Samsung today lifted the lid on its brand new Galaxy Tab S6 — and it’s sure to make iPad Pro fans think twice about where they spend their hard-earned cash.
The new 10.5-inch slate delivers a gorgeous OLED display, quad speakers by AKG and Dolby Atmos, and full S Pen support. It’s also much better than the iPad at replacing your desktop PC.
Android tablets have never really given the iPad cause for concern. Disappointing hardware and lackluster app support has always prevented Android-powered slates from enjoying much success. Google itself recently stopped developing tablets.
But Samsung won’t give up on them — and that’s great news for those who have no interest in a tablet that runs iOS. Its new Galaxy Tab S6 is the best yet, and this iPad Pro user is impressed.
Galaxy Tab S6 goes all-out
Like the iPad Pro, the Galaxy Tab S6 is a tablet that’s great not only for gaming and entertainment, but also getting things done on the go. And it’ll replace your desktop better than any iOS device.
The Galaxy Tab S6 obviously packs a “powerful” processor, with Game Booster and AI capabilities, as well as Samsung’s first ultra-wide tablet camera that allows for a 123-degree field of view.
It also sports a gorgeous 10.5-inch AMOLED display with an integrated fingerprint scanner, and four speakers that promise to deliver high-quality audio for your favorite games and movies.
You also get full S Pen support, with Air Actions that let you interact with the Galaxy Tab S6 without actually touching it. And it’s compatible with Samsung’s optional keyboard cover.
A tablet worker’s dream
But more important than all of that for those who use a tablet to be productive is a feature Samsung calls DeX. It lets the Tab S6 transition from a tablet into a more traditional computer.
Simply connect the slate to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse and you’ll enjoy a desktop-like computing experience, complete with support for windowed apps and real multitasking.
Photo: Samsung
Samsung has a brand new Keyboard Book Cover that works beautifully alongside DeX, with a dedicated DeX key that lets you quickly switch between tablet and desktop modes, and a touchpad.
Why won’t Apple copy this?
DeX isn’t new to the Galaxy Tab S6; Samsung has been offering it for a while now on its flagship smartphones and tablets. And I’ve been hoping that Apple will one day steal it for iOS.
I now do everything with my iPad Pro — and have done for almost two years. And I would love iOS to offer a desktop-like experience when I connect my iPad to a monitor.
We’re getting slightly closer to that with iPadOS, which will finally bring mouse support. But the user interface won’t change on an external screen, and very few iPad apps offer monitor support.
If tablet apps were anywhere near as good on Android as they are on iOS, I’d snap up a Tab S6 in a heartbeat just to use DeX.
Get the Galaxy Tab S6 in August
If you’re in the same boat, and you’re not too fussed about using Android apps, you can pick up a Galaxy Tab S6 in late August. Samsung is yet to confirm how much it will cost.
