Released in 2019, both the Motorola Moto Z4 Force and the Samsung Galaxy S10+ represent flagship ambitions, though with differing approaches. The Z4 Force aimed to deliver high-end performance via the Snapdragon 855, while the S10+ offered a more comprehensive package with a premium display, versatile camera system, and wireless charging. This comparison dissects their strengths and weaknesses to determine which device holds up better today.
🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a vibrant display, wireless charging, and a more polished software experience, the Samsung Galaxy S10+ is the better choice. However, the Motorola Moto Z4 Force provides nearly identical Snapdragon 855 performance at a potentially significantly lower price point, making it a compelling option for budget-conscious power users.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (dual-SIM model only) |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - Global, USA |
| 4G bands | LTE | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Global |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat18 1200/150 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE-A (7CA) Cat20 2000/150 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | Not announced yet | 2019, February 20 |
| Status | Cancelled | Available. Released 2019, March 08 |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass 6), ceramic back, ceramic frame |
| Dimensions | - | 157.6 x 74.1 x 7.8 mm (6.20 x 2.92 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Single SIM (Nano-SIM) or Hybrid Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) |
| Weight | - | 175 g / 198 g (ceramic) (6.17 oz) |
| | Splash and dust resistant | - |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass (unspecified version) | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) | 1440 x 3040 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~522 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 | 6.4 inches, 103.8 cm2 (~88.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED | Dynamic AMOLED, HDR10+ |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) | Octa-core (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M4 & 2x2.31 GHz Cortex-A75 & 4x1.95 GHz Cortex-A55) - EMEA/LATAMOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) - USA/China |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) | Exynos 9820 (8 nm) - EMEA/LATAMQualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) - USA/China |
| GPU | Adreno 640 | Mali-G76 MP12 - EMEA/LATAMAdreno 640 - USA/China |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie) | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12, One UI 4.1 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 48 MP, f/1.6, (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF
8 MP, f/2.0, (telephoto)
13 MP, f/1.8, (wide) | 12 MP, f/1.5-2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS
12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, AF, OIS, 2x optical zoom
16 MP, f/2.2, 12mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.0µm, Super Steady video |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps | 4K@60fps (no EIS), 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Dual | - | 10 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.22µm, Dual Pixel PDAF
8 MP, f/2.2, 22mm (wide), 1/4", 1.12µm, depth sensor |
| Features | HDR | Dual video call, Auto-HDR |
| Single | 25 MP, f/1.9 | - |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | - |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, EDR | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | FM radio | FM radio (USA & Canada only) |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG, magnetic connector | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2 |
| | Moto Mods snap-on accessories | - |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | - | 15W wired, PD2.0
15W wireless (Qi/PMA)
4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion, non-removable | Li-Ion 4100 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Black | Prism White, Prism Black, Prism Green, Prism Blue, Canary Yellow, Flamingo Pink, Ceramic Black, Ceramic White, Cardinal Red, Smoke Blue |
| Models | - | SM-G975F, SM-G975U, SM-G975W, SM-G975U1, SM-G9750, SM-G975N, SM-G975X |
| Price | - | $ 199.00 / C$ 879.99 / £ 999.00 / € 299.00 / ₹ 39,940 |
| SAR | - | 1.06 W/kg (head) 1.03 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.52 W/kg (head) 1.58 W/kg (body) |
| Tests |
|---|
| Audio quality | - |
Noise -93.0dB / Crosstalk -94.3dB |
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 91h |
| Camera | - |
Photo / Video |
| Display | - |
Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal), 4.514 (sunlight) |
| Loudspeaker | - |
-24.7 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - |
AnTuTu: 333736 (v7), 399901 (v8)
GeekBench: 10387 (v4.4), 2190 (v5.1)
GFXBench: 23fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Motorola Moto Z4 Force
- Potentially lower price point for comparable Snapdragon 855 performance.
