Samsung is finally addressing the price point which was dominated by OnePlus as the South Korean tech titan focused on high-end category. With the launch of Galaxy Note 10 Lite in India, Samsung aims to regain its dominance in the market regardless of the price point it is competing in. OnePlus gets a major blow from Samsung's revamped efforts to reclaim its crown in the premium smartphone market.

Samsung launched Galaxy Note 10 Lite in India starting at Rs 38,999 for 6GB+128GB model and Rs 40,999 for the 8GB+128GB variant. Available in Aura Glow, Aura Black and Aura Red variants, the smartphone goes on sale across all major online and offline stores starting February 3, but pre-bookings are already live.

OnePlus started off as a "flagship killer" brand and its phones justified the title to a large extent. Even today, OnePlus phones make a compelling argument in the premium smartphone segment. OnePlus 7T received a great response from consumers and critics alike, making it a wholesome package for Indian consumers looking for a premium phone without spending a lot. But 2020 is a game-changer.

OnePlus 7T
OnePlus 7TTwitter/OnePlus

OnePlus 7T is available in India starting at Rs 34,999 for 8GB+128GB configuration and Rs 37,999 for the 256GB storage model. The rising prices of OnePlus phones over the year have been concerning, but the brand tried to justify it with flagship features. With Samsung upping its game in the Rs 40,000 price category, the going gets tough for OnePlus.

Let us take a look at how Samsung's Galaxy Note 10 Lite compete against OnePlus 7T. It's worth noting that we've reviewed OnePlus 7T while we are yet to test the new Galaxy phone. Hence this comparison does not reflect our final opinion, but sure gives a detailed evaluation of both phones.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite vs OnePlus 7T

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite doesn't fall too far from its higher-end sibling. The S-Pen is a welcoming addition - something OnePlus 7T lacks. The Galaxy Note 10 Lite gets a 6.7-inch Full HD+ SuperAMOLED Infinity-O display with an edge-to-edge screen. As for OnePlus 7T, there's a 6.55-inch AMOLED display with a notch, but it gains an extra point for the 90Hz refresh rate.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite goes official
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite goes officialSamsung

OnePlus 7T's frosted matte glass back with a large circular camera module certainly strikes an appeal, but Samsung's signature design in the Galaxy Note 10 Lite is bound to steal some attention. The overall form-factor of the Samsung smartphone appears to have an edge over OnePlus 7T.

Moving on to the optics, both phones have triple main camera setup but with a different configuration. OnePlus 7T has a 48MP wide-angle lens, a 16MP ultra-wide-angle lens and a 2X telephoto lens. Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite goes for 48MP Super Steady wide-angle lens with OIS and f/2.0 aperture paired with 5MP macro lens and a 12MP f/2.0 ultra-wide sensor. Even though OnePlus 7T impressed us with improvements in the camera department, Samsung is known for better results, but we would like to hold our final verdict until we test the phone.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite launched in India
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite launched in IndiaSamsung

If you love taking selfies, the Galaxy Note 10 Lite has a 32MP f/2.2 front-facing camera and the OnePlus 7T gets a 16MP f/2.0 shooter.

Performance is one of the strong suits of OnePlus phones and OnePlus 7T leaves no stone unturned in this area. Powered by Snapdragon 855+ chipset and Android 10-based OxygenOS 10, OnePlus 7T is one of the best performing phones out there. As for Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite, the handset is powered by Exynos 9810, which also powered the Galaxy S9 series. There's not a lot of difference, but OnePlus surely leads the race here. The OxygenOS is still better than One UI.

OnePlus 7T's 3,800mAh battery with Warp Charge 30T is certainly a boon. An average user can certainly go a full day without needing to plug in the phone. In an event, the phone needs to be charged, the fast charging gives a day's worth of heavy use in just 30 minutes. But Samsung offers a bigger 4,500mAh battery in the Galaxy Note 10 Lite, which is backed by Super-Fast charging technology, which is bound to give users an edge over the 7T.

OnePlus 7T
OnePlus 7TIBTimes India/Sami Khan

Other features like an in-display fingerprint scanner, dual SIM with 4G VoLTE support and more remain unchanged in both smartphones.

Verdict

Both phones have their strong suits. OnePlus 7T is surely better with its display, performance, user interface, but the Galaxy Note 10 Lite appears more exciting. The S-Pen, premium signature Samsung design, huge battery and powerful camera setup sure makes a compelling argument.

OnePlus 7T strengths

  • 90Hz display with HDR10+ support
  • Snapdragon 855+
  • OxygenOS 10
  • 30W Warp Charge 30T fast charging support
  • UFS 3.0 storage

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite strengths

  • Design
  • Punch-hole display
  • Cameras
  • Battery
  • Multifunctional S-Pen