The choice to purchase the latest Note often comes down to at least one foremost query: Do you need an S Pen? But with a second mannequin becoming a member of the fray this yr, the choice to purchase a Note over a Galaxy S isn’t such a straightforward one. So we’ve damaged all of it down for you.
Galaxy S10 vs Galaxy Note 10: Display
Samsung has at all times used the Note 10 because the launching pad for its greatest and largest shows. The Note 10 does that with the brand new plus mannequin:
- Note 10: 6.3-inch Full HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2200×1080
- Note 10+: 6.8-inch Quad HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 3040×1440
- S10: 6.1-inch Quad HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 3040×1440
- S10+: 6.4-inch Quad HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 3040×1440
One of these items will not be like the opposite, and it’s the smaller Note 10. Not solely is the scale a tenth of an inch smaller than the S10+ and final yr’s Note 9, it’s additionally a lot lower-resolution, with Samsung considerably paring down the pixels to succeed in 1080p. So the candy spot right here is the 6.4-inch S10+, however if you’d like the most effective of the most effective, the 6.8-inch Note 10+ is the best way to go.
The Note 10+’s 6.8-inch display screen is as huge because it will get.
Galaxy S10 vs Galaxy Note 10: Design
If you favored the near-bezel-less design of the Galaxy S10, you’re going to like the Note 10. Samsung has dramatically trimmed the bezels as in comparison with the Note 9 and even outdid the S10, with the thinnest strips of black over and beneath the show. As such, there’s no room for a digicam, so the Infinity-O “hole-punch” design makes an look right here too. Samsung has opted to middle the digicam moderately than push it off to the correct like on the S10, nevertheless, giving the Note 10 a cleaner, extra symmetrical look.
The slimmer bezels together with a barely smaller show means the Note 10 is decidedly smaller than the S10+ as effectively, a uncommon declare to fame for Samsung’s phablet:
- Note 10: 71.8 x 151 x 7.9mm
- Note 10+: 77.2 x 162.3 x 7.9mm
- S10: 70.4 x 149.9 x 7.8mm
- S10+: 74.1 x 157.6 x 7.8mm
The 6.8-inch Note 10+ is clearly the largest of the bunch right here, however with a display screen that’s practically a half-inch bigger than the S10+, it’s surprisingly compact. So if you’d like a telephone with the utmost screen-to-body ratio, the Note 10 is the clear winner.
As far as colours go, the S10 has a super-cool “prism” shade scheme with iridescent shades of white, black, blue, or inexperienced, whereas the Note 10 has extra conventional white or black, together with blue that’s unique to Best Buy and Samsung.com. Our favourite of all of them is the Note 10’s Aura Glow choice, which turns the again of your telephone into an ever-changing rainbow that you just completely gained’t wish to cowl up with a case.
Michael Simon/IDGThe bezels on the Note 10 are terribly skinny.
Galaxy S10 vs Galaxy Note 10: Performance
All 4 telephones use the identical Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, so efficiency needs to be roughly the identical throughout the board. As far as RAM goes, each the Note 10 and the S10 have 8GB customary, however the Note 10+ bumps the bottom RAM to 12GB. To get that a lot RAM within the S10+, you’ll want to leap to the 1TB Performance Edition ceramic model, which prices a whopping $1,600. So the Note 10+ provides the most effective efficiency worth, although most customers will probably be lots pleased with “just” 8GB of reminiscence.
Galaxy S10 vs Galaxy Note 10: Battery and charging
Samsung at all times delivers glorious battery life in its flagship telephones. Each telephone will simply get you thru a day of heavy use, regardless of having barely completely different capacities:
- Note 10: 3,500mAh
- Note 10+: 4,300mAh
- S10: 3,400mAh
- S10+: 4,100mAh
We haven’t examined the Note 10+ but, however its 4,300mAh battery needs to be sufficient to maintain its large display screen powered up for 10 or so hours. We would have most well-liked it to have a 4,500mAh or 5,000mAh battery, however we’ll take what we will get.
