Samsung Galaxy Note10 vs S10+: Which Samsung Flagship Reigns Supreme?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Samsung Galaxy Note10 emerges as the superior choice. Its marginally better endurance rating (92h vs 91h) combined with the productivity benefits of the S Pen and the newer Exynos 9825 chipset (or Snapdragon 855 in some regions) provide a more compelling overall package. However, the S10+ remains a strong contender for those prioritizing a slightly more manageable size.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Samsung Galaxy Note10 | Samsung Galaxy S10+ |
| 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 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - Global, USA |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Global, LATAM | 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 (7CA) Cat20 2000/150 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE-A (7CA) Cat20 2000/150 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 25, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66, 71 - Canada | - | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, August 07. Released 2019, August 23 | 2019, February 20 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2019, March 08 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass 6), ceramic back, ceramic frame |
| Dimensions | 151 x 71.8 x 7.9 mm (5.94 x 2.83 x 0.31 in) | 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 | 168 g (5.93 oz) | 175 g / 198 g (ceramic) (6.17 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Stylus, 42ms latency (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro) | - | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2280 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~401 ppi density) | 1440 x 3040 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~522 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.3 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~90.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 103.8 cm2 (~88.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Dynamic AMOLED, HDR10+ | Dynamic AMOLED, HDR10+ |
| Always-on display | - | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M4 & 2x2.4 GHz Cortex-A75 & 4x1.9 GHz Cortex-A55) - EMEA/LATAMOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) - USA/China | 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 | Exynos 9825 (7 nm) - EMEA/LATAMQualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) - USA/China | Exynos 9820 (8 nm) - EMEA/LATAMQualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) - USA/China |
| GPU | Mali-G76 MP12 - EMEA/LATAMAdreno 640 - USA/China | Mali-G76 MP12 - EMEA/LATAMAdreno 640 - USA/China |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12, One UI 4 | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12, One UI 4.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.0 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 12 MP, f/1.5-2.4, 27mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.1, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 16 MP, f/2.2, 12mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.0µm, Super Steady video | 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@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS | 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 | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF | - |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | - |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | FM radio (USA & Canada only) | FM radio (USA & Canada only) |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, 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, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2 |
| Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) ANT+ Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | - | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, PD3.0 12W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless | 15W wired, PD2.0 15W wireless (Qi/PMA) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 3500 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 4100 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Aura Glow, Aura White, Aura Black, Aura Pink, Aura Red | Prism White, Prism Black, Prism Green, Prism Blue, Canary Yellow, Flamingo Pink, Ceramic Black, Ceramic White, Cardinal Red, Smoke Blue |
| Models | SM-N970F, SM-N970U, SM-N970U1, SM-N9700, SM-N970W, SM-N9700, SM-N970N, SM-N970X | SM-G975F, SM-G975U, SM-G975W, SM-G975U1, SM-G9750, SM-G975N, SM-G975X |
| Price | About 590 EUR | $ 199.00 / C$ 879.99 / £ 999.00 / € 299.00 / ₹ 39,940 |
| SAR | 0.85 W/kg (head) 1.08 W/kg (body) | 1.06 W/kg (head) 1.03 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.21 W/kg (head) 1.52 W/kg (body) | 0.52 W/kg (head) 1.58 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -92.8dB / Crosstalk -94.0dB | Noise -93.0dB / Crosstalk -94.3dB |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 92h | Endurance rating 91h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal), 4.514 (sunlight) |
| Loudspeaker | -26.2 LUFS (Good) | -24.7 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 344442 (v7), 452400 (v8) GeekBench: 10353 (v4.4), 2241 (v5.1) GFXBench: 28fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 333736 (v7), 399901 (v8) GeekBench: 10387 (v4.4), 2190 (v5.1) GFXBench: 23fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy Note10
- Integrated S Pen for enhanced productivity
- Slightly faster processor (Exynos 9825)
- Faster 25W wired charging
- Slightly larger size than the S10+
- Potentially higher price (depending on market)
Samsung Galaxy S10+
- More compact and manageable size
- Established software optimization
- Often available at a lower price point
- Slower processor (Exynos 9820)
- Slower 15W wired charging
Display Comparison
Both the Note10 and S10+ boast stunning Dynamic AMOLED displays with an 'Infinite' contrast ratio. However, the Note10 edges out the S10+ with a measured peak brightness of 789 nits, compared to the S10+'s 4.514 nits in sunlight. While both are excellent, the Note10’s higher peak brightness translates to better visibility in direct sunlight. Both displays share the same resolution, but the Note10’s slightly smaller size results in a marginally higher pixel density, though the difference is imperceptible to most users.
Camera Comparison
Both devices offer versatile camera systems capable of capturing excellent photos and videos. However, the Note10’s camera system benefits from Samsung’s software enhancements introduced alongside the device. While both feature similar camera configurations, the Note10’s video capabilities are notably improved, offering features like Live Focus Video. The S10+'s camera is still excellent, but the Note10’s processing algorithms deliver slightly more refined images, particularly in low-light conditions. Both phones feature a similar array of lenses, and the 2MP macro lens on both is largely a marketing feature with limited practical utility.
Performance
The Note10 generally offers a performance advantage thanks to the Exynos 9825 (7nm) or Snapdragon 855 (7nm) chipset, built on a smaller process node than the S10+'s Exynos 9820 (8nm). While both utilize the same Snapdragon 855 in US/China variants, the EMEA/LATAM Note10 benefits from the newer Exynos. The Note10’s CPU features slightly higher clock speeds on its Mongoose M4 cores (2.73 GHz vs 2.73 GHz on the S10+), contributing to snappier performance in demanding tasks. Both phones utilize 8GB of RAM, but the Note10’s more efficient chipset may result in slightly better sustained performance under heavy load.
Battery Life
The Note10 boasts an endurance rating of 92 hours, slightly surpassing the S10+'s 91 hours. This difference is attributable to the more efficient Exynos 9825 chipset and optimized power management. The Note10 also supports 25W wired charging with PD3.0, allowing for faster charging speeds compared to the S10+'s 15W PD2.0 charging. Both devices support 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, offering convenient charging options. The Note10’s faster charging capabilities significantly reduce downtime, making it a more practical choice for power users.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy Note10 if you need a built-in stylus for note-taking, sketching, or precise control, and value the slightly improved chipset and battery endurance. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S10+ if you prefer a more compact flagship experience and appreciate a device with a longer history of software optimization, potentially leading to fewer lingering bugs.