Review of the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite Smartphone

At the very beginning of 2020, the company Samsung introduced its new smartphone models, expanding the popular S and Note series. This was quite an unexpected decision, as such types of modifications in the top Galaxy lines had not been seen before; it is a new experience for the manufacturer. However, the younger models in the ranks of their top siblings, the Galaxy S10 Lite and Galaxy Note10 Lite, even incorporating some "premium" features, are still closer to the A series than to the flagships. The Galaxy S10 Lite is priced higher than the Note10 Lite, and this review is entirely dedicated to its capabilities. However, the new models have a lot in common, and the Galaxy Note10 Lite will also be examined in detail in a separate review soon.

 

Main Specifications of the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite (model SM-G770F)

SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, 8 cores (1×Kryo 485 Gold @ 2.84 GHz + 3×Kryo 485 Gold @ 2.42 GHz + 4×Kryo 485 Silver @ 1.78 GHz)
GPU Adreno 640
Operating system Android 10.0; One UI 2
Touchscreen Super AMOLED 6.7", 2400×1080, 20:9, 394 ppi
RAM 6/8 GB, internal storage 128 GB
Support for microSD (compatible slot)
Support for Nano-SIM (2 pcs)
Networks GSM/WCDMA/WCDMA/TD-SCDMA/LTE-A
GPS/A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, Galileo
Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz)
Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE
NFC
USB 2.0 Type-C, USB OTG
No headphone jack (3.5 mm)
Camera 48 MP (f/2.0) + 12 MP (f/2.2) + 5 MP (f/2.4), video 4K @ 30 fps
Front camera 32 MP (f/2.2)
Proximity and light sensors, magnetic field, accelerometer, gyroscope
Fingerprint scanner (optical under the screen)
Battery 4500 mAh, fast charging 45 W
Dimensions 163×76×8.1 mm
Weight 186 g

Appearance and Usability

The Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite is a modern smartphone with a huge screen, yet it is quite thin and light, making it comfortable to hold in hand. The materials of the body turned out to be simpler than those of the flagships, as the back panel is made of plastic rather than glass. However, we have no bias against plastic; in terms of practicality, it is even better than glass. Only in this case, the plastic is prone to smudges and quickly gets covered in fingerprints.

The frame around the body remains metal, massive, and well-polished, giving the entire design a sense of luxury. Overall, the device does not look cheap and youthful, but rather serious and solid. Such a design will suit any style, with no issues.

A wide rectangular block with cameras and a flash protrudes beyond the body, causing the smartphone to wobble when lying on a table while interacting with the screen. The cameras themselves are not centered but positioned to the side, where they belong, so when holding the smartphone in landscape mode, your finger does not cover the lenses — a constant issue with Samsung. Here everything is fine, and the block is designed quite neatly and attractively.
Fortunately, the side buttons are placed on one side, rather than spread out on different sides. The buttons themselves are large and comfortable, although they do not differ tactilely from each other — both are smooth.
The fingerprint scanner here is under the screen, and for scanners of this type, it works quickly and accurately. However, of course, you need to press and hold your finger; a simple short touch does not work here. The smartphone does not have an LED notification indicator; it relies on the Always On display feature.

The compatible slot for cards is designed for two Nano-SIM cards, one of which can be replaced with a microSD memory card.

On the bottom edge, there is a speaker, a call microphone, and a USB Type-C port. However, unexpectedly, there is no 3.5 mm headphone jack, and the reason for its absence is a sinister mystery. In any case, both the Galaxy Note10 Lite and even the older Galaxy S10+ model have a headphone jack.
On the top edge, there is only an additional microphone.

The smartphone is available in three colors: white, black, and blue (Prism White, Prism Black, Prism Blue). The device does not have full protection against water and dust.

 

Display

The Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite is equipped with a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2400×1080. The physical dimensions of the screen are 70x155 mm, the aspect ratio is 20:9, and the pixel density is 394 ppi. The width of the bezel around the screen is 2.5 mm on the sides, 3 mm on the top, and 4 mm on the bottom.