Samsung enters budget tablet arena with Galaxy Tab 3 lite

Samsung has officially announced the Galaxy Tab 3 Lite, expanding the Galaxy Tab range with its first truly budget model which will go head to head with the likes of the Asus MemoPad HD 7 rather than compete with the Nexus 7 or iPad Mini.

Revealed ahead of next month’s Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona, the Galaxy Tab 3 Lite will focus firmly on the entry-level with a 7in, 1024×600 resolution display, 1.2GHz dual-core processor and two megapixel rear camera. It will only have 8GB of internal storage, but at least included a microSD memory card slot. A 3,600mAh battery should keep the tablet in juice for a reasonable length of time.

Android 4.2 Jelly Bean will come pre-installed, with Samsung’s own TouchWiz UI loaded on top. The usual collection of Samsung apps will also appear, along with Google Play store access.

Samsung is promising two versions of the Tab 3 Lite; a Wi-Fi only model and a more expensive 3G version. Both will include GPS and GLONASS geolocation, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct and Bluetooth 4.0.

The Galaxy Tab 3 Lite will be available in a choice of white or black colours. So far, an official price has yet to be set and Samsung hasn’t committed to bringing the device to the UK. According to an early pre-order listing it should cost around $165 for the Wi-Fi only version or $263 for the 3G version in the US.