Samsung Galaxy S10 series: Which phone is right for you?

Update (9/30): While the Galaxy Note 10 and 10 Plus are now Samsung’s latest, we wanted to update this review to remind folks that now is the perfect time to buy a member of the S10 family. Right now you can get $100 off instantly on the unlocked version of all three S10 models. You can pick up the Galaxy S10 model of your choice from the link below. 

Original: In March 2019, Samsung launched its newest phones in its long-running Galaxy S flagship lineup. However, instead of just two devices, as the company usually does annually for this phone series, Samsung decided to give consumers three different Galaxy S10 models to choose from: the Galaxy S10e, the Galaxy S10, and the Galaxy S10 Plus.

Needless to say, three phones with the Galaxy S10 branding can be a bit confusing for buyers of new phones or for folks who want to simply upgrade their older phone to a newer model. So which Galaxy S10 phone is right for you? We decided to give you our suggestions, based on what you might be looking for in a new phone.

Samsung Galaxy S10: What hardware and features are the same on the three phones?

All three of the Galaxy S10 phones share much of the same hardware and features, which means that even if you get the lowest priced model, the Galaxy S10e, you will still get much of the same features found on the two more expensive models. In North America, all three have the current fastest mobile processor available, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, but in Europe and other parts of the world, the phones all have Samsung’s in-house SoC, the Exynos 9820.  All models also include features like a USB-C port for charging, a microSD card slot for expanding their onboard storage, and even the old fashioned 3.5mm headphone jack.

Related: Samsung Galaxy S10 Snapdragon vs Exynos: A lesson in benchmarking

All of the Galaxy S10 phones have a dedicated Bixby button on the left side, just in case you wanted to activate Samsung’s digital assistant. All three phones also support not only rapid wireless charging but also reverse wireless charging for other Qi-based smartphones and accessories. All of the phones have Android 9 Pie installed and out of the box, with Samsung’s new OneUI skin. All three phones have an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.

Finally, the displays on all three Galaxy S10 phones use Dynamic OLED tech for brighter and richer viewing of content. The phones use a punch-hole design for their front-facing camera (or camera on one phone). This allows all of the phones to have a very high screen-to-body ratio.

So which of these phones should you buy? Let’s look at the differences in the Galaxy S10 lineup.

Galaxy S10e: For buyers on a budget, or who want a smaller (ish) phone

Remember just a few years ago, when a 5-inch smartphone was considered to be big? Today, it’s hard to find new phones on sale that have screens that are less than five inches. The Samsung Galaxy S10e is the smallest of the three phones in the S10 series, but even that handset is fairly big even by today’s standards, with a 5.8-inch display and a resolution of 2,280 x 1,080. The display is protected with Gorilla Glass 5.

The Galaxy S10e also has a fingerprint sensor, but it’s placed on the side of the phone. You also have choices of either 6GB or 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of onboard storage. There’s just one front-facing 10MP camera on the S10e, and just two rear-facing cameras; an ultra-wide 16MP sensor with a 123-degree field of view and a wide-angle 12MP camera with a 77-degree field of view, which can record 4K video in HDR10+. Finally, the battery size of the S10e is the smallest at just 3,100mAh.

Perhaps the biggest selling point of the Galaxy s10e is that you can get one for the starting price of $749.99. Considering the fact that you are getting a phone with at least 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage and the fastest mobile processor around for that price, that’s not a bad deal, if you don’t care that it’s a bit smaller than the other two S10 models. If you are looking for the cheapest Samsung Galaxy S10 model, or the smallest one, the S10e is the one to get.

Galaxy S10: The middle one may be the best one

The standard Samsung Galaxy S10 may be the best all-around phone you can buy at the moment. It has a big 6.1-inch 3,040 x 1,440 resolution display, and this screen is protected by the newer and more advanced Gorilla Glass 6. It also has an in-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, which is still a rarity among most smartphones that are currently available.

The Galaxy S10 has the same front-facing 10MP camera as the S10e, but in the rear, it not only has an ultra-wide 16MP sensor with a 123-degree field of view and a wide-angle 12MP camera with a 77-degree field of view, but throws in a third telephoto 12MP camera with a 45-degree field of view. The phone only has the 8GB RAM option, but you can purchase the phone with either 128GB or a big 512GB of onboard storage. Finally, there’s a 3,400mAh battery on board.

This phone may be the middle one, but the hardware inside should be able to handle any app or task you give it. The phone’s price starts at $899.99, so it’s not for people looking to save some money. Still, if you want to get a phone that’s highly powerful, and with (nearly) all the bells and whistles, the Galaxy S10 should satisfy your needs for the next couple of years at least.

Galaxy S10 Plus: This one is for the bragging rights

Do you really need the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus? Our guess is “No”; you should be more than happy with the S10e or the standard S10. However, if you want bragging rights for a phone with lots of RAM, storage and size, then the Galaxy S10 Plus will give you those rights.

The Galaxy S10 Plus has a 6.4-inch 3,040 x 1,440 resolution display, again covered in Gorilla Glass 6 and with an in-display fingerprint sensor. The rear cameras are the same as found on the standard S10, but on the front, the S10 Plus not only has a 10MP sensor but also a second 8MP sensor to record depth information so you can take great selfies. The battery size is 4,100mAh for the Galaxy S10 Plus.

You can get the phone with 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 512GB of onboard storage, but if you are getting the Galaxy S10 Plus to impress people, and you have tons of money, you can purchase it with 12GB of RAM and 1TB of onboard storage. Those models also are made of heavier ceramic material. While the phone has a starting price of $999.99, the 12GB/1TB model will set you back $1599.99. In other words, the Galaxy S10 Plus is for you, if you have a big budget, and also have to have the biggest phone with the most RAM and storage.

Samsung Galaxy S10 phones: Full specs

Samsung Galaxy S10 lineup: Which phone is right for you?

Hopefully, after reading this article, you have a better idea of which Samsung Galaxy S10 model is right for your needs. As we stated above, all three phones share much of the same hardware and software features, but each variant has its own personality. If you want to get the cheapest and smallest phone, the Galaxy S10e would be the obvious choice. If you want a phone that can do anything, and will keep up with your needs for years to come, the standard S10 is perfect. If you have all the money in the world, and also want to get a phone packed with the most RAM and storage, the S10 Plus is the one to check out.

Which of these Samsung Galaxy S10 phones is the one you want to get? Let us know in the comments.