Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G vs. Sony Xperia 10 VII: A Detailed Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G, while a 2019 flagship, remains available and offers a glimpse into a bygone era of large-screen, S Pen-equipped power. The Sony Xperia 10 VII, a 2024 release, represents a modern focus on efficiency and longevity. This comparison dissects these two devices, highlighting where the Note10+’s raw power still holds up and where the Xperia 10 VII’s optimized design shines.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing battery life and long-term software support, the Sony Xperia 10 VII is the better choice. While the Note10+ 5G boasts a more powerful chipset on paper, the Xperia 10 VII’s Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 offers a more efficient experience, coupled with a significantly longer battery endurance rating.

PHONES
Phone Names Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G Sony Xperia 10 VII
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Global1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41
5G bands5, 71, 260, 261 NSA/Sub61, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6
SpeedHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/150 Mbps, 5G (2+ Gbps DL)HSPA, LTE, 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5GGSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 46, 48, 66, 71 - USA-
Launch
Announced2019, August. Released 2019, August2025, September 12
StatusDiscontinuedAvailable. Released 2025, September 19
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), plastic frame, plastic back
Dimensions162.3 x 77.2 x 7.9 mm (6.39 x 3.04 x 0.31 in)153 x 72 x 8.3 mm (6.02 x 2.83 x 0.33 in)
SIMNano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight198 g (6.98 oz)168 g (5.93 oz)
 IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Stylus, 42ms latency (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro)-
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 6Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, Mohs level 5
Resolution1440 x 3040 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~498 ppi density)1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~422 ppi density)
Size6.8 inches, 114.0 cm2 (~91.0% screen-to-body ratio)6.1 inches, 91.3 cm2 (~82.9% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeDynamic AMOLED, HDR10+OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR
 Always-on display-
Platform
CPUOcta-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/ChinaOcta-core (4x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A55)
ChipsetExynos 9825 (7 nm) - EMEA/LATAMQualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) - USA/ChinaQualcomm SM6475-AB Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 (4 nm)
GPUMali-G76 MP12 - EMEA/LATAMAdreno 640 - USA/ChinaAdreno 710
OSAndroid 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12, One UI 4Android 15, upgradable to Android 16, up to 4 major Android upgrades
Memory
Card slotmicroSDXC (dedicated slot)microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM128GB 8GB RAM
 UFS 3.0-
Main Camera
Dual-50 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.4, 16mm, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.0"
FeaturesLED flash, auto-HDR, panoramaLED flash, HDR, panorama
Triple12 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 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth)-
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS, OIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF8 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm
Video4K@30/60fps1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack No-
35mm jackNoYes
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG-
Comms
Bluetooth5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX5.4, A2DP, LE
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEOGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS
RadioFM radio (USA & Canada only)No
USBUSB Type-C 3.1USB Type-C 2.0, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometerFingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
 Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) ANT+ Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified)-
Battery
Charging45W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wirelessWired, PD, QC
TypeLi-Ion 4300 mAh, non-removable5000 mAh
Misc
ColorsAura Glow, Aura White, Aura BlackWhite, Turquoise, Charcoal
ModelsSM-N976F, SM-N976U, SM-N976, SM-N976B, SM-N976N, SM-N976V, SM-N9760, SM-N976QXQ-FE54, XQZ-CBFE, xqfe54eukcl.gc, xqfe54eukcw.gc, xqfe54eukcb.gc
PriceAbout 700 EUR$ 459.99 / £ 329.00 / € 379.00
EU LABEL
Battery-48:10h endurance, 1400 cycles
Energy-Class B
Free fall-Class C (90 falls)
Repairability-Class D

Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G

  • Faster processor for demanding tasks
  • S Pen functionality for productivity
  • 45W fast charging
  • Wireless and reverse wireless charging

  • Aging chipset and software support
  • Potential for thermal throttling
  • Shorter battery life compared to Xperia 10 VII
  • Larger and heavier design

Sony Xperia 10 VII

  • Exceptional battery life and endurance
  • Modern and efficient Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset
  • Bright and clear display
  • Long battery lifespan (1400 cycles)

  • Less powerful processor for intensive gaming
  • No S Pen support
  • Slower charging speeds than Note10+ 5G
  • May lack some flagship features

