Gadget Review: A tablet that cannot be taken Lite-ly

The S6 Lite is not the first tablet you will pick if you are in the market for an Android tablet. But if you did pick it, you wouldn’t go wrong. This middle-rung Samsung does everything you would want your tablet to do and then some, sans, of course, two things – a wow factor and a high price.

Yet, the S6 Lite sports a sleek and modern design that is reminiscent of its premium siblings. With a slim profile and rounded edges, it exudes a premium feel despite being positioned in the mid-range segment. The tablet is crafted from high-quality materials, featuring an aluminium frame that not only enhances its aesthetics but also provides durability. The back panel has a smooth matte finish, offering a comfortable grip and minimising fingerprint smudges.

At 10.4 inches, the display of the Tab S6 Lite is sufficiently large for immersive multimedia experiences while remaining portable enough for on-the-go usage. The TFT LCD panel delivers vibrant colours and sharp details, making it suitable for watching movies, browsing the web or reading e-books. Of course, compared to the AMOLED display found in higher-end Samsung tablets, the Tab S6 Lite's screen falls slightly short in terms of contrast and black levels, but I promise you will not be able to tell the difference 90 percent of the time.

Equipped with an Exynos 9611 octa-core processor and 4GB of RAM, the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite offers respectable performance for everyday tasks and multitasking. While it may not match the raw power of Samsung’s flagship tablets, if you are a normal everyday user who does not use his tab for hacking high-security websites, you’ll have no complaints.

There is no overkill with the S6 Lite. It handles web browsing, media consumption and productivity apps with ease. Casual gaming is also a pleasant experience, although demanding titles may exhibit occasional lag or frame drops. But if you are that avid a gamer, you have no business playing on tablets in the first place.

On the software front, the S6 Lite runs Samsung's One UI 3.0 atop Android 11, providing a user-friendly interface with a plethora of customisation options. Samsung's ecosystem integration, including features like Samsung Notes and Samsung DeX, enhances productivity by allowing seamless synchronisation across compatible devices.

Productivity is enhanced even further by the inclusion of the S Pen stylus, which neatly attached to the tablet’s side magnetically when not in use. For yours tuly, the stylus is the major draw of the device. It further augments the productivity capabilities, enabling precise input for sketching, note-taking and annotating documents.

Another standout feature of the S6 Lite is its impressive battery life. With its 7,040mAh battery, the tablet easily lasts a full day of normal usage, including web browsing, video streaming and occasional gaming. Even with heavy usage, we squeezed out over 10 hours of screen-on time, making it an ideal companion for long flights or workdays.

The device also offers seamless connectivity options. Apar from the normal Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0, a USB Type-C port facilitates fast charging and data transfer, while the rare presence of a 3.5mm headphone jack ensures compatibility with a wide range of audio devices.

While tablets are not typically renowned for their camera prowess, the S6 Lite manages to deliver decent imaging capabilities for casual photography and video calls. The rear-facing 8MP camera captures adequately detailed shots in well-lit environments and the 5MP makes for produces acceptable selfies and video calls, albeit with some noise in low-light conditions. Overall, the camera performance is sufficient for occasional use but falls slightly short of others in its class.

The piece de resistance of the S6 Lite, however, is its price of Dh949, which is great value for money for this versatile tool. Whether you're a student looking for a digital note-taking companion, a professional in need of a portable productivity tool, or simply an entertainment enthusiast, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is a tablet that you cannot take lightly.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite

Hits:

- Value for money

- S Pen Stylus

- Battery life

Misses:

- Camera

- No ‘Wow’ factor

Price: Dh949

Rating: 4.5 stars

ALSO READ:

• Gadget Review: You finally get the perfect the 'Echo'

• Gadget Review: The most sensible choice in the S24 range

• Gagdet Review: A voyage into user-friendly personal sound

• Reviews