Samsung announced its new Galaxy S10 Lite and Note10 Lite ahead of CES 2020, but we got to check out both phones in Las Vegas.
If you couldn’t already tell by their names, they pack the key features of the Galaxy S10 and Note 10 at a more budget-friendly price.
While those prices have yet to be revealed, we can assume the Lite versions will cost less than the original devices, which range between $749 to $999.
So, what do these phones have to offer?
Let’s start with the similarities.
Both the S10 Lite and Note10 Lite come with 6.7-inch Super AMOLED Infinity-O displays with 2400 x 1080 (394ppi) resolution. On the front, the phones feature 32-megapixel hole-punch cameras.
Both phones are identical on the front.
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Under the hood, each phone also packs a 4,500mAh battery. And, in terms of memory, the S10 Lite and Note10 Lite come with 6 or 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. They also run the latest Android 10 operating system.
There are a few differences between the two. On the back, the S10 Lite has a five-megapixel macro camera, 48-megapixel wide-angle camera, and 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera.
It also comes with a new feature called Super Steady OIS, which gives you more stability when you’re taking action photos or videos. Unfortunately, the demo room was a tad small and cramped so I didn’t get the chance to test it out.
The S10 Lite comes with a cool new feature to help keep the camera steady.
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Meanwhile, the Note10 Lite has a 12-megapixel ultra wide camera, wide-angle camera, and telephoto lens.
The phones also pack different processors. The S10 Lite comes with a Snapdragon 855 processor while the Note 10 Lite comes with Samsung’s very own Exynos 8895.
Samsung remains tight-lipped on exactly why it chose to go with different processors, but the original versions follow the same pattern. The S10 has a Snapdragon 855 processor while the Note10 comes with an Exynos 9810 chipset.
Additionally, the Note10 Lite comes with the signature S Pen that you can use to take notes, control presentations, snap photos, and more.
The Note10 Lite is nothing without its S-Pen.
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Both come in a variety of colors. With the Note10, you have your choice between Prism White, Prism Black, and Prism Blue. The Note10 Lite comes in Aura Glow, Aura Black, and, my personal favorite, Aura Red.
In person, both phones look and feel premium. Compared to the original flagship versions, they’re only missing features I don’t really find important on a daily basis.
The Aura Red would most definitely be my first choice.
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Those include things like a higher resolution display, wireless/fast charging, and more storage. There are also minor details to take into account, like the fact that the S-Pen on the Note10 comes with a gyro and acceleration sensor for gesture controls.
The Lite versions seem perfect for those who are eyeing the flagship Samsung phones, but don’t want to throw down that much money.
But their appeal also depends on exactly how much cheaper they’re going to be. If the difference isn’t all that much, then it might be worth it to splurge for the flagships.
As of now, Samsung has yet to announce any details on availability but we’ll update this story as soon as we have more information.