ZTE nubia X 5G vs Samsung Galaxy S10+: A 2024 Flagship Face-Off
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user seeking a capable all-rounder, the Samsung Galaxy S10+ remains the more polished choice. Its superior display, wireless charging, and reverse wireless capabilities, coupled with a more refined software experience, outweigh the nubia X 5G’s slightly faster raw processing in most everyday tasks.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE nubia X 5G | 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 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - Global, USA |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 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 | NSA/Sub6 | - |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (6CA) Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G (2+ Gbps DL) | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE-A (7CA) Cat20 2000/150 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | - | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | Not announced yet | 2019, February 20 |
| Status | Cancelled | Available. Released 2019, March 08 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), glass back, aluminum frame | 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 | Single SIM (Nano-SIM) or Hybrid Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) |
| Weight | - | 175 g / 198 g (ceramic) (6.17 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2280 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) | 1440 x 3040 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~522 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.26 inches, 97.8 cm2 | 6.4 inches, 103.8 cm2 (~88.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | Dynamic AMOLED, HDR10+ |
| Secondary display (on the back): OLED, 5.1 inches, 720 x 1520 pixels, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | - | |
| 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 | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only |
| Internal | 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 16 MP, f/1.8, PDAF 24 MP, f/1.7, PDAF | - |
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Triple | - | 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@30fps | 4K@60fps (no EIS), 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | Uses main cameras | 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 | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | Dual video call, Auto-HDR |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | - |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 32-bit/384kHz audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | FM radio (USA & Canada only) |
| USB | USB Type-C, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Dual fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2 |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 18W wired, QC4 | 15W wired, PD2.0 15W wireless (Qi/PMA) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 3800 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 4100 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Blue Gold, Sea Blue, Black Gold, Deep Gray, Starry Night (512 GB only) | 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) |
ZTE nubia X 5G
- Potentially better sustained performance with Snapdragon 855 (7nm)
- Early 5G connectivity
- QC4 fast charging support
- Limited information on display quality
- No wireless charging or reverse wireless charging
- Less refined software experience (likely)
Samsung Galaxy S10+
- Superior display quality with high contrast ratio
- Wireless charging and reverse wireless charging
- Excellent battery life (91h endurance rating)
- Exynos 9820 variant may experience thermal throttling
- Slower wired charging (15W) compared to nubia X 5G
- Older device, software updates may be limited
Display Comparison
The Galaxy S10+ boasts a superior display experience. While both phones lack specified refresh rates beyond standard 60Hz, Samsung’s display features an infinite (nominal) contrast ratio and a 4.514 contrast ratio in sunlight, suggesting better visibility outdoors. The nubia X 5G’s display specs are absent, implying a less advanced panel. Samsung’s display technology, known for its color accuracy and vibrancy, provides a more immersive viewing experience.
Camera Comparison
Detailed camera specs are limited, but the Galaxy S10+ likely holds an advantage in overall image quality and versatility. While both phones likely feature multi-camera setups, the S10+’s camera system is known for its sophisticated image processing and dynamic range. The nubia X 5G’s camera capabilities are less documented, suggesting a less refined experience. The absence of details regarding sensor sizes and lens apertures on the nubia X 5G makes a direct comparison difficult, but Samsung’s history of camera innovation points to a more capable system.
Performance
Both the nubia X 5G and the USA/China variant of the Galaxy S10+ utilize the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (7nm). However, the EMEA/LATAM S10+ uses the Exynos 9820 (8nm). The 7nm process node of the Snapdragon 855 generally offers better power efficiency and thermal performance compared to the 8nm Exynos 9820. While CPU core counts are similar, the Exynos’ Mongoose M4 cores, while aiming for high performance, were often prone to thermal throttling under sustained load. The nubia X 5G, potentially benefiting from a more robust cooling solution (not specified in the data), may sustain peak performance for longer periods. Both phones feature octa-core CPUs, but the Snapdragon’s Kryo cores are known for their balanced performance and efficiency.
Battery Life
The Galaxy S10+ achieves an impressive endurance rating of 91 hours, indicating excellent battery life. The nubia X 5G’s battery capacity is not specified, making a direct comparison challenging. However, the S10+ offers 15W wired charging, 15W wireless charging (Qi/PMA), and 4.5W reverse wireless charging – features absent on the nubia X 5G, which is limited to 18W wired charging with QC4. The S10+'s wireless charging and reverse wireless capabilities provide significant convenience and flexibility.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE nubia X 5G if you prioritize 5G connectivity and are comfortable with a less refined software experience. It’s ideal for users who want maximum performance for demanding tasks and don't mind potentially shorter battery life. Buy the Samsung Galaxy S10+ if you prefer a premium, well-rounded experience with a stunning display, versatile camera system, and convenient features like wireless charging and reverse wireless power share. It’s the better choice for everyday users and content consumers.