LATEST GALAXY TAB S6
Introduction
Samsung is one of the few OEMs that still makes Android tablets. In fact, it is the only company that makes high-end Android tablets to compete with iPads. Though the number of models in its tablet portfolio has come down over the years, it continues to launch a flagship tablet every year, and the Galaxy Tab S6 is that device for 2019.
The Tab S6 marks a major shift in Samsung’s tablet strategy with top-of-the-line specs. This is unlike the previous models which launched with older SoCs to increase margins. The Tab S6 retains what was good with its predecessor and makes improvements in areas where it lagged behind. Given how bad the Android-tablet landscape is, the Tab S6 is the best and perhaps the only Android-based iPad alternative in the market.
Design
The Galaxy Tab S6 doesn’t bring anything new to the table in terms of design, at least not when compared to the Tab S5e. It looks and feels like a Tab S5e with its thin profile and metal unibody construction. The tab measures 244.5 x 159.5 x 5.7 mm and weighs 420g, which makes it ever so slightly smaller but thicker and heavier than the Tab S5e. We noted in our Galaxy Tab S6 review that the tablet feels really premium in the hands and is a joy to use for extended periods of time.
On the right side of the device, there’s a power button, below which there's a volume rocker and a microSD slot (or a hybrid slot if it’s an LTE variant). On the left, there are POGO pins for connecting the optional Book Cover keyboard. There are two speaker grilles at the top and two more at the bottom along with a USB Type-C port. The front of the device is dominated by the large screen with an in-display fingerprint scanner, small bezels, and a selfie camera at the top.
On the back of the device, there is a vertically-arranged dual-camera system at the top-left corner, a groove for the S Pen below the cameras, Samsung branding in the middle, and AKG branding along with regulatory information down below. All in all, the device looks identical to the Tab S5e with minor design changes on the outside and substantial spec upgrades on the inside.
Specifications
One of the major complaints about the previous Galaxy flagship tablets is the chipsets used by Samsung. Despite their iPad-level pricing, these devices launched with older generation CPUs, giving Apple’s offerings a huge lead in performance. Thankfully, Samsung addressed this shortcoming with the Tab S6 by packing top-of-the-line specs, including the latest SoC, to justify the price tag.
The Galaxy Tab S6 comes with a 10.5-inch Super AMOLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 CPU, Adreno 640 GPU, 6 or 8 GB of RAM, 128 or 256 GB internal storage, microSD slot, dual rear cameras, 8 MP selfie camera, AKG-tuned quad speakers, Dolby Atmos support, in-display fingerprint scanner, optional LTE, 7040mAh battery, 15W fast charging, Bluetooth(BLE)-enabled S Pen, and more.
In terms of software, it runs Android 9 Pie with Samsung’s One UI on top. It comes with One UI 1.5 onboard, making it the first Galaxy device to do so. Overall, the device is mostly a Tab S5e with more storage and RAM, a faster chipset, and an S Pen. Just like the Tab S5e, it also lacks a headphone jack due to its thin profile.
For the complete list of specs, you can go to our Galaxy Tab S6 specifications page.
Display
The display has always been one of the major reasons to buy a Galaxy device, particularly when it’s a tablet whose primary use case is media consumption. Samsung’s flagship tablets have been sporting AMOLED displays for many years now, and the Tab S6 is no different. For the most part, the screen here is identical to the one found on the Tab S5e. It’s a 10.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1600 x 2560 pixels, which gives it a pixel density of ~288 PPI. It has an aspect ratio of 16:10, making it ideal for content consumption.
The Tab S6 has a screen-to-body ratio of ~82.5%, which is better than all the company’s previous tablets. It also packs Wacom’s EMR tech for the S pen and an in-display fingerprint scanner – both of which are missing on the Tab S5e.
Camera
Customers rarely use the cameras on tablets, but that didn’t stop Samsung from upgrading the cameras on the Tab S6. It is the first Galaxy tablet to sport dual rear cameras. The dual-camera setup on the back consists of a 13-megapixel f/2.0 primary sensor and a 5-megapixel f/2.2 ultra-wide sensor with a 123-degree FoV (field of view).
The rear camera can record 2160p videos @ 30fps, while the single 8-megapixel f/2.0 selfie camera is limited to 1080p@30fps. Just like the display, the Tab S6’s camera setup and features are identical to what you find on the midrange Tab S5e. The only difference is that the former has an extra camera on the back for shooting ultra-wide pictures.
Software
The Galaxy Tab S6 runs Android 9 Pie with One UI on top, out of the box. It is the first Galaxy device to come with One UI 1.5, which appears to be a minor upgrade from the One UI 1.1 found in many other recent Samsung devices. It's also one of the few Samsung tablets that are eligible to receive three Android OS upgrades.
It comes with an improved DeX mode which can be used both on the device display itself as well as on an external screen. It also comes with all the S Pen features found on the Galaxy Note 9. To know about all the standard One UI features and changes, you can read our Android Pie Feature Focus series.
S Pen
Like its predecessors, the Galaxy Tab S6 supports S Pen, and it is included in the box. It is a Bluetooth-enabled stylus similar to the one that comes with the Galaxy Note 9 but bigger in size. Along with the new S Pen, Samsung has also brought over all the stylus features, including using it as a remote control, from the Note 9 to the Tab S6. It also added new options like S Pen Air actions to expand the functionality of the stylus.
With the Tab S6, Samsung is changing the location where the S Pen resides when not in use. There is now a small magnetic indent on the back of the device to keep the S Pen attached to the tablet. The groove also automatically charges the S Pen for BLE-based functions.
Availability
Samsung announced the Galaxy Tab S6 on July 31, 2019 – nearly a year after the launch of the Tab S4. It was available for pre-order immediately and went on sale on August 9 in the US. It carries a price tag of $649.99 for the base 6GB/128GB version and $729.99 for the 8GB/256GB variant. Both of these are Wi-Fi only models, but the company also offers a Wi-Fi + LTE version
In Europe, the base storage variant is priced at €699, while the other option costs €779. The LTE version, which comes in 6GB/128GB configuration, also costs €779. Available color options include Cloud Blue, Mountain Gray, and Rose Blush colors.
Irrespective of which version you by, an S Pen is included in the box. The keyboard cover, on the other hand, costs extra and is priced at $180. As usual, pricing and availability for all of these vary by region and carriers.
