REVIEW: Samsung Tab S6 Lite, the most efficient stylus tablet of 2020

With powerful audio, cover and S Pen included, the Samsung Tab S6 Lite stands out as a premium intermediate tablet

On June 9, Brazil arrived in Brazil Samsung Tab S6 Lite, a simplified (and still very powerful) version of Galaxy Tab S6. While this second has performance and accessories that make it close to a 2 in 1 notebook, the S6 Lite goes straight to the point without flourishes: it is a tablet modern.

In times when it is increasingly common to find machines lightweight and portable, which gives account of everyday tasks, it may sound strange for a company like Samsung to launch a tablet that appears to have few highlights. It is worth remembering that the same manufacturer launched a few months ago the Galaxy Fold, cell phone that unfolds to reveal a 7.3 inch screen.

So I ask the question here: is it worth it to have “just” a tablet in 2020? We test and tell you all about the Tab S6 Lite in search of answering this question and I advance since, if it depends on it, the future of tablets is promising.

Design and performance

samsung tab s6 lite standard color disclosure images In gray, it arrives in Brazil with the 64GB version (Divulgao)

With a 10.4 ″, the Tab S6 Lite has a resolution of 2000 x 1200 proportion a little out of the ordinary, but fortunately it has adapted well in most apps. It loads the power of the octa core processor (2.3GHz, 1.7GHz) and 4 GB of RAM, in addition to housing a modest amount of applications and files in its 64 GB internal storage. By the way, there is a microSD slot expandable up to 1TB.

A more discreet profile than its predecessor allows the Tab S6 Lite to be easier to use, whether in portrait or landscape mode. Unlike modern cell phones, which wipe their edges, the finish around the tablet screen becomes necessary to hold it even more firmly.

Without the "home" button, the only physical keys are both volume and the screen lock on the side is nothing more. These are located on the right side of the Tab S6 Lite, tactfully translating its orientation (if you are not wearing the protective cover), since it is easier to pick up this custom than to look for the front camera.

samsung tab s6 lite screen print showing reduced bar interface Android 10 and reduced notification menu provide fast and clean navigation

Another interesting point of the interface is navigation in landscape mode. When you pull the top of the screen to check notifications, a “miniature” version of the menu appears. Android 10 easy to read. With that, as if it were the same size as the settings and notifications of a cell phone. Please note that this bar can be pulled along three sections of the top, and every time it appears in a very accessible way for both the fingers and the stylus.

The split screen and application drop-down shortcuts work as they do on other devices with the operating system version, but here we have to state that there is no perceived performance choke. Even with five simultaneous windows, navigation was smooth.

A final design highlight is the persistence for the input headphones (P2), great option for those who prefer “traditional” headphones to the USB C type, or for those who simply need to charge the battery when listening to music, without needing an adapter. Anyway, I think the sound experience is very good, regardless of the content, even if you are listening to the loudspeakers topic that we’ll cover below.

S Pen

samsung tab s6 lite S Pen detail on the cover, in two different locations Sticked on the device or in the reserved area on the cover, the magnetic S Pen will hardly be lost

An excellent accessory of the Tab S6 Lite the stylus S Pen. Next to the cover, the pen with seal Wacom is part of the complete kit with the tablet. This is curious, because in some 2-in-1 notebooks and touchscreen devices it is easy to find a stylus like this sold only partly worth remembering that only Apple Pencil, for iPads, costs R $ 900.

Unlike the Tab S6 “Standard”, the pen has no battery, which is familiar to certain designers who have a graphics tablet with a portable stylus. THE rubberized tip it gives you a more tactile feeling when writing and drawing on the screen, and I say that this would not happen if it were plastic. Conveniently, the S Pen can be attached to a dozen places, because both the tablet and the cover have magnetic parts, even on the outside.

Only 4,096 pressure points in a pen of only 7g, which is technologically more advanced and lighter than certain tablet pen, between medium and high performance. Even if, in particular, he has not tested with others, he is informed by Samsung itself that the Tab S6 Lite supports more models of the S Pen. So, if you have another Tab at home, you can enjoy it without problems with an already familiar accessory.

samsung tab s6 lite S Pen detail Two practical shortcut buttons can have different functions depending on the app

Other interesting technologies and design choices are two boats (usually shortcuts for erasing lines and activating the floating menu) and accurate sensors on the display, so that function hover work. Thus, a cursor displays on the screen a preview of where your stroke will be without it touching about 1 cm from the tablet. In many applications this can have different functions, but we'll talk more about that in the sequel.

