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Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite
Gets the job doneThe Galaxy A7 Lite is worse in every category than the newer Tab A8; however, if you're looking for a tablet that can stream your favorite content, it's a decent Netflix machine at a low price.
Pros- Lightweight and compact
- Up to ten hours of battery life
Cons- Lower resolution (800 x 1340 pixels)
- Smaller screen
- Lacks processing power
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Samsung Galaxy Tab A8
Added oomph$172 $230 Save $58The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 is an ideal buy for an entry-level tablet with reliable all-round performance at a great-value price. For a higher price, you get a larger screen, better battery life, and more recent software to deliver a smoother experience on those basic daily tasks.
Pros- Slightly more powerful
- Better front-facing camera
- Larger 1080p display
Cons- More expensive
- No LTE version in the U.S.
Android tablets make getting connected simple, and Samsung has made it easy to stay productive with its range of cheap Android tablets, with the competent performance and stylish detailing you expect from the Galaxy range.
Stream, game, browse, and buy with the cost-friendly Galaxy Tab A7 Lite or Galaxy Tab A8. These great tablets provide excellent value for anyone looking for a basic tablet with a larger screen, especially if you don't need all that power. Both models are a great buy, but if you want to know if the Galaxy Tab A8 is worth it, here's how they stack up.
Price, availability, and specs
Both tablets are widely available via the usual retailers: Amazon, Best Buy, and the Samsung Store. Although both are somewhat affordable, the A7 Lite is the more budget-friendly model, coming in at an MSRP of $160 as opposed to the Tab A8, which retails for $230. In terms of connectivity, the Galaxy Tab A7 Lite and Tab A8 have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0. The A7 Lite also has an LTE cellular option in the U.S., while the A8 only has a cellular model available in Europe and India.
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Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite
- Storage
- 32GB, 64GB
- Operating System
- Android 13, OneUI 5.1.1
- Battery
- 5,100mAh
- Ports
- USB-C
- Display type
- TFT LCD, 60Hz
- Price
- From $109
- Colors
- Gray, Silver
- Display dimensions
- 8.7"
- Display resolution
- 1340 x 800
- IP rating
- None
- Weight
- 366g
- Charge options
- USB-C wired
- SoC
- Mediatek MT8768T Helio P22T
- Cellular connectivity
- Optional
- Wi-Fi connectivity
- Wi-Fi 5
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.0
- RAM
- 2GB, 3GB, or 4GB
- Front Camera
- 2MP
- Rear Camera
- 8MP
- Dimensions
- 212.5 x 124.7 x 8mm
- Charging speed
- 15W wired
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Samsung Galaxy Tab A8
- Storage
- 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, microSD expansion to 1TB
- Operating System
- Android 14 and One UI 6
- Battery
- 7,040mAh
- Ports
- USB-C
- Display type
- TFT LCD, 60Hz
- Price
- $230
- Colors
- Gray, Silver, Pink Gold
- Display dimensions
- 10.5", 16:10
- Display resolution
- 1920 x 1200
- IP rating
- None
- Weight
- 508g
- Charge options
- Wired
- SoC
- Unisoc Tiger T618
- Cellular connectivity
- No
- Wi-Fi connectivity
- Wi-Fi 5, Wi-Fi Direct
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.0
- RAM
- 3GB or 4GB
- Front Camera
- 5MP
- Rear Camera
- 8MP
- Dimensions
- 246.8 x 161.9 x 6.9mm
- Charging speed
- 15W wired
Design
Uniform bezels and squared edges make the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 immediately appear more modern and sophisticated than the A7 Lite with its uneven bezels. The A7 Lite is clearly smaller with a width of just 8.7 inches, which makes it light and portable, but the weightier Galaxy Tab A8 will feel nicer due to its slightly more premium design and heftier weight.
Even though both models are Bluetooth 5.0 compatible, you don't have to connect to wireless earbuds for audio, as a headphone jack is present on each tablet — a saving grace in these times.
Display
There's no doubt that the Galaxy Tab A8 has the better display. Not only is it larger, but it also has a higher resolution — a full 1200 x 1920 pixels versus 1340x800 pixels. This makes it ideal for streaming Netflix or your favorite Twitch channels, as your picture quality should be decent.
