Buyers looking for an affordable smartphone have several options to consider, and the OnePlus N6 Lite, Samsung Galaxy M17e 5G and Realme P4 Lite 5G are positioned in the same broad segment. Although all three phones focus on everyday performance and long battery life, their specifications differ in several important areas.
The battery capacity is one of the clearest differences. The OnePlus N6 Lite comes with a 7000mAh battery and supports 15W fast charging along with reverse wired charging. The Realme P4 Lite 5G also gets a 7000mAh battery with 15W fast charging.
Samsung takes a slightly different approach with the Galaxy M17e 5G. It has a 6000mAh battery but supports faster 25W charging. This could be useful for users who prefer quicker charging rather than simply having the largest battery capacity.
Display specifications also separate the three smartphones. The Realme P4 Lite 5G features a 6.8 inch HD Plus IPS LCD panel with a 144Hz refresh rate and peak brightness of up to 900 nits.
The OnePlus N6 Lite comes with a slightly smaller 6.75 inch HD Plus LCD display. It has a 720 by 1570 pixel resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate and peak brightness of up to 900 nits.
The Samsung Galaxy M17e 5G uses a 6.7 inch HD Plus Infinity U LCD display with a 720 by 1600 pixel resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. All three phones therefore offer high refresh rate screens, although the Realme model has the highest stated refresh rate.
Processor choice is another major point of comparison. OnePlus has equipped the N6 Lite with the octa core UNISOC T7250 chipset. The Samsung Galaxy M17e 5G uses the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor, while the Realme P4 Lite 5G also comes with the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 platform.
The camera hardware shows a more noticeable difference between the phones. The OnePlus N6 Lite has a 13MP primary rear camera with an f/2.2 aperture and LED flash. A 5MP front camera with an f/2.2 aperture is provided for selfies and video calls.
The Samsung Galaxy M17e 5G has a 50MP primary rear camera accompanied by a 2MP depth sensor. For selfies and video calls, it comes with an 8MP front camera.
Realme keeps the camera setup simpler on the P4 Lite 5G. The phone has a 13MP primary rear camera with an f/2.2 aperture and a 5MP front camera with an f/2.0 aperture.
Software is fairly up to date across all three models. The OnePlus N6 Lite runs Android 16 with ColorOS 16, while the Samsung Galaxy M17e 5G uses Android 16 with One UI 8. The Realme P4 Lite 5G runs Android 16 based Realme UI 7.0.
Pricing also puts the phones at different points within the segment. The OnePlus N6 Lite costs Rs 16,999 for the 4GB RAM and 64GB storage configuration.
The Samsung Galaxy M17e 5G starts at Rs 16,590 for the 4GB RAM and 128GB storage version. Its 6GB RAM and 128GB storage variant is priced at Rs 18,969.
The Realme P4 Lite 5G is priced at Rs 18,999 for the 4GB RAM and 64GB storage model. The 4GB RAM and 128GB storage version costs Rs 20,999.
Storage therefore becomes an important consideration as well. The Samsung Galaxy M17e 5G offers 128GB storage even in its entry configuration, while the OnePlus N6 Lite and Realme P4 Lite 5G start with 64GB storage.
Connectivity features vary between the three devices. The OnePlus N6 Lite supports dual SIM connectivity, 4G, WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC and GPS. It is positioned as a 4G smartphone rather than a 5G model.
The Samsung Galaxy M17e 5G brings 5G connectivity, dual band WiFi, Bluetooth 5.3 and GPS. It also includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, dual SIM support and a USB Type C port.
The Realme P4 Lite 5G also supports 5G along with dual 4G VoLTE, WiFi, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS and USB Type C connectivity. It retains a 3.5mm audio jack, which can be useful for users who still prefer wired headphones.
Looking at the overall specifications, the three smartphones take different approaches despite competing in a similar price category. OnePlus focuses on a large battery and a lower starting price than the Realme model, while Samsung combines 5G connectivity with a higher resolution primary camera and faster charging.
Realme places greater emphasis on its 144Hz display and large battery, while also offering 5G connectivity. However, its entry price is higher than the starting prices of both the OnePlus N6 Lite and Samsung Galaxy M17e 5G.
The comparison shows that buyers will need to consider more than just the processor or camera when choosing between these phones. Battery size, charging speed, display refresh rate, storage, network support and software can all make a difference depending on how the device will be used.
For someone who mainly wants a large battery, the 7000mAh options from OnePlus and Realme stand out on specifications. Users who want 5G connectivity can consider the Samsung Galaxy M17e 5G or Realme P4 Lite 5G, while those looking for a higher refresh rate display may find the Realme model more relevant.
The final choice will ultimately depend on the features that matter most to the individual buyer, along with the latest price and available offers at the time of purchase.
