After a long wait as well as countless leaks and edge pictures, Samsung officially introduced the Galaxy S10e, S10 and S10+ as well as the S10 5G during today’s Lauch event in San Francisco. The so-called “essential” version was introduced for the first time, which, with its reduced equipment, is intended to offer a relatively inexpensive introduction to Samsung’s new flagship smartphone models.
The biggest differences between the individual models are the number of cameras, the size and resolution of the display and the capacity of the working and internal memory. Compared to the generation change from the Samsung Galaxy S8 to the Samsung Galaxy S9, where there were only minor differences and therefore weak sales figures, Samsung has built a number of innovations into the S10 models that clearly distinguish the smartphones from the predecessors of the South Korean group.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuE1fO_GGBs
Displays from 5.8″ to 6.7″
The Samsung Galaxy S10e has a 5.8-inch display with Full HD+ resolution (1,080 x 2,280 pixels), the Galaxy S10’s 6.1-inch display offers WQHD+ resolution (1,440 x 3,040 pixels), the 6.4-inch Galaxy S10+ and the 6.70-inch Galaxy S10 5G offer the same resolution. The Super AMOLED panel used on all models supports HDR. The “e” version is protected by Gorilla Glass 5, the other models by Gorilla Glass 6.
Samsung specifies a maximum display brightness of 1200 cd/m². This is an absolute peak value that far surpasses current high-end devices, which usually have a brightness of 700 cd/m².
Processor, memory and internal memory
The built-in System-on-a-Chip (SoC) from Samsung’s own development department is identical for all four models. It’s the 8nm Samsung Exynos 9820 processor with eight cores, the Mali-G76 MP12 GPU provides the necessary graphics performance.
The Samsung Galaxy S10e model is only offered in a version with 6 GByte RAM and 128 GByte memory capacity for 749 Euro. There are two versions of the Galaxy S10 with optional 6 GByte RAM and 128 GByte memory for 899 Euro or 8 GByte RAM and 512 GByte memory for 1,149 Euro. The Galaxy S10+ offers three versions, 6 GByte RAM and 128 GByte memory are available for 1.249 Euro, 8 GByte RAM and 512 GByte memory cost 1.599 Euro, the price of the biggest model with 12 GByte RAM and 1 TB memory has not yet been mentioned by Samsung. The 5G model of the S10 series is only available in a version with 8 GB RAM and 256 GB memory. The price is not yet known here either, but it can be assumed that it is well above 1,000 Euro.
In addition to the internal memory, all models also feature a microSD card slot for cost-effective expansion of the internal memory.
Between three and six cameras
The front camera(s) are built into the display of all models. Samsung can thus dispense with a Notch or a failure-prone sliding mechanism. The Galaxy S10e and S10 have a single 10 megapixel (f/1.9) wide-angle front camera with autofocus and display flash in a round hole. The Galaxy S10+ has an oval aperture, which additionally contains a secondary front camera with 8 megapixels (aperture f/2.2) for depth calculation, thus providing realistic bokeh effects. The Galaxy S10 5G also has an oval display hole, which houses a secondary front camera with 0.4 megapixel resolution in addition to the wide-angle front camera.
Also with the main cameras there are clear differences between the individual models. The primary wide-angle main camera of all models offers 12 megapixel resolution (f/1.5 aperture), optical image stabiliser, autofocus and LED light. The S10e features a 16 megapixel (2.2 f-stop) super-wide-angle secondary camera. The secondary super wide-angle camera of the three larger models offers a resolution of 12 megapixels (aperture f/2.4) with autofocus and optical image stabilizer. There is also a tertiary camera for telephotography with 16 megapixels (aperture f/2.2). The S10 5G is also the only model in the new series to feature a time-of-flight camera that can calculate depths using a light signal.
According to some local reports, the good software integration of the display hole, which does not cover any operating elements, is also a positive feature. In some competing devices, important menu items were hidden by the in-display camera. Samsung seems to have solved this problem with the S10 models.
KI Support, Video Stabilization and Super Night Shot Mode
According to Samsung, the main camera of smartphones should even make itself an alternative to action cameras thanks to the optical image stabilizer with additional software support. During the presentation, recordings of a skateboarder whose video stabilisation for a smartphone was of surprisingly good quality were shown for demonstration purposes. In addition, as is now common practice, AI support is also on board, which can automatically detect 30 scenes and automatically adjusts the camera settings. Shooting in low light conditions is also possible thanks to the “Super Night Shot Mode”. According to Samsung, the camera software calculates an image from 17 individual shots that corresponds to a normal exposure time of over 30 seconds.
Connectivity and radio standards
The Samsung Galaxy S10 models also excel in terms of connectivity by covering all relevant standards. HSPA+ or 3G is supported with up to 42.2 Mbit/s in the download and 5.76 Mbit/s in the upload. Depending on the network quality, the maximum 4G speed is up to 2,000 Mbit/s in the download and 316 Mbit/s in the upload. The maximum speed of the 5G modem is not yet known.
In addition, all models feature the WLAN standards and Miracast and Wi-Fi Direct. The cable connection is established via USB type C 3.1 port. Google Pay and other services can be used via NFC connection. In addition to the usual GPS, navigation is also supported GLONASS, BeiDou and Galileo. Also a classic 3.5 mm jack plug is still available.
Wireless charging and power share
The fixed batteries of all models support wireless charging. The efficiency of the so-called Super Fast Charge charging technology is between 60 and 70 percent. According to Samsung, the usage time should be up to two days. But the S10e has a 3,1000 mAh battery, the S10 a 3,400 mAh, the S10+ a 4,100 mAh battery and the S10 5G even a 4,500 mAh battery on board.
Huawei’s Power Share technology also makes it possible to use the smartphone’s battery to charge accessories wirelessly. Devices like the newly introduced Samsung Galaxy Buds only have to be placed on the back of the smartphone. As soon as the capacity of the smartphone battery drops to 30 percent, the charging process is automatically interrupted by Power Share.
Operating system and other features
The outstanding hardware is rounded off by Google’s latest Android 9.0 Pie, which is complemented by Samsung’s own One UI interface. One UI ensures that important operating elements are aligned on the underside of the display. This should ensure good operability with only one hand, even with very large displays.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3LVk0i6bY4
As is now common with high-end smartphones, the Samsung S10 devices naturally also feature an in-display fingerprint sensor with ultrasound technology. Only in the S10e, the fingerprint sensor was installed in the stand-by button on the case side. According to Samsung, a display protection film should not restrict the usability of the integrated fingerprint sensor. Alternatively, a face scan can also be used to unlock the smartphones.
The design of the housings is relatively similar. The Galaxy S10+ has a ceramic back, the other models have a glass back. All models are protected against water and dust according to IP68 standard.
Availability
Smartphones can now be pre-ordered at Samsung. Delivery will start on 8 March. All pre-orderers also receive the newly introduced Galaxy Buds Bluetooth earphones free of charge. All models are available in white and black, the S10e is also available in yellow, the S10 has green and blue as additional options.
Only the Galaxy S10 5G comes onto the market with a considerable delay. Samsung hasn’t given us an appointment yet. Instead, the company only speaks of “early summer”.
