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Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite
Lite in every way
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab A7 Lite might not be the most impressive Android tablet around, but if you’re after value and don’t mind a slow software experience, it can offer you some bang for your buck.
Pros- Lighter
- Cheaper
- Available with 4GB of RAM
Cons- Screen is only 720p
- Less powerful
- Smaller battery
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Source: Samsung
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7
A little bit better
The Tab A7 is a better machine by the numbers than its Lite counterpart; however, it’s not that powerful. Still, it will help you complete your basic daily tasks, and the 1200p screen is great for viewing content.
Pros- Slightly better performance
- Bigger battery
- Larger screen
Cons- Harder to find
- A bit more expensive
While iPads have cornered the tablet market for a long time, there is a niche of budget tablets that sometimes goes underserved. Luckily, Samsung has made some tremendous cheap Android tablets that make it easier to find something that can do basic tasks.
Although the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 has been mostly pushed aside due to the release of the Galaxy Tab A8, it may be a tablet worth getting instead of the more widely available and cheaper Galaxy Tab A7 Lite. Here are all the differences you need to know to make the right choice based on your needs.
Price, availability, and connectivity
As mentioned, the Galaxy Tab A7 has mostly been replaced by the newer Galaxy Tab A8, so it’s a bit harder to find. You may not be able to just walk into your local electronics store and expect to snag one; however, Amazon has some in stock. While the $230 was the starting price, if you find a Tab A7 somewhere, you should see it discounted. The Tab A7 is not as cheap as the Tab A7 Lite, which typically goes for around $130, and the A7 Lite is more widely available since Samsung still sells it.
An important distinction between the two models comes down to LTE. The Galaxy Tab A7 Lite has Wi-Fi + Cellular models available in the States, but the A7 never did. You can try to import the international models if you can find them, but if you want to take your tablet away from your home Wi-Fi network and out into the world, the A7 Lite has a leg up by providing LTE compatibility.
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Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Storage 32 or 64 GB, expandable up to 1TB 32GB/64GB Memory 2, 3, or 4 GB 3GB/4GB Operating System Android 12, OneUI 4.1 Android 12 Battery 5,100mah 7040 mAh Ports USB-C, MicroSD USB-C Camera (Rear, Front) 8 MP, 2 MP 8MP (front) and 5MP (rear) Display (Size, Resolution) 8.7″ WXGA+ TFT, 1340×800 10.4-inch LCD (1200 x 2000) Price Starting at $109 $230 Connectivity 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 2.4 + 5GHz, Bluetooth 5.0 Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 Measurements 8.37×4.91×0.31″ 9.75 x 6.20 x 0.28 inches Headphone jack Yes Yes Colors Gray, Silver Dark Gray, Silver, Gold
Design
The design differences between the two tablets aren’t too drastic, though the Galaxy Tab A7 has a slightly more uniform look with even bezels all around the display. Sure, it’s not the most modern look in tech hardware these days, but the thinner bezels on the side and the larger bezels on the forehead and chin of the Galaxy Tab A7 Lite can look a little less polished.
Both models have Bluetooth and the coveted headphone jack, meaning you don’t need a fantastic pair of wireless earbuds for audio; you can use your favorite pair of wired headphones.
Display
The differences between the display on each device are certainly worth noting. The 8.7-inch display on the Tab A7 Lite is only 720p, which by today’s standards is pretty weak; though, as we mention in our review of the Galaxy A7 Lite, it doesn’t look too bad on a screen this size. Still, it does pale compared to the Tab A7, which has a larger 10.4-inch LCD panel that also sports a 1200p resolution while keeping that same wider screen aspect ratio to ensure it has smaller black bars on the side of your content when you’re watching your favorite streaming services.
The slight difference in screen brightness won’t matter too much since neither screen gets bright enough to make the display visible in bright sunlight. The max brightness of 329 nits on the A8 and 315 nits on the A7 Lite are pretty comparable, and both should be bright enough to see what you need to, so long as you’re indoors and away from windows.
Software
Surprisingly enough, since the Tab A7 Lite launched after the Tab A7, it can update to the Android 13 software, whereas the Tab A7 can only get Android 12. Regarding future support, you’re out of luck with both models since both tablets received the two promised major Android updates. Of course, your software version won’t matter much whether you go with the A7 Lite or standard A7.
Undoubtedly, the software experience on budget Android tablets such as these leaves a lot to be desired. You’ll often notice this with features like multitasking, which is not even worth touching due to the lack of a taskbar and only a pop-up view available. These tablets aren’t meant for productivity.
Performance
Neither tablet has enough power to be a machine that any hardcore users will like, and the Galaxy Tab A7 Lite is particularly lacking in the power department. It will let you stream your favorite movies and TV shows without too much hassle, and slowly browsing the web is possible, but longer app loading — and hiccups and stutters anytime you do something that takes a little more juice — are pretty commonplace.
The Galaxy Tab A7’s Snapdragon 662 chipset fairs a little better, but it lacks power to handle complicated tasks. You’ll have a better time navigating around Samsung’s One UI on the Tab A7, but it’s mostly a machine suited for light tasks and content viewing.
Battery life
The Galaxy A7 has a larger battery — 7,040mAh vs. a 5,100mAh in the A7 Lite — but its larger screen zaps more power on a Snapdragon chip that isn’t as efficient as it could be. Still, you should get around a day’s use on each tablet with average use, and if you’re heavily using the screen on your device, you’ll likely only last somewhere in the 10-12 hour range.
Charging is painfully slow on both devices since each tablet is limited to only charging with 15W speeds — you’ll need a good chunk of time to charge up from 0-100% battery.
Cameras
If you’re a tablet photographer, you probably already know these aren’t the tablets you should use, as the cameras are pretty abysmal. The Tab A7 and A7 Lite only feature a single 8MP sensor on the back, and they don’t produce very good photos. Most shots will look fairly fuzzy, even in decent lighting conditions.
One of the benefits of such lightweight tablets is that they are easy to carry and thus good for video calling, but the 5MP selfie cam on the Tab A7 is a bit better than the 2MP sensor on the A7 Lite. Don’t get it twisted, though; both selfie cams aren’t great, but the Tab A7 is just a bit better.
Which is right for you?
Technically, the Galaxy Tab A7 is better in most categories. For most people, it’s a slightly better choice. It’s got a little more power to make using the tablet a little less frustrating, a larger screen for viewing that’s actually HD, and the selfie cam is better at capturing your likeness on video calls.
Source: Samsung
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7
While it can be a little harder to find, the Galaxy Tab A7 is a decent budget tablet that packs just a bit more punch than the A7 Lite.
Still, due to the wide availability of the A7 Lite and its compatibility with LTE, it may actually be the better buy for some. Yes, the screen is only 720p, but it doesn’t look too bad on a display as small as the 8.7-inch one on the A7 Lite.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite
On sale in most places, tracking down an A7 Lite won’t be challenging, but the tablet won’t work hard for you, either. It’s a good content-viewing machine but doesn’t offer much else.
