As of this writing, the 64GB Galaxy S6 Lite base model costs the same as the 64GB Galaxy Tab A7 configuration, so naturally, you may be wondering which Samsung tablet will provide the most bang for your buck.
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Truth be told, this tablet face-off will be a challenge for the Galaxy Tab A7. After all, it’s going up against the Galaxy S6 Lite, the bare-bones version of the super-sexy Galaxy Tab S6. Not to mention that the Galaxy S6 Lite has a seductive selling point that the Galaxy Tab A7 lacks: the spectacular S Pen. Despite the Galaxy S6 Lite’s clear disadvantage in this battle, you’ll be surprised at the Galaxy Tab A7’s resolve. The Galaxy S6 Lite may be victorious in some fights, but will it win the war? Read this Galaxy Tab A7 vs. Galaxy S6 Lite face-off to find out.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 vs. S6 Lite specs
Galaxy Tab A7 vs. the Galaxy S6 Lite: Value
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 starts at $229.99 (opens in new tab) and is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm SM6115 Snapdragon 662 CPU, an Adreno 610 GPU, 32GB of storage and 3GB of RAM. If you upgrade your Galaxy Tab A7 to 64GB of storage, it will set you back $279.99 (opens in new tab), which is the same price tag of the Galaxy S6 Lite base model (opens in new tab) as of this writing. The Galaxy S6 Lite is electrified with an octa-core Samsung Exynos 9611 CPU, an Mali-G72 MP3 GPU, 4GB of RAM and a 64GB SSD. If you’d like to upgrade your Galaxy S6 Lite with 128GB of RAM, it will net you $429.99. (opens in new tab) Though the Galaxy Tab A7 has a cheaper starting price, 32GB of onboard storage isn’t sufficient for users who engage with an abundance of apps and own tons of content. The 64GB Galaxy S6 Lite configuration costs the same as the Galaxy Tab A7’s 64GB model, but it offers a solid-state drive and 1GB more RAM. As a cherry on top, the Galaxy S6 Lite ships with an S Pen, which is an excellent digital writing and sketching tool that simulates the feel of a fine-tipped ballpoint pen. There is virtually no lag and the S Pen is super sensitive to your strokes. The Galaxy Tab A7 does not come with an S Pen. Winner: Samsung Galaxy S6 Lite
Galaxy Tab A7 vs. the Galaxy S6 Lite: Design
The Galaxy Tab A7 (9.8 x 6.2 x 0.3 inches, 1 pound) and the Galaxy S6 Lite (9.6 x 6.3 x 0.3 inches, 1 pound) are sleek and featherweight tablets. Both slates are slender with only 0.3 inches of thickness, but the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is a tinge wider and the Galaxy Tab A7 is slightly lengthier. The design elements of the Galaxy Tab A7 and the Galaxy S6 Lite give off polished, utilitarian vibes with sophisticated metal finishes. A small, yet bold Samsung logo is stamped on both slates. The Samsung tablets sport squircle-shaped, 8-megapixel camera modules on the top-left corner of the rear panel. The Galaxy Tab A7 houses its front-facing, 5-megapixel camera on the right bezel whereas the Galaxy S6 Lite sports it on the top bezel. Mid-sized bezels surround the 10.4-inch display of the Galaxy Tab A7 and Galaxy S6 Lite, providing ample territory for gripping the tablets. Both slates come in three colors: Dark Gray, Silver and Gold for the Galaxy Tab A7, and Oxford Gray, Angora Blue and Chiffon Rose for the Galaxy S6 Lite. Winner: Draw
Galaxy Tab A7 vs. the Galaxy S6 Lite: Display
The Galaxy Tab A7 and the Galaxy S6 Lite are equipped with 10.4-inch, 2000 x 1200-pixel displays. The Samsung tablets’ screens won’t break any records and they’re not as visually appealing as premium OLED displays, but they’re both sharp and colorful enough for an enjoyable viewing experience. The Galaxy Tab A7 is slightly more colorful than the Galaxy S6 Lite. The Galaxy Tab A7 covered 72% of the DCI-P3 color gamut while the Galaxy S6 Lite covered only 70% of the color space. The Galaxy Tab A7 achieved a Delta-E score of 0.23 (the closer to zero, the better), which signifies that its display is more color accurate than the Galaxy S6 Lite’s screen (0.31). Redeeming itself from total annihilation in the display battle, the Galaxy S6 Lite provides a brighter, 435-nit screen. The Galaxy Tab A7 can only output a measly 329 nits of brightness. If you’re an outdoorsy tablet user, the Galaxy S6 Lite is the best option for you. Winner: Galaxy S6 Lite
Galaxy Tab A7 vs. the Galaxy S6 Lite: Audio
