Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: Specs

• 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
• Price Range in UAE: AED 915.00 to AED 1435.00

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: Design

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite has a glass front, with a metal frame and back, making it feel sturdy and durable. However, it is a bit heavy at 467g, which is about twice the weight of most smartphones. Its dimensions are 244.5 x 154.3 x 7mm, which is average for its screen size and not too large. In fact, it can even fit into some large pockets.

This Samsung tablet has a slim bezel around the screen, which makes the screen look bigger without making the device feel bulky. The rear camera is located in the top-left corner when held upright. The device has a 3.5mm headphone jack on top, a power button and volume rocker on the right side, and a USB-C port on the bottom. The inclusion of a USB-C port is great since it allows faster data transfer and charging compared to micro USB, which is common in cheaper tablets. The headphone jack is a nice feature for those who use wired headphones.

The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite comes in three colors: Oxford Gray, Angora Blue, and Chiffon Rose, but not all colors are available in every region. 

The Galaxy Tab S6 includes the S Pen stylus, which is great for drawing, sketching, and taking notes. Unlike the more expensive Galaxy Tab S6, there is no built-in slot for the stylus, so it attaches magnetically to the right edge. If you get the Book Cover case, it has a compartment for the stylus.

While the included stylus is a nice feature and changes how you can use the tablet, it’s not perfect, and we’ll discuss some issues with it later in the 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. This is only 0.1 inches smaller than the more expensive version, but it uses a lower-quality LCD screen instead of the high-resolution AMOLED screen. The LCD screen is bright and works well even outdoors, but the colors can sometimes look a bit faded compared to other devices. The lower resolution is noticeable when playing games or watching movies, but it may be good enough depending on what streaming services you use.

The 5:3 aspect ratio screen is close to the 16:9 ratio used by most TV shows and movies, so you won't see large black bars like on iPads with a 4:3 aspect ratio. Being an LCD, black appears quite bright since it shows all colors to create black, unlike LED panels that turn off LEDs. This makes dark scenes and dark mode look brighter and less relaxing for your eyes, and it doesn't save much battery. The screen also feels less responsive when using the S Pen or your finger, with more friction or resistance, which might be due to the materials or films used. It's annoying but can be adjusted to, though it's more noticeable compared to an iPad with an Apple Pencil.

A bigger issue is palm detection. On iPads, the screen can tell if you’re using the Apple Pencil, your finger, or your palm, and ignores your palm so you can rest it on the screen while writing or drawing. The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite doesn’t have this feature, so if you rest your palm on the screen while using the S Pen, the tablet might think it’s a separate input. This can lead to accidentally drawing lines, changing screenshots, or opening apps. Samsung needs to improve this to offer a better stylus experience.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: Performance and Camera

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite uses the Exynos 9611 chipset, made by Samsung, which is also found in mid-range phones like the Galaxy A51 and Galaxy A50s. It has 4GB of RAM. While the Exynos 9611 isn't very powerful, it works fine for basic tasks. Simple and well-optimized games run smoothly, but more demanding games can lag or crash, like PUBG Mobile, which crashed shortly after starting.

The main performance issue is the navigation speed, with slight delays when swiping between menus, typing, or opening apps. This can be frustrating, especially compared to lower-end iPads which don't have this problem. However, the delay is only noticeable when many background functions are running or apps are downloading. Overall, the Tab S6 Lite isn’t as quick to navigate as an iPad.

In benchmark tests, the Tab S6 Lite scored 1,313 in the multi-core test, which is much lower than the Galaxy S20's 3,061. This score is comparable to low-end phones, explaining the slow navigation and game crashes.

Face recognition unlocking is slow and often doesn't work before you have to type in your password. You also have to hold the tablet far from your face for it to work.

The rear camera is 8MP and is decent for basic photography, but photos can look dim and grainy, especially with the 10x digital zoom. The front camera is 5MP and is better suited for video calls and selfies. It has various selfie modes like Live Focus, which lets you edit the background, AR Doodle for drawing on your face with the S Pen, and filter and beauty options. Both cameras can record 1080p video.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: Software

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite runs on Android 10 with Samsung’s One UI, which organizes apps into a drawer for a clutter-free home screen and offers useful widgets for weather, Spotify controls, and email previews. While One UI enhances customization, Android on tablets still lags behind iPadOS in smoothness and user experience. The control menu on iPadOS is better organized, and device searching is easier. 

Despite fewer tablet-specific features in One UI, the S Pen offers fun and productive features like Create Note, Screen Write, and AR Doodle, easily accessible from the home screen. However, the lack of palm detection and the absence of an optional keyboard accessory make typing long documents less comfortable.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: Battery Life

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite has a 7,040mAh battery, which is pretty standard for a tablet this size. It's slightly smaller than the iPad 10.2's battery, but not by much. It easily lasted a whole day with typical use, like watching YouTube videos, playing games occasionally, and checking social media. Even with more demanding tasks, such as long video calls, you may not to worry about the battery running out.

Unlike a smartphone, you don't need to charge the Tab S6 Lite every day unless you're using it heavily. It supports 15W fast charging, which might seem slow for a smartphone, but because the tablet's battery is much larger, it takes a while to fully charge. It's not something you can quickly top up, so we found it more convenient to charge it while using it rather than waiting for it to charge fully.

Final Thoughts

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, featuring the S Pen and customizable One UI, is great for stylus users and offers impressive battery life. However, it feels slower than an iPad, which may be annoying with frequent use. The lack of a physical keyboard and palm detection can make composing long documents challenging. While it's perfect for social media, short emails, note-taking, and browsing, it's less suited for extensive writing tasks.