Samsung Galaxy S10e vs Galaxy S10 vs Galaxy S10+: which one is the best for you? Bonus: Wait for Galaxy S10 5G?

So, Samsung came out with not one, not two, but three different versions of its flagship Galaxy S line this year — the Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10, and Galaxy S10+. And you may still be stuck in a neverending conundrum — which one to get? Well, let’s try and resolve this inner tension.

First, let’s get the obvious out of the way. The Galaxy S10e was made as the “cheapest” version of a 2019 Samsung flagship. It starts at $750, while the more “premium” Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ start at $900 and $1,000, respectively. Obviously, if you are not willing to go north of $750 for a smartphone, the S10e is your go-to choice for a top-of-the-line, 2019 Sammy phone. But, if money is a bit more flexible, you may still be genuinely wondering which one of these will fit you more. So, let’s take a long and hard look at their actual differences, pros, and disadvantages.

Samsung Galaxy S10e

The Galaxy S10e is immediately unique due to it not having a curved (Edge) screen. Some might say “Hey, this is not as premium-looking as the other Galaxy phones out there”. However, a certain set of fans has been begging for a Samsung flagship with a regular, flat screen for a while now, which is why the little S10e might still be a hit with people who can afford an S10+ if they wanted to. Why? Well, flat screens can feel easier to handle, they appeal to those that like the orthodox phone look, and they accept a wider variety of screen protectors.

Another point — the Galaxy S10e is the most compact of the three. Sure, a 5.8-inch display might sound big on paper, but it has a 19:9 aspect ratio and a uniformly thin bezel all around. The S10e is tiny, light, super easy to wield with one hand, and still manages to show you a hefty bit of content on its screen — it’s the dream phone for those that have been begging for a compact flagship over the past couple of years.

You will miss out on an in-display fingerprint scanner with the S10e but that can be seen as both a pro and a con. On the negative side — you don’t get a frontal finger reader, but a scanner that’s installed in a weird spot, high on the phone’s right frame. On the positive — people who use screen protectors religiously won’t need to worry if their fingerprint scanner will work with a specific protector or not.



As for the negatives — you will miss out on a telephoto camera for optical zoom or more honest portrait shots. And you only have a single selfie camera on the front, which means that selfie bokeh shots or AR effects will be inferior to those of the Galaxy S10+... in theory. Also, the design does look a little bit less futuristic, with a bezel that goes all around the phone and even thickens a bit at the chin. But it’s there to help you hold the device better and we feel like it won’t be a pain point for those that choose to go with the Galaxy S10e.



All in all, if money is not a priority, then you should be looking at the Galaxy S10e if you want a compact, yet super powerful Android phone, or if you want a Samsung flagship with a flat screen, and don’t care for Portrait Mode or selfies with bokeh too much.