Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.5" T860 2020, SM8150, 8GB, 256GB, Cloud Blue

The Galaxy Tab S6 is a budget-friendly renewed tablet with a stunning 10.5-inch AMOLED display and included S Pen. Its Snapdragon 855 processor is ancient by modern standards, ranking near the bottom of our database for CPU and GPU performance. At $224, it's a great media consumption device but a poor choice for gaming or heavy multitasking. Buy it for the screen, not the speed.

Let's talk about that Snapdragon 855, because it's the elephant in the room. In our rankings, the CPU lands in the 3rd percentile and the GPU in the 2nd percentile compared to all tablets we track. That's not just old, it's practically fossilized by 2025 standards. For everyday tasks like web browsing, email, and video streaming, you'll be fine. The 8GB of RAM helps keep things smooth when switching between a few apps, and the 256GB of storage means you won't be constantly deleting files to make room.

But try to push this thing with graphic-intensive games or heavy multitasking and you'll feel the age immediately. The 60Hz display doesn't help either, especially when you've got competitors shipping 120Hz panels as standard. That said, the AMOLED screen itself is still a beauty. It sits in the 89th percentile for screen quality, which means colors pop and blacks are actually black. For watching movies or reading comics, this is one of the best screens you'll find at this price point. Just don't expect it to keep up with modern flagship tablets when it comes to raw processing power.

Stacked against the Apple iPad Air M4, the Tab S6 looks like a relic. The iPad Air's M4 chip absolutely demolishes the Snapdragon 855 in every benchmark we track, and the iPad's ecosystem support means it'll get software updates for years while the Tab S6 is already past its prime. But the iPad Air M4 costs significantly more, and you don't get the AMOLED screen or included stylus without spending extra. If you're budget-conscious and Android-bound, the Tab S6 makes a case for itself.

The Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus and Xiaomi Pad 7 are more interesting comparisons. Both offer newer processors, better connectivity, and higher refresh rate displays. The Xiaomi Pad 7 in particular feels like the spiritual successor to what the Tab S6 was trying to be, a premium Android tablet at a reasonable price. But neither of those has the same AMOLED pedigree that Samsung brings, and the Tab S6's renewed price undercuts both. The Microsoft Surface Pro 11th Edition is a different beast entirely, a full Windows machine that costs way more and targets a completely different user. If you need real desktop software, the Surface is the answer. If you just want a nice screen for content, the Tab S6 holds its own.

At $224 for a renewed unit, the Tab S6 is a fascinating value proposition. You're getting a tablet with a top-tier display, a stylus included, and 256GB of storage for less than half the price of most new mid-range tablets. The screen alone is worth the price of admission if you're primarily using this for media consumption. And the fact that it still holds a 4.6-star rating from over 400 buyers suggests that people who buy it at this price are generally happy with what they get.

The problem is that you're buying into aging hardware. The Snapdragon 855 was flagship silicon in 2019, but it's been lapped multiple times since then. Compare this to something like the Xiaomi Pad 7 or even a base iPad, and you're giving up years of performance improvements for that AMOLED screen. If your budget is tight and your needs are modest, this is a solid deal. If you need this tablet to last another three or four years as a daily driver, you might want to save up a bit more.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 is one of those devices that feels like it came from a different era, mostly because it did. Released back when Android tablets were still trying to figure out if they wanted to be laptops, this thing packed a Super AMOLED display, an included S Pen, and Samsung's DeX mode into a package that weighs about a pound and a half. It was a serious attempt at a productivity machine, and for a while it was one of the better options out there. Now it shows up as a renewed unit at around $224, which changes the conversation entirely.

Who is this for? Honestly, it's for someone who wants a big, gorgeous screen for reading, streaming, and light note-taking without spending iPad money. The 10.5-inch AMOLED panel is still a standout, and the included S Pen with its magnetic charging spot is a nice touch you don't always get at this price. Students and casual entertainment seekers will find a lot to like here, especially if they're already invested in Samsung's ecosystem or just want an Android tablet that doesn't feel like a toy.

But there's a catch, and it's a big one. The Snapdragon 855 inside this thing is old. Like, really old. In our database, its CPU and GPU sit near the very bottom compared to modern tablets. That doesn't mean it's unusable, but it does mean you need to set expectations. This is a media consumption and light productivity device, not a gaming rig or a multitasking monster. If you go in knowing that, the Tab S6 can still be a genuinely pleasant daily driver.

If you're a gamer, skip this. The GPU sits in the 2nd percentile of our database, which means modern games will struggle or simply won't run well. Even older titles will chug at higher settings, and the 60Hz display caps your frame rate anyway. Look at the Xiaomi Pad 7 or a recent iPad instead if gaming matters to you.

Business users and heavy multitaskers should also look elsewhere. The 42.9 out of 100 business score reflects the reality that this tablet struggles with demanding productivity workflows. If you need to run multiple apps simultaneously, edit documents, or use desktop-class software, the Microsoft Surface Pro 11th Edition or iPad Air M4 are much better fits. The Tab S6 is a content consumption device first and foremost, and trying to make it something more will lead to frustration.

For reading and media consumption, the Tab S6 is still a genuinely good buy at $224. That AMOLED screen is the star of the show, and the 89th percentile screen ranking backs that up. If you spend most of your tablet time watching videos, reading ebooks, or browsing the web, you'll be perfectly happy. The included S Pen is a nice bonus for occasional note-taking or document signing, and the 256GB of storage means you can load up plenty of offline content.

For students or anyone who needs to multitask, run demanding apps, or play games, this is a harder sell. The CPU and GPU rankings are brutal, and the 60Hz display will feel dated if you've used anything modern. The business score of 42.9 out of 100 in our testing reflects that reality. If you need a productivity machine, look at the iPad Air M4 or a Surface Pro. If you need a beautiful screen for consuming content on a budget, the Tab S6 still delivers.