All 4 telephones embrace Samsung’s Wireless PowerShare options, which helps you to cost one other telephone or a pair of Galaxy Buds by resting it on the again. They additionally all function 25W quick charging, which can replenish your telephone up in slightly over an hour. Only the Note 10+ has Super quick charging at 45W, which is simply loopy.
Galaxy S10 vs Galaxy Note 10: Storage
Here’s the place issues begin to get slightly complicated. Samsung has doubled the bottom storage of the Note 10 but once more, whereas eliminating among the choices we had been used to:
- Note 10: 256GB
- Note 10+: 256GB/512GB
- S10: 128GB/512GB
- S10+: 128GB/512GB/1TB
What’s extra, Samsung has eradicated the MicroSD card slot from the Note 10, so the one choice there may be 256GB. The Note 10+ nonetheless helps expandable reminiscence, however you’ll be able to’t get a terabyte inside like you’ll be able to with the S10+. So, if storage issues, the S10 provides the higher choices.
Michael Simon/IDGThe foremost digicam array is identical, however solely the Note 10+ has a fourth depth-sensing lens.
Galaxy S10 vs Galaxy Note 10: Camera
The cameras on all 4 telephones function the identical three foremost lenses that’s you’ll use nearly all of the time:
- Camera 1: 12MP telephoto, f/2.1, OIS
- Camera 2: 12MP wide-angle, twin f/1.5-f/2.4, OIS
- Camera 3: 16MP Ultra extensive (123 levels), f/2.1
Judging by our testing with the S10, the digicam within the Note 10 will probably be among the many greatest you will get in a smartphone. The Note 10 additionally brings an improved enhancing app, although we assume that’ll ultimately make its method to the S10 as effectively.
The Note 10+ brings a fourth depth-sensing lens, which “detects and measures distances between the camera and the subject” for crisper portraits and extra correct AR. But whichever telephone you select provides you with a largely uniform pictures expertise.
Christopher Hebert/IDGThe S10 has a headphone jack however the Note 10 would not.
Galaxy S10 vs Galaxy Note 10: Ports and S Pen
As at all times, the Note 10 contains an S Pen, and the Galaxy S doesn’t. There are a couple of new stylus methods on the Note 10, together with “air” gestures that allow you to management apps by waving and improved handwriting-to-text translation, however it mainly boils down as to whether you wish to write in your telephone’s display screen.
When it involves ports, there’s a brand new twist. The Galaxy S10 has a headphone jack and the Note 10 doesn’t. We’ll repeat that: The Note 10 doesn’t embrace a headphone jack. Nor does it embrace a USB-C-to-3.5mm dongle within the field, so that you’re going to have to purchase one if you wish to use a pair of old school headphones. Samsung is, nevertheless, together with a pair of AKG USB-C buds within the field and, after all, you should utilize Bluetooth headphones as effectively. But should you don’t wish to fear about whether or not the earphones you’re carrying will work, the S10 is the telephone you need.
Galaxy S10 vs Galaxy Note 10: Price
None of those telephones is reasonable, however the Note 10+ actually ideas the scales:
- Note 10: $950
- Note 10+: $1100
- S10: $900
- S10+: $1,000
There are two methods of taking a look at this. On the one hand, there’s solely $200 separating the 6.1-inch Galaxy S10 from the 6.8-inch Galaxy Note 10+, which makes it appear to be a downright discount. On the opposite, the Note 10 is a bit overpriced at $950. Believe it or now, the candy spot of those ridiculously costly telephones is the thousand-dollar S10+, and so long as you don’t want as S Pen, that’s the telephone we’d advocate.
Galaxy S10 vs Galaxy Note 10: Conclusion
If cash is not an object, the Note 10+ is definitely the most effective smartphone you should buy, regardless of its lack of a headphone jack. Its show is attractive, it has a improbable digicam, and it seems nice. If you’ll be able to’t deliver your self to spend $1,100 on a telephone, the S10+ is an superior different, particularly should you do not case in regards to the S Pen.
We cannot actually see a motive to purchase the smaller Note 10. It has a lower-resolution show than any of the telephones right here, no expandable reminiscence slot, and no headphone jack. Either the S10 or S10+ is a greater choice.