Purchased the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip foldable smartphone, and wondering how to set it up?
Here is a quick guide, with a video, on how to set up your Galaxy Z Flip for the first time!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip : A Quick Primer
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is the second Samsung foldable smartphone, and the first from their new Z series with a different folding design.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip features an Infinity Flex display, with bendable Ultra Thin Glass (UTG). Its Hideaway Hinge has a dual CAM mechanism to ensure a smooth and stable folding and unfolding process.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+, which is a higher-clocked version of the Snapdragon 855 offering better CPU and graphics performance.
its single prime Kryo 485 Gold CPU core has a slightly faster clock speed of 2.96 GHz
its Adreno 640 GPU is clocked at 672 MHz, instead of 585 MHz
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip comes with 8 GB LPDDR4 memory, and 256 GB of internal storage.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip : How To Set Up For The First Time!
If you purchase the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, and have no idea how to set it up for the first time, we recorded this video to show you how!
The first thing to do after it boots up, is to select the language and region of choice
You will need to accept the End User licence Agreement and privacy policy
But you can refuse to send diagnostic data or allow information linking or accept marketing
Next, you should log into your Wi-Fi network
Wait until it connects successfully, and then tap Next
You will now be given the opportunity to copy your apps and data from your old Android smartphone
If you are setting up the Galaxy Z Flip as a new device, just tap Don’t Copy
You can now log into your existing Google account, or create a new Google account. Or you can skip this part and do it later
Next, you have the opportunity to turn off certain Google services. Most of these Google servers are actually very useful. You should only turn off sending Google usage and diagnostic data
Now it’s time to protect your Galaxy Z Flip from unauthorised access!
In this demonstration, we will set up its capacitive side fingerprint sensor…
First, you will be asked to set up a secure screen lock method. Let’s use Pattern.
You will need to draw your pattern once and draw the pattern again to confirm it
The Galaxy Z Flip’s fingerprint sensor is integrated into the Power button on the right side. To train it, you will need to place your finger on the fingerprint sensor and lift when you feel a vibration.
At almost the end of the training process, you will be asked to reposition your finger to capture the edges of the fingerprint
Now, you will be asked to sign into your Samsung account or create one. You need a Samsung account to make use of Samsung services like Bixby or Samsung Pay. But of course, you can always skip this step, and do it later.
The setup process is done, but you need to go through the warnings at the end first
– Please treat the display gently. Tap the screen lightly, and do not press hard on it.
– When you fold the phone, make sure there’s nothing between the display that can damage it.
– The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is not water or dust resistant!
– Do NOT attach any film to stickers to the main display
– Keep the Samsung Galaxy Z flip away from credit cards and anything that can be affected by magnets.
Now, you can start using your Galaxy Z Flip!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip : Price + Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip will be available in limited quantities in the Mirror Purple and Mirror Black colours, starting in the US and Korea from 14 February 2020 onwards. That will be followed by Mirror Gold in select countries.
It has a recommended retail price of US$1,379.99 / 1.65 million won globally, which is approximately SGD 1,919 / £1,059 / A$2,049. It is available in Malaysia for RM 5,888.
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The new Samsung Galaxy S20 smartphones are powered by the Exynos 990 – the latest, greatest mobile platform developed by Samsung themselves.
But just how fast is the Samsung Exynos 990, compared to other mobile platforms? Let’s find out!
Samsung Exynos 990 : What You Need To Know
The Samsung Exynos 990 builds upon Samsung’s first mobile platform with an integrated 5G modem – the Exynos 980, but focuses on performance instead of 5G connectivity.
It boasts a range of significant improvements – new Samsung Mongoose 5 (Exynos M5) and ARM Cortex-A76 cores, and a new Arm Mali-G77 GPU.
Faster Processor + GPU
According to Samsung, its new custom Mongoose 5 (Exynos M5) cores are 20% faster than the Mongoose 4 (Exynos M4) cores used in the flagship-class Exynos 9825 used in the Galaxy Note 10 smartphones!
Its Arm Mali-G77 GPU uses the new Valhall architecture, and promises to offer a 20% boost in graphics performance or power efficiency.
Faster LPDDR5 Memory
The Exynos 990 will be the first Samsung mobile platform to use the new LPDDR5 memory, which offers a 31% higher clock speed – increased from 2093 MHz to 2750 MHz.
This allows it to deliver up to 5,500 Mbps or 687.5 MB/s in memory bandwidth. It should also allow for lower power consumption.
Faster NPU + DSP
Its AI capabilities also received a big boost with a new dual-core NPU and improved digital signal processor (DSP) that can process over 10 trillion operations (TOPS) per second!
Well, this is quite a nice surprise! Samsung Exynos has historically been rather poor at work performance.
The last-generation Exynos 9825 and Exynos 9820, for example, were significantly slower than their Qualcomm counterparts – the Snapdragon 855 and Snapdragon 855+.
But the new Exynos 990 was 36% faster than the Exynos 9820 (its predecessor), and 13% faster than the Snapdragon 855.
Samsung Exynos 990 Gaming Performance : 3DMark
For gaming, we first tested the Exynos 990 using 3DMark, with these results :
Not bad at all! Samsung caught up with Qualcomm in gaming performance as well.
The new Exynos 990 was 7.5% faster than the Snapdragon 855+, that powered high-end gaming smartphones like the Black Shark 2 Pro, in Sling Shot Extreme, matching it in the easier Sling Shot benchmark.
