Home >samsung >Samsung Galaxy S10 Review: An excellent high-end of 2019 even in 2021

samsung

Time: globisoftware

On: Mar/25/2023

Category: Huawei iphone samsung Digital life

Tags: Do any of the current Samsung phones have the notification light fix?

The Galaxy s10 was Samsung's high-end smartphone in 2019. However, thanks to multiple updates, especially the one it is receiving at the beginning of 2021 with Android 11 and One UI 3.0 plus a significant price drop, they place it as one of the best options even in this 2021, even above last year's own high-end ones.

Design: elegant, comfortable and premium

Since the arrival of the Galaxy s6 , Samsung has maintained the details in the construction of its equipment at a high level, providing them with very premium materials such as glass and metal, and they have improved the sensations in the hand generation after generation. In this case, the Galaxy s10 has Gorilla Glass 5 on the back and aluminum on the edges.

The kit looks amazing, especially in the green and blue colors, and it feels comfortable, light and nice in the hand. Everything is seen in high quality, with excellent tolerances, no sharp edge is perceived, much less, quite the opposite. Regarding its dimensions, the S10 measures 149.9 mm high x 70.4 wide x 7.8 mm thick. The cell weight is only 157 grams.

The only point to consider is that it can be somewhat slippery even with the protector (Case) that comes in the box, so it is advisable to buy a higher quality one. In our case, we bought a Ringke case, particularly from the Fusion line, which improves grip much more, and increases the protection of the equipment much more. With it we feel safer, and it no longer slipped from us at any time. In addition, it serves not to fill the back with fingerprints and preserves its elegance, since it is transparent on the back. We accidentally dropped it from a height of 1 meter, and it resisted perfectly.

The s10 has the IP68 certification, which means that we can submerge the equipment up to 1.5 meters deep for up to 30 minutes.

Note that the equipment comes with a film pre-applied for use, which is practical to protect the cell phone from scratches; It is not uncomfortable, it maintains touch sensitivity and it works perfectly with the on-screen fingerprint sensor that we will talk about later. To mention one detail, this film fails to protect the screen 100%, the edges remain at 2% of the front without this protection.

Display: outstanding, the best we've seen on a smartphone

Stunning, incredible, sensational. The screen of the s10, without a doubt, is the best we have seen in all the tests we have carried out and other equipment that we have had the opportunity to test for at least a few minutes. It is much higher even than that of the s9, which was already excellent a priori.

The s10 has a 6.1″ curved panel with Dynamic AMOLED technology, QHD+ resolution (1440 x 3040) which gives us a maximum of 550 ppi and has a 19:9 aspect ratio. It reaches a maximum brightness of up to 1200 nits, providing excellent visibility outdoors, and its minimum brightness is perfect for undisturbed reading at night. It also has the HDR 10+ certification, which allows the dynamic range to be greatly increased, appreciating a high contrast, as long as we can play compatible content. Add that the refresh rate is 60 hz (which is equivalent to an update of 60 frames per second), and we would have liked Samsung to have already opted for 90 hz in 2019, even knowing the penalty that this entails on spending energetic.

The s10's display is also TÜV Rheinland's “Eye Comfort” certified, which means the Galaxy S10's display reduces blue light by almost 50 percent more than previous AMOLED displays, and more than 60 percent more. cent more than most smartphone LCD screens, the latter without applying any extra blue light filter by software.

Blue light is generally defined as a range of high-intensity, short-wavelength light (380 to 500 nanometers) in the visible light spectrum.

According to the Royal Society Te Apārangi, a New Zealand-based non-profit organization, “adequate exposure to daylight, especially in the morning, is important for synchronizing the circadian body clock, which can affect many processes, including sleep, metabolism, immune function, and even our mood."

However, when viewed at night, blue light has been shown to suppress the production of melatonin (a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles) more powerfully than other types of light, affecting our ability to sleep.

In addition, it is scientifically proven that the blue light emitted by the screens of the devices can cause permanent macular degeneration, which can cause serious damage to our vision. Hence the importance of this certification.

