Samsung Galaxy S10 Review: Features | Specifications | Pricing

Where to buy

Australians love Samsung's flagship phones with a fervour that we only really see for one other brand – and rather obviously, that's not a maker of Android handsets. The Galaxy S10 is the South Korean manufacturer's latest handset, and while it's the slightly smaller, slightly lower cost counterpart to the Galaxy S10+, it shares much the same design and feature ideas, as well as many of the same drawbacks.

The end result is still a very good handset, and one that's an easy recommendation if you're a fan of Samsung's phones, but it's not hard to see this, like the Galaxy S10+, as a case of Samsung mostly resting on what it knows how to do, rather than pushing the boundaries of what a flagship phone could do.

Design

• Range of colour choices
• "Infinity O" punch hole camera
• Dynamic AMOLED display
• In-glass fingerprint sensor
• Still has a headphone jack
• Bixby button stands out, but not in a good way

• Read more on the Samsung Galaxy S10's design

  For the Galaxy S10 as sold in Australia you get the choice of Prism Black, Prism White or Prism Green finishes. Samsung does produce the phone internationally in other tones, but for now these are your choices. If you want the other tones, you'll either have to import one, or wait until Samsung decides to release them here.

  The model I've tested is the Prism Black, and like every other glass-backed black phone, it sure loves picking up fingerprint marks from the moment you pick it up. It is a nice finish, however, and Samsung is to be commended for once again coming up with a phone that truly does feel premium from that first touch.

  The smaller size of the Galaxy S10 also makes it a little easier to hold in the hand. It measures in at 70.4mm x 149.9mm x 7.8mm with a carrying weight of just 157g, making it one of the lighter flagship phones out there.

  Like the Galaxy S10+, the first thing you'll notice at the front of the Galaxy S10 is the absence of a notch to house the front-facing camera.Instead, you get Samsung's "Infinity O" display, which is a fancy marketing term for a screen with a hole punch camera in the top right hand side. Where the Galaxy S10+ houses a wide hole, the Galaxy S10 has a rounder intrusion because it's housing just the one camera lens for simple selfie use.

  The way that apps treat this display varies quite a lot. Full screen apps with support will simply wrap around the Infinity O hole, while apps that lack support typically tend to black out the entire area, making it (effectively) into a bezel strip.

  The next detail you're likely to notice is that you can't find the fingerprint reader. Previous Galaxy S generations placed it at the back, generally too close to the camera lenses. For the Galaxy S10, you get an in-screen fingerprint reader with an ultrasonic reader that Samsung claims is far more accurate and responsive than straight optical types. There's definitely a learning curve here, especially as you work out an appropriate level of force to push onto the screen with, but for the most part it works quite well.

  The Galaxy S10 features a truly vibrant 6.1 inch Dynamic AMOLED display, and by default Samsung doesn't even show it to you at its most brilliant.

  While it's set to its "vivid" colour profile, it's also left at FHD (2280x1080) resolution, while the display itself can handle WQHD+ (3040x1440). That's clearly a matter of battery saving, but if you do want even sharper visuals for checking your photos or watching video, the WQHD+ display on the Galaxy S10 has no peer. It's easily one of the best parts of this premium flagship phone.

  On the flip side, Samsung's continuing with its own assistant, Bixby, along with the side-mounted Bixby button. It's all but assured that you'll hit it at least once accidentally when reaching for the volume controls. It would be less irritating if you could easily remap it to other functions, such as a camera shutter, but that's not Samsung's way.

Camera

• Triple-array 16MP/12MP/12MP camera
• Good overall performance
• AR emoji are still a silly inclusion

• Read more on the Samsung Galaxy S10's camera

  Like the bigger Samsung Galaxy S10+, the Galaxy S10 features a triple camera array at the rear, arranged horizontally. While we've seen huge strides in AI-assisted photography on devices such as Google's Pixel phones, I'm still a huge fan of multi-lens setups for the overall shot flexibility they offer you when taking a photo.

  Competition in the smartphone camera space has increased dramatically over the last few years, with companies like Huawei and Google delivering multi-lens cameras capable of truly extraordinary photography. Samsung hasn't always led the pack in this regard, but it's made a concerted effort with the camera tech in the Galaxy S10.

  At the rear, it packs in a 12MP f/2.4 telephoto lens, 12MP f/1.5 wide angle lens and a 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide 123 degree angle lens. That's a potent combination, and essentially the same as found on the higher-end Galaxy S10+.

  You're not quite as blessed around the front, where there's a single lens selfie camera clocking in at 10MP with a f/1.9 sensor. That's the same array as the lower-end Galaxy S10e, where the S10+ pushes two front-facing shooters.