Notably, the Exynos 990 was 50% faster than its predecessor, the Exynos 9820 that powered the Galaxy S10+.
Samsung Exynos 990 Gaming Performance : AnTuTu
We then tested the Exynos 990 using AnTuTu, yielding these results :
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Together with the Samsung Galaxy S20 series, Samsung also unveiled the Galaxy Z Flip – their second foldable smartphone.
Let’s take a quick look at the important stuff you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip : EVERYTHING You Need To Know!
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is the second Samsung foldable smartphone, and the first from their new Z series with a different folding design.
Foldable Glass Display with Ultra Thin Glass
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip features an Infinity Flex display, with bendable Ultra Thin Glass (UTG).
There have been suggestions that it’s really plastic, but that’s not true. There is simply a plastic film over the Ultra Thin Glass.
Hideaway Hinge with Sweeper Technology
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip has a Hideaway Hinge that is backed by a dual CAM mechanism to ensure a smooth and stable folding and unfolding process.
This Hideaway Hinge also lets the Z Flip stay open at any angle you want, and comes with Sweeper technology – nylon fibres designed to repel dirt and dust!
New Flex Mode
Leveraging its forward folding form factor, the Galaxy Z Flip will switch to the Flex mode when it is in the free standing mode.
The display automatically splits into two 4-inch screens, so you can view photos or videos in the top half, and control them or perform actions on the bottom half!
Performance, RAM + Storage
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+, which is a higher-clocked version of the Snapdragon 855 offering better CPU and graphics performance.
its single prime Kryo 485 Gold CPU core has a slightly faster clock speed of 2.96 GHz
its Adreno 640 GPU is clocked at 672 MHz, instead of 585 MHz
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip comes with 8 GB LPDDR4 memory, and 256 GB of internal storage.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip has a recommended retail price of US$1,379.99 / 1.65 million won, which is approximately RM 5,699 / SGD 1,919 / £1,059 / A$2,049.
It will be available in limited quantities in the Mirror Purple and Mirror Black colours, starting in the US and Korea from 14 February 2020 onwards. That will be followed by Mirror Gold in select countries.
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Worried that gamers are swarming for the highly-affordable ROG Phone 2 Tencent Edition, ASUS urgently touted the advantages of the delayed ROG Phone 2 Global Edition.
Let’s compare the specifications of the ROG Phone 2 Tencent Edition against the ROG Phone 2 Global Edition model!
ROG Phone 2 – Super Fast Phone, Super Slow Rollout
ASUS launched the ROG Phone last year, calling it the world’s first smartphone designed for mobile gaming. Unfortunately, they squandered that advantage with an ultra-slow rollout in a fast-moving industry.
More nimble, new competitors like Black Shark not only introduced their own gaming smartphones, they literally surged past them.
Of course, the ROG Phone 2 boasts a 120 Hz display, with a 1 ms response time that totally crushes the likes of Black Shark 2 and Black Shark 2 PRO, and should guarantee silky-smooth gameplay, albeit at the expense of battery life.
That’s why ASUS gave it a massive 6,000 mAh battery – so it will last for quite a few rounds. The downside? It weighs almost a quarter of a kilo and is almost a full cm thick.
Of course, Black Shark has publicly pooh-poohed the usefulness of a 120 Hz display in this recent Q&A session :
Instead of a higher refresh rate, they opted to use DC dimming to reduce eyestrain, and an integrated DSP with MEMC (Motion Estimation, Motion Compensation) capabilities to eliminate unwanted judder and blur.
There is also the issue of ASUS quietly setting the ROG Phone 2 to use a 60Hz refresh rate instead, to improve battery life.
However, ASUS did NOT want anyone to think or talk about the Tencent Edition because it is MUCH CHEAPER, and is a darn better deal than the Global Edition that they only introduced in October 2019.
They urged their media friends to talk up the ROG Phone 2 Global Edition instead. But in our honest opinion, the Tencent version is a better deal for gamers. Here’s why!
In case you are wondering, the Snapdragon 855 Plus is just a speed-binned version of the regular Snapdragon 855. They are virtually identical.
The only differences are the clock speeds of two parts in the Snapdragon 855 Plus :
its single high-performance Kryo 485 Gold core is clocked at 2.96 GHz, instead of 2.84 GHz.
its Adreno 640 GPU is clocked at 672 MHz, instead of 585 MHz.
In other words, its advantage in mobile gaming is a 4% increase in the short boost performance of the CPU, and a 14.9% increase in peak GPU performance.
ROG Phone 2 Global vs Tencent : Price + Availability
ASUS finally released the Global Edition (now renamed Elite Edition) in the US and India in September 2019, with other countries like Malaysia receiving a limited number in mid-October 2019.
Based on the US, European and Chinese launch prices of $899, €899 and RMB 5,999, it is a whopping 23% more expensive than the Black Shark 2 PRO – an extra RM 700 / ~US$240 / ~£136 / ~A$249!
The ROG Phone 2 Tencent Edition is much cheaper, of course. Its RMB 3,499 retail price in China translates into approximately RM 2,059 / ~US$499 / ~£399 / ~A$724!
That is 80% off the cost of the Global Edition, and 31% cheaper than the Black Shark 2 PRO!