Finally, it should be noted that it is covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 6 for greater protection against falls. Remember that this protection is not so good against scratches, so we always recommend keeping it protected with an extra film.

Regarding our experience, we noticed an exceptional level of detail, especially when selecting the QHD+ resolution (we can choose between different resolutions, HD+, FHD+ and QHD+). The color reproduction is also very good and can be calibrated from the settings, choosing more realistic or more vivid, warmer or colder tones. Second to DisplayMate, Vivid mode has a wide color gamut providing significantly higher color saturation, with 142% of the standard sRGB color gamut and 113% of the standard DCI-P3 color gamut. Viewing angles are very good, with white balance distortion barely visible from the sides.

The blacks are very pure, given the nature of OLED technology, and the whites turn out to be very neutral, for a panel with this technology.

The only thing we could mention, rather as a neutral point, is about the curved screen. It looks great, and it has a striking cascading effect when we scroll the content to the sides. However, the reflections and the very nature of the curve mean that it may not be the best equipment to be able to read information, and it can be somewhat annoying in some cases. And no, we have not had the problem of false touches on the curved edges. Therefore, since it has pros and cons, we leave it up to the user. In our case, we prefer a flat panel or with the same subtle curves as the new S20.

Hardware: Exynos still lags behind Snapdragon

The Galaxy s10 incorporates the Exynos 9820 chipset (8 nm), with an Octa-core processor (2×2.73 GHz Mongoose M4 & 2×2.31 GHz Cortex-A75 & 4×1.95 GHz Cortex-A55) and Mali-G76 MP12 GPU. It has 128 GB of internal memory of the UFS 2.1 type (we would have liked it to be 3.0) and 8 GB of RAM.

In addition, the Exynos 9820 incorporates advances in mobile intelligence with an integrated neural processing unit (NPU), a component that specializes in processing artificial intelligence tasks. It allows the processor to perform AI-related functions seven times faster than its predecessor (S9).

Also clarify that, a priori, this Chipset is powerful enough to allow recording videos in 8k resolution. In the case of the s10, it does not do so due to the fact that the resolution of the sensor is not enough, therefore it "only" reaches up to 4k.

We really liked the experience with the computer's hardware. We must say that, since it depends a lot on the software version, the test was carried out with the version with Android 10 and the ONE UI 2.1 customization, the most up-to-date. With it, the system behaved very well, the transitions were generally agile, without presenting delays, obstacles, or lags, everything was smooth and fast, something to highlight especially in Samsung, since historically its customization layers presented several problems in in terms of fluidity and performance.

We have only detected a drop in performance on a few specific occasions when the phone overheated more than necessary. The issue of overheating occurs in this equipment and more than we would like, it is something unusual, but when it is required or there is a very demanding application, it can happen. The other consequence of heating is a considerable drop in the battery.

In terms of performance in games, the results are generally very good, but not outstanding. Even the Snapdragon 855 is superior in games compared to the Chispet Exynos, granting a higher frame rate per second in the most demanding ones.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Review: An excellent range high of 2019 even in 2021

In the beginning we had found some lags in Asphalt 9, but then they were non-existent when we switched to high performance mode in battery options. In the rest of the games, such as Real Racing 3, Call of Duty Mobile, Need for Speed ​​No Limits, the results are high-end.

Finally, say that having 8 GB of RAM all applications are kept in memory, and there is always between 3 and 4 GB of space left over. The latter makes us think about the following: is it really necessary to have so much RAM, especially in those current computers that have 12 or 16 GB? The answer is left to the discretion of the reader.

Connectivity, Sensors and Security

The galaxy s10 comes equipped with practically the best we can expect in this section, 4G+, Wi-Fi 6, dual-band, hostpot, bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE , aptX, USB Type C, NFC, GPS, Galileo, Glonass and BeiDou.

The experience was always perfect, both with GPS and bluetooth, paired with a Mi Band 4, the connection is very fast. The Wi-Fi range was also very good, even from distances far from the modem, which is to be expected as it is Wi-Fi 6. Data coverage was good, although in this case it also depends on the service provider.

