Samsung’s getting into the Lite game.
Every year for the past few years, Samsung’s smartphone release pattern has been pretty predictable. We get the new Galaxy S lineup in the first part of the year, and then around August/September, the latest Galaxy Note is released.
We don’t expect that to completely change anytime soon, but for 2020, Samsung shook things up a bit by unveiling the Galaxy S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite just a few weeks before announcing the Galaxy S20 series.
Both phones strive to offer a premium Galaxy experience at affordable price points, making them compelling options for anyone that wants a reliable phone without spending a heap of cash.
Here’s everything you need to know!
- First, read our full review
- Let’s talk about the phones’ design
- The specs are quite impressive
- Make sure you get a case
- When and where you can buy the phones
Lite edition
Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite
$650 at Samsung
$650 at Best Buy
Samsung for less
If you can’t stomach the price of the Galaxy S20, it may be worth considering the Galaxy S10 Lite. The phone gets a lot of things right, most notably its Snapdragon 855 processor, long-lasting battery life, good cameras, and an excellent display. The retail price is a bit high, but if you can take advantage of one of the ongoing promotions, the S10 Lite has the potential to be a really solid purchase.
Check out our review of the Galaxy S10 Lite
Before you go any further, we recommend reading our full review of the Galaxy S10 Lite.
The S10 Lite is a very good Android phone that brings a lot to the table, with some of its strong suits being the Snapdragon 855 processor, reliable cameras, and excellent battery life thanks to the 4,500 mAh battery packed inside.
Unfortunately, the phone struggles to stand out as something you should seriously consider buying thanks to a variety of shortcomings and its steep price. With just a 60Hz display, bland design, and no headphone jack, wireless charging, or water resistance, it becomes hard to justify the S10 Lite’s $650 asking price.
For a closer look at the phone and everything it has to offer, be sure to check out Harish’s review below 👇.
Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite review: A great phone ruined by a high price
Here’s what the two phones look like
Galaxy S10 Lite
First thing’s first, let’s take a look at the design of both phones.
Starting with the Galaxy S10 Lite, it looks a lot like a mishmash of the Galaxy S10 and the S20. There’s a 6.7-inch display with a centered hole punch cutout, with the back being home to a large, rectangular camera housing.
The S10 Lite’s display is notable for the fact that it has flat edges rather than rounded ones like most of Samsung’s phones, and the large hump on the back houses a total of three rear cameras.
Unfortunately, just like the Note 10 from late last year, the Galaxy S10 Lite doesn’t have a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Galaxy Note 10 Lite
As for the Galaxy Note 10 Lite, it looks very similar. The display has a centered hole punch for the selfie camera with, the edges of the display are flat, and there’s a square rear camera bump for three sensors.
The Note 10 Lite offers the iconic S Pen just like every Note before it, making it the most affordable phone we’ve seen to-date to offer the full Note experience.
Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite vs. Galaxy Note 10 Lite: Which should you buy?
The specs have us impressed
That’s what the S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite look like, but what’s going on inside of the two handsets?
Despite having “lite” in their names, Samsung loaded the phones with flagship-tier specs. Here’s what you get:
| Operating System | Android 10 One UI 2.0 | Android 10 One UI 2.0 |
| Display | 6.7-inch 2400 x 1080 Super AMOLED Plus | 6.7-inch 2400 x 1080 Super AMOLED |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 7nm 64-bit octa-core processor | Samsung Exynos 8895 10nm 64-bit octa-core processor |
| Storage | 128GB | 128GB |
| RAM | 6GB 8GB | 6GB 8GB |
| Rear Camera 1 | 48MP primary camera | 12MP primary camera |
| Rear Camera 2 | 12MP ultra-wide camera | 12MP ultra-wide camera |
| Rear Camera 3 | 5MP macro camera | 12MP telephoto camera |
| Front Camera | 32MP | 32MP |
| Battery | 4,500 mAh | 4,500 mAh |
Specs-wise, the S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite have a lot in common. One of the biggest differences lies with the processor, with the S10 Lite using Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 where the Note 10 Lite opts for Samsung’s own Exynos 8895 chip.
There’s also the matter of cameras, with the S10 Lite getting a “Super Steady OIS” feature that’s not present at all on the Note 10 Lite. Also, where the S10 Lite features a high-res 48MP primary sensor, the Note 10 Lite gets 12MP sensors across the board.
The 4,500 mAh battery in both phones is also pretty impressive, especially when you consider that it’s bigger than the battery found in the flagship Galaxy S20.
You’ll want to pick up a case (or two)
The S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite have fine designs, but if you want to spruce things up a bit, you can’t go wrong with a case. There are a ton of different case options available for the phones, making it easy to find something that matches your personality/style.
In addition to adding more pizazz to the phones, a case will also ensure they stay in tip-top shape throughout daily use. While the plastic construction is more durable than many phones that are made out of glass, it’s certainly not impervious to getting damaged.
Since you’re already saving some money on the S10 Lite compared to buying something more expensive, be smart and invest that extra cash in a case.
Best Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite Cases in 2020
Best Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite Cases in 2020
How much do they cost and when can I buy them?
If you’re interested in picking up the S10 Lite or Note 10 Lite for yourself, we have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that you can go out and buy the S10 Lite right now, but as far as we can tell, the Note 10 Lite will never make its way to the U.S.
The Galaxy S10 Lite is available for purchase through Amazon, Best Buy, and Samsung’s website.
We think the $650 retail price is a bit high, but if you can snag one of the various promotions for the phone, it becomes a lot more interesting. Samsung is offering a $250 instant discount when you trade in an eligible device, going all the way back to the Galaxy S7 series. If you prefer shopping at Best Buy, you can take $200 off if you activate the phone the same day you buy it.
Lite edition
Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite
$650 at Samsung
$650 at Best Buy
Samsung for less
If you can’t stomach the price of the Galaxy S20, it may be worth considering the Galaxy S10 Lite. The phone gets a lot of things right, most notably its Snapdragon 855 processor, long-lasting battery life, good cameras, and an excellent display. The retail price is a bit high, but if you can take advantage of one of the ongoing promotions, the S10 Lite has the potential to be a really solid purchase.
