Samsung Galaxy Note10 Lite vs. Google Pixel 4a 5G: Which Mid-Range Champion Reigns Supreme?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing camera quality and software experience, the Google Pixel 4a 5G emerges as the winner. Its Snapdragon 765G chipset offers a more efficient and modern architecture, while Google’s image processing consistently delivers superior photos. However, the Note10 Lite’s brighter display and faster charging are notable advantages.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy Note10 Lite | Google Pixel 4a 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 |
| 5G bands | - | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 28, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 Sub6, mmWave (market dependant) |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, January 03 | 2020, September 30 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, January 21 | Available. Released 2020, November 05 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame, plastic back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic back, plastic frame |
| Dimensions | 163.7 x 76.1 x 8.7 mm (6.44 x 3.00 x 0.34 in) | 153.9 x 74 x 8.2 mm (Sub-6) or 8.5 mm (Sub-6 and mmWave) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 199 g (7.02 oz) | 168 g (5G Sub-6); 171 g ( 5G Sub-6 and mmWave) (5.93 oz) |
| Stylus (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro) | - | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~394 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~413 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.7 inches, 107.8 cm2 (~86.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.2 inches, 95.7 cm2 (~84.1% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, HDR | OLED, HDR |
| Always-on display | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.7 GHz Mongoose M3 & 4x1.7 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1x2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver) |
| Chipset | Exynos 9810 (10 nm) | Qualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765G 5G (7 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G72 MP18 | Adreno 620 |
| OS | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5.1 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 14 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM |
| UFS 2.1 | UFS 2.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 12.2 MP, f/1.7, 27mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 16 MP, f/2.2, 107˚ (ultrawide), 1.0µm |
| Features | LED flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 12 MP, f/1.7, 27mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 12mm (ultrawide) | - |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps; gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.2, 25mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS |
| Radio | FM radio | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0 | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| ANT+ | - | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired | 18W wired, PD2.0 |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Po 3885 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Aura Glow, Aura Black, Aura Red | Just Black, Clearly White |
| Models | SM-N770F, SM-N770F/DS, SM-N770F/DSM | GD1YQ, G025I, G025E, G025H, G6QU3 |
| Price | About 550 EUR | About 140 EUR |
| SAR | 0.88 W/kg (head) 0.65 W/kg (body) | - |
| SAR EU | 0.29 W/kg (head) 1.08 W/kg (body) | - |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -93.3dB / Crosstalk -91.4dB | - |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 92h | - |
| Camera | Photo / Video | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker | -27.8 LUFS (Good) | - |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 258484 (v7), 341212 (v8) GeekBench: 6103 (v4.4), 2027 (v5.1) GFXBench: 25fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
Samsung Galaxy Note10 Lite
- Brighter display for outdoor visibility
- Faster 25W wired charging
- Larger display size for media consumption
- Older, less efficient Exynos 9810 chipset
- Potentially more thermal throttling under sustained load
- Software updates may be less frequent
Google Pixel 4a 5G
- More efficient Snapdragon 765G processor
- Superior camera performance with Google’s image processing
- Clean Android experience with guaranteed updates
- Slower 18W charging
- Likely lower peak display brightness
- May lack the S Pen functionality of the Note series
Display Comparison
The Note10 Lite boasts a 6.7-inch display capable of reaching 622 nits of peak brightness, making it significantly more visible outdoors than many competitors. While the Pixel 4a 5G’s display specs aren’t provided, it’s likely lower, typical of its price point. The Note10 Lite’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio (nominal) suggests a strong AMOLED panel, offering deep blacks. The absence of high refresh rate technology on either device is notable, but the Note10 Lite’s brightness advantage is a key differentiator for outdoor usability.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer photo and video capabilities, but the Pixel 4a 5G leverages Google’s renowned computational photography. While sensor sizes aren’t specified, the Pixel’s image processing algorithms consistently extract more detail and dynamic range, particularly in challenging lighting conditions. The Note10 Lite’s camera system, while capable, relies more on hardware specifications. The absence of detailed camera specs for both devices makes a direct comparison difficult, but Google’s software advantage is a significant factor. We can assume the Pixel 4a 5G will deliver more consistent results across various scenarios.
Performance
The Samsung Galaxy Note10 Lite is powered by the Exynos 9810, a 10nm chipset featuring an octa-core configuration with Mongoose M3 cores clocked at 2.7GHz. This older architecture, while powerful at its launch, is less efficient than the 7nm Snapdragon 765G found in the Pixel 4a 5G. The Snapdragon 765G’s Kryo cores, with a prime core at 2.4GHz, prioritize efficiency and sustained performance. While the Exynos 9810 may show higher peak scores in some benchmarks, the 765G’s architecture is better suited for prolonged tasks and gaming without significant thermal throttling.
Battery Life
The Note10 Lite achieves an impressive endurance rating of 92 hours, suggesting excellent battery life despite not having a massive capacity. This is likely due to optimizations within Samsung’s software and the efficiency of the AMOLED display. The Pixel 4a 5G, with its more efficient Snapdragon 765G, should also offer solid battery life, though specific endurance ratings aren’t available. The Note10 Lite’s 25W wired charging is significantly faster than the Pixel 4a 5G’s 18W charging with PD2.0, allowing for quicker top-ups.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy Note10 Lite if you need a larger, brighter display for media consumption and value fast 25W charging. It’s a good choice for users already invested in the Samsung ecosystem. Buy the Google Pixel 4a 5G if you prioritize camera performance, a clean Android experience with guaranteed updates, and a more power-efficient processor for all-day battery life. It’s ideal for photography enthusiasts and those seeking a streamlined software experience.