Regarding the sensors, it has an accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, heart rate sensor and SpO2. Everything worked very well, and the improvement in terms of their calibration is noticeable, this being much higher than those of the s7 for example.

Regarding the security methods, the s10 has facial unlocking, which, although it is not entirely secure, for example, like that of an iphone 11, is quite fast and effective. The only thing that could be improved is the gesture in which, when you pick up the phone, the screen turns on and is immediately unlocked through the front camera. The time it takes to turn on the screen is much longer than we would like.

Likewise, it has an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor under the screen located at the bottom. The location, due to the size of the equipment, is not entirely bad, but we would have preferred it to be a couple of centimeters higher, since that way it would be more natural, without forcing the finger and causing traumatological problems in the future.

Regarding its operation, if the finger is placed in its entirety, in the correct place, the effectiveness is very high and the speed, without being one of the best, is adequate. The problem is that, with the screen off, finding the exact position of the sensor is not always right the first time, and even with the screen on, if we don't press well with our entire finger, it could fail more than desired.

We can say then, that they are mostly user problems by not supporting the finger correctly, but, at the same time, it is a limitation of the equipment since it does not have a larger surface so that the user does not have just as many failures. Keep in mind that we can configure the screen so that it turns on with a touch and then we can quickly find the fingerprint symbol, but unfortunately this takes longer. It's a handy thing, especially for when the phone is on a table.

Battery: the weakest point of the s10

The s10 has a 3400 mAh battery. In our tests, it is enough for a full day as long as we do not demand too much of it, especially in games and using the camera intensely. Although in 4G+ you can spend a little more than in Wifi, we have not perceived much difference.

Specifically, in a charging cycle with normal-mixed Wi-Fi and 4G+ use, without playing, we had 5 hours of screen time and there was still 28% of battery remaining, therefore we could exceed 6 hours of screen time yes, we insist, the requirement It is not that big. Clarify that in this charging cycle, the use was mostly WhatsApp, an application that does not generate significant battery drain. On average, with a more varied use, using the camera, games or other more demanding applications, we will have between 4 and 5 hours of screen time. Also consider that in the QHD + resolution you spend a little more. In addition, it must be taken into account that, on certain occasions, the equipment heats up more than it should and this generates a significant decrease in duration.

The duration is not bad, but it is far from other devices that can last up to 2 days and reach up to 9 or 10 hours of screen time (for example, the new Poco F2 from Xiaomi), even being high-end devices from 2019. If you are a very intensive user, the s10 may not be your best option, even with all the other qualities of this product, knowing that this is its only weak point.

To improve battery life, there are a few options that can be found within device care on battery.

The first is in battery mode. If we select the optimized mode combined with adaptive battery saving, we can save a lot of battery more intelligently. Optimized Mode balances good performance with more controlled power usage, while Adaptive Battery Saver automatically sets battery mode based on your usage patterns to save battery when not needed. , without changing the screen resolution. Therefore this combination will respect the chosen screen resolution, but using other strategies such as slowing down the processor to save energy.

For its part, if we access application power management, we can choose to suspend the applications that we use less in order to save even more battery. The option we recommend the most is deep sleep applications. In this way, the applications that are in this state will not spend any battery and will only use resources when they are opened. In a way it is as if they do not exist until they are executed. We must say that, every time the team updates these applications, they will come out of suspension, so we will have to incorporate them again.

Also, the s10 has 15W "fast charging", which really falls short of the competition, even from years past, but because its battery isn't that big, it doesn't take more than 1 hour and average to total load. It also has 15W wireless charging and 9W reversible wireless charging (which allows us to charge other devices).

Audio: another notable section of the equipment, with stereo speakers, AKG headphones and a great DAC

The galaxy s10 has double stereo speakers, with Dolby Atmos technology, one located at the bottom and the other another one at the top of the screen, which also works for calls.

First of all, it is a very loud sound, far superior to what we could find a few years ago with Samsung equipment. In this case, we will even have to lower the volume more than once since it can even be annoying. As for the quality in general, although they are not the best speakers that we can find today, they were in 2019.

