Galaxy Tab S6 Lite versus Galaxy Tab S6 spec/price throwdown

Now that Samsung has finally unveiled the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, we can take a closer look at how this budget-friendlier solution compares to the company's top-tier tablet, the Galaxy Tab S6 (hit the link for our review). There are quite a few differences to consider, from hardware to software, as well as pricing, so let's get down to it.

AMOLED versus TFT LCD

Both tablets have a similarly-sized display with only a 0.1-inch discrepancy between them, but they are otherwise quite different. While the Galaxy Tab S6 has a Super AMOLED 2560 by 1600 display, the Lite model packs a TFT LCD screen instead, with a pixel count of 2000 by 1200.

Samsung's Super AMOLED panels are renowned for their vibrant colors and deep blacks, so an LCD panel seldom looks as good in the eyes of a Galaxy fan. The Tab S6 was also the company's first tablet to boast HDR10+ capabilities, while the Tab S6 Lite lacks this certification.

And while we're at it, all of this essentially means that the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite will deliver a poorer display experience even compared to the Galaxy Tab S5e. The choice of TFT LCD is certainly one of the S6 Lite's weaker points.

Design

Although the Galaxy Tab S6 costs considerably more than the Tab S6 Lite, the exterior design is strikingly similar between the two. The high-end model has a special slot for the S Pen on the back panel and a dual-camera setup, but other than that, you'd be hard-pressed to notice a difference between it and the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite.

Despite the Tab S6 Lite's lower price tag, the tablet has relatively thin bezels similar to the S6. And while it's not as thin as the Tab S6 which measures an incredible 5.7mm, the more affordable model still looks very stylish with a 7mm profile.

S Pen

Both the Galaxy Tab S6 and Tab S6 Lite have an S Pen, but the writing tool is fundamentally different from one model to the other. The high-end Tab S6′ S Pen is Bluetooth-enabled and benefits from Air Actions much like the Galaxy Note 10.

On the other hand, while the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite S Pen has been redesigned for a more comfortable grip, it follows a more traditional hardware setup whereby it doesn't require an internal battery or Bluetooth connectivity. This means that you won't take advantage of Air Actuins, albeit, you might feel like this feature falls more on the gimmicky side anyway.

Internal hardware and cameras

The Galaxy Tab S6 is the more powerful tablet of the two, no question about it. It sports a Snapdragon 855 SoC paired with 6GB or 8GB of RAM, while the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite has an Exynos 9611 chipset and 4GB of RAM. Similarly, the Tab S6 Lite base model has 64GB of storage with a 128GB option, while the Tab S6 is available with 128GB/256GB of memory.

Both tablets take advantage of the same connectivity features, however, the Galaxy Tab S6 has an in-display fingerprint sensor while the Tab S6 Lite lacks biometric authentication altogether. On the bright side, the budget model includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, giving you a lot more possibilities in terms of external speakers and headphones.

Battery life comparisons between these two models will be very interesting, considering each model relies on a 7,040mAh battery and have very different display technologies and chipsets. The Snapdragon 855 is a high-end chip, while the Exynos 9611 is a mid-range solution.

Camera-wise, the Galaxy Tab S6 is the clear winner here. It has a 13MP wide sensor along with a 5MP ultrawide, and an 8MP front-facing shooter. The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite makes do with an 8MP wide main camera and a 5MP front-facing unit.

Software

Both tablets ship with Samsung's S Pen suite of apps for productivity, but one big advantage of owning the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite instead of the high-end model is that it will benefit from an additional major Android OS update.

The Tab S6 Lite ships with Android 10 out of the box, while the high-end Tab S6 shipped with Android 9 and was later upgraded to the newer OS version.

Given Samsung's firmware update policy, the Galaxy Tab S6 will stop getting new OS updates before the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite. The former will only get Android 11, while the Tab S6 Lite should technically be guaranteed to receive Android 11 and Android 12.

Price

The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is obviously the cheaper choice from the two, and the gap is not insignificant. While the Tab S6 Lite Wi-Fi/LTE costs €379/€439, the high-end Tab S6 will set you back €699/€779. Granted, you will get more tablet for your money, but Samsung very clearly placed the Tab S6 Lite in its own price range.

Which one of these tablets do you think is a better choice for the money? Do you plan on buying the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite? Are you a Tab S6 owner? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

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