Galaxy S10e: is it worth buying in 2020? find it out
The Galaxy S10e has the best of the Galaxy S10 and S10 + for a more affordable price, but is it still a good buy for 2020? Find out in this 10-month review
After almost ten months of its arrival in Brazil, the Galaxy S10e it can already be found at much lower prices than some premium intermediaries. Although it is the cheapest and most modest in the line Galaxy S10, the model attracts by offering everything that the bigger brothers have of more importance, in a cost and size more comfortable to the pocket.
To help you find out if the Galaxy S10e remains a good buy in 2020, we revisit the model nine months later and evaluate its most important aspects. Next, check out how the smartphone from Samsung performed in our analysis:
Design and canvas
The Galaxy S10e brings the same level of refinement as the other models in the line
Although the trend is increasingly large screens, the Galaxy S10e was acclaimed for being one of the few current models with top-of-the-line hardware and compact size. Of similar dimensions to the iPhone X and smaller than Galaxy S9, the device brings with it a 5.8 inch screen, with Full HD + resolution and the same protection against water and dust seen in the other members of the line.
In practice, everything is not identical to S10 and S10 +, since the lower resolution and screen of the Galaxy S10e does not bring those curves that invade the side. Although it is simpler, some say that he even prefers this type of display, since he does not suffer from color distortions and accidental touches generated by the curvature.
Still at the front, it is important to mention that the technologies highlighted in the line Galaxy S10, like the AMOLED Dynamic and support for the standard HDR10, which promise greater color accuracy and brilliance, are still present. Also, contrary to what happened with the iPhone XR with respect to X, the edges of the S10e they are not thicker.
The right side of the smartphone dominated by the volume buttons and Bixby key
Moving from side to side it is possible to find another distinction of the model: the fingerprint reader. Although less sophisticated than the ultrasonic sensor found under the models' screen Galaxy S10 and S10 +, the reader of S10e faster and, according to some, more practical also, since it also serves to pull the notification bar.
In our tests, digital unlocking on the GalaxyS10e really showed much faster that we get bigger. practically immediate.
In white and yellow, the back cover has a pearl finish, which changes color according to the incidence of light
At the rear the GalaxyS10e continues to show that he owes nothing to the rest of the line. Available in black, blue, white and yellow (the latter has a very nice polarized finish), it has lines more rounded that we go bigger.
Looking more closely at the cameras, it is possible to notice the absence of heart rate sensor and the presence of only two cameras, instead of the three, but this topic will be pointed out later.
Hardware and performance
The processor used in the S10 and the Exynos 9820, manufactured by Samsung itself
As stated above, the Galaxy S10e , if not the only one, one of the few models available in Brazil to bring a top of the line hardware and a screen below 6 inches. When opening the list of specifications, we found a pocket rocket with power to spare and which should not show signs of slowing down anytime soon.
The company's own manufacturing processor Samsung (Exynos 9820) has eight cores processing, which can reach 2.7GHz speed, and the GPU (a Mali-G76 MP12) capable of running any game from the Play Store without crashes. At this point, the Galaxy S10e it even has an advantage over other line tops, since its lower screen resolution facilitates image processing, in addition to making it consume less energy, without the user having to configure it for that.
The entire S10 line has plenty of power to run any games and applications without major difficulties
Like the chipset, the 128GB storage and 6GB RAM memory is more than enough in everyday use. However, if you really like to record videos in 4K, have thousands of photos and hundreds of applications, it is possible that you need a microSD card: o Galaxy S10e supports up to memory cards 2TB, but I need to choose between using the card or using more than one carrier chip.
With regard to the rest of the list of specifications, the S10e count with Bluetooth 5.0; GPS with A-GPS, BDS and GLONASS; NFC; Dual-band Wi-Fi in patterns a / b / g / n / ac / ax and the usual sensors: proximity sensor, light sensor, barometer, accelerometer, gyroscope, compass and magnetometer.
Software and resources
O Galaxy S10e was released with the Android 9 Pie, but the Brazilian model is already among those that received an update to the Android 10. The interface launched this year by Samsung, a One UI 2.0, also received changes that made it even better.
With a colorful and highly customizable look, the One UI 2.0 completely modifies the Android experience, but without leaving the device with dragged performance, as the old interfaces did. In addition to agility, another positive aspect of the skin is its visual consistency, which makes the functions and applications of the smartphone easier to use, in addition to pleasing the eyes.
In November 2019 the top of the line Samsung received Android 10, check the news of the update
Regarding the resources offered in the system, it is important to mention that the Galaxy S10e brings practically everything that was announced on the line, including the payment system Samsung Pay it's the Samsung DeX, which allows you to use your smartphone as a desktop computer by connecting it to a monitor, mouse and keyboard.
The only function left out of the S10e were the sensors of heartbeat and blood oxygenation, which appear to be disappearing from the tops of the manufacturer's line as a whole.
Cameras
Did you notice the absence of one of the cameras? the zoom camera, which is not included in the device
The fact that Galaxy S10e using the same set of hardware and the same cameras as the bigger brothers are two of its main attractions. In the front camera we have the same 10MP sensor in the other models, while in the rear the set is also the same, except for the zoom camera that is not present.