It is a sound with a presence of bass, it does not sound canned at all, nor is it distorted, and it can only saturate in two circumstances: the first is at high volumes with WhatsApp audio (in the lower speaker), the second is second is listening to a song or video.

Stand out with Dolby Atmos compatible music, the details and stereo effect are truly amazing for a smartphone.

The AKG headphones that come in the box have a remarkable quality, with a robust cable, which gives the feeling of durability. Silicone tips come in different sizes. They are not the headphones that best fit our ears, and they can fall out with movement.

In terms of audio quality, they do not reach the level of a Fiio F3, but it is worth noting that they are not too far off either. It is noticeable that they have been substantially improved compared to the previous version (which came in the s8 and s9) so criticized at the time for not having low frequencies present. In this case, they can be perceived, with enough control. It's a fairly balanced sound, mostly flat, not shrill, and almost no trace of sibilance. They are not bright either, so we can enjoy long listening without discomfort. If we want the Galaxy Buds, unfortunately we will have to buy them separately, although if we are not looking for the convenience that they offer as they are bluetooth, we will be more than fine with the ones that come in the box.

As for the DAC, it supports UHQ 32-bit and 384kHz and up to DSD64 and 128, formats that are difficult to find even in dedicated DACs and AMPs. The sound that this DAC is capable of offering is really surprising for a smartphone, and it is remarkable above all, taking into account that today the vast majority of cell phones do not have a 3.5 mm jack, which the s10 does. It is important to highlight the latter since when placing an adapter, it is possible to lose some quality.

Software: Android 11 with One UI 3.0 at the beginning of 2021, the almost perfect combination

Historically, the customization layers of Samsung devices have not had a good reputation, especially for the problems with lags, slowdowns, and poor general fluidity of the system, especially in its beginnings with TouchWiz. Then, with Samsung Experience, it evolved with stability improvements and additions, decreasing bloatware, although aesthetically it was still far from the stock Android experience. Finally we come to ONE UI, which has improved considerably from an aesthetic and functional point of view, adding really useful options for the user.

However, in the first versions, it had some optimization problems, which have been fixed in version 2.1, which now combines great aesthetics, functionality and stability, making this one of the best customization layers to date. Today, close to the perfect layer of OnePlus. The improvements are even more notable if we consider that at the beginning of 2021 it is already updating to One UI 3.0 with Android 11.

The possibilities offered by this layer are endless. Let's start with Samsung DeX. This is a feature that allows you to multitask between devices, simply by connecting the Galaxy to a monitor or TV via a USB cable to view it on the big screen.

On the screen side, we can switch between 3 different types of resolutions, improve touch sensitivity and access protection against accidental touches. In addition, the Edge screen allows us to access different applications by swiping from the sides, and Edge lighting turns on the screen when receiving notifications, showing a preview and various lighting effects.

Although we can access the screen with a double touch, we can also, through the Always On Display functionality, have the possibility of accessing the time, date and other information provided by a single touch on the screen the system, in something similar to a lock screen. Of course we can keep this information active all the time but consider that the battery drain is much higher. We also have a function to be able to record the content we are watching.

Just note that we have noticed a small bug in the Edge lighting mode with whatsapp, since on some occasions, the message to access it has remained on the screen, something that could generate a screen burn if it remains for too long time.

We can have access to different themes, wallpapers and we can even choose to change the icons that come from the factory.

We also have Bixby, a virtual assistant with which we can interact and consult information, directly accessing a dedicated button located on the left side. Honestly, it is not a well-developed assistant that we can recommend using, even more so when we have the Google assistant. Especially since we can access the latter through a voice command even with the screen off, something that we love. Regarding the bixby button, know that it can be configured to change its functionality, that is, we can choose an application (the one we want) to access it just by pressing it once. In our case we have configured with a touch to access the Gcam and with a double touch on the unlock button to access the stock camera application.

Among other functions:

Cameras: great versatility and functionality with very good image quality

The galaxy s10 has 3 rear cameras and one front, located in the upper right margin.

Below we list the technical specifications of each of the sensors and their respective results.