In the beginning, it was only available officially in China and India… and while you can purchase one off the grey market, you would not receive any warranty or even OTA updates for them.
But the good news is ASUS has finally released the STRIX Edition, which is basically the global version of the Tencent Edition.
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To guarantee maximum gaming performance with no dropped frames, the Ludicrous Mode locks the CPU into its maximum clock speed.
Mille-Feuille Full Area Liquid Cooling System
The Black Shark 2 Pro (MY | SG | AU | UK) features a Mille-Feuille full area liquid cooling system that keeps the entire device cool, as opposed to just cooling the CPU and GPU.
AMOLED Display With DC Dimming
Black Shark 2 Pro (MY | SG | AU | UK) comes with a large 6.38-inch AMOLED display with DC dimming to reduce strain on the eyes.
It also boasts an integrated DSP with MEMC (Motion Estimation, Motion Compensation) capabilities to eliminate unwanted judder and blur.
Low Latency Touch Screen
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It claims to have the “world’s lowest latency touch screen“, with a response time of only 43.5 ms, slightly less than the iPhone XS at 45 ms and the Galaxy S10 at 60 ms.
Black Shark 2 Pro Has 5-Hour Battery Life
Despite its size, it only comes with a 4,000 mAh battery. However, they assure us that it will let you game for up to 5 hours before it needs a recharge.
X+2 Antenna
To ensure maximum wireless connectivity, it features an enhanced X+2 antenna design.
The two additional side antennas help the X-type smart antenna transfer data wirelessly no matter how you grip the phone.
Black Shark 2 Pro Gaming Audio
Its audio system is designed specifically for gamers, with dual front-facing speakers. They are also 25% larger than speakers of a standard smartphone.
It also comes with three gaming microphones – two of them noise-cancelling microphones in the front to ensure clear in-game voice chats.
4D Gaming Experience
Unlike regular smartphones, it can recognise different environments, weapons, movements and actions (e.g. hits), and can automatically vibrate itself to create a 4D gaming experience.
Black Shark 2 Pro Host Mode
If you want to play on a larger display, you can connect Black Shark 2 Pro (MY | SG | AU | UK) to a TV or monitor using a HDMI cable. Then you can play your games like a console with the optional GamePad 3.0 accessory.
Fast Charging While Gaming
It supports 27 watt fast charging, which gives you 30 minutes playing time with a quick 5-minute charge, and one full hour of gaming with just 10 minutes of charging.
You don’t even have to stop playing. Even if, for example, you are playing PUBG, it will recharge to 15% in just 30 minutes.
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The Samsung Galaxy Fold introduces a new concept – a foldable design, with a foldable display. To showcase what you can do with it, here is our Samsung Galaxy Fold guide for first time users!
With some help from Samsung, we will take you from the moment of unboxing the Samsung Galaxy Fold, through its various usage possibilities.
Samsung Galaxy Fold Guide Part 1 : Unboxing
Samsung promises a premium and eco-friendly experience from the get-go. The packaging for the Samsung Galaxy Fold is not only premium, it is made entirely from eco-friendly materials.
Before you start using it though, Samsung strongly advises you to read the User Guide and Care Instruction inside the box.
They will provide you with an introduction to the Galaxy Fold’s folding display mechanism, and teach you how to use it properly to avoid damage.
Samsung Galaxy Fold Guide Part 2 : Getting A Grip
The Samsung Galaxy Fold is designed with an identical volume on all four sides of the device to provide the best grip possible.
When folded, Samsung points out that the Galaxy Fold is narrower than conventional smartphones at just 62.8 mm, which should allow for easier one-handed usage.
You will notice that Samsung placed the Volume and Power buttons as well as the fingerprint sensor on the right side of the Galaxy Fold.
These buttons can be customised according to your preference through Settings > Advanced Features, but by default :
pressing the Power button twice launches the Camera app
a long press of the Power button launches Bixby
One advantage of having two displays in one device is that you can set two custom home screens – one for the cover display, and one for the main display.
This allows you to select the most useful apps for one-handed use, and a different set of apps when you need to multitask on the big main display.
You can also set the navigation bar in the main display to the middle, left-side or right-side through Settings > Display > My Navigation Bar > Adjustment.
Samsung Galaxy Fold Guide Part 3 : Switching Seamlessly
Samsung developed a new UX for the Galaxy Fold, which includes App Continuity.
App Continuity allows you to check an email notification on the cover display, and have it display automatically with a virtual keyboard, when you unfold the main display to respond.
It works both ways – after you plan a trip on Google Maps (for example) on the main display, you can fold the phone and have Google Maps display your route on the cover display automatically.
To enable App Continuity, go to Settings > Display > Continue apps on the cover display.
Samsung Galaxy Fold Guide Part 4 : Using The Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy Fold comes with SIX cameras – three for selfies, and three at the back.
The cover display has a dedicated camera for tracking a quick selfie. But if you open up the main display, you gain access to dual cameras that let you capture a wider-angle with Live Focus capability.
The Galaxy Fold’s main display allows for an expansive view of subject when you are using the rear triple cameras.
You can also take photos in any orientation – the Galaxy Fold will automatically move the shutter button to an optimised position, as you switch to landscape or portrait mode.
You can also press and drag the shutter button to move it to a preferred location!
Samsung Galaxy Fold Guide Part 5 : Harnessing The Large Display
The main appeal of foldable phones is they allow for a much larger display in a smaller form factor.
