Galaxy Tab S6 Has the One Feature the iPad Pro Is Missing

Galaxy Tab S6
(Image credit: Laptop Mag)

Samsung's latest attempt at dethroning the iPad Pro is here. Launching Sept. 6 for $649, the long-rumored Galaxy Tab S6 will take on Apple's high-end tablet with a robust desktop mode and an optional keyboard add-on that actually packs a touchpad.

Over on our sister site Laptop Mag, Henry T. Casey got hands-on with the Galaxy Tab S6, and came away impressed by Samsung's premium slate. The S6 packs a fairly familiar tablet design, with slim bezels and a trio of attractive color options. 

But it really comes alive with its optional $179 Book Cover Keyboard attachment, which gives the Tab S6 both a kickstand and a full keyboard that, unlike the iPad Pro's $179 Smart Keyboard Folio, packs an actual touchpad for using the tablet as a true laptop replacement. 

Galaxy Tab S6 DeX mode

(Image credit: Laptop Mag)

The Tab S6's PC replacement features extend to its improved DeX mode, which lets you connect the tablet to a monitor, mouse and keyboard and now supports a more seamless windowed mode that comes close to delivering a Windows-Style PC experience. The tablet once again packs Samsung's S Pen, which now attaches magnetically to the rear for easier transport. 

Other key Tab S6 features include a rich 10.5-inch, 2560 x 1600 AMOLED display, a fast Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, up to 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage. Samsung also claims that this tablet will last up to 15 hours on a charge, which would top the 13 hours we saw from the most recent 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

The Galaxy Tab S6 isn't cheap, especially with its keyboard add-on, but it could be a compelling iPad Pro alternative for folks who want a more PC-like experience. For more on Samsung's new slate, check out Laptop Mag's full Galaxy Tab S6 hands-on review.

Michael Andronico

Mike Andronico is Senior Writer at CNNUnderscored. He was formerly Managing Editor at Tom's Guide, where he wrote extensively on gaming, as well as running the show on the news front. When not at work, you can usually catch him playing Street Fighter, devouring Twitch streams and trying to convince people that Hawkeye is the best Avenger.