Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite vs. Note10 Lite: A Deep Dive into Samsung's 'Lite' Lineup

Samsung's 'Lite' series aimed to bring flagship experiences to a more accessible price point. The Galaxy S10 Lite and Note10 Lite represent distinct approaches to this goal. The S10 Lite prioritized a powerful Snapdragon processor, while the Note10 Lite retained the iconic S Pen. This comparison dissects the key differences to determine which offers the best value in today's market.

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🏆 Quick Verdict

For most users, the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite emerges as the stronger choice. Its Snapdragon 855 chipset delivers superior performance and efficiency, coupled with faster 45W charging and a brighter display. While the Note10 Lite's S Pen is a unique draw, the S10 Lite's overall package provides a more compelling experience.

PHONES
Phone Names	Samsung Galaxy Note10 Lite	Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite

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, 17, 20, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66
Speed	HSPA, LTE	HSPA, LTE
Technology	GSM / HSPA / LTE	GSM / HSPA / LTE

Launch
Announced	2020, January 03	2020, January 03
Status	Available. Released 2020, January 21	Available. Released 2020, February 03

Body
Build	Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame, plastic back	Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3+), aluminum frame, plastic back
Dimensions	163.7 x 76.1 x 8.7 mm (6.44 x 3.00 x 0.34 in)	162.5 x 75.6 x 8.1 mm (6.40 x 2.98 x 0.32 in)
SIM	· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight	199 g (7.02 oz)	186 g (6.56 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 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~394 ppi density)
Size	6.7 inches, 107.8 cm2 (~86.6% screen-to-body ratio)	6.7 inches, 107.8 cm2 (~87.8% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	Super AMOLED, HDR	Super AMOLED Plus, HDR10+
	Always-on display	Always-on display

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (4x2.7 GHz Mongoose M3 & 4x1.7 GHz Cortex-A55)	Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485)
Chipset	Exynos 9810 (10 nm)	Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm)
GPU	Mali-G72 MP18	Adreno 640
OS	Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5.1	Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5

Memory
Card slot	microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)	microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal	128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM	128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM
	UFS 2.1	UFS 2.1

Main Camera
Features	LED flash, panorama, HDR	LED flash, panorama, HDR
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)	48 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, Super Steady OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 12mm (ultrawide) 5 MP (macro)
Video	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps; gyro-EIS	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps; gyro-EIS

Selfie camera
Features	HDR	HDR
Single	32 MP, f/2.2, 25mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm	32 MP, f/2.2, 25mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm
Video	4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps

Sound
3.5mm jack	Yes	No
35mm jack	Yes	No
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes

Comms
Bluetooth	5.0, A2DP, LE	5.0, A2DP, LE
NFC	Yes	Yes
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
Radio	FM radio	FM radio (market/region dependent)
USB	USB Type-C 2.0	USB Type-C 2.0
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 (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
	ANT+	ANT+

Battery
Charging	25W wired	45W wired
Type	Li-Po 4500 mAh	Li-Po 4500 mAh, non-removable

Misc
Colors	Aura Glow, Aura Black, Aura Red	Prism White, Prism Black, Prism Blue
Models	SM-N770F, SM-N770F/DS, SM-N770F/DSM	SM-G770F, SM-G770F/DS, SM-G770F/DSM, SM-G770U1
Price	About 550 EUR	About 380 EUR
SAR	0.88 W/kg (head) 0.65 W/kg (body)	0.69 W/kg (head) 0.93 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	0.29 W/kg (head) 1.08 W/kg (body)	0.49 W/kg (head) 1.52 W/kg (body)

Tests
Audio quality	Noise -93.3dB / Crosstalk -91.4dB	Noise -93.7dB / Crosstalk -94.7dB
Battery life	Endurance rating 92h	Endurance rating 110h
Camera	Photo / Video	Photo / Video
Display	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker	-27.8 LUFS (Good)	-27.2 LUFS (Good)
Performance	AnTuTu: 258484 (v7), 341212 (v8) GeekBench: 6103 (v4.4), 2027 (v5.1) GFXBench: 25fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)	AnTuTu: 370751 (v7), 459497 (v8) GeekBench: 11151 (v4.4), 2732 (v5.1) GFXBench: 56fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Samsung Galaxy Note10 Lite