The A7 Lite's screen is certainly less than ideal; though, as we mention in our review of the Galaxy A7 Lite, it has a widescreen aspect ratio of 5:3, which is nice for viewing content without giant black bars on your screen.
Neither screen is very bright, so watching videos in direct sunlight isn't advisable. However, the 327 nits on the A8 and the 315 on the A7 Lite are adequate for most situations.
Software
The Galaxy Tab A7 and Tab A8 come with Android 11 out of the box; however, they can be updated to Android 13 — and there's no reason not to.
When it comes to future support, the Galaxy Tab A7 Lite is done getting any major updates as it has already received the two promised. The Galaxy Tab A8 is likely in the same boat.
When it comes to the software experience, budget Android tablets can be a little rough around the edges. For example, multitasking leaves much to be desired on both models, with no taskbar at the bottom and only a pop-up view available instead of displaying the two windows side-by-side. Of course, it's not like these tablets are meant for that, but something to keep in mind.
Performance
If you're looking at either the A7 Lite or the A8, you may already know that performance is not the top priority for both tablets, especially the Galaxy Tab A7 Lite. It will stream your Netflix and let you browse the web but expect app loading times to be hiccups and stutters anytime you do something that takes a little more juice.
The Galaxy Tab A8's Unisoc Tiger T618 chipset fares a little better. It can handle most of your basic app needs, like scrolling social media or even some light gaming. But it won't impress if you're trying to get some serious work done. Still, less stuttering when updating apps and moving through the UI, in general, is a good thing. Both models come with either 3GB or 4GB of RAM. You'll want to get the one with 4GB to squeeze every bit of power out of these low-performers.
Battery life
Even though the Galaxy A8 has a much bigger battery, its larger form factor means it doesn't save too much battery compared to the A7 Lite, thus making them both comparable in terms of screen-on time. The Tab A8 will easily last you a full day with average mixed-use, and if you're streaming content constantly, you should still get around 9 hours. That's better than the 5,100mAh battery on the A7 Lite, which only lasts about 6–7 hours on-screen and about 10–12 hours with average use. Also, charging on either device takes a long time. With only 15W wired charging available on each device, you'll need a good few hours to go from 0-100%.
Cameras
If you're looking to take photos with your Android tablet, these aren't the devices for you, as the Tab A8 and A7 Lite only feature an 8MP sensor on the back. They are a far cry from anything you see on smartphones; even in perfect lighting, the photos are average.
Being relativity lightweight and easy to carry around is what makes tablets like these so good for video calling. If that appeals to you, you'll look a lot better to your friends and family using the 5MP front-facing camera on the Tab A8. It's not immaculate by any means, but it is noticeably better than the 2MP selfie camera on the A7 Lite.
Which is right for you?
The Galaxy Tab A8 outperforms the A7 in just about every category and technical specification. It delivers value for money with its improved processing power that removes the chunkiness users may experience with the A7. In addition to the improved resolution and extended battery life, the Galaxy Tab A8 is retailing at a near-unbeatable selling price, making it a sound buy.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A8
Added oomph to get basic tasks done smoothly
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 offers pretty great value thanks to its $230 MSRP. You'll probably want the upgraded model with 4GB of RAM, but all in all, it's a tablet that can handle those basic needs very well.
On the other hand, the Tab A7 is extremely portable and does the job if you're looking for a device for streaming your favorite content that you're not going to tax with multiple tasks and tabs; the Tab A7 will certainly do the job while saving you even more money.
Yes, the screen is only 720p — but on a screen this small, that resolution doesn't look so bad. Plus, its 5:3 aspect ratio makes for slimmer black bars around your Netflix shows, which is always a bonus. Plus, you may want to hold fire on the Tab A8, as the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 has been announced, and may well launch in the US soon.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite
An inexpensive tablet that gets the job done
The Samsung Galaxy A7 Lite certainly won't be winning any awards for power or performance. Still, if you want a very affordable tablet to stream and watch content, it may be worth the $160 asking price.