Samsung Galaxy S10e design
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The Galaxy S10e is the smallest and lightest phone among the three models in the Galaxy S10 series. This Samsung branded handset weighs 150 grams. It is 0.1 millimeters thicker than the others. We really liked the size of this phone. The Galaxy S10e fits comfortably in the hand and its curved edges are not rough at all.
The aluminium and glass back panel is a little slippery so be cautious while using the phone with one hand as it may slip from your hand. It also gets fingerprints easily. But despite this, it is sturdy. If the phone falls, the aluminium frame may get permanent scratches. For example, we were taking a picture of a flower and the phone slipped from our hand. The glass was not damaged but the frame got scratched due to the fall.
The Galaxy S10e has a Bixby button. You can set a double-press or single-press action to open the app or take Bixby’s help. The premium handsets of the Galaxy S10 model have an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, but on the other hand, the company has given a standard capacitive sensor in the Galaxy S10e which is integrated into the power button on the right side of the phone.
It is very sensitive, and even a quick touch unlocks the phone. You can also enable gestures to access the notification shade easily. It works fine, but we found the placement of the power button a bit high. We did have some trouble accessing it even when holding the phone normally.
Samsung Galaxy S10e has a 5.8-inch full-HD+ Dynamic AMOLED display. The resolution is slightly lower than the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+. Its pixel density is 438 ppi. Samsung has not removed the HDR 10+ certification for the display, which means you can enjoy high dynamic range colors in compatible videos. The default color profile makes the colors a bit saturated but you can switch to the natural color profile if you want.
If we talk about the biggest difference in the design, then Galaxy S10e does not have curved display edge on the right and left side. The second difference is that if compared to the other two Galaxy models, then Galaxy S10e has slightly thicker bezels on the sides. Gorilla Glass 5 has been used on the front and back of Galaxy S10e. Whereas its other bigger model has Gorilla Glass 6 on the front and Gorilla Glass 5 on the back.
Gorilla Glass 5 helps protect the phone from scratches and falls from low height. On the other hand, its new version has been given in the other two models which protects the phone in a better way. You will find a screen guard already installed on the phone. Compared to other Galaxy S10 models, we noticed that there are some cutbacks in the back of the Galaxy S10E.
In Galaxy S10e, you will not get a telephoto camera but a dual-aperture. The phone has a 12-megapixel sensor and a 16-megapixel ultra-wide angle sensor. Apart from this, another thing that you will not get in the phone is a heart-rate sensor. In India, Samsung Galaxy S10e is available in Prism Black and Prism White colors. Along with the phone, you will get AKG-tuned headset, USB-OTG Type-C to Type-A adapter, fast charger, data cable, SIM eject tool and warranty related information. It is worth noting that you will get a better looking plastic case with the handset.
Samsung Galaxy S10e Specifications and Features
Although it is an affordable smartphone among Samsung’s flagship models, its specifications are not low-end at all. In India, the Galaxy S10e has been launched with an 8nm octa-core Samsung Exynos 9820 processor. But it has only one variant which comes with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage. Its 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage variant is also available in the international market.
Other specifications include hybrid dual-SIM slot, Gigabit LTE, dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6), Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, four satellite navigation systems and USB Type-C port.
The Galaxy S10e features Dolby Atmos with AKG-tuned stereo speakers. The phone has IP68 certification which protects it from dust and water and apart from this, the phone has many sensors. This Samsung brand phone runs on the new One UI 1.1 based on Android 9 Pie. Our handset is running on the February 2019 security patch. We have recently reviewed many Samsung phones that come with One UI.
The phone has a number of alternative gestures and shortcuts. With the help of App Edge, you can add shortcuts of the most used apps to the bar. These can then be accessed using a simple swipe gesture on the home screen. You can use gestures instead of the standard Android navigation buttons.
You will also get spammy notifications in Galaxy S10e. While setting up the phone, uncheck some terms and conditions, which may give you some relief. Despite all these precautions, notifications are received even without opening the My Galaxy app. There are not many notifications, but I wish we could disable them completely. Google Digital Wellbeing feature is also provided in Galaxy S10e.