Rear main sensor: it has a 12 MP resolution, with f/1.5-2.4 variable focal aperture, 26mm (wide) focal length, 1/2.55″ sensor size, and 1.4µm pixels, with Dual technology Pixel PDAF, and optical image stabilization.

The main sensor is the same as the last generations, that is, s7, s8 and s9. Samsung has improved and maximized the possibilities of its hardware through software, but we believe that this sensor has hit its ceiling a long time ago. The quality of the photos is good, but it is not among the best, even if we compare them against those of 2019.

The reader will be able to see more examples of photos, in comparison with the other sensors that we will detail below. Regarding the results obtained, the most questionable thing is the processing that Samsung chose; Above all, in the sky, some colored patches can be seen when we enlarge (we make a crop), something that can be strange in the brand. But it is noteworthy that we must look for it and it is not usually seen so clearly in other scenes. The detail is correct, we would have liked it to be higher, to appreciate a better definition.

The dynamic range is somewhat better than it has been in recent years, but it is still a bit far away (always considering that this is super high-end equipment). In the example, it can be seen that, against the light, the sensor does a fairly good job, generally preserving the quality of the photo, although some loss of sharpness can be seen in the branches of the trees, for example, and an underexposure in the trunks. . Regarding the white balance, we are very satisfied, as is the color science that Samsung has used, and as we will see later, it is the same as the rest of the sensors.

We should also mention that the camera has artificial intelligence, through the scene optimizer. There is a substantial improvement, with more saturated colors, especially when taking a photo of a plate of food, so we recommend keeping the option activated as we see below. Here's an example with the optimizer turned on, on the right.

  • Finally, highlight the importance of the variable aperture in terms of daytime photographs. In this case, the f2.4 aperture is used to achieve better sharpness on an object captured at a short distance from the lens and less blur. For its part, if we opt for an f1.5 aperture, we will notice a more blurred background, which can achieve a more artistic photo, but with less sharpness in the main object. It could also be very useful in case you are considering a portrait of a person where you want the subject to be in focus and the background “blurred”.

    This blur effect is due to the fact that the depth of field is less as the aperture increases (ie the number is smaller, in this case f1.5).

    Knowing this, if we lower the focal aperture (ie increase the number to f2.4) we will be able to achieve better results in a landscape photograph, since more of the scene will be in focus relative to a larger aperture.

    All this can be clearly seen in the following example obtained with the pro mode, with different exposure times to achieve an image with similar lighting, where the object (an artificial flower) can be seen better defined in the left image (f2 .4), and smaller defined on the right (f1.5) but with the background more blurred in the latter.

  • µm.

    Analyzing the results obtained with this sensor, we can say that they are very good, especially considering that they are not usually up to the standard of the main sensors and that the quality of other brands leaves something to be desired in some cases.

    In particular, the wide-angle sensor of the S10 presents an accurate white balance, with a dynamic range that, although it is lower than that of the main sensor, is more than correct. We notice that in the corners there is some distortion (classic of these sensors) and a loss of general quality with an increase in noise on those sectors. We can reduce this distortion effect in the camera configuration options, although even with this activated the problem continues to be seen.

    Telephoto sensor (2x zoom): its resolution is 12 MP, with f/2.4 focal aperture, and 52mm focal length (telephoto), 1/3.6″ size, and 1.0µm pixels, with AF technology and stabilization imaging optics.

    We liked the photos with this sensor a lot, and it is undoubtedly one of the strong points among all its sensors, especially considering that, having 12MP, we can zoom, and maintain the quality without loss. In other words, we can go up to a 4x zoom with excellent results, even up to 5x. From 6 magnifications, we will already notice loss and at 10x, the maximum that the software allows, the photo will already be quite pixelated, although depending on the situation it could still be of some use.

    As we see in the following example (1x, 2x, 4x,10x) the results are excellent up to 4x zoom and although at 10x a clear loss of quality and pixelation is observed, it is still an acceptable photo and for use, without over processing.

  • Let's continue with examples of the same scene captured with the 3 sensors (wide angle, main sensor, telephoto).

  • In these examples we can observe the photographs of the same landscape obtained with the 3 sensors. We notice that color science holds up pretty true when compared to each other.