I must admit that the notepad app (Samsung Notes) surprised me. At first glance, it works like any other, being a reserved area for throwing ideas and making quick notes. However, when putting the pen in play, we see its strength. You can choose to convert text from hand to typed writing, which saves a lot of time for those who need to transcribe and a generous step towards integrating the tablet into a work routine.

samsung tab s6 lite text transcription Scribbles translated with 95% efficiency even better for those who know how to write well

Trust me: the transcription is very effective, even though I don't believe in my ability (or lack of it) so much to use notes by hand most of the time, nor can I understand my handwriting. The biggest surprise came to discover that even no convert typed writing, just enter keyword searches and the app successfully identifies the saved note. The calligraphy still appears with a colored outline to make it easier to find the word on that note.

Finally, disable the drawing with finger very effective. I didn't notice any flaws when using notes or third-party applications, supporting my hand on the screen while writing / drawing with the S Pen. This test seemed to be one of the most delicate of the product, but fortunately something that the S6 Lite took out of letter.

Sound and image

The stereo speakers AKG Tab S6 Lite are magnificent. As tablet speakers, it is not expected to be powerful or loud enough, however, the sound slightly exceeded my expectations.

Some notebook users (smartphone / tablet) admit to noting “lack of bass” in product speakers, however, I didn't worry so much about it when watching series and movies with the S6 Lite. It was when opening the Spotify that I realized even more the sound quality, regardless of the musical genre. And in that same app I noticed that the sound is much better when it is horizontal, because each ear receives the sound of the respective speaker, different from being vertical and the rebound sound of the base sounds a little strange.

samsung tab s6 lite speakers and AKG detail Stereo speakers with AKG quality seal. Not bad for a lightweight tablet like this!

Talking about the screen, she has 10.6 inches and 2000 by 1200 pixels of resolution, LCD instead of the modern and potentially more expensive AMOLED panel, which is understandable by the lower value of this version. Supports 4K UHD video playback and bright colors.

The reflection of the display can be noticeable in a bright environment, even with its brightness at maximum, and this can bother anyone who wants to share the screen with other people. Watching movies at certain diagonal angles may not be as comfortable for the eye depending on the environment. At night, I felt that the lowest level of brightness is still slightly above what I would like. Still, the screen and sound quality make the “effort” worthwhile.

samsung tab s6 lite spotify A good sound on Spotify should please everyone who is nearby a pity the reflection of the screen does not collaborate so much to share experiences with the S6 Lite

Drums

In more basic access tasks, the battery lasted more than a day and a half of use fractioned. In hours of consumption of streaming, background applications and other apps, it can still last a whole day without problems. To further detail, according to official information, it is 13 hours of use in playing videos and at 149 hours playing audio.

In mobile use, this same duration can give a slight variation, however, even when leaving applications open and floating windows on purpose, the Tab S6 Lite did not disappoint. When charging the battery, you get about 20% in half an hour, an average of 1% in just over a minute, the same as for Fast Charge on certain smartphones from the manufacturer.

Cameras and Augmented Reality

samsung tab s6 lite external photos Outdoor photos in the middle of the afternoon: the best lighting for taking photos with your tablet

Only 8 MP on the rear camera and 5 MP on the front camera. In environments with artificial LED lighting, noise is perceived and, in general, a lower quality than good natural lighting. In the second scenario the photos are very good. On this topic, I would not say it is a weak point, as your main way of taking pictures should not be with a “not practical” tablet, right? The camera fulfills the basic, without sinning or exaggerating.

However, Augmented Reality, via app AR Zone or shortcut inside the camera app, very fun. Draw in three-dimensional space It is not an easy task, especially when the software does not detect the distance between the camera and the captured object. Without that, you need to get used to the subjective “eyeball” to know where your drawings would be in 3D space. Even so, you can simulate an art in various objects that you have at home.

Another highlight that shows the intelligence of the tablet is facial recognition. On both front and rear cameras, the app recognizes faces and lets you draw on them (basically, a customizable Instagram / Snapchat filter). The big difference he uses from technology to distinguish “works of art” made in different faces, even reminding them that people would get out of the camera's range. In the tests we did, the AR Zone he remembered even with the application in suspension after closing it definitively, the drawings were lost.

samsung tab s6 lite external camera 8MP camera: needed to be better? In our opinion, it's already a good size

Facial recognition in screen unlockbut It worked very modestly. In addition to taking three or four seconds in most successful cases, about 3 out of 10 attempts have failed. And there doesn't seem to be any consistency in lighting or accessories that are in place (I wear glasses) or their absence. The orientation of the tablet appeared to be another important factor: half of the attempts in landscape mode failed. In this second scenario, the camera is on the left, and that made detection a bit difficult, apparently.

samsung tab s6 lite detail for facial recognition The facial recognition cone can frustrate anyone who persists in “modern” tablet unlocking

In slight criticism of the unlocking system, I believe that it is actually more practical to use this same technology in smartphones. The mechanical act of pulling out of your pocket and looking at the screen (awaiting unlocking) is more natural than opening the cover of a tablet and doing the same. Therefore, in particular, it is much simpler to enter a password in the same way as a notebook and, therefore, I do not consider this intelligence failure as a negative point of the Tab S6 Lite.