Samsung Galaxy S10e performance, camera and battery life
The size of the phone is perfect for one-handed use. You will have to stretch your hand a little to reach the notification panel. There is a punch-hole on the front panel of the phone which houses the selfie camera. The fingerprint sensor works fine but it is capacitive. It will not work if your fingers are wet or greasy. You do not need to press the power button, the phone will unlock with just a simple touch.
In the previous Galaxy S model, the company had provided an iris scanner but this time this feature did not find a place in the phone due to lack of space in the punch-hole. The phone has face recognition support but it is not as good as Apple Face ID because it does authentication or say identification with the help of selfie camera. It works correctly, in low light it easily identifies the face with the help of the screen brightness falling on the face.
Like the other two Galaxy S10 models, general app and UI performance is good here as well. Despite the phone having 2GB less RAM than the other two models, we didn’t notice a big difference in benchmark numbers. During normal use, we noticed that the sides of the phone get a little warm. Sometimes the phone feels a little warm even when downloading apps from the Play Store. If you keep the phone in a case, you won’t even notice this.
PUBG Mobile and other games run smoothly on the phone. With a powerful processor and low-screen resolution, the Galaxy S10e manages to play games on high settings with ease. The framerate is smooth and with the help of the One UI Game Launcher, you can enable Dolby Atmos while gaming.
The AMOLED display is great for viewing content. Streaming apps like Netflix and Prime Video automatically adjust the video to the punch-hole area when zoomed in. The stereo speakers are also loud. Like the other two models, the Galaxy S10e has the same front and rear cameras. It just doesn’t have a telephoto sensor. The performance of the phone is also the same.
In daylight, the phone captures good details in landscape and macro mode. Its dynamic range and colours are also good. The scene optimizer automatically identifies objects such as T-shirts etc. and this also helps in improving the picture. The macro mode captures good details and the exposure is also handled correctly.
The camera app is easy to use. There are many modes for photos and videos. The wide-angle sensor is very useful for capturing more things in the frame. Live focus works well and edge detection also works well in it. If you want, you can also add background blur effect.
Compared to the Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy S9-series, the selfie camera of the Galaxy S10e will see a big improvement. The Samsung Galaxy S10e has a 10-megapixel front camera. The Galaxy S10e does not have an RGB depth sensor, but it still detects the edges correctly in selfies.
There is no compromise on video recording in the Galaxy S10e. Like other expensive models, this phone is also capable of recording videos up to 4K at 60 frames per second. Apart from this, you will also get a super slow-mo video mode with the help of which you can record videos even at 960 frames per second.
The video quality was good in daylight. Stabilization was also handled well and noise was controlled even in low light. Galaxy S10e has a 3,100 mAh battery. After using the camera, watching videos, surfing the internet and using chat apps, the phone lasted for 17 to 18 hours. The good thing is that the battery charges fast with the charger that comes with the phone.
The phone was at 5 percent battery when we plugged it in and it was 95 percent charged in an hour which is pretty good. The phone also supports wireless charging and reverse wireless charging with compatible wireless chargers. In our HD video loop test, the Galaxy S10e lasted for 10 hours and 31 minutes which could be slightly better.
Our verdict
The Galaxy S10e does not have all the features of the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+. But at Rs 55,900, the Galaxy S10e is equipped with many features of the other two models, which is a very good thing. In India, it is a better deal than the iPhone XR, not only in terms of features but also in terms of price.
The Galaxy S10e also competes with the Google Pixel 3 which is usually available online for Rs 58,000. If you want a stock Android experience, the Google Pixel 3 can also prove to be a great option. We should not forget the OnePlus 6T, it has also been a good phone. Its 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage variant is priced at Rs 45,999. Its battery life is also better than the Galaxy S10e. But you will not get HDR display, compact size and modern processor in it.
Battery life is not very good compared to the other two models. Apart from this, telephoto camera and in-display fingerprint sensor have also not been found in the phone. Overall, we feel that people in this price segment will be satisfied with the features and performance of Galaxy S10e.
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