The Samsung Captivate, a pioneer of the early Android era, and the Galaxy S10e, a modern powerhouse. Can a phone from 2010 truly compete with a flagship from 2019? Let's dive into a detailed comparison to see how these devices stack up.
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Galaxy S10e utterly dominates the Captivate across nearly every metric. Its vastly superior processor, camera, display, and battery life make it the clear winner. The Captivate holds nostalgic value, but the S10e offers a modern smartphone experience.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 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 |
| Speed | HSPA 7.2/5.76 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/150 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| | - | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66, 71 - USA |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2010, June. Released 2010, July | 2019, February 20. Released 2019, March 08 |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 122.4 x 64.2 x 9.9 mm (4.82 x 2.53 x 0.39 in) | 142.2 x 69.9 x 7.9 mm (5.60 x 2.75 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | Mini-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 118 g (4.16 oz) | 150 g (5.29 oz) |
| | - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 480 x 800 pixels, 5:3 ratio (~233 ppi density) | 1080 x 2280 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~438 ppi density) |
| Size | 4.0 inches, 45.5 cm2 (~58.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.8 inches, 82.8 cm2 (~83.3% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED | Dynamic AMOLED, HDR10+ |
| | TouchWiz 3.0 UI
| Always-on display |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | 1.0 GHz Cortex-A8 | 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 | Hummingbird | Exynos 9820 (8 nm) - EMEA/LATAMQualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) - USA/China |
| GPU | PowerVR SGX540 | Mali-G76 MP12 - EMEA/LATAM Adreno 640 - USA/China |
| OS | Android 2.1 (Eclair), upgradable to 2.3 (Gingerbread) | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12, One UI 4.1 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDHC (dedicated slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only |
| Internal | 16GB 512MB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| | - | UFS 2.1 |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Dual | - | 12 MP, f/1.5-2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS
16 MP, f/2.2, 12mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.0µm, Super Steady video |
| Features | - | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 5 MP, AF | - |
| Video | 720p@30fps | 4K@60fps (no EIS), 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | - | HDR |
| Single | - | 10 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | - | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| | No | - |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| | - | 32-bit/384kHz audio
Tuned by AKG |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 3.0, A2DP | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX |
| NFC | - | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, A-GPS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | FM radio (USA & Canada only) |
| USB | microUSB 2.0 | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n; DLNA | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features |
|---|
| Browser | HTML, Adobe Flash Lite | - |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| | MP4/DivX/WMV/H.264 player
MP3/WAV/eAAC+/FLAC player
Organizer
Photo/video editor
Voice memo/dial/commands
Predictive text input (Swype) | ANT+
Bixby natural language commands and dictation
Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | - | 15W wired, PD2.0
15W wireless (Qi)
4.5W reverse wireless |
| Stand-by | Up to 750 h (2G) / Up to 576 h (3G) | - |
| Talk time | Up to 13 h 30 min (2G) / Up to 6 h 30 min (3G) | - |
| Type | Removable Li-Ion 1500 mAh battery | Li-Ion 3100 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Black and Grey | Prism White, Prism Black, Prism Green, Prism Blue, Canary Yellow, Flamingo Pink |
| Models | - | SM-G970F, SM-G970U, SM-G970W, SM-G9700, SM-G970U1, SM-G970N, SM-G970X |
| Price | About 170 EUR | About 130 EUR |
| SAR | - | 0.56 W/kg (head) 0.70 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.37 W/kg (head) | 0.58 W/kg (head) 1.57 W/kg (body) |
| Tests |
|---|
| Audio quality | - |
Noise -92.9dB / Crosstalk -89.4dB |
| Battery life | - |
Endurance rating 83h
|
| Camera | - |
Photo / Video |
| Display | - |
Contrast ratio: infinite |
| Loudspeaker | - |
Voice 71dB / Noise 76dB / Ring 80dB
|
| Performance | - |
AnTuTu: 325192 (v7), 389694 (v8)
GeekBench: 10081 (v4.4), 2141 (v5.1)
GFXBench: 40fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung i897 Captivate
- Nostalgic Android experience
- Compact size (for its era)
- Relatively affordable on the used market
- Outdated processor
- Poor camera quality
- Short battery life
- Limited app compatibility
- No modern features (fast charging, wireless charging)
Samsung Galaxy S10e
- Powerful processor
- Excellent camera
- Long battery life
- Vibrant display
- Compact and pocketable
- Fast charging & Wireless Charging
- Older model (may lack latest software updates)
- Can be found at a higher price than the Captivate (though often discounted)
Display Comparison
The Galaxy S10e boasts a vibrant Dynamic AMOLED display with an 'infinite' contrast ratio, offering stunning colors and deep blacks. The Captivate's Super AMOLED display, while decent for its time, pales in comparison in terms of brightness, resolution, and overall visual quality. The S10e's smaller size also makes it more pocketable.
Camera Comparison
The Galaxy S10e's camera system is far superior, offering better image quality, more features (like night mode), and improved video recording capabilities. The Captivate's camera was adequate for its time, but it simply can't compete with the S10e's advanced sensors and image processing.
Performance
The S10e's Exynos 9820 or Snapdragon 855 chipset (depending on region) is a monumental upgrade over the Captivate's Hummingbird processor. The S10e handles demanding apps and games with ease, while the Captivate struggles with modern software and multitasking. The S10e's octa-core CPU provides significantly more processing power.
Battery Life
The S10e's endurance rating of 83h is exceptional, providing multiple days of use on a single charge. The Captivate's battery life was considerably shorter, requiring daily charging. The S10e also supports fast charging and wireless charging, features absent in the Captivate.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the Samsung Captivate? Primarily collectors or those seeking a nostalgic experience with an early Android device. Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy S10e? Anyone looking for a compact, powerful, and reliable smartphone with a great camera and long battery life, especially at a discounted price now.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is the Samsung Captivate worth buying in 2024?
Only for collectors or those seeking a nostalgic experience. It's not a practical choice for everyday use due to its outdated hardware.
❓ Can I still find apps for the Samsung Captivate?
Finding compatible apps can be challenging. Many modern apps won't run on its older Android version.
❓ What is the biggest difference between the two phones?
The biggest difference is the processing power and overall technology. The S10e is a modern flagship, while the Captivate is a relic of a bygone era.
