The tablet market is in decline for a lot of time, but there is a particular niche of the market which is doing very well, mainly thanks to iPads. We are talking about professional and high-end tablets: the ones perfect for power users and for productivity. Samsung just launched the world’s first 5G tablet and it belongs to this niche: it is the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 5G. Given the importance of this tablet, we decided to compare it with the high-end tablets from the other main brands in the market: Huawei and Apple. Here is a comparison between Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 5G, Huawei MediaPad M6, and Apple iPad Pro 11 (we chose the 11 because the 12.9 variant costs too much to be suitable for such a comparison).
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 5G vs Huawei MediaPad M6 vs Apple iPad Pro 11
| Huawei MediaPad M6 10.8 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 5G | Apple iPad Pro 11 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 257 x 170 x 7.2 mm, 498 g | 244.5 x 159.5 x 5.7 mm, 420 grams | 247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9 mm, 468 g |
| DISPLAY | 10.8 inches, 1600 x 2560p (Quad HD+), IPS LCD | 10.5 inches, 1600 x 2560p (Quad HD+), Super AMOLED | 11 inches, 1668 x 2388p (Quad HD+), IPS LCD |
| PROCESSOR | Huawei Hisilicon Kirin 980, octa-core 2.6 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, octa-core 2.84 GHz | Apple A12X Bionic, octa-core 2.5 GHz |
| MEMORY | 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 4 GB RAM, 128 GB | 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – micro SD dedicated slot | 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 4 GB RAM, 256 GB – 4 GB RAM, 512 GB – 6 GB RAM, 1 TB |
| SOFTWARE | Android 9 Pie, EMUI | Android 9 Pie, One UI | iPadOS |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS |
| CAMERA | Single 13 MP 8 MP front camera |
Dual 13 + 5 MP, f/2.0 and f/2.2 8 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Single 12 MP f/1.8 7 MP f/2.2 front camera |
| BATTERY | 7500 mAh | 7040 mAh, fast charging 15W | 7812 mAh |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Optional LTE, pen support, keyboard support | 5G, pen support, keyboard support | Optional LTE, Pen support, stylus support, reverse charging |
Design
The most impressive design is offered by the iPad Pro 11 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 5G since they have the most narrow bezels around the display. Further, both come with an aluminum unibody design. While Apple iPad Pro 11 has slightly narrower bezels than Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 5G, the latter is more compact because it sports a smaller display (0.5 inches less). All of these tablets support a stylus, but the S Pen of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 5G is more advanced due to its additional features (including Bluetooth support and additional sensors allowing to use it as a motion controller).
Display
If you need the most amazing display ever, go for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 5G. It sports an awesome Super AMOLED panel with a high Quad HD+ resolution and the HDR10+ certification. It is one of the best displays ever mounted on a tablet. Both Apple iPad Pro 11 and Huawei MediaPad M6 are equipped with an IPS panel with a 2K resolution, but the display of the Apple iPad Pro 11 is definitely better. It has a wider color gamut and the TrueTone technology calibrating the color automatically depending on the environment. You can attach a magnetic keyboard to each of these tablets.
Hardware/Software
In terms of performance, Apple iPad Pro 11 wins the battle. It has better software optimization as well as a configuration with 1 TB of internal storage. But in daily use, Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 5G is more or less at the same level with a Snapdragon 855 chipset and up to 8 GB of RAM. Both the tablets feature amazing software for productivity, but Galaxy Tab S6 5G is the only tablet to support 5G. It supports 5G connectivity through a single-mode modem, so it has a higher energy consumption, but it supports it. Huawei MediaPad M6 takes the last place once again.
Camera
The best main camera is onboard the Apple iPad 11 Pro, but Galaxy Tab S6 5G is the only one to offer a dual camera including an ultrawide lens. If you want the best overall photo quality even in low light conditions, go for the Apple iPad Pro 11. But if you prefer photos that are still great and the chance to use an ultrawide lens, Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 5G is a better option. Galaxy Tab S6 5G would be my personal choice.
Battery
Finally, an aspect for which Huawei MediaPad M6 looks better. It has a bigger 7500 mAh battery. With 5G connectivity and a single-mode 5G modem, we doubt Galaxy Tab S6 5G will offer the same battery life as the Apple iPad Pro 11.
Price
These tablets are only on sale in select markets, except the iPad Pro 11. So it is useless to make a price comparison. Galaxy Tab S6 5G is going on sale in South Korea for about €850/$940, Huawei MediaPad M6 costs just €300/$330 in China, while iPad Pro 11 costs almost €900/$1000 globally. There is not a clear winner here, it mostly depends on the user. Galaxy Tab S6 5G has the most complete specs sheet, but iPad Pro 11 is not far and it offers the most interesting operating system, even though it is a closed OS. Huawei MediaPad M6 is inferior to both, but it has a much higher value for money.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 5G vs Huawei MediaPad M6 vs Apple iPad Pro 11: PRO and CONS
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 5G
PROS
- 5G
- Amazing display
- S Pen
- Ultrawide camera
- Thinner and lighter
- Nice audio
CONS
- Price and limited availability
Huawei MediaPad M6
PROS
- More affordable
- Good audio
- Available in a 8.4-inch variant
CONS
- Nothing particular
Apple iPad Pro
PROS
- Best performance
- Great OS for productivity
- Awesome camera
- Good audio
- Bigger battery
- Reverse charging
CONS
- Price
