3 displays.
Because of the LCD display tech, the screen shows black as quite bright, which is because LCD creates the shade by displaying all the colors at once, unlike LED panels which simply turn off the LED to get black. The result is that when you’re looking at something dark, for example if you’re using Android 10’s dark mode, the display still appears bright, which isn’t as relaxing for your eyes, and doesn’t seem to save battery much either. This is a problem the Tab S6 Lite has in common with all LCD devices though.
When swiping the screen with the S Pen or a finger we noticed that the screen was a little less responsive than other tablets; it felt like there was more friction or resistance. It’s not exactly clear why this is the case, but it’s likely down to the materials used for the screen or any films applied over the top – either way, it was a bit of a nuisance when swiping to navigate or drawing with the S Pen.
We eventually got used to this, but when using the device alongside an iPad with an Apple Pencil the issue is rather noticeable. Our main S Pen issue, though, was with palm detection. On iPads, when the Apple Pencil is in use the device can detect whether the Apple Pencil, your finger or the palm of your hand is touching the screen, and ignores inputs from the latter – this means you can rest your palm on the screen when you’re sketching or writing.
If you rest your palm on the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite’s display when using the S Pen, however, the device thinks it’s a separate input, and responds accordingly – so you can accidentally draw a line, or change the cropping of a screenshot, or even start navigating the phone by swiping and opening apps. If Samsung wants to offer the best stylus experience on its tablets, it really needs to develop some palm detection technology.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: specs, performance and camera
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite runs on the Exynos 9611 chipset, made by Samsung itself, which we’ve previously seen in a number of mid-range and affordable phones like the Galaxy A51 and Galaxy A50s. This is paired with 4GB RAM.
The Exynos 9611 isn’t a powerful chipset, but it’s fine if you’re not doing anything too demanding. We found that lower-end and well-optimized games ran smoothly on the device, so we could get through Call of Duty: Mobile matches, but games that were too demanding would be laggy, or frequently crashed the device – PUBG Mobile met this fate just minutes into a match.
The main issue performance-wise is with navigation speed, as there’s a slight delay when swiping between menus, tapping on the screen to type, or opening a new app. Anyone who’s used lower-end tablets or phones will be used to this, as it’s just a symptom of middling specs, but the Galaxy Tab can be a little frustrating to use at times as a result, and, crucially the lower-end iPads don’t have this problem.
This wasn’t a constant nuisance, as the issue only really reared its head when loads of background functions were running or apps were being downloaded, but you’ll never find the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite as snappy to navigate as an iPad.
When we put the Tab S6 Lite through a benchmark test it returned a multi-core score of 1,313 – less than half the Galaxy S20’s 3,061. That’s a pretty low score, and although we don’t have any other tablet scores to compare it to (given that Geekbench, the testing program we used, changed its scoring system in late 2019), we can compare it to smartphones.
The Tab S6 Lite’s speeds only really beat out some super-low-end competition from the likes of Redmi (its Note 8T got 1,158), and even lost to mid-range phones like the Oppo Reno 2Z (1,482). All in all, the Tab S6 Lite’s performance here was pretty poor, which explains games crashing and slow navigation.
As we’ve mentioned, navigation can be on the slow side, and the most obvious sign of this was the face recognition unlocking, which rarely worked before we’d had time to type our password in anyway – and it doesn’t help that you need to hold the tablet unnaturally far from your face in order for this to work.
On the subject of the cameras, the rear snapper is 8MP. It’s unlikely you’ll be doing much photography with this instead of your smartphone, and that’s a good thing, as pictures did look a little dim (and grainy if you made the most of the 10x digital zoom), although not appallingly so.
On the front is a 5MP snapper, which will likely see more use if you do frequent video calls or take selfies. While the hardware is good but not great, the amount of different modes available for selfies will be a pleasant surprise for many.
There’s Live Focus mode, which lets you edit the background of a picture once you’ve taken it, AR Doodle, which lets you use the S Pen to draw over your face in real time, and filter and beauty options too.
There’s also 1080p video recording, both on the rear and front cameras.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: software
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite runs Android 10 with Samsung’s One UI laid over the top. This mainly brings a change to the appearance of ‘stock’ Android, although as with all Android forks there are some other changes too.
For example, in One UI all downloaded apps get sent into an app drawer instead of onto the main home page, which makes it easier to customize your homepage by only putting certain apps on it. Samsung devices also have a range of useful widgets that you can put on your tablet’s home pages, like weather, Spotify controls and email previews, so all in all One UI gives you more customization options than most other Android forks.