Unfortunately, we were not amongst the lucky few to get some hands-on time with the improved Galaxy Fold, but Samsung assured us that users will be impressed with the large 7.3-inch display.
Beyond its size, the main display uses a Dynamic AMOLED panel – the best in the industry, with HDR10+ colour and Dynamic Tone Mapping. It is also a TÜV Rheinland-certified Eye Comfort display with reduced blue light emissions.
To enjoy a cinematic viewing experience, don’t forget to drag down the upper notification window to turn on the Dolby Atmos feature. You can then enjoy an expanded soundscape through its AKG-tune stereo speakers.
Samsung Galaxy Fold Guide Part 6 : Multitasking
To help you multitask, Samsung Galaxy Fold has a Multi-Active Window feature that lets you use multiple active apps simultaneously.
Swipe the right-hand side of the main display to access the Multi Window Tray. It lists both your recently-used apps, as well as a View All button to see all apps that support Multi Window.
You can customise your favourite Multi Window apps within the tray using Settings > Advanced Features > Multi Window Tray.
You can then drag and drop up to three apps into the desired position and order on the display.
Furthermore, once you launch those apps, you can adjust the size of the app’s window by pressing the handle at the top of each window.
The Galaxy Fold supports up to three Multi Windows, as well as five pop-up windows. That means you can actually launch and use up to eight applications simultaneously!
To access pop-up windows, open the Multi Window Tray, and drag the app you need to the centre of the main display. It will become a pop-up window!
These pop-up windows can also be made transparent, so you can see and make use of the Multi-Active Windows behind.
Samsung Galaxy Fold Guide Part 6 : Next-Level Productivity
For greater productivity, power users can try out the Dual Messenger feature, which lets you keep your work and personal messages in separate windows using the Multi Window option.
You can also respond to alarms and notifications – when a notification message appears, you can drag it down into a Multi-Active Window to seamlessly respond or reply without interrupting your other apps.
To enable this Smart Pop-Up View feature, go to Settings > Advanced Features > Smart Pop-Up View.
Samsung would like us to remind all Galaxy Fold users that you need not worry about its multitasking performance.
Powered by the fast Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 mobile platform with 12 GB of RAM, it is more than capable of handling multiple apps – all running at the same time!
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After months of re-engineering, Samsung just launched the Galaxy Fold – their first foldable smartphone.
Here is EVERYTHING you need to know about the improved Samsung Galaxy Fold, including the official hands-on video, price and availability!
Introducing The Samsung Galaxy Fold
Its killer feature is the eponymous foldable display, which promises to revolutionise how we use our smartphones.
When folded, its 4.6-inch cover display lets you use it like any other smartphone. But when you need a larger display, just unfold it to reveal its massive 7.3-inch Infinity Flex display!
According to Samsung, the combination of a cover display, and the large inner Infinity Flex display allows for better multitasking possibilities.
And here is a look at how much easier it is to take photos with the Samsung Galaxy Fold cameras, and the larger Infinity Flex display.
The Samsung Galaxy Fold Hands-On Video!
Sadly, we were not one of the few given the chance to try it out in person, but Samsung shared with us the official hands-on video that showcases its key features :
As you can see, its folding design allows for a different user experience with new possibilities. That’s why we came up with a guide for first-time users.
Samsung Galaxy Fold Specifications
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy Fold
Display
Main Display
- 7.3-inch Dynamic AMOLED Infinity Flex display
- 1536 x 2152 pixels (362 ppi)
Cover Display
-4.6-inch Super AMOLED display
- 720 x 1680 pixels (399 ppi)
Operating System
Android 9.0 Pie
System Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
Processor
1 x Qualcomm Kryo 485 Gold (2.84 GHz)
3 x Qualcomm Kryo 485 Gold (2.42 GHz)
4 x Qualcomm Kryo 485 Silver (1.78 GHz)
Graphics Processor
Qualcomm Adreno 640
Memory
12 GB LPDDR4X-4266
Storage
512 GB (UFS 3.0)
Front Cameras
Dual Lens Camera
- 10 MP selfie camera with f/2.2 aperture
- 8 MP depth sensor with f/1.9 aperture
Rear Cameras
Triple Camera System
- 12 MP Dual Aperture camera with f/1.5 and f/2.4 apertures
- 12 MP telephoto camera with f/2.4 aperture
- 16 MP ultra-wide camera with f/2.2 aperture
SIM Capability
LTE : One eSIM + one nano SIM
5G : One nano SIM
Network
LTE : 2x2 MIMO, 6CA, Cat18
- up to 1.2 Gbps DL, 150 Mbps UL
5G : Non-Standalone (NSA), Sub-6 GHz
Connectivity
WiFi : 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz)
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type C
Battery
LTE : 4,380 mAh dual battery
5G : 4,235 mAh dual battery
Folded : 62.8 mm x 160.9 mm x 15.7 to 17.1 mm
Unfolded : 117.9 mm x 160.9 mm x 7.6 mm
Weight
276 grams
Colour Options
Cosmos Black / Space Silver
How Durable Is The Samsung Galaxy Fold?
In contrast to HUAWEI Mate X‘s outward folding design, the inward-folding design places great stress on the seam.
Would it be able to withstand being folded many times a day? Would it break into half, like a paper clip that has been unfolded and folded too many times?
