We may be a few days into 2020, and only a matter of weeks away from the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S11, but Samsung isn't quite done with its Galaxy S10 range of phones, having just unveiled the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite and Galaxy Note 10 Lite.
These two new Lite phones are set to bring features from the normally pricey flagship S10 and Note 10 series to a new, budget-conscious audience – we say 'set to' because Samsung is yet to disclose the exact S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite prices.
Samsung has confirmed that we'll see both new phones at CES 2020, a month and a half before Samsung is expected to reveal the Galaxy S11 (which could also be called the Galaxy S20). For now, here's what has been confirmed about the S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite.
Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite specs and features
Don't let the Lite name fool you: the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite has a 6.7-inch display that's larger than those on the S10e, S10, and S10 Plus (the latter tops out at 6.4 inches). Its size matches the Galaxy S10 5G, though the resolution is dialed back to 1080p.
The front-facing camera shifts to the center of the Super AMOLED Plus Infinity-O Display. As on the Note 10, it's top-center aligned instead of the normal S10's right-aligned selfie camera. Unlike on most Samsung phones, this is a 32MP front camera.
There are even bigger changes to the rear cameras of the Galaxy S10 Lite, starting with a 48MP wide-angle lens with an f/2.0 aperture and Super Steady OIS. The ultra-wide camera here is 12MP with an f/2.2 aperture (not the typical 16MP). There's also a 5MP macro f/2.4 lens for close-up photography.
The Galaxy S10 Lite dimensions are 75.6 x 162.5 x 8.1mm and it weighs 186g, so it isn't small and light as the 'Lite' name may suggest. It is, however, heavy in terms of specs, with a Snapdragon 855 chipset, 4,500mAh battery, and a choice of 6GB or 8GB of RAM with 128GB internal storage.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite specs and features
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite has the same 6.7-inch Full HD+ display as the S10 Lite, with the main physical changes being the size and rear camera configuration. This phone measures 76.1 x 163.7 x 8.7mm and weighs 199g.
Of course, it also has an S Pen tucked inside of the body, which is universal on all Note phones. If the Note 10 Lite indeed has a cheaper price than the Note 10, this opens up Samsung's stylus to a much wider audience than the usual businessperson demographic (maybe one that would actually appreciate taking remote selfie with the wand-like S Pen).
The camera configuration is rather different from the setup on the S10 Lite: there's a 12MP wide-angle camera with dual-pixel autofocus, an f/1.7 aperture and OIS, an ultra-wide 12MP camera with an f/2.2 aperture, and a 12MP telephoto lens with an f/2.4 aperture and OIS.
The front camera is 32MP here and again center-aligned, and there are 6GB or 8GB of RAM options, with 128GB internal storage to match the S10 Lite. However, the 10nm chip seems to be the Samsung Exynos chipset instead of the Snapdragon 855.
Samsung has also unveiled two new affordable phones in its Galaxy A line. The Galaxy A51 and Galaxy A71 were announced alongside the Note 10 Lite and Galaxy Note 10 Lite.
We'll be at CES 2020, where we'll likely learn the S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite prices, and hopefully be able to get our hands on the phones early next week.
Check out all of TechRadar's CES 2020 coverage. We're live in Las Vegas to bring you all the breaking tech news and launches, plus hands-on reviews of everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops and smart home gadgets.