Superior performance with Snapdragon 855
Faster 45W charging
Brighter display for better outdoor visibility

Lacks S Pen functionality
May be slightly more expensive depending on market

Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite

Integrated S Pen for note-taking and creativity
More affordable price point
Decent battery life for everyday use

Exynos 9810 can throttle under heavy load
Slower 25W charging

Display Comparison

The Galaxy S10 Lite boasts a brighter display, reaching 705 nits compared to the Note10 Lite’s 622 nits. This translates to better visibility under direct sunlight. Both displays share an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, suggesting excellent black levels, but the S10 Lite’s higher peak brightness provides a more vibrant and engaging viewing experience. While neither phone features high refresh rate technology, the S10 Lite’s superior brightness is a clear advantage for outdoor use and HDR content consumption.

Camera Comparison

Both phones feature versatile camera systems capable of capturing both photo and video. However, detailed sensor information is missing. Given the S10 Lite’s positioning as a slightly more premium device, it’s reasonable to assume it may have a larger primary sensor, potentially leading to better low-light performance. The image processing style between the two is likely similar, characteristic of Samsung’s vibrant and saturated aesthetic. The inclusion of a 2MP macro camera on both devices is largely a marketing feature, offering limited practical benefit due to its low resolution.

Performance

The core difference lies in the chipsets. The S10 Lite utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (7nm), while the Note10 Lite is powered by the Exynos 9810 (10nm). The Snapdragon 855, built on a smaller 7nm process, offers superior power efficiency and thermal management. The S10 Lite’s CPU configuration – a 1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 prime core, 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 cores, and 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485 cores – provides a performance edge over the Note10 Lite’s Octa-core (4x2.7 GHz Mongoose M3 & 4x1.7 GHz Cortex-A55). This difference is particularly noticeable in sustained workloads like gaming, where the Snapdragon 855 is less prone to throttling.

Battery Life

The Galaxy S10 Lite achieves an impressive endurance rating of 110 hours, significantly exceeding the Note10 Lite’s 92 hours. This is partially attributable to the Snapdragon 855’s superior efficiency. Furthermore, the S10 Lite supports 45W wired charging, allowing for a much faster 0-100% charge compared to the Note10 Lite’s 25W charging. While the Note10 Lite’s battery capacity isn’t specified, the S10 Lite’s combination of efficiency and faster charging provides a substantial real-world advantage.

Buying Guide

Buy the Samsung Galaxy Note10 Lite if you absolutely require the S Pen functionality for note-taking, sketching, or remote control features, and are willing to accept slightly lower performance and battery life. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite if you prioritize raw processing power for gaming and demanding applications, longer battery endurance, and faster charging speeds, and don't need the S Pen.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Exynos 9810 in the Note10 Lite overheat during prolonged gaming sessions?

The Exynos 9810, being built on a 10nm process, is more susceptible to thermal throttling than the Snapdragon 855 in the S10 Lite. While it can handle casual gaming, extended sessions with graphically demanding titles may result in noticeable performance drops as the chip heats up.

❓ Is the 2MP macro camera on either phone actually useful for detailed close-up shots?

Unfortunately, the 2MP macro cameras on both the S10 Lite and Note10 Lite are largely a marketing gimmick. The low resolution results in images lacking detail and sharpness. Dedicated macro lenses with higher resolutions are necessary for truly impressive close-up photography.

❓ Can the Galaxy S10 Lite handle demanding games like PUBG at high frame rates?

Yes, the Snapdragon 855 in the S10 Lite is capable of running PUBG at high frame rates (60fps) with smooth performance. The efficient cooling system helps maintain stable frame rates even during extended gameplay sessions.

❓ How much does the S Pen add to the usability of the Note10 Lite for a student?

For students, the S Pen offers significant benefits. It allows for quick note-taking during lectures, annotating PDFs, and even remote control functionality for presentations. However, the performance trade-offs compared to the S10 Lite should be considered if gaming or demanding apps are also priorities.