    Now let's look at macro photography using the main (left) and telephoto (right) sensor.

  • Macro images obtain very good detail, with excellent color reproduction, correct contrast, even improving the experience using the telephoto sensor.

    Results of photos at night, on the right the night mode activated with the main sensor:

  • First of all, we must emphasize that the image quality achieved by the sensor without the night mode is already remarkable. This is mainly due to a feature inherited from the Galaxy s9 which is the variable aperture, which by the way the new S20 has lost. The large f1.5 focal aperture, which is activated in automatic mode when it perceives little ambient light, allows much more light to enter compared to many other sensors without the need to increase the ISO too much, which results in a brighter image with less Noise level.

    However, the noise in the photograph is appreciable (absolutely normal) but controlled, while the lighting is adequate, achieving enough detail, within what is possible for such a complicated scene, in which all phones suffer more or lesser extent. The undisputed king, without considering a night mode, is the P40 pro which, with its RYYB filter, achieves incredible results with very little light, without requiring any type of night mode. Remember that the P30pro already had this technology, and it has very similar results to those of the new generation. Therefore, when comparing equipment of the same generation, this s10 would be behind, we insist, if we consider the photo without night mode.

    Yes, now we analyze the night mode and the results are excellent. The contrast improves to such an extent that the billboards that were overexposed can now be fully legible, the light in streetlights is more controlled, the lighting increases allowing objects or certain parts of the photo to be identified, controlling much more the contrast. noise level, making this a cleaner picture. We must even say that these photos have nothing to envy to those obtained with high-end equipment from 2020. Great job by Samsung.

    Now let's see an example with the wide angle sensor:

  • Regarding the results obtained with the wide-angle sensor, we must say that a priori they are already much better than other equipment, even if we compare it against the iPhone 11. little more, but it is not as noticeable as what is observed in the main sensor.

    Regarding the telephoto sensor at night, Samsung decided not to use it because its aperture is f2.4, and for them it is insufficient to obtain a good result. On the other hand, they crop the photo with the main sensor, which is brighter, but clearly not such good results. It is analogous to taking a photo with the main sensor and "stretching" it in editing.

    GCAM VS STOCK

    Yes, despite the fact that this is the version of the S10 with Exynos, it is possible to find some ports of Gcam, although not always you can use all its functions, nor do they reach the level that we could find in the Snapdragon version. In this case it is ZGcam.

    The results are not always better with the Gcam compared to the stock camera. But yes, we can say that they are superior in some cases where there is a strong contrast in the scene. The dynamic range in the photos obtained with Gcam manages to retain some information, for example, in the clouds in the following example. The problem is that the rest of the photo is quite underexposed, losing information in other areas, such as the houses that are located in the left sector of the photo.

    In the second case, another second characteristic can be seen, which is a colder white balance, compared to those obtained in the Stock. At night the results are better with Samsung's night mode.

    Therefore, we do not believe that in this case it is so differential and justifiable to use the Google camera, at least with the versions available today in ONE UI 2.1, since for the moment in general it is still superior experience with the stock camera.

  • 960fps.

    The video quality obtained with the s10, in all its sensors, is one of the best we can find on the market, especially in 4k at 60fps, very high sharpness is achieved. If we choose to record in FHD, we will see that there is not as much difference against 4k, as it happens in other brands. Even being above the results of photography. But not only the quality, but the optical stabilization manages to raise the final result. It's not quite as good as the new iPhones, but it's close.

    Front sensor: it has a 10 MP resolution, f/1.9 focal aperture, 26mm (wide) focal length, 1/3″ sensor size, with 1.22µm pixels, and Dual Pixel PDAF technology.

    As for the quality of the Selfie, we liked it quite a bit in general. A very good level of detail is appreciated even indoors, with excellent color reproduction, a correct dynamic range and a very good angle. Mention that you can opt for a higher angle mode.

    Thanks to the latest update, the s10 allows recording at 4k at 60 fps with the front camera, something that the user will surely appreciate, although we must say that it needs to be improved, due to autofocus problems.

    Share it with your friends

    Like this:

    Like Loading...