There is still a lot to work on, taking into account the R.A. technology available today in other tablets with a greater number of sensors and that work more efficiently. In the case of a single lens ago, as in the case of the Tab S6 Lite, I say that the game is already valid.

Cover

samsung tab s6 lite low profile closed Elegance defines the look of the Tab S6 Lite with the cover closed

part of the design, important to talk about the protective cover of the tablet. THE Book Cover, a name that won in the recent line of Galaxy tablets, is already included in the standard edition of the Tab S6 Lite which makes it a great bonus too, even more if we consider that the Book Cover for the S6 launched last year costs more than R $ 400, sold separately.

At Gray color, she has strips of m that let you put it in landscape mode at two different angles (somewhere between 45 and 60). The material looks resistant and scratch-proof in the long term, in addition to being modern and complementing the refined look of the product.

samsung tab s6 lite and its metallic cover strips Hand straps do not let you “sambar” when put in tent mode

The displayable section on the back of it is quite reliable. With a single cutout for the camera, it is divided into two tabs so that the angles mentioned above work. The hand that must separate needs two hands (not very strong) to be manipulated, and in a few days it can “get the hang of it” and everything is natural.

A single problem, which I do not know if it is a short time of use (about a week until the writing of this review), is the plastic part of the S Pen where the spine of the Book Cover would be. When opening the Tab S6 Lite “cover to cover”, for example, it is not flat due to the “hinges” pushing it slightly upwards. Since he makes such good use of his hands, missed another magnetic fitting to make it easier to hold the tablet in hand.

Use of Tab S6 Lite in the routine

samsung tab s6 lite with open tabs from google chrome and spotify Several open browser windows and music rolling in the background with zero performance drop. Can I still open a Clash Royale?

Using the same device to watch series, listen to podcasts and browse the internet can be satisfactory for those who are content with large-screen smartphones, since the edges “disappear” every year, and the screens can get bigger depending on certain manufacturers. Particularly, I felt more comfortable with the tablet for these actions in the Tab S6 Lite test routine.

Those who are used to tablets, notice a balanced mix of applications, because a hybrid versions of mobile apps with desktop versions. Leaving heavy applications on purpose, I did not notice a big drop in the device's performance. I even connected a Bluetooth controller (from PlayStation 4) to test certain games from my library Google Play and everything worked very well. On the contrary, placing three simultaneous games to run makes the choking more evident.

samsung tab s6 lite drawing of love death and robots on autodesk Sketch inspired by Netflix's Love Death & Robots series. A good use of Tab S6 Lite with the AutoDesk Sketchbook app

THE Google Chrome recognized the function hover by placing the S Pen just under an inch away from the screen, imitating what it would be like to use responsive websites. A great example is home of the own Showmetech, which has some of the most recent main materials highlighted with animations if you hover over the mouse.

In drawings in AutoDesk Sketchbook I saw the potential of the S Pen pressure points. I'm far from being a designer, but I've been familiar with the Wacom pen and tablets for a few years, connected to the PC. In terms of fluidity of productivity, the Tab S6 Lite outperforms graphics tablets of the same scale.

Completed

For all kinds of activities that I managed to put to the test of the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, the overwhelming majority of strengths. The addition of S Pen and Book Cover compose a complete and economical kit without leaving aside the high quality and not weighing so much in your pocket.

samsung tab s6 lite on wooden table, tent shape Cost-benefit ratio is not the best, however, the quality makes it worth all the investment in the Tab S6 Lite

After giving up unlocking the screen with facial recognition, the password became something automatic (I put an identical one to my smartphone, also from Samsung). So even the biggest software “problem” has been solved. With that in mind, I believe that there is nothing left but praise for this release, all of which have been scrutinized throughout this review.

Even being sold abroad as a direct competition from iPad generation, here in Brazil the Samsung Tab S6 Lite arrives at a lower price range than the basic models of the Apple product. It can be found on the Submarino website by R $ 2,999 can be purchased by R $ 2,699 sight, a good value for the technical specifications of the product together with all the power of the S Pen. Without excesses, this is an excellent product.

  • Screen – 8/10
  • Camera – 9/10
  • Pen – 10/10
  • Performance – 9/10
  • Intelligence and interface – 9/10

9/10

Samsung Tab S6 Lite

Up to date with the technologies of 2020, the tablet may well be used by both casual users and intermediate designers. There are only a few details that prevent you from being impeccable.

Pros

  • Stylus and protective cover included
  • Screen of modest quality and size
  • Some mothers make everything very practical
  • High performance even with multiple apps
  • AKG speaker system
  • Effective intelligence for handwriting transcription

Cons

  • Absence of more sensors for Augmented Reality
  • Flexible cover and no hands in certain places
  • Screen with limited viewing angle, especially reflections