Here is a look at the special folding test that basically used robots to fold and unfold the Infinity Flex samples repeatedly, to see if it would withstand at least 200,000 folds and unfolds.
It took these hardworking robots a full week to complete the test!
According to Samsung, the folding test was successful, proving that their foldable display is more than tough enough to withstand daily use.
Why 200,000 folds and unfolds? That threshold was based on the requirement that the foldable display be able to withstand 100 folds and unfolds a day for at least 5 years.
Unfortunately, the Infinity Flex display of production units proved to be still too fragile for mainstream use, and its launch was delayed.
Samsung spent the last 4.5 months re-engineering the Infinity Flex display, making it tough enough to handle not only the abuse of regular use, but also the natural follies of human nature.
The top protective layer of the Infinity Flex Display has been extended beyond the bezel, making it apparent that it is an integral part of the display structure and not meant to be removed.
Galaxy Fold features additional reinforcements to better protect the device from external particles while maintaining its signature foldable experience.
The top and bottom of the hinge area have been strengthened with newly added protection caps.
Additional metal layers underneath the Infinity Flex Display have been included to reinforce the protection of the display.
The space between the hinge and body of Galaxy Fold has been reduced.
Samsung Galaxy Fold Premier Service
Samsung also introduced a new Galaxy Fold Premier Service, which gives you exclusive access to specialised customer care :
one-to-one access to Samsung experts,
access to a 24/7 support hub online or over the phone
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Samsung Galaxy Fold Pre-Order Details For Malaysia!
Malaysian residents will be able to pre-order the Galaxy Fold starting 9 October 2019.
Step 1 : Walk into your preferred participating Samsung outlet
Step 2 : Make a RM 800 deposit (not refundable and not transferrable)
Step 3 : Collect your pre-ordered Samsung Galaxy Fold from Wednesday, 16 October 2019 until Thursday, 31 October 2019.
Every pre-ordered unit will come with a One-Time Screen Crack Replacement for 12 months, but to qualify, you must register for this benefit using the Samsung Members app.
Samsung Galaxy Fold Re-Engineered
Samsung spent the last 4.5 months re-engineering the Infinity Flex display, making it tough enough to handle not only the abuse of regular use, but also the natural follies of human nature.
The top protective layer of the Infinity Flex Display has been extended beyond the bezel, making it apparent that it is an integral part of the display structure and not meant to be removed.
Galaxy Fold features additional reinforcements to better protect the device from external particles while maintaining its signature foldable experience.
The top and bottom of the hinge area have been strengthened with newly added protection caps.
Additional metal layers underneath the Infinity Flex Display have been included to reinforce the protection of the display.
The space between the hinge and body of Galaxy Fold has been reduced.
Samsung has reintroduced the improved Galaxy Fold to South Korea, followed by the UK, France, Germany and Singapore… and now, Malaysia!
Samsung Galaxy Fold Premier Service
Samsung will also introduce a new Galaxy Fold Premier Service in Malaysia, which will give you exclusive access to specialised customer care :
one-to-one access to Samsung experts,
access to a 24/7 support hub online or over the phone
Express Repair Service with door-to-door delivery
We presume that the one-to-one session will be made somewhat mandatory, so that Samsung experts can teach users how to use and maintain the Infinity Flex display.
Samsung Galaxy Fold Specifications
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy Fold
Display
Main Display
- 7.3-inch Dynamic AMOLED Infinity Flex display
- 1536 x 2152 pixels (362 ppi)
Cover Display
-4.6-inch Super AMOLED display
- 720 x 1680 pixels (399 ppi)
Operating System
Android 9.0 Pie
System Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
Processor
1 x Qualcomm Kryo 485 Gold (2.84 GHz)
3 x Qualcomm Kryo 485 Gold (2.42 GHz)
4 x Qualcomm Kryo 485 Silver (1.78 GHz)
Graphics Processor
Qualcomm Adreno 640
Memory
12 GB LPDDR4X-4266
Storage
512 GB (UFS 3.0)
Front Cameras
Dual Lens Camera
- 10 MP selfie camera with f/2.2 aperture
- 8 MP depth sensor with f/1.9 aperture
Rear Cameras
Triple Camera System
- 12 MP Dual Aperture camera with f/1.5 and f/2.4 apertures
- 12 MP telephoto camera with f/2.4 aperture
- 16 MP ultra-wide camera with f/2.2 aperture
SIM Capability
LTE : One eSIM + one nano SIM
5G : One nano SIM
Network
LTE : 2x2 MIMO, 6CA, Cat18
- up to 1.2 Gbps DL, 150 Mbps UL
5G : Non-Standalone (NSA), Sub-6 GHz
Connectivity
WiFi : 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz)
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type C
Battery
LTE : 4,380 mAh dual battery
5G : 4,235 mAh dual battery
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With brands trying to pitch gaming smartphones based on the Snapdragon 855 Plus mobile platform, the question arises – is the Snapdragon 855 Plus really necessary for mobile gaming?
Find out what the Snapdragon 855 Plus offers over the “regular” Snapdragon 855, and if they will really affect your gaming experience!
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus
Announced in December 2018, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus is a mid-cycle refresh of the flagship Snapdragon 855 mobile platform.
Since it started shipping in the first quarter of 2019, some smartphone brands have been promoting it as a “must-have” feature for the ultimate mobile gaming experience.
The ASUS ROG Phone 2, for example, boasts of it as a key selling point. As does the upcoming Black Shark 2 Pro.