While One UI’s features work well on tablets, Google has been struggling for years to create a decent tablet operating system, and Android itself still doesn’t work as well on slates as Apple’s iPadOS does. The swipe-down control menu is better laid out in iPadOS, with fewer unhelpful options, and it’s easier to search the device too.
Android tablets to date have typically come up a little short compared to iPads in terms of the user experience, and that’s the case here. There are few unique features to make the tablet experience distinct from a ‘big smartphone’ one, as there are in iPadOS, despite One UI being pretty useful.
On the plus side there are some pretty neat S Pen tricks that are fun to use, all of which are easily accessible from the home screen thanks to a small icon that pops up to the side when the tablet detects that the pen is in use, or via a button on the stylus itself.
These include Create Note, which brings up a small window you can scribble onto, Screen Write, which lets you take a screenshot and annotate it, and AR Doodle, which we’ve already mentioned. The former of these we found especially useful, for making notes on documents we were sent, creating shopping lists when we searched the web for recipes, and creating to-do lists based on messages we received.
Depending on your line of work, these S Pen features may really help your productivity, although as we’ve previously mentioned the lack of palm detection detracts from the experience. It’s also worth adding that the lack of an optional keyboard peripheral at the time of writing (unless you opt for a third-party Bluetooth alternative) means that writing anything longer than a quick note requires you to use the on-screen keyboard, which isn’t as natural to use as a physical one.
We initially planned to write this review on the device itself, but balked at the idea of using the keyboard, with its slight touch delay, for a long-form article.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: battery life
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is powered by a 7,040mAh battery, which is fairly standard for a tablet of this size – the iPad 10.2’s is a touch bigger, but barely so.
We were impressed by the device’s battery life, as it easily lasted through a day of typical use (by which we mean, watching an hour or so of YouTube video, playing the odd game here and there, and replying to social media messages when needed).
Even when it came to more demanding tasks, like long video calls, we never worried about the impact these would have on the battery life.
Unlike a smartphone, and as with most tablets, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite isn’t a device that you feel you have to charge daily to keep it ticking along, unless you’re really pushing it to its limits.
The Tab S6 Lite supports 15W fast charging, which would be on the slow side even for a smartphone, but given the tablet’s power pack is twice the size of those in most handsets, it can take a long time to power-up the device.
This isn’t the kind of device you can just plug in for a quick burst of power here and there, and we found it more natural to charge the device while we used it, rather than plugging it in somewhere and forgetting about it while it powered up.
Buy it if
You want a stylus experience
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite comes with the S Pen included, which makes it a great choice for anyone looking for a slate they can use a stylus with. The S Pen boasts some nice features that make it useful for a range of tasks.
You like customizing your home page
Thanks to One UI’s widgets and app drawer, it’s easier than ever to customize your tablet home page on the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, with news blocks, Spotify controls, the weather and app folders all placeable where you want them.
You want a long-lasting tablet
We were impressed with how long the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite lasted in use, so if you want a tablet that you don’t have to charge up daily, this is a good choice. That’s especially true if you’re just looking for a tablet for occasional use, as you won’t have to continually power it up between sessions.
Don’t buy it if
You like snappy navigation
Despite many positives, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite does feel slightly slower to use than an iPad, and depending on how frequently you use your tablet this could become an annoyance.
Word processing is important
Because of the aforementioned slight sluggishness and the lack of a physical keyboard option, it can be difficult to compose lengthy documents on the tablet. It’s fine for social media messages, short emails, note-taking and searching the internet, but it might not be great for essay writing.
You’re not too careful about where you rest your hand
The lack of palm detection on the screen can make using the stylus a little annoying, especially depending on how you write. If you like to rest your hand on a surface while you write, the absent feature will be sorely missed, although not everyone will use a stylus like this.
Also consider
If this Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite review hasn’t convinced you on your buying purchase, maybe consider these alternatives:
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 This tablet succeeds the Tab S6, bringing you some newer features and a more premium design for a slight price increase. Check out our Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 review
iPad 10.2 Apple’s entry-level iPad is fast and affordable, and it’s the top choice for you if you want an alternative to the Tab S6 Lite but aren’t locked to Android. Check out our iPad 10.2 review
Amazon Fire HD 10 If you just need a portable entertainment tablet, Amazon’s largest model will be fine for streaming on the go, and even for some other basic functions. Plus, it’s cheap. Check out our Amazon Fire HD 10 review
You might also want to check out the ReMarkable 2 tablet review.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is a solid iPad competitor
Tom’s Guide Verdict
Samsung’s got a winner on its hands with the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, one of the best Android tablets period and a solid competitor to Apple’s iPad.
Cons
- – Underwhelming performance
- – Some Android apps still need tablet optimization
- – Face unlock recognition is unreliable
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Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what’s best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.