The Galaxy Tab A7 has an edge over the Galaxy S6 Lite when it comes to audio. The Galaxy Tab A7 sports a Dolby Atmos quad-speaker system, providing an immersive audio experience with surround sound. When I listened to “Blinding Lights” by the Weeknd on The Galaxy Tab A7, the sound filled my medium-sized testing space; the audio was crisp, clear and loud. While playing games and streaming movies, you may often find yourself “getting lost” into the content because of the entrancing surround-sound effect. The Galaxy S6 Lite, on the other hand, has an AKG dual-speaker system with Dolby Atmos 3D surround-sound technology. When listening to The Killers, Brandon Flowers’ voice on the Galaxy 6 Lite filled our room without a hint of distortion, but there is some strain in the treble at max volume. Overall, both Samsung tablets provide a satisfactory sound experience. Winner: Galaxy Tab A7
Galaxy Tab A7 vs. the Galaxy S6 Lite: Performance
The Galaxy Tab A7 is powered by the Qualcomm SM6115 Snapdragon 662 CPU and 3GB of RAM. The Galaxy S6 Lite is electrified by the Exynos 9611 CPU and 4GB of RAM. To test the tablets’ multitasking prowess, we inundated the slates with a flood of apps. The Samsung tablets juggled the influx of apps well. Both had brief slowdowns, but they were negligible. On the Geekbench 5.0 overall performance test, the Galaxy Tab A7 crushed the Galaxy S6 Lite with a score of 1,405. The Galaxy S6 Lite staggered behind the Galaxy Tab A7 with a score of 1,291. When we ran the JetStream 2.0 test, a benchmark that examines web-browsing performance, the Galaxy Tab A7 offered a score of 32.8 while the Galaxy S6 Lite lagged behind with a score of 27.8. Winner: Galaxy Tab A7
Galaxy Tab A7 vs. the Galaxy S6 Lite: Camera
Both Samsung tablets are equipped with 5-megapixel front-facing cameras and 8-megapixel rear cameras. The Galaxy Tab A7 is different, however, in that it houses its 5-megapixel camera on the size bezel as opposed to the top bezel. This position orients video calls and selfies into landscape mode. It’s an odd placement, but it’s beneficial for video-conferencing meetings since most video-call platforms are optimized for landscape-oriented videos. Both cameras feature facial recognition technology for biometric-authentication security, which is a surprising perk to find on budget-friendly tablets. The Galaxy Tab A7’s face-unlock feature worked for me 100% of the time, but for our Senior Editor Phillip Tracy, the Galaxy S6 Lite’s face-unlock success rate was at 70%. The Galaxy Tab A7’s cameras are mediocre. Images lacked definition and sharpness; there’s also plenty of visual noise. In a selfie, my curls lacked delineation, but on the plus side, the cameras correctly captured my complexion. The cameras on the Galaxy S6 Lite, on the other hand, provided images that are sharper, better exposed and more true-to-life. The color reproduction on the Galaxy S6 Lite’s images were vibrant. In a selfie, the Galaxy S6 Lite picked up subtle details on Tracy’s facial features that the Galaxy Tab A7 would have trouble perceiving. Winner: Galaxy S6 Lite
Galaxy Tab A7 vs. the Galaxy S6 Lite: Battery life
We tested both Samsung tablets on the Laptop Mag battery test, which involves continuous Web surfing over Wi-Fi at 150 nits of brightness. The Galaxy Tab A7 lasted a remarkable 13 hours and 13 minutes on a charge. The Galaxy S6 Lite also impressed with a battery life endurance of 12 hours and 39 minutes. Winner: Samsung Galaxy S6 Lite
Overall winner: The Samsung Galaxy S6 Lite
Sure, the Galaxy Tab A7 has an edge over the Galaxy S6 Lite in some aspects. It lasts 34 minutes longer on a charge, it’s slightly more colorful and its quad-speaker Dolby Atmos system is pretty badass. It also offered better scores on Geekbench 5.0 and Jetstream 2.0. On the flip side, the Galaxy S6 Lite’s 435-nit panel is brighter than the Galaxy Tab A7’s 329-nit display, its cameras provided sharper images and it ships with a snazzy S Pen. However, I’m leaning toward the Samsung Galaxy S6 Lite. It’s difficult to recommend the Galaxy Tab A7 over the Galaxy S6 Lite when, for $279, you’ll get 4GB of RAM and an S Pen while the Tab A7 only offers 2GB of RAM — sans an S pen — at same price. While the Galaxy Tab A7 had the upper hand in some rounds, the Galaxy Tab A7’s lead was miniscule and negligible in most cases. The Samsung Galaxy S6 Lite emerged victorious in this match, but whether you decide to get the Galaxy S6 Lite or the Galaxy Tab A7, you’d still be a winner — both Samsung devices are among the best tablets on the market.