Snapdragon 855 Plus vs Snapdragon 855 : What’s Different?
In Qualcomm’s product brief, they even claimed that it would deliver “incredible gains” in performance, and that your gaming experience will take on “a new dimension“.
WOW… That’s some pitch…
But as bombastic as it sounds, the Snapdragon 855 Plus only differs from the Qualcomm 855 in two aspects :
its single prime Kryo 485 Gold CPU core has a slightly faster clock speed of 2.96 GHz
its Adreno 640 GPU is clocked at 672 MHz, instead of 585 MHz
Its other features are completely identical to the “regular” Snapdragon 855, as you can see in our comparison table :
Specifications
Snapdragon 855 Plus
Snapdragon 855
Fabrication Process
7 nm FinFET
Prime CPU Core
1 x Kryo 485 Gold (2.96 GHz)
1 x Kryo 485 Gold (2.84 GHz)
Performance CPU Cores
3 x Kryo 485 Gold (2.42 GHz)
Low-Power CPU Cores
4 x Kryo 485 Silver (1.8 GHz)
Graphics Processor
Adreno 640 (672 MHz)
Adreno 640 (585 MHz)
Modem
Snapdragon X24 LTE Modem
LTE Peak Download Speed
2 Gbps (7 x 20 MHz carrier aggregation)
LTE Peak Download Speed
316 Mbps (3 x 20 MHz carrier aggregation)
Image Signal Processor
Spectra 380 + Dual 14-bit CV-ISPs
The Snapdragon 855 Plus CPU Performance Explained
The Snapdragon 855 Plus has eight CPU cores, but only its single prime Kryo 485 Gold core has a 4.2% higher clock speed.
This gives single-threaded workloads a small 4% boost in performance. However, you should expect to see the performance difference only in benchmarks.
With multi-threaded workloads, the effect will be even more insignificant and definitely not noticeable.
The Snapdragon 855 Plus GPU Performance Explained
Its Adreno 640 GPU, on the other hand, received a significant 15% boost in clock speed. This will improve its graphics performance significantly.
However, whether you can actually feel a difference highly depends on the smartphone.
If it’s being used to drive a 4K and/or 120 Hz display, it could mean the difference between silky-smooth and occasionally jerky gameplay.
But if it’s just driving a Full HD and/or 60 Hz display… then it’s probably being used for marketing purposes because you won’t be able to tell the difference.
Remember – the regular Snapdragon 855 is a gaming powerhouse in its own right. You haven’t heard anyone complaining about its gaming performance, have you?
Is It Worth Paying Extra For The Snapdragon 855 Plus?
That would be like asking if it’s worth paying extra for a Lamborghini.
For the ultra-rich, they will probably settle for nothing less than the very best money can buy.
But for the rest of us – the economic hoi polloi, it really depends on how much extra brands want you to pay for an 855 Plus smartphone.
If you want to use your smartphone primarily as a gaming device, you should logically not pay more than a 15% premium. After all, the most you can expect is a 15% boost in graphics performance.
We personally wouldn’t pay more than a 5% price premium for what’s really an overclocked Snapdragon 855.
But take note too the other features of the gaming smartphone, like a high frame rate or HDR display. It may be worth paying a higher price premium for those features…
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Xiaomi launched the Mi 9T (Redmi K20) in June, and now they finally launched the Mi 9T Pro, also known as the Redmi K20 Pro!
Here is our hands-on preview of the new Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro, as well as our comparison of all three colour options!
Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro (Redmi K20 Pro) Preview
We had the opportunity to get some hands-on time with the Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro (Redmi K20 Pro) before its launch. Here is our preview of all three colour options!
The Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro is, in many respects, very similar to the Mi 9T (Redmi K20). In fact, there are only three key aspects in which they differ…
Flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Platform
The Xiaomi Mi 9T (Redmi K20) is powered by the mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 platform, while the Mi 9T Pro (Redmi K20 Pro) is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 flagship platform.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 has a triple-cluster CPU architecture, that consists of :
a prime Qualcomm Kryo 485 Gold core (2.84 GHz)
three performance Qualcomm Kryo 485 Gold cores (2.42 GHz)
four low-power Qualcomm Kryo 485 Silver cores (1.8 GHz)
It also has an Qualcomm Adreno 640 GPU, with a clock speed of 585 MHz.
Xiaomi took great pains to point out to us that it has great gaming performance, even though it is not the Snapdragon 855 Plus that will power some “gaming smartphones” like the ROG Phone 2, and the upcoming Black Shark 2 Pro.
To ensure sustained performance, the Snapdragon 855 is kept cool by an 8-layer graphite stack, and a bi-directional cooling system.
Xiaomi only let us test the Mi 9T Pro for two rounds of PUBG Mobile. It had no problem (of course) running PUBG Mobile with all the graphics features turned on, but it will get pretty toasty.
Both models have a 20 MP front camera. But they differ in two aspects :
the Mi 9T Pro has a larger sensor, with much larger 1.6 μm pixels (versus 0.9 μm pixels)
the Mi 9T‘s front camera has a slightly larger f/2.0 aperture (versus f/2.2)
What this means is the Mi 9T Pro’s front camera will give you better picture quality with less noise. And even though it has a slightly smaller aperture, it will still deliver better low-light performance because it has 78% larger pixels.
