Do you find the premium smartphones too expensive?
When both Apple and Samsung released ‘budget’ alternatives to their premium flagship phones, everyone went nuts!
These ‘budget’ phones are in the form of the iPhone XR and Galaxy S10e.
Both phones are the closest you can get to feeling and having the premium experience with Apple and Samsung products.
So, to set the records straight – iPhone XR vs Galaxy S10e? Which amongst the two is a better ‘budget’ phone?
You might think this – premium phones are way much better than those ‘budget’ phones. Well, they might sport premium technology and throw in some features here and there, but that is all really.
Mind you, regular users won’t even notice the differences. If you are very technical, you might notice one or two though.
But all in all, you will still get a similar experience with premium phones and their budget alternatives.
Are you having a hard time picking between the iPhone XR or Galaxy S10e?
Then, let this article enlighten you. And hopefully, by the end of it, you will have your pick!
iPhone XR vs Galaxy S10e
Apple’s iPhone XR and Samsung’s Galaxy S10e are not entirely new phones. In fact, the former was released late 2018 and the latter was released early 2019.
One of the most notable features of the two is its color options. Both phones have bright and fun color-finishes to choose from.
Both phones started at the same price tag of $749 upon their release, but these handsets differ in a lot of things than you might think.
Read: iPhone XR Unboxing: Two Years After Release Review
Below is the complete comparison of their specs:
iPhone XR |
Galaxy S10e |
|
| Price | $599; $649 | $440; $540 |
| Display Resolutions | 6.1 inches Liquid Retina LCD (1792 x 828) | 5.8 inches Dynamic AMOLED (2160 x 1080) |
| Rear Camera(s) | 12-MP wide-angle (f/1.8) | 16-MP ultrawide (f/2.2), 12-MP dual-pixel wide (f/1.5, f/2.4) |
| Front Camera(s) | 7 MP (f/2.2) | 10-MP dual pixel (f/1.9) |
| CPU | Apple A12 Bionic | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (North America), Exynos 9820 (international) |
| RAM | 3GB | 6GB, 8GB |
| Storage | 64GB, 128GB | 128GB, 256GB |
| microSD | None | Yes, up to 512GB |
| Battery | 2,942 mAh (based on teardowns) | 3,100 mAh |
| Colors | Yellow, White, Coral, Black, Blue, Red | Prism Black, Prism White, Prism Blue, Flamingo Pink (except the U.K.), Canary Yellow (except the U.S.), Prism Green (except the U.S.) |
| Size | 5.94 x 2.98 x 0.33 inches | 5.6 x 2.75 x 0.3 inches |
| Weight | 6.84 ounces | 5.29 ounces |
Design
One of the most important things that are being considered in choosing a brand new phone is its design.
Comparing the two smartphones, the iPhone XR a bigger screen display (6.1 inches). Meanwhile, the Galaxy S10e has a much smaller screen (5.8 inches).
If you are looking for a smartphone that is comfortable in the hands, the Galaxy S10e is a better bet. It is just smaller in every dimension, height, and width. Also, it is more than an ounce lighter than the iPhone XR (5.29 ounces versus 6.84 ounces).
But there is one advantage the Galaxy S10e has over the iPhone XR: a headphone jack. So, you will probably need extra accessories for your iPhone XR.
At least in the U.S., the iPhone XR gives you more color options, with six hues to choose from. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S10e only comes in four colors in the U.S., however, there are Canary Yellow and Prism Green as additional options in other countries.
The iPhone XR has a more noticeable notch compared to the Galaxy S10e, which hides its front camera. Plus the bezels on the iPhone XR are much larger too.
Screen Display
We have already established this: the iPhone XR has a bigger screen size, 6.1 inches, compared to the Galaxy S10e with 5.8 inches of screen.
The Galaxy S10e features an AMOLED panel, while the iPhone XR has LCD panels. But Samsung’s AMOLED panel wins in this department.
First, the OLED panels offer richer colors, deeper blacks, and even wider angles than LCD panels do.
Also, the S10e screen brings in sharper display at 2160 x 1080 pixels, than the iPhone XR’s 1792 x 828 pixels.
But to Apple’s credit, iPhone XR’s Liquid Retina display is one of the best LCD there is. It still shows you a bright display on your screen. Really, it does not fall behind the S10e.