Display Comparison

The Xperia 10 VII’s display immediately stands out with a measured peak brightness of 1064 nits, significantly exceeding what the Note10+ 5G likely achieved in its prime. While the Note10+ 5G featured a high-quality Dynamic AMOLED panel, the Xperia 10 VII’s brightness ensures excellent outdoor visibility. The Note10+ 5G’s panel likely had a higher refresh rate, but the Xperia 10 VII’s focus is on clarity and efficiency. Bezels on the Xperia 10 VII appear more modern and symmetrical, contributing to a cleaner aesthetic.

Camera Comparison

Analyzing the camera systems requires acknowledging the Note10+ 5G’s more complex setup. However, megapixel count isn’t everything. The Xperia 10 VII likely focuses on computational photography to enhance image quality, while the Note10+ 5G relied more on hardware. The Note10+ 5G’s variable aperture lens offered flexibility, but the Xperia 10 VII’s image processing algorithms may deliver more consistent results in various lighting conditions. We can assume the Note10+ 5G had superior video recording capabilities, but the Xperia 10 VII’s modern image signal processor (ISP) will offer improvements in noise reduction and dynamic range.

Performance

The Note10+ 5G, depending on the region, shipped with either the Exynos 9825 (7nm) or the Snapdragon 855 (7nm). Both are powerful chips, but the Snapdragon 855 generally offered better sustained performance due to superior thermal management. However, the Xperia 10 VII’s Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 (4nm) leverages a more advanced fabrication process. This 4nm node translates to significantly improved power efficiency, meaning less heat generation and less performance throttling under sustained load. While the Note10+ 5G’s octa-core CPU boasts higher clock speeds (up to 2.73 GHz), the Xperia 10 VII’s Cortex-A78 cores provide a strong balance of performance and efficiency. The Note10+ 5G likely utilized LPDDR5 RAM, but the Xperia 10 VII’s optimized software and chipset will likely provide a smoother experience for everyday tasks.

Battery Life

This is where the Xperia 10 VII truly excels. Its reported 48:10h endurance and 12:57h active use score are remarkable. The Note10+ 5G’s 45W wired charging (with PD3.0) is faster than the Xperia 10 VII’s wired charging (PD, QC), but the Xperia 10 VII’s efficiency means you won’t need to charge it as often. The Note10+ 5G also offered 15W wireless and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, features not explicitly mentioned for the Xperia 10 VII. However, the Xperia 10 VII’s battery is rated for 1400 cycles, suggesting significantly longer lifespan than the Note10+ 5G’s battery.

Buying Guide

Buy the Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G if you absolutely need the S Pen functionality, demand the fastest possible processing speeds for demanding tasks (despite potential throttling), and can accept a device nearing the end of its software support lifecycle. Buy the Sony Xperia 10 VII if you prioritize exceptional battery life, a bright and clear display, and a modern, efficient smartphone experience with guaranteed software updates.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Exynos 9825 in the Note10+ 5G overheat during prolonged gaming sessions?
The Exynos 9825 is known to throttle under sustained load, particularly in warmer environments. While it offers peak performance, expect frame rate drops and reduced performance during extended gaming sessions. The Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 in the Xperia 10 VII, due to its 4nm process, manages heat much more effectively.
❓ How does the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 handle demanding applications like video editing?
The Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 is a capable mid-range chipset, but it won't match the raw processing power of the Note10+ 5G's Snapdragon 855 or Exynos 9825. For basic video editing tasks, it will perform adequately, but complex projects may take longer to render and experience some lag.
❓ Is the Note10+ 5G still receiving software updates?
Samsung has ended official software support for the Note10+ 5G. While custom ROMs are an option for advanced users, you won't receive security patches or new features directly from Samsung. The Xperia 10 VII, being a newer device, is guaranteed to receive several years of software updates.
❓ What is the real-world impact of the Xperia 10 VII's 1400 battery cycle rating?
A 1400 cycle rating means the battery is designed to retain at least 80% of its original capacity after 1400 full charge cycles. This translates to significantly longer battery lifespan compared to the Note10+ 5G, potentially lasting for several years of regular use.