Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
The best Android tablet currently on the market.
Following on from this year’s mid-range Galaxy Tab S5e, Samsung’s latest Android tablet is clearly gunning for the iPad Pro crowd with its new (and very premium) Galaxy Tab S6, a productivity-focused device that just might score itself a few converts.
For those who want to get some serious work done, the Tab S6’s built-in Samsung DeX mode provides the tablet with an optional desktop-style interface, complete with folders, overlapping windows and all the usual PC conveniences. Naturally, you can improve your productivity by pairing a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse to the device, or simply purchase the Tab S6’s official keyboard cover ($199), which has its own touchpad for precise pointer control.
Like Apple’s top-tier tablet, the Galaxy Tab S6 can be used in tandem with a specially-designed stylus, in this instance, an upgraded version of Samsung’s own S Pen. However, unlike the optional (and incredibly expensive at $198)) Apple Pencil, Samsung’s S Pen is included in the box at no extra cost, offering similar functionality and touchscreen latency.
While Apple’s drawing software is perhaps more refined in its execution, Samsung makes up for this by including a number of clever stylusbased features, such as Smart Select, which lets you draw a box around a section of your screen and the contents within transcribed into text. Another neat inclusion in this year’s model is the ability to use Air Actions, which allow you to perform gestural commands by waving the S Pen in front of the Tab S6’s display. Sure, they’re completely unnecessary, but we can see the appeal in flicking the stylus to skip through tracks on Spotify, for instance.
Whether you want the S Pen or not, Samsung clearly sees it as integral to the device, which itself feels a bit like a tabletsized Galaxy Note 10. For one, the Tab S6 has a permanent indentation on its rear where the S Pen is magnetically attached, allowing the Bluetoothenabled stylus to wirelessly charge when not in use – and good luck finding an official case without a large bump to house it in.
Despite being nearly identical to the aforementioned Tab S5e in terms of design and dimensions, the Tab S6 is a great deal more powerful than its mid-range sibling, offering the same Snapdragon 855 chipset that powers Samsung’s 2019 flagship smartphones in the US.
This makes the Tab S6 ideal for gaming, while also ensuring that your work is never hampered by slowdown or sluggish navigation. The Tab S6 will also last a full day of intense use (with some juice left to spare) thanks to its hefty 7,040mAh battery, and we’re happy to note that fast-charging is supported.
From an audio-visual standpoint, the Tab S6 is truly extraordinary. A gorgeous 10.5-inch Super AMOLED display offers terrific colour vibrancy and contrast, and the inclusion of four AKGpowered speakers with Dolby Atmos support brings strong and immersive audio that’s able to fill a room and entertain a small group.