- Snapdragon 855 offers strong processing power.
- Clean Android experience (typically Motorola's strength).
- Lacks wireless charging.
- Limited camera specifications and potentially inferior image quality.
- Display likely inferior to the S10+ in brightness and color accuracy.
Samsung Galaxy S10+
- Superior display quality with high contrast ratio and brightness.
- Wireless charging and reverse wireless charging capabilities.
- More versatile camera system with advanced image processing.
- Exynos 9820 variant may experience more thermal throttling.
- Potentially higher price point.
- Samsung’s One UI can be divisive.
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy S10+ boasts a superior display experience. While both phones lack specified refresh rates, the S10+’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio (nominal 4.514 in sunlight) suggests a more vibrant and readable panel, particularly outdoors. The Z4 Force’s display specifications are absent, implying a standard AMOLED panel likely lacking the S10+'s peak brightness and color accuracy. The S10+'s larger screen size and higher resolution contribute to a more immersive viewing experience.
Camera Comparison
Detailed camera specifications for the Moto Z4 Force are limited. The Galaxy S10+ offers a more comprehensive camera system, though details beyond 'Photo/Video' are missing for the Z4 Force. The S10+'s camera likely benefits from Samsung’s advanced image processing algorithms and potentially larger sensor sizes, resulting in better dynamic range and low-light performance. The absence of information regarding the Z4 Force’s sensor sizes and lens apertures makes a direct comparison difficult, but the S10+’s reputation for camera quality gives it a clear advantage.
Performance
Both the Motorola Moto Z4 Force and the USA/China variant of the Samsung Galaxy S10+ utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (7nm). This means core processing performance will be remarkably similar, with both devices featuring an octa-core CPU configuration. However, the EMEA/LATAM S10+ uses the Exynos 9820 (8nm). The 7nm process of the Snapdragon 855 generally offers better thermal efficiency than the 8nm Exynos 9820, potentially leading to less throttling during sustained workloads like gaming. While both chipsets are powerful, the Snapdragon 855’s architecture is known for its consistent performance.
Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy S10+ achieves an impressive endurance rating of 91 hours, suggesting excellent battery life. While the Moto Z4 Force’s battery capacity is unknown, the S10+’s 15W wired charging, PD2.0 support, 15W wireless charging (Qi/PMA), and 4.5W reverse wireless charging provide a significant convenience advantage. The Z4 Force lacks wireless charging, limiting its versatility. The S10+'s charging capabilities allow for flexible power replenishment, while the Z4 Force relies solely on wired charging.
Buying Guide
Buy the Motorola Moto Z4 Force if you prioritize raw processing power and are comfortable with a less feature-rich experience, potentially saving money in the process. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S10+ if you value a superior display, wireless charging capabilities, a more refined camera system, and the broader ecosystem of Samsung features and support.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Does the Exynos 9820 in the Galaxy S10+ overheat during prolonged gaming sessions?
The Exynos 9820, fabricated on an 8nm process, is known to generate more heat than the 7nm Snapdragon 855. While not a catastrophic issue, users may experience some thermal throttling during extended gaming or demanding tasks, potentially leading to slightly reduced performance over time. The Snapdragon 855 variant in the USA/China model mitigates this concern.
❓ Is the lack of wireless charging on the Moto Z4 Force a significant drawback?
For users accustomed to the convenience of wireless charging, the Moto Z4 Force’s omission is a notable limitation. Wireless charging offers a cable-free charging experience and the ability to use wireless charging pads. The S10+’s inclusion of 15W wireless charging provides a significant usability advantage.
❓ How does the Motorola Moto Z4 Force handle software updates compared to the Samsung Galaxy S10+?
Historically, Motorola has a less consistent track record for software updates compared to Samsung. The Galaxy S10+ received several major Android updates and security patches, while the Z4 Force’s update support is likely limited. Users prioritizing long-term software support should favor the S10+.