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Better Video Recording Capability
The Mi 9T (Redmi K20) uses the Sony IMX582 sensor, while the Mi 9T Pro (Redmi K20 Pro) uses the Sony IMX586 sensor.
However, they are both virtually the same – with the same sensor size, pixel size and 48 MP resolution.
The only difference – the IMX582 can only record 4K videos at up to 30 fps, while the IMX586 can record 4K videos at up to 60 fps.
1 x Kryo 485 Gold core (2.84 GHz)
3 x Kryo 485 Gold cores (2.42 GHz)
4 x Kryo 485 Silver cores (1.8 GHz)
2 x Kryo 470 Gold (2.2 GHz)
6 x Kryo 470 Silver (1.8 GHz)
Graphics Processor
Qualcomm Adreno 640 (585 MHz)
Qualcomm Adreno 618 (610 MHz)
Memory
6 GB LPDDR4x-3733 memory
6 GB LPDDR4x-3733 memory
Storage
64 GB / 128 GB (UFS 2.1)
No microSD card slot
64 GB / 128 GB (UFS 2.1)
No microSD card slot
Front Camera
20 MP sensor with 1.6 μm pixels, and f/2.2 aperture
20 MP sensor with 0.9 μm pixels, and f/2.0 aperture
Rear Cameras
Triple Camera System
- 48 MP Sony IMX586 camera with f/1.75 aperture
- 8 MP telephoto camera with f/2.4 aperture
- 13 MP ultra-wide angle camera with f/2.4 aperture
Triple Camera System
- 48 MP Sony IMX582 camera with f/1.75 aperture
- 8 MP telephoto camera with f/2.4 aperture
- 13 MP ultra-wide angle camera with f/2.4 aperture
Connectivity
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (dual band)
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : USB 2.0 Type C
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (dual band)
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : USB 2.0 Type C
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Sony just directly took on the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+, with their Xperia 1 smartphone that is still weeks away from being launched.
Challenging Samsung is nothing new. But challenging the Note 10+ with a multimedia-heavy device that has fewer features, at the same price point – that takes some balls.
Sony Throws Down The Xperia 1 Gauntlet
On the very same day Samsung kicked off retail sales of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+, Sony announced a pre-order for their upcoming Xperia 1 flagship smartphone.
And here’s the kicker – they are offering it at the same price as the Galaxy Note 10+ (256 GB), while arguably offering a less-impressive feature set.
Sony Xperia 1’s Key Selling Points
Of course, the Sony Xperia 1 has a few key features that they are touting against the Galaxy Note 10+.
21:9 CinemaWide display, with 1644 x 3840 pixels
X1 mobile HDR remastering technology
100% DCI-P3 colour space with Creator display mode
BIONZ X image processing engine with Eye AF
This makes the Sony Xperia 1 a multimedia powerhouse – great for those who want to enjoy a cinematic experience watching movies and videos.
Sony Xperia 1 vs. Samsung Galaxy Note10+ (256 GB)
However, when we compare the key specifications of the Sony Xperia 1 against the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+, this is what we found…
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Sony Xperia 1
Display
6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display
– 1440 x 3040 pixels
6.5-inch OLED display
– 1644 x 3840 pixels
Protection
Corning Gorilla Glass 6
IP Rating
IP68
IP65
System Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
Processor
1 x Kryo 485 Gold core (2.84 GHz)
3 x Kryo 485 Gold cores (2.42 GHz)
4 x Kryo 485 Silver cores (1.8 GHz)
GPU
Qualcomm Adreno 640 (585 MHz)
RAM
12 GB LPDDR4X
6 GB LPDDR4X
Storage
256 GB (UFS)
128 GB (UFS)
Front Camera
10 MP Dual Pixel camera (f/1.9)
8 MP camera (f/2.0)
Rear Cameras
12 MP main camera (f/1.5 + f/2.4)
13 MP telephoto camera (f/2.4)
16 MP ultra-wide camera (f/2.2)
12 MP main camera (f/16)
12 MP telephoto camera (f/2.4)
12 MP ultra-wide camera (f/2.4)
18 watt wired charging
No wireless charging
No wireless reverse charging
Of course, we have yet to test the Xperia 1 ourselves, but in a pure spec shoot-out, it is completely outclassed by the Galaxy Note 10+ (256 GB).
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Sony Xperia 1 Price + Availability
Sony is making the Xperia 1 available in three colours – Black, Purple and Grey, with a recommended retail price of RM 4,299 / ~US$1,029 / ~£839 / ~A$1,519.
Sony will start showing it off on 30 August, but retail sales will only begin weeks later on 8 October 2019.
Sony Xperia 1 Pre-Order Promotion
To drum up interest between now and 8 October, Sony is opening up pre-orders from 24 August until 6 October 2019.
If you book an Xperia 1 smartphone during the 6+ weeks pre-order period, you will receive a FREE pair of black Sony WH-1000XM3 wireless noise-cancelling headphones.
The pre-order page went down for more than half a day, but it’s up and running now!
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We were amongst the few to get some hands-on time with the first few Samsung Galaxy Note 10 smartphones.
Here is our hands-on preview, with our first impressions of the brand new Galaxy Note10 smartphone!
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 (SM-N970) Smartphone
The Samsung Galaxy Note10 (SM-N970) is the latest evolution of the Samsung Galaxy Note line of premium smartphones designed for those who want or need a stylus.