Despite the less camera, the good thing is that the quality has not been affected in any way. Of course, in zoomed photos, the device uses digital zoom instead of the optical, which will impair image quality. However, in the photos with the main and wide angle cameras, beyond selfies, the result is always the same as the larger models.
Photo with the wide (main) lens of the Galaxy S10e and HDR enabled
Photo with the Galaxy S10e's ultra wide (wide angle) lens and HDR enabled
In general, photos and selfies on Galaxy S10e come out with excellent levels of contrast and color, thanks to HDR very efficient. Even at angles where light, in principle, does not favor, the smartphone knows how to distinguish what is light from what is dark and leaves the photos very dramatic, especially if the user uses the “scene optimizer” feature.
J in the pictures with the portrait modeThe distinction of what is the background and what the object to be photographed is also convincing, in addition to allowing the user to change the blur after taking the photo.
However, despite the praise, just darken a little that the performance of the cameras drops a lot, and although the Samsung already offer one night mode, including for the front camera, he is not as competent as seen in Google Pixel or on the new smartphones from Huawei.
Finally, the Galaxy S10e still offers the Pro Mode, which allows you to control various manual camera adjustments and is capable of recording videos in4K at 60 frames per second, something that not all line tops can do. It also records videos in super slow camera (960 frames per second) and brings an exclusive camera mode to the Instagram, which preserves a little more the quality of the photos posted on the social network.
Drums
Finally we come to the Achilles heel of Galaxy S10e. This is because, in addition to the smaller body and screen, it also has a reduced battery, which impairs (and greatly) its autonomy. In common day-to-day use, with internet browsing, Wi-Fi on and automatic brightness, the device supports exactly 12 hours of use (leaving the charger at 8 am and asking for it again around 8 pm) and does, at most, 6 hours of screen.
The S10's small battery is the only downside that can really bother
However, with the 4G usage that this metric is no longer so good: with the connection via mobile data, the Galaxy S10e hardly exceeds 5 and a half hours screen, asking for the charger before the end of the day, sometimes. Although this is a serious problem with the device, what ends up ‘breaking a branch’ fast loading, which can load the first 45% battery in half an hour.
And speaking of cargo, it is worth mentioning the support of Galaxy S10e to fast wireless charging and function Wireless PowerShare, which allows you to use the smartphone itself as a wireless charging station for other devices that are compatible, including smartwatches, headphones and even another smartphone. Although the resource is useful, considering that battery is a scarce resource in this case, the best to avoid using it.
Verdict
After analyzing item by item, the time has come to answer: the Galaxy S10e remains a good buy option for 2020? The immediate answer to be given "Yes“, But we still need to explain what makes us have this conclusion.
To begin, I must remember that the model lost almost half of its price over the year. Upon seeing it be sold in the range of R $ 2,124.00. in most retail, it is difficult to remember that it arrived in April for much more: R $ 4,299. Despite the price drop, the model has not lost any of its positive attributes, such as the latest cameras, the good workmanship and the high-end hardware.
It is far superior to other premium intermediaries in the market, which cost in the range of R $ 2,000 to R $ 2,500 reais, which makes it one of the best cost-benefits today.
Has a Galaxy S10e or want to buy? Leave in the comments if you enjoyed this re-analysis and check out our full review on the smartphone at the link below:
Galaxy S10e: technical specifications
Screen
5.8 inches (without Edge curvature) Type AMOLED Dynamic Full HD + resolution (2280 × 1080) HDR10 + support
Dual-SIM with 4G, Wi-Fi a / b / g / n / ac / ax (dual-band), Bluetooth 5.0 (with AptX HD and low-energy), GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, NFC;
Doors
3.5 mm headphone jack; USB 3.1 Type-C; USB OTG
Drums
Li-Ion with 3,100mAh with fast charging (Samsung Adaptive Fast Charge) Support for fast wireless charging in Qi and PMA standards (up to 15W); Wireless PowerShare Function
Dimensions
142.2 x 69.9 x 7.9 mm
Weight
150 grams
Colors
Black, Blue, Yellow and White
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.
Read More
Cookies are small text files that can be used by websites to make a user's experience more efficient. The law states that we can store cookies on your device if they are strictly necessary for the operation of this site. For all other types of cookies we need your permission. This site uses different types of cookies. Some cookies are placed by third party services that appear on our pages.
Necessary cookies help make a website usable by enabling basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website. The website cannot function properly without these cookies.
Marketing cookies are used to track visitors across websites. The intention is to display ads that are relevant and engaging for the individual user and thereby more valuable for publishers and third party advertisers.
Preference cookies enable a website to remember information that changes the way the website behaves or looks, like your preferred language or the region that you are in.
The Galaxy S10e brings the same level of refinement as the other models in the line
The right side of the smartphone dominated by the volume buttons and Bixby key
In white and yellow, the back cover has a pearl finish, which changes color according to the incidence of light
The processor used in the S10 and the Exynos 9820, manufactured by Samsung itself
The entire S10 line has plenty of power to run any games and applications without major difficulties
Did you notice the absence of one of the cameras? the zoom camera, which is not included in the device
The S10's small battery is the only downside that can really bother