The world of Android tablets has needed the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite — an iPad competitor for the Android side. The Tab S6 Lite’s screen and sound are strong enough to stand side by side Apple’s 329 iPad, and we’re not even bothered that the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite costs 20 more, at 349. That’s because Samsung’s packed in an S-Pen stylus for free, which no other tablet maker does.
If the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite’s performance were a little snappier, and its facial recognition more reliable, I would be far more in love with this slate. Neither flaw is a dealbreaker, though, as this Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite review will explain why this isn’t just one of the best Android tablets, but one of the best cheap tablets on the market.
Price: 349 Display: 10.4-inch, 2000 x 1200 pixels OS: Android 10 with Samsung One UI 2 Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.1 x 0.3 inches Weight: 1 pound Cameras: 5.0 MP (front), 8 MP (rear) Memory: 4GB of RAM Storage: 64GB Processor: Samsung Exynos 9611 Ports: USB-C, headphone jack
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: Price, availability and accessories
The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite costs 349, and is on sale now at Samsung.com and other retailers.
While I love that Samsung includes the S-Pen Stylus, I felt myself missing a keyboard cover accessory. I tested the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite with a Samsung Book Cover case (69.99 extra) that has space where keys could be, where I kept typing without thinking. Samsung’s tablet supports Bluetooth and USB-C keyboards.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: Design
With incredibly slim bezels — measuring 0.3 to 0.4 inches — the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is closer to a floating panel than any other tablet in this price range, as the Microsoft Surface Go 2 bezels measures between 0.5 and 0.4 inches and the iPad (2019)’s bezels are 0.8 and 0.3 inches. The Tab S6 Lite’s metallic back (Samsung declined to name which metal that is) feels plenty sturdy.
We tested an Oxford Gray Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, which looks very dark, almost black. You can also buy the tablet in Angora Blue and Chiffon Rose.
Measuring 0.3 inches thick and weighing 1 pound, the Tab S6 Lite is lighter than the Surface Go 2 (0.3 inches thick, 1.25 pounds) and even a hair lighter than the 10.2-inch iPad (0.3 inches, 1.1 pounds). The original Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 (0.2 inches, 1 pound) is a bit thinner.
The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite’s headphone jack is on its top edge, its USB-C port is on the bottom and its microSD reader is on the right (as are the power and volume buttons).
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: Display
Watching the trailer for Netflix’s Space Force on the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, I noted decent color reproduction and detail. I saw strong reds in a glowing hallway that Steve Carrell was running down, a range of blues in the skies behind the shuttle, as well as the texture of the sandy fields Carrell fell down in while training in his suit.
Our colorimeter rated the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite for 98.4% of the sRGB spectrum. That’s a little less colorful than the ratings from the iPad (105%), the Surface Go 2 (107%) and the original Galaxy Tab S6 (122%)
According to our light gun, the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite produces up to 435 nits of brightness, which isn’t enough for colors to not darken when viewed at 30 degrees to the left or right. Still, it’s brighter than the 408-nit Surface Go 2 and slightly dimmer than the 450-nit iPad. The regular Galaxy Tab S6 produced a max of 290 nits in a dimly lit room, though its display shoots up as high as 473 nits when its sensors detect a ton of ambient light.
The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite’s 10.4-inch 2000 x 1200-pixel touchscreen panel provides accurate responses to touch. It speedily recognized taps and swipes as I navigated Android and offered smooth scrolling in Chrome.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: S-Pen
I’ve got to give Samsung credit. While I wish the Tab S6 Lite had the iPad’s 329 price, throwing in the S-Pen stylus for free makes the 349 price tag more than acceptable (especially as the Apple Pencil costs 99 extra). This S-Pen also feels better to hold and write with, thanks to a flattened side for improved grip and how its tip gives ever so slightly when pressed hard against the screen.
Also, the S-Pen provides a fantastic note-taking experience. As I doodled in the Samsung Notes app, I saw incredibly fast input recognition, with nearly no lag at all — on par with the Apple Pencil.
Even better, the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite’s S-Pen docks by snapping onto the tablet’s side (like the iPad Pro) and not plugging into its ports (like the iPad).
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: Audio
A pair of AKG-branded speakers pump strong and sweet sound out of the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite. As I listened to the tablet fill my home office with the bass of Keys N Krates’ “Keep it 100” and the delicate vocals of Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Fake Mona Lisa” I was impressed by the tablet’s Dolby Atmos-supporting speakers.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: Performance
The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is armed with the Samsung Exynos 9611 CPU and 4GB of RAM, enough for a slight amount of productivity. After splitting my screen between 6 Chrome tabs (including Giphy) and a 1080p YouTube video, I noticed some pauses when I moved between tabs. The iPad performed similarly, while the Surface Go 2 stayed snappy with a dozen tabs.