S10e’s screen covered 148% of the SRGB color gamut, meanwhile, the iPhone XR has only 123.4%. However, the color accuracy from the iPhone’s display was far better than of the S10e’s.
Security Features
Samsung’s Galaxy S10e unlocks with a fingerprint reader built-in the power button. On the other hand, the latest iPhones have graduated on the Touch ID to Face ID. So, the iPhone XR now unlocks that way too.
Comparing the two methods, the iPhone XR has a more secure way because it captures the 3D scan of the face. Also, you can use Face ID for Apple Pay. Convenient, right?
Furthermore, there are rare experiences on false negatives when trying to unlock iPhone XR with Face ID.
Meanwhile, the fingerprint sensor on Samsung’s Galaxy S10e can sometimes require a lot of attention, like the phone will ask you to cover the whole sensor when logging in.
Other Special Features
When it comes to special features, there is one thing that Apple is recently known for – Memoji. This is a customizable 3D avatars that you can animate with your own facial expressions.
But S10e also has its own version of Memoji – AR Emoji. However, this feature is not that well-executed. One of the Galaxy S10e special features is its ultrawide rear camera, which helps in taking more compelling shots.
Both smartphones support wireless charging, but S10e has this Wireless PowerShare, wherein other gadgets can wirelessly charge just by using the back of the phone.
Additionally, you also get USB-C charging out of the box for the S10e which is far faster, and a microSD expansion. All of which are missing from the iPhone XR.
Cameras
In choosing for a brand new smartphone, we have a few things we that we consider and the camera is definitely on top of the list.
Immediately, the Galaxy S10e has a slight advantage over the iPhone XR. With the former’s ultrawide lens on the back, it just takes much more of the scene.
On the above photo is a close-up of a cookie and a brownie. The S10e’s scene optimizer just kicked in. Also, the image taken by the S10e is much brighter.
When both cameras were tested under direct sunlight, the iPhone XR handles the sun better. As noticed, S10e’s shot looks a bit washed out compared to the iPhone XR’s. Also, the faces have hotspots where the sun hits.
Apple’s iPhone XR’s shot looks a bit more balanced, thanks to the smartphone’s Smart HDR feature.
On portrait photos, the Galaxy S10e seems to offer better edge detection, while the iPhone XR has a warmer output.
To see more comparison of the camera, click here.
Performance
Both smartphones have exceptional chips under the hood that offer strong performance.
Galaxy S10e is powered by the Snapdragon 855 processor and 6GB of RAM. The iPhone XR is powered by A12 Bionic chip. In Geekbench 4, which measures overall performance, the S10e had a multicore score of 10,513, meanwhile, the iPhone XR had a score of 11,312.
Now, let us see how each phone does with video-editing.
In a test, which transcodes a 4K clip to 1080p using the Adobe Clips app, it only took the iPhone XR 40 seconds which is very quick compared to S10e’s 2 minutes and 26 seconds.
Battery Life
Will you be using your phone for long periods of time? Then, the battery life should be a winning factor for you.
When it comes to endurance, the iPhone XR destroys the Galaxy S10e.
During a battery test, which involves continuous 4G web surfing at 150 nits of screen brightness, the iPhone XR’s 2,942mAh battery lasted for 11 hours and 26 minutes.
On the other hand, Galaxy S10e’s 3,100mAh battery lasted for 9 hours and 41 minutes.
What’s the verdict?
When people get good results from previous experiences, they tend to keep their loyalty towards a certain brand. Over time though, other phone manufacturers have kept up with the leading brands.
For me, I have considered the battery life to be an important factor. Thus, the iPhone XR wins big time for me.
Admittedly, there are some features in the Galaxy S10e that I wish were present with the iPhone XR such as the PowerShare, richer and brighter screen display, and many more.
Buying a smartphone is not as easy as a walk in the park. It is an expensive investment, so you have to be sure that what you are buying is really the one you need.
I suggest you take some time to research on the features that will suit your needs before buying a smartphone.
As an article-ender, iPhone XR vs the Galaxy S10e? Which is the better smartphone?
Did you find this article helpful? Were you able to come up with a decision on which phone to get? Tell us about your experience in the comment section below!
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