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| Samsung Galaxy S10 Hands-on and Initial Impression |
PHYSICAL:
We all knew this, Samsung has mastered the art of dressing its flagship smartphones with a premium and striking look. Just like other Samsung devices, the Galaxy S10 is also housed with a glass-like body, but this time, it comes with two classy color variants: Prism White, and Prism Black. Having a slim physique, the device is easy to hold with just one hand, however, it’s too slippery that it will require you to use your two hands for a solid grip.
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| Infinity-O Display |
Samsung was able to deliver more screen area through the new Infinity-O display, equipping the device with a hole punch on its screen to house its selfie snapper. Honestly, we prefer this design than the usual thick notch mounted on top of other smartphones.
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| Ultrasonic Fingerprint Scanner |
Another new for Samsung is its Ultrasonic Fingerprint Scanner. Though the in-display fingerprint sensor technology was already a thing in 2018, the Korean tech maker had find ways to set it apart from its rivals. The company explained that it can learn and recognize the 3D characteristics of the actual fingerprint. Hence, users no longer have to wipe and clean their registered fingers every time they will unlock their phone. True enough, when we tried using it, the device was able to recognize our fingers smoothly.
On its left cheek, you’d see its dedicated Bixby button and volume rocker, while its power/lock button is located on its right side. All of its keys are clicky, and thoughtfully placed where we could easily reach it.
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| Prism White |
The top portion of the device accommodates its card tray with a hybrid setup, which means that it has no dedicated slot for a microSD card. On the other hand, its USB-C port, microphone, speaker grilles, and 3.5mm audio port are located on its chin. Meanwhile, it’s worth noting that it still sports a 3.5mm audio jack that can support wired earphones, rather than ditching it.
Flip the device on its back to reveal its triple rear shooters, which are aligned horizontally with its LED flash. Its Samsung branding is sited as well.
DISPLAY:
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| 6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED screen |
Samsung has also upgraded its display section, giving consumers another reason to upgrade. The S10 flashes a 6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED screen that supports HDR 10+ with Dynamic Tone Mapping. The device will surely satisfy you when watching video as it delivers a WQHD+ resolution, too. It offers superior color accuracy as well, while it promises to deliver 41% less blue light even before activating Blue Light Filter on its display settings.
Having an Infinity-O display, the S10 has 19:9 aspect ratio and 90% screen-to-body ratio.
When we played around the handset, we’re really impressed with its brightness even when we’re using it under direct sunlight. It has rich and vibrant colors, too.
SOFTWARE:
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| Software |
The Galaxy S10 is loaded with the brand’s new One UI based on Android 9.0 Pie OS. It looks different compared to other Galaxy smartphones but it is still user-friendly. Navigating it is easy, and there will be no problem organizing your apps.
The device comes with numbers of pre-installed apps including Samsung native apps, as well as Google’s, and Microsoft’s. Good thing, the handset is packed with a hefty 128GB onboard storage to accommodate them. And if you think that this isn’t enough for your files, you can expand it further up to 512GB via microSD card.
CAMERA:
As expected, the Galaxy S10 boasts triple rear shooters. Although it wasn’t the first Samsung handset to have this camera setup, the S10 is still way better as it comes with superior sensors. The device is geared with a 12-megapixel Dual Pixel (f/1.5 f/2.4) wide camera, 16-megapixel f/2.2 Ultra Wide shooter, and 12-megapixel f/2.4 telephoto lens. For selfies, it is armed with a 10-megapixel f/1.9 snapper.
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| Triple Shooters |
Moreover, it features a Pro Camcorder that can shoot UHD videos up to 60fps. It can also support HDR 10+ video. To make it more impressive, Samsung packed it with SuperSteady action cam in FHD for clearer videos, and to minimize shaking.
When we spent our time testing its camera, the device easily impressed us with its performance most especially its ultra wide angle, and zooming capabilities. It can capture great images even in low light, too. For selfies, the S10 managed to deliver natural-looking photos even when its beautification was enabled.
Sample Photos:
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| Ultra Wide |
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| 2x Zoom |
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| 3x Zoom |
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| 5x Zoom |
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| 10x Zoom |
See Also: Samsung Galaxy S10+ Ties with Huawei Mate 20 Pro, P20 Pro at DxOMark
BATTERY:
What we found underwhelming about the S10 is its 3400mAh battery. Let’s admit it, when we talk about flagship smartphones, you would expect that it's juiced with at least 4000mAh stamina. To bounce back, it supports Fast Wireless Charging 2.0, and Wireless PowerShare, which allows users to charge other NFC-enabled devices.
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| Samsung Galaxy S10 |
For now…
The Galaxy S10 is an impressive overall smartphone that has great display, improved camera setup, and powerful offerings. Samsung wasn’t the first brand to deliver triple rear shooters, in-display fingerprint scanner, and reverse charging but it’s impressive how the Korean tech giant was able to catch up, and put some tricks.
If you’re actually looking for a big upgrade, the S10 may sit on top of your list.
The Samsung Galaxy S10 is priced at Php49,990, and is now up for pre-order until March 3, 2019. It will be available in the local shores starting March 8, 2019. For more information about the Galaxy S10 series local pricing and availability, please visit this link.
Samsung Galaxy S10 Specs:
- Dual SIM, supports LTE connectivity
- 6.1-inch WQHD+ Dynamic AMOLED Infinity Display, 19:9 aspect ratio
- Android 9.0 Pie
- 8nm octa-core CPU, Exynos 9820 chipset, Mali-G76 MP12 GPU
- 8GB RAM
- 128GB internal storage, expandable up to 512GB
- 12MP Dual Pixel OIS (f/1.5 f/2.4) Wide + 16MP f/2.2 Ultra Wide + 12MP OIS f/2.4 Telephoto triple rear cameras
- 10MP Dual Pixel f/1.9 front camera with AF
- Dolby Atmos Stereo Speakers
- 3.5mm audio jack
- Ultrasonic Fingerprint Scanner
- Face Recognition
- Bixby
- USB Type-C
- IP68 Water and Dust Resistant
- Battery: 3400mAh with Fast Charging, Fast Wireless Charging 2.0, and supports Wireless PowerShare
- Colors: Prism White, Prism Black
- Price: Php49,990