Powered by the latest Samsung / Qualcomm mobile platform, it comes with a large 6.3-inch Infinity-O display, 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage.
The iconic S Pen now supports Air Gestures, and Samsung introduced new Audio Zoom capabilities.
However, it drops the 3.5 mm audio port and iris scanner. Samsung giveth, and Samsung taketh away.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Specifications Compared
Unlike last year’s Galaxy Note9, the Note10 has a larger brother – the Note10+. We compare the specifications of all three devices in this table below :
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy Note10+
Samsung Galaxy Note10
Samsung Galaxy Note9
Display
6.8" dual-edge display
- Dynamic AMOLED with HDR10+
- 1440 x 3040 pixels (498 ppi)
6.3" dual-edge display
- Dynamic AMOLED with HDR10+
- 1080 x 2280 pixels (401 ppi)
6.4" dual-edge display
- Super AMOLED panel
- 1440 x 2960 pixels (516 ppi)
Protection
Corning Gorilla Glass 6
Corning Gorilla Glass 6
Corning Gorilla Glass 5
IP Rating
IP68
IP68
IP68
Operating System
Android 9 Pie
Android 9 Pie
Android 8.1 Oreo
System Platform
Samsung Exynos 8925
or
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
Samsung Exynos 8925
or
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
Samsung Exynos 9810
or
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
Memory
12 GB LPDDR4x SDRAM
8 GB LPDDR4x SDRAM
6 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM
Storage Options
256 / 512 GB internal storage
One microSD slot (shared with SIM 2) - supports up to 1 TB
256 GB internal storage
No microSD slot
128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB internal storage
One microSD slot (shared with SIM 2) - supports up to 512 GB
Front Camera
10 MP Dual Pixel sensor with f/1.9 lens
10 MP Dual Pixel sensor with f/1.9 lens
8 MP sensor with f/1.7 lens
Rear Camera
Quad Camera System with dual-tone LED flash
Wide-Angle Camera
12 MP sensor with f/1.5 and f/2.4 apertures and OIS
Telephoto Camera (2X optical zoom)
13 MP sensor with f/2.4 lens and OIS
Ultra-Wide Angle Camera
16 MP sensor with f/2.2 lens
DepthVision Camera
38.4 KP ToF sensor
Triple Camera System with dual-tone LED flash
Wide-Angle Camera
12 MP sensor with f/1.5 and f/2.4 apertures and OIS
Telephoto Camera (2X optical zoom)
13 MP sensor with f/2.4 lens and OIS
Ultra-Wide Angle Camera
16 MP sensor with f/2.2 lens
Dual Lens Camera with dual-tone LED flash
Dual-Aperture Camera
12 MP (1.4 µm) Dual Pixel sensor with f/1.5 or f/2.4 apertures and OIS
Telephoto Camera (2X optical zoom)
12 MP sensor with f/2.4 lens, and OIS
It is available in these FIVE colours, with Aura Pink and Aura Red as exclusive colours.
Aura Glow
Aura Pink
Aura Red
Aura Black
Aura White
However, only two or three will be offered in most countries. Here in Malaysia, Samsung is only offering the Note10 in Aura Glow, Aura Pink and Aura Black, at least initially…
We got our hands on all three colours, so we can compare them in real-life :
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Launch Price
Here are its official launch prices in four countries :
Model
US
UK
Australia
Malaysia
Galaxy Note10 (256 GB)
$949.99
£869
A$1,499
RM 3,699
And here are the official Samsung ONLINE pre-order / purchase links in Malaysia :
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Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Hands On!
We were amongst the few to get our hands on the Note10 devices here in Malaysia.
And we managed to get three of them in the Aura Glow, Aura Pink and Aura Black colours!
Here is our hands-on videos of the three Note10 devices :
Samsung removed the Bixby button, and replaced it with the Power button. So you will find the Volume buttons and Power button now located on the left side.
You may recall that in the Galaxy Note9, the Power button was on the right side. Now, the right side is completely devoid of any buttons.
At the top, you will find the SIM tray, a microphone port and a speaker port.
The slightly larger hole is not an IR emitter, or the third microphone, as some sites have claimed. It is actually an extra speaker port for the top speaker.
At the bottom, you will find the S Pen port, a speaker port, a second microphone port and the USB Type C port.
The 3.5 mm audio port is gone. Unfortunately, the USB-C to 3.5mm dongle is not provided as part of the package.
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Faster Exynos / Snapdragon Platforms!
Globally, the Samsung Galaxy Note10 will run on the new Samsung Exynos 9825 mobile SoC..
It is a refreshed version of the Exynos 9820 that powers the Galaxy S10+, Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10e smartphones, fabricated on the smaller 7 nm process.
Here is a comparison of the Exynos 9825’s performance against other devices.
Geekbench
Samsung Galaxy
Note10
Samsung Galaxy
Note9
Apple iPhone
XS
HUAWEI
P30 Pro
Single Core
4495
3443
4821
3317
Multi-Core
10223
8778
11610
9819
In the United States, it will use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 instead.
Whichever mobile platform your Note10 comes with, Samsung promises that it will have a 33% faster CPU and a 42% faster GPU than last year’s Galaxy Note 9.
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Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Infinity-O Display
The Samsung Galaxy Note10 will come with a 6.3-inch Infinity-O display, with a Full HD+ resolution and a punch hold for the front camera.
This would make it slightly smaller than the 6.4-inch display