  Samsung has long offered some really compelling camera experiences with its flagship phones, and that's what you do get with the Samsung Galaxy S10. It's not quite market leading -- right now I'd give that plaudit to the Huawei P30 Pro -- but for most uses it's entirely adequate.

  That ability to switch up lens from wide to standard to zoom gives you plenty of room to choose your precise framing. For example, here's an ultra-wide shot at Sydney's Circular Quay:

  

  And the same frame with the standard wide lens:

  

  And then punched in with the telephoto lens:

  

  Like the Galaxy S10+, the variable aperture primary lens also makes a decent effort of low light photography. It's not up there with the multiple exposure approaches of phones like the Google Pixel 3, or the frankly astonishing low light capabilities of the Huawei P30 Pro, however.

  AR Emoji, like Apple's similar Animoji are a gimmick, plain and simple. If you already liked them, that's fine, but they're not exactly a social phenomenon.

  Ultimately, the Galaxy S10 provides a camera experience that definitely feels premium. Samsung's not quite top of the market here in the way that it used to be, however.

  Samsung Galaxy S10 Sample Photos

  

  

  

Performance

• Exynos 9820 in the Australian S10 is powerful
• One UI is way less annoying than TouchWiz was
• Fingerprint sensor works, but it's not fast
• Expandable storage gives it a premium edge

• Read more on Samsung Galaxy S10's performance

  Samsung somewhat muddies the waters in terms of comparable performance for the Galaxy S10, because there's really two models of this phone. Internationally, it ships with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, but here in Australia, we get the model running Samsung's own Exynos 9820 silicon instead.

  What we've seen in the past is that Samsung's Exynos equivalents typically trail Qualcomm in raw power, but you can make up for that in battery life. Without a Snapdragon 855-equipped S10 to compare against, however, all I can do is comment on how the S10 with the Exynos 9820 performs.

  As with the Galaxy S10+, the performance is actually pretty good, although it does trail well behind the benchmark scores we've seen out of Apple's recent iPhone devices, as well as the newer Huawei smartphones. Here's how it compares using Geekbench's CPU test:

  And here's how it stacks up on 3DMark's Slingshot Extreme test:

  The practical real world side of this is that for every application I've thrown at the Galaxy S10, it's worked with snappy response, even for more demanding games or video applications.

  The Galaxy S10 runs on Android 9 ("Pie") with Samsung's "One UI" launcher on top. Those who have used older Samsung Galaxy S devices may remember the bad old days where its TouchWiz launcher made a pig's breakfast out of Android, but thankfully those days are behind us. For many Android phones – why yes, I am looking at you, Huawei and Oppo – I'm often left wanting a more "pure" Android experience, but the tweaks in One UI make a lot of sense. They also open up an array of Samsung's own preinstalled applications through its own Galaxy Store if that's to your taste.

  The primary way to unlock the Galaxy S10 is via the in-display ultrasonic fingerprint reader. Samsung's claim is that it's both the fastest and most secure fingerprint technology available. I'm not in the position to test its relative security beyond saying that I couldn't fool it with the wrong finger, but on the speed front it's reasonably fast, but still a little slower than the Huawei P30 Pro's reader. As with any of these in-glass readers, there's also a learning curve while you learn how much force is required to fire it up.

  The Galaxy S10 is NFC compatible, which means it's compatible with payment systems such as Google Pay and, naturally enough, Samsung Pay.

  As with prior Galaxy S series phones, it's also IP-rated for immersion in water, up to IP68. As a reminder, that's a rating for fresh water immersion, so if you do accidentally dunk it into seawater or a nearby river, it'd be wise to remove it rapidly.

  Continuing on the storage front, the Galaxy S10 is available in two configurations: 128GB and 512GB. Like most Android smartphones, it also includes a microSD card slot with support for up to 512GB more of external storage.

Battery life

• 3,400mah battery gives disappointing performance
• Wireless charging and fast charging supported
• Powershare reverse charging is too slow

• Read more on the Samsung Galaxy S10's battery life

  Samsung's flagship phones have long held the crown for battery life in the premium space, and it used to be easy to write about how just how good they were.

  Sadly, however, this year's crop of phones has fallen way off that high mark. So far, in fact, that all of this year's phones exhibit worse battery life than the phones they're replacing from 2018, even when they're rocking larger battery capacities!

  The 3,400mAh battery in the Samsung Galaxy S10 isn't immense by flagship standards, but it should be solid enough for a flagship phone. As I rapidly found out, however, this wasn't so.

  The Geekbench 4 Battery test is quite linear, but it's a good way to compare relative performance of phones. Here's how the Galaxy S10 compares against the best current flagships, as well as Samsung's 2018 phone lineup:

  Those figures are not flattering, and sadly it's not just a story of a benchmark giving a synthetic figure. The Galaxy S10 can manage a full day's battery life, but not if you're using it heavily. The one benefit we used to get from the Exynos processor was better battery life, but not this year, it seems.

  It is at least easy enough to charge up the Galaxy S10, with support for both fast wireless charging and both PMA and Qi-compliant wireless charging.

  The Galaxy S10 includes Samsung's branded take on reverse wireless charging, which it calls "Powershare". This allows you to use the S10 itself as a Qi charger for compliant gadgets with a tap of a notification toggle. It's certainly eye catching technology because it seems very cool to charge someone else's phone simply by placing them back to back. The problem is that it's very slow, and it uses a lot more power than the other phone gets. Given the perilous state of the S10's overall battery stamina, it's not really worth using beyond charging up smaller accessories overnight when you've got the S10 plugged into a direct power source anyway.

Verdict

• A nicely built phone, but Samsung needs to put more work into a "premium" phone

• Read our Samsung Galaxy S10 verdict

  There's a lot to like about the Galaxy S10. Samsung's refined its design language, removed the issue of the fingerprint sensor being too close to the rear lenses and given it good, if not quite industry-best camera capabilities. It's got plenty of power for running apps, and unlike many flagships we're seeing now, it supports expandable storage.

  However, the missteps around battery life are a serious issue for the overall value proposition of the Galaxy S10. All the nice design and fast features in the world don't matter a lick when your phone's gone flat.

  Alternatives

  If you adore all things Samsung but want a larger device with slightly better battery life, you could consider the Samsung Galaxy S10+.

  

  Buy the Samsung Galaxy S10+ 128GB from Amazon

  The Samsung Galaxy S10+ packs a massive 6.4-inch screen with support for HDR10+ and an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor concealed beneath the display. Grab yours now from Amazon Australia.

  View details

  If you want the largest Galaxy S10 phone we'll see this year, you could opt for the Galaxy S10 5G.

  If you're more strapped for cash, you could also consider the entry-level Samsung Galaxy S10e.

  

  Buy the Samsung Galaxy S10e 128GB from Amazon

  The most-affordable entry in Samsung's Galaxy S10 product line packs all the core features of its siblings at a less wallet-stinging price. Get one now from Amazon Australia.

  View details

  If you've got a Galaxy S9+ the Galaxy S10+ might be a tougher sell. While the camera is much more flexible, the battery life isn't as good, and the general advice to stick with a phone for two years definitely applies.

  Indeed, if you wanted to save a little, it might be worth shopping around for a Galaxy S9+ handset, which you can do easily right here.

  The other obvious competitor within the Samsung family would be the Samsung Galaxy Note9. It's not as fast as the Galaxy S10, but it's got much better battery life.

  Samsung Galaxy Note9

  

  Samsung Galaxy Note9

  Samsung's productivity phone returns

  The Samsung Galaxy Note9 features exceptional performance, top-notch battery life and the exclusive features of Samsung's S-Pen in a phone like no other.

  Buy at Amazon
  

  If you're after a phone with both camera smarts and exceptional battery life, it's worth putting the Huawei P30 Pro at the top of your shopping list.

  Huawei P30 Pro

  

  Huawei P30 Pro

  Huawei's flagship camera phone

  The Huawei P30 Pro combines the power of Huawei's own Kirin 980 chip, an exceptional battery and a class-leading quad-lens camera array.

  Buy Now
  

  Or if you want a slightly more affordable take that still has plenty of battery power, opt for the Huawei P30.

  Huawei P30

  

  Huawei P30

  Built for photography

  Sleek, powerful and equipped with Huawei's market-leading camera technology, the P30 is an impressive addition to the premium smartphone space. Get yours now.

  Buy at eBay
  

  If what you desire is a more stock Android experience, the Google Pixel 3XL is the obvious competitor product. It uses computational photography rather than a multi-lens approach, but if what you want is the absolute latest in Google's Android OS, there's simply no other competing phone. You can compare local deals for the Google Pixel 3XL right here.

  Google Pixel 3 XL

  

  Google Pixel 3 XL

  Google's newest big flagship

  The Google Pixel 3 XL combines a clean Android interface with the smarts of Google in a handset clearly designed for Android lovers.

  Buy at Amazon
  

Pricing and availability

• Price: RRP starting at $1,149
• Where to buy: Amazon | The Good Guys | Samsung

Specifications

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