vivo NEX 3 5G vs. Samsung Galaxy S10 5G: A Detailed Comparison of 5G Flagships
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user seeking raw performance and faster charging, the vivo NEX 3 5G, equipped with the Snapdragon 855+, is the better choice. However, Samsung’s Galaxy S10 5G provides a more polished software experience and wireless charging capabilities, making it a strong contender for those prioritizing ecosystem integration.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | vivo NEX 3 5G | Samsung Galaxy S10 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - USA |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Global |
| 5G bands | 41, 78 NSA | 78 NSA/Sub6 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G (2+ Gbps DL) | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/150 Mbps, 5G (2+ Gbps DL) |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 24, 25, 26, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - China | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, September. Released 2019, September | 2019, February. Released 2019, April |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 167.4 x 76.1 x 9.4 mm (6.59 x 3.00 x 0.37 in) | 162.6 x 77.1 x 7.9 mm (6.40 x 3.04 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 218.5 g (7.72 oz) | 198 g (6.98 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2256 pixels (~363 ppi density) | 1440 x 3040 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~502 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.89 inches, 119.3 cm2 (~93.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 112.0 cm2 (~89.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, HDR10 | Dynamic AMOLED, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.96 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 485) | Octa-core (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M4 & 2x2.31 GHz Cortex-A75 & 4x1.95 GHz Cortex-A55) - GlobalOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) - USA |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855+ (7 nm) | Exynos 9820 (8 nm) - GlobalQualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) - USA |
| GPU | Adreno 640 (700 MHz) | Mali-G76 MP12 - GlobalAdreno 640 - USA |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 10, Funtouch 10 | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12, One UI 4.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM |
| - | UFS 2.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF 13 MP, f/2.5, 52mm (telephoto), PDAF, 2x optical zoom 13 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), PDAF | 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 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth) |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 720p@960fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@60fps (no EIS), 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR | HDR |
| Single | Motorized pop-up 16 MP, f/2.1, 26mm (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm | 10 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF TOF 3D, (depth sensor) |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| 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 | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | FM radio (USA & Canada only) |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG, DisplayPort |
| 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 |
| - | ANT+ Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung DeX (desktop experience support) Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 44W wired | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | 4500 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 4500 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Blue | Crown Silver, Majestic Black, Royal Gold |
| Models | V1924A, V1924T, 1913 | SM-G977U, SM-G977N, SM-G977B, SM-G9770, SM-G977P, SM-G977T |
| Price | About 730 EUR | About 380 EUR |
| SAR | - | 0.46 W/kg (head) 1.59 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.26 W/kg (head) 1.55 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -93.7dB / Crosstalk -93.1dB | - |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 110h | - |
| Camera | Photo / Video | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker | Voice 70dB / Noise 73dB / Ring 72dB | - |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 388878 (v7), 497858 (v8) GeekBench: 11060 (v4.4) GFXBench: 37fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
vivo NEX 3 5G
- Faster 44W wired charging
- More powerful Snapdragon 855+ processor
- Unique 'Waterfall' display design
- Potentially less comfortable display for flicker-sensitive users
- Less established brand recognition
Samsung Galaxy S10 5G
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- More refined software experience
- Wider availability and ecosystem integration
- Exynos 9820 (Global) offers slightly lower performance
- Slower 25W wired charging
Display Comparison
The vivo NEX 3 5G boasts a unique 'Waterfall' display, maximizing screen real estate by curving the edges dramatically. While the context data only provides a peak brightness of 610 nits, this was competitive at the time. The Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, while not a waterfall display, offered a high-quality Dynamic AMOLED panel. The lack of PWM frequency data for the NEX 3 5G is a concern, potentially making it less comfortable for users sensitive to flicker, a known strength of Samsung’s AMOLED technology. Both displays feature an infinite (nominal) contrast ratio, typical of OLED panels.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer capable camera systems, but detailed sensor information is limited in the provided data. Both are listed as having Photo/Video capabilities. The NEX 3 5G’s camera performance was generally considered competitive, but the S10 5G benefited from Samsung’s established image processing algorithms. The S10 5G’s multi-frame processing and scene optimization were strengths. Without specific sensor size or aperture data, it’s difficult to definitively declare a winner, but Samsung’s history of camera innovation gives it a slight edge.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipset. The vivo NEX 3 5G consistently features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ (7nm), offering a slight performance edge over the Exynos 9820 (8nm) found in the global version of the Galaxy S10 5G. The USA variant of the S10 5G also uses the Snapdragon 855 (7nm), closing the gap but still trailing the ‘+’ variant. The Snapdragon 855+’s Kryo 485 cores, with a peak clock speed of 2.96 GHz, provide a noticeable boost in CPU performance. The Exynos 9820’s Mongoose M4 cores, while powerful, are less efficient. Thermal management is also a factor; the 7nm process of the Snapdragon 855+ generally leads to better thermal efficiency, potentially reducing throttling during sustained workloads.
Battery Life
The vivo NEX 3 5G boasts a 110-hour endurance rating, suggesting respectable battery life. However, the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G’s 25W wired charging with PD3.0, alongside 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, provides greater versatility. The NEX 3 5G’s 44W wired charging is significantly faster, potentially offering a full charge in under an hour, while the S10 5G’s 25W charging is slower. The endurance rating suggests comparable real-world usage, but the NEX 3 5G’s charging speed is a key advantage.
Buying Guide
Buy the vivo NEX 3 5G if you prioritize maximum processing power for demanding tasks like gaming and video editing, and value the fastest possible wired charging speeds. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G if you prefer a more established brand with a wider range of features like wireless charging and reverse wireless charging, and a more refined, feature-rich software experience.