The bigger annoyance I saw was a bit of slowdown when resizing the split view screen when dragging the divider left or right — and that happened no matter how many tabs I had open. The iPad also pauses while you resize the split-screen, but the process looks less awkward, because of how both sides grey out while you’re moving and then clear up when you release. That doesn’t happen with the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, where the divider moves and everything stays the same, only re-drawing the pixels once you release.
On the Geekbench 5 general performance benchmark, the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite hit a not-bad multicore score 1,291. We saw higher scores of 1,429 from the iPad (A10 Fusion SoC) and 1,563 Surface Go 2 (Intel 8th Gen Core m3 with 8GB of RAM).
Playing the Asphalt 9 racing game, which runs on most devices, my expectations were lowered at the start, as the animated diamond in the corner of the loading screen skipped around a bit. This continued as I played the game, which had stuttery motion during car crashes.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite will last all day. Our battery test (web surfing on Wi-Fi at 150 nits of brightness) took 12 hours and 40 minutes to drain the Tab S6 Lite of a full charge. That beats the times from the Surface Go 2 (11:39) and the 7th Gen iPad (11:58). The Galaxy Tab S6 (8:58) didn’t make it nearly as long as this Lite model.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: Cameras and face unlock
The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite’s 5-megapixel front camera and 8-megapixel rear cameras proved capable as I snapped shots around the house. The selfie I snapped showed plenty of detail in my increasingly shaggy quarantine hair, and my skin was rendered in accurate hues. A bowl of apples I shot also came out clearly, with plenty of different greens and slight browns, showing which were ripe and which I should have eaten earlier.
My only real issue with the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite’s cameras is that I found the front sensor to be inconsistent when I used it to unlock the tablet via face identification. This mostly happened in rooms that were low on ambient light, and left me (multiple times) to enter my password manually.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: Software
The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite runs Android 10, something we don’t see from the Amazon Fire tablets (which run a proprietary fork of Android that’s restrictive). And while that’s great, some popular Android apps still have a ways to go on tablets.
While Slack and Netflix are on par with their iOS counterparts, the app is still just one giant column, stretching all of your content across the screen — with no sidebar on the right. Similarly, Spotify on iOS makes better use of a tablet’s screen space with a Now Playing section on the left and the content you’re navigating on the right. On the Tab S6 Lite, there is no split to the screen, and there’s a lot of unused space.
Password manager app 1Password doesn’t work with Samsung’s biometric face identification, making me type my absurdly long (but still memorable) unlock code out.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite makes a strong argument as to how good an Android tablet can be. Its sharp and colorful display mixes with strong audio to make a great device for streaming shows and songs around the house, and its thin bezels make it feel more modern than many other tablets. If only its performance were snappier and Android developers paid more attention to how their apps look on tablets, this Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite review would be a lot more positive.
For more speed and a stronger ecosystem, the Surface Go 2 and iPad give you a more unified tablet experience — though the 399 Surface Go 2 costs 50 more and adding on the iPad’s stylus bumps its price to 429 (80 more than the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite). But thanks to fantastic battery life, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is the best tablet running Android.
Take Note: Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S6 Lite 2022 Gets 24% Discount
Samsung refreshed the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite in 2022 by introducing a faster processor and the S Pen. This particular Android-powered Galaxy tablet is going for 24 percent cheaper in an Amazon deal, with the price dropping to 267.
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This particular 64 GB configuration will receive a larger discount than the 128 GB configuration, although both models do come with 4 GB RAM. Currently listed for 267, you save 81 in the process. All colors are also subjected to the same discount in this spring sale.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2022)
Save up to 24 percent off when you buy the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2022) with a free S Pen at Amazon.
Why the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2022) is worth buying
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite was launched just last year. It received a newer Snapdragon SoC and outputs higher power efficiency compared to the Exynos SoC in the original. The Snapdragon 720G SoC delivers improved battery life on top of faster performance and a more reliable gaming experience.
Samsung retained the 10.4-inch high resolution display, dual AKG-tuned speakers, and slim metal build of the tablet. Unlike in the previous generation, you don’t need to spend additional money to purchase an S Pen stylus to go with the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite. It is now included right out of the box.
The camera module is unchanged with an 8MP main shooter that is capable of recording 1080p video or storing documents. The front-facing snapper, however, has been optimized for video calls by including a wider field-of-view.
If you’re looking to pick up an affordable Android tablet with drawing and note-taking capabilities, the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2022) is a compelling choice that won’t break the bank. Likewise, we want to know if you use a stylus or intend to get one with your tablet.
