Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite vs Tab A8: Which Tablet Should You Buy?

• Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite

  The cheapest option

  Good for watching Netflix

  The Galaxy A7 Lite is worse than the newer Tab A8 in every category; However, if you’re looking for a tablet that can stream your favorite content, it’s a decent Netflix device – especially since it’s only $160.

  Advantages

  • Less expensive
  • Same maximum loading speed
  • Same rear camera

  Disadvantages

  • Very low performance
  • Smaller and less sharp display
  • Smaller battery

• Samsung Galaxy Tab A8

  A solid basic tablet

  A little more power to handle basic tasks

  If you can afford the MSRP of $230, you should get the Galaxy Tab A8. Battery performance is quite good, it has a nicely larger 1080p display, and the Android experience is a lot less clunky. It’s a great affordable tablet to help you get those basic daily tasks done.

  Advantages

  • A little bit stronger
  • Better front camera
  • Larger 1080p display

  Disadvantages

  • More expensive
  • No LTE version in the US

ANDROID POLICE VIDEO OF THE DAY

While many expensive Android tablets are great for productivity and running the latest and greatest games, they’re not exactly cost-friendly, especially if you don’t need all that power. Luckily, Samsung makes some of the best cheap Android tablets you can buy that are perfect for watching content or surfing the web.

The Galaxy Tab A7 Lite and Galaxy Tab A8 are affordable tablets that offer great value for money for anyone looking for a basic tablet with a larger screen to use around the house. That’s how they stack up.

Price, Availability and Connectivity

Both tablets are widely available through the usual retailers you’d expect – Amazon, Best Buy and the Samsung Store. And while both are somewhat affordable, the A7 Lite is the more budget-friendly model, with an MSRP of $160 versus 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 US, while the A8 only has a cellular model in Europe and India.

design

The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 looks a bit more modern at first glance, thanks to its uniform bezels and square edges, while the A7 Lite has uneven bezels, making a chin and forehead larger than the sides of the device. Of course, the A7 Lite is smaller overall (just 8.7 inches), making it lighter and easier to carry around or hold in one hand. Still, the Tab A8 will feel better due to its slightly more premium design and heavier weight.

The good news? Although both models are Bluetooth 5.0 compatible, you don’t need to connect to wireless earbuds for audio, as there’s a headphone jack on each tablet – a saving grace in these times.

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There is no doubt that the Galaxy Tab A8 has the better display. Not only is it bigger, but it also has a higher resolution – a full 1080p. This makes it ideal for watching Netflix or streaming your favorite Twitch channels as you should get decent picture quality.

The A7 Lite only has a 720p screen, which is certainly not ideal; However, as we mentioned in our review of the Galaxy A7 Lite, it doesn’t look bad on a screen of this size. It also has a widescreen 5:3 aspect ratio, which is good for viewing content without huge black bars on your screen.

Neither screen is very bright, so watching videos in direct sunlight is not advisable. However, the 327 cd/m² of the A8 and the 315 cd/m² of the A7 Lite are sufficient for most situations.

software

The Galaxy Tab A7 and Tab A8 come with Android 11 by default. However, they can be upgraded to Android 13 – and there’s no reason not to.

When it comes to future support, the Galaxy Tab A7 Lite is done receiving all the 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. For example, multitasking leaves a lot 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 might already know that performance is the top priority on both tablets, although the Galaxy A7 Lite noticeably lacks a lot of power. It’ll stream your Netflix and let you browse the web, but expect app load times to be hiccups and stutters when you’re doing something that needs a little more juice.

The Unisoc Tiger T618 chipset in the Galaxy Tab A8 performs slightly better. It can handle most of your basic app needs like social media scrolling or even light gaming. But it won’t impress if you’re trying to do some serious work. Still, less stuttering when updating apps and navigating the UI in general is a good thing.

Both models come with either 3GB or 4GB of RAM. You should get the 4GB one to get the most out of these low performers.

battery life

Although the Galaxy A8 has a much larger battery, it doesn’t save too much battery compared to the A7 Lite due to its larger form factor, so both are comparable in terms of screen on time.

The Tab A8 easily lasts a full day with average mixed use, and if you’re constantly streaming content you should still be able to get around 9 hours. That’s better than the A7 Lite’s 5,100mAh battery, which only lasts around 6-7 hours on screen and around 10-12 hours with average use.

Charging on both devices takes a long time. With only 15W of wired charging available on each device, it will take you a few hours to go from 0 to 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 have an 8-megapixel sensor on the back. You’re a far cry from anything you see on smartphones; Even with perfect lighting, the photos are average.

Relativity’s light weight and easy portability make tablets like this so good for video calls. If you like that, the Tab A8’s 5MP front camera will make you look a lot better to your friends and family. It’s by no means flawless, but it’s significantly better than the A7 Lite’s 2MP selfie camera.

Which one is right for you?

The Galaxy Tab A8 is the clear winner in almost all categories. It’s got a bit more power to make using the tablet a little less clunky, better battery life to keep you going all day, a larger and higher resolution display, and the list goes on and on. If you’re looking for a tablet that does the basics well, the Tab A8 is a solid option.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a device to stream your favorite content and take it with you wherever you go, the Tab A7 might be worth its very affordable price. Yes, the screen is only 720p – but on a screen this small, that resolution doesn’t look too bad. Plus, the 5:3 aspect ratio makes for slimmer black bars around your Netflix shows, which is always a bonus.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A8

The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 is pretty good value for money thanks to its MSRP of $230. You’ll probably want the updated model with 4GB of RAM, but all in all it’s a tablet that does a very good job of meeting those basic needs.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite

The Samsung Galaxy A7 Lite is certainly not going to win any awards for power or performance. However, if you’re looking for a very affordable tablet for streaming and watching content, it might be worth the $160 asking price.

Source: www.androidpolice.com