Samsung Galaxy S10+ Review

Samsung Galaxy S10+ Review: Intro

The Samsung Galaxy S10+ is part of the phone five device line up that is: S10, S10e, S10 5G and S10 Lite unveiled as a celebratory series of the 10th anniversary of the Samsung Galaxy S flagship line. Samsung unveiled flagship Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ models, differentiated primarily by screen size and an additional front-facing camera on the S10+.

Samsung Galaxy S10+ Review: Specs

• OS/Software: Android 9.0 Pie, Samsung One UI, upgradable to Android 12, One UI 4.1
• Rear Camera: 16MP + 12MP + 12MP
• Front Camera: 10MP
• Display: 6.4 inches (wide quad HD+) | 1440 x 3040 pixels, resolution
• Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855/ Exynos 9820
• RAM: 8GB/12GB
• Storage: 128/512GB/1TB
• Battery: 4,100 mAh, 15W fast wired charging, 15W Fast wireless charging
• Colors: Prism Black, Prism White, Prism Blue, Ceramic White, Ceramic Black, Prism Green (except U.S.), Flamingo Pink (except U.K.)

Pros

• Immersive Infinity-O display
• Excellent screen-to-body ratio
• In-screen fingerprint sensor
• Wireless PowerShare perk
• Good performance

Cons

• Price hike
• Slippery design
• Punch holes in display can be distracting

Samsung Galaxy S10+ Review: Design

The S10 generation it decided to adopt the punch hole and make a name for itself that way. The Infinity-O display gives this phone a new look. It looks fantastic, with bright, colorful reproduction making the best of images, icons, apps, games and video.

The S10 Plus design is full of surprises, new and old. Its aluminum frame is thinner than that of the S9 Plus, and still sandwiched between smooth Gorilla Glass 6. Color choices are ‘Prism’ white, black and green, while the 512GB and 1TB versions are backed by ceramic in either white or black.

Samsung Galaxy S10+ Review: Display

The Galaxy S10+ features a 6.4-inch 1440p “Dynamic AMOLED” display with HDR10+ support and “dynamic tone mapping” technology. The display has curved sides that slope over the horizontal edge of the device. Unlike previous Samsung phones, the front-facing cameras occupy a rounded cut-out near the top-right of the display, and uses an ultrasonic in-screen fingerprint reader.

While providing better performance over the optical in-screen fingerprint reader introduced by other recent phones, it’s not compatible with all screen protector. Due to this, the S10+ is supplied with a pre-installed plastic screen protector. The Infinity-O display looks great, but the two punch holes for the front cameras can be distracting

Samsung Galaxy S10+ Review: Camera

The Galaxy S10+ packs the most cameras we’ve seen on a Samsung phone yet with a grand total of five. There’s three in the rear, including a 12-MP dual-pixel main shooter with a variable aperture (f/1.5, f/2.4), a 12-MP telephoto lens (f/2.4) with a 2x optical zoom and an ultra-wide 16-MP camera (f/2.2) that gives you a 123-degree view.

Up front, the Galaxy S10+ features two cameras: a 10-MP dual-pixel shooter (f/1.8) and a second 8-MP depth-sensing lens (f/2.2). The ultra-wide angle lens on the S10+ can produce dramatic-looking photos, giving you a more captivating view of almost any scene.

On the software side of things, Samsung’s expanded the range of scenes its Scene Optimizer will recognize and optimize for by 10 for a total of 30, and they’re all listed on the official S10’s specs pages if you’re that curious. More importantly, there’s now a Bright night mode, which should improve low light performance.

Samsung Galaxy S10+ Review: Performance

The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus is powerful enough to compete with today’s best gaming phones, and that means it has top-of-the-line specs inside. In the US, it has ships with Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 855 chip, while in most other places around the world it features Samsung’s own Exynos 9820 chip.

Its octacore chips are paired with 8GB of RAM (12GB in the Ultimate Performance Edition) to provide plenty of grunt. In fact, with a Geekbench multi-score of 11,002, it’s the fastest Android phone we’ve ever tested, though the Exynos chip scored a slightly lower and the camera app seems a tad slower.

On Geekbench 4, which measures overall performance, the S10 Plus turned in a multi-core score of 10,732, which beats the Galaxy Note 9 (8,876), OnePlus 6T (8,972) and Pixel 3 (7,316). All three of those phones use last year’s Snapdragon 845.

Samsung Galaxy S10+ Review: Software

The good news is that the OneUI software on the Galaxy S10 is streamlined as promised and fairly too easy to use. The settings menu, for example, presents a lot less options up front, but it’s still a cinch to make your way around. It’s also easy to activate various features without having to dig into settings. The interface is clean, but it still has a double or even triple doses of the same pre-installed apps from Samsung, Google and Microsoft.

Samsung Galaxy S10+ Review: Ultrasonic fingerprint

This is biometric security made easy. The ultrasonic fingerprint sensor on the Galaxy S10 Plus is embedded into the display and is easy to set up and use. Unlike Apple’s Face ID, you don’t have to stare at your phone and swipe up to unlock the device; you simply hold your finger on the designated area of the screen and boom, you’re in.

ALSO READ: Samsung Galaxy S10 Review

Samsung Galaxy S10+ Review: Battery and Charging

The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus battery hits a new high for the S series with a 4,100mAh capacity. Last year’s S9 Plus was above average for Android flagships, delivering all-day battery life from its 3,500mAh unit, but the S10 Plus performed better for us in our tests. The Galaxy S10 Plus does come with a host of power saving modes with the most aggressive – maximum power saving – locking down the interface to just a few key apps (of your choosing), ensuring you still get hours from your final few percent.

Samsung’s new Wireless PowerShare feature turns the back of the S10 Plus into a big Qi charging mat, which is great if you’re feeling generous when your friend runs low on battery and feel comfortable sparing some of your hefty 4,1000mAh capacity.

Price and Availability

The Galaxy S10 Plus price has gone down to start at $849 / £769 / AU$1,299, which is a decent discount that will likely increase during sales season.

Verdict

The Galaxy S10+ is a great Android phone for those who don’t want to pay the higher premium for the Galaxy S20. This handset gives you a big and immersive full-screen experience, very capable cameras and fast performance in a slick design.
Samsung also deserves credit for how seamlessly the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor and Wireless PowerShare features work.

Recommended for….

• Entertainment seekers. The big 6.4-inch screen is the best in the world thanks to its 93.1% screen-to-body ratio and punchy colors. And there’s an actual 3.5mm headphone jack.
• Selfie takers. The selfie photos out of the S10 Plus look great in everything but low-light. The Color Point mode makes it so fun to use.

Not recommended for…

• Those on a budget. The price is not for the faint of heart, or wallet. Yes, it’s cheaper and a better value than the iPhone XS Max, but costs as much as a Note 9. There are phones with better value if they don’t need the absolute best.
• For those who want the absolute best camera phone. This camera is great, but it’s not the best. That crown belongs to the Pixel 3. Google’s phone isn’t as stylish or as feature-packed, so Samsung is a better overall pick, but know there’s a better point-and-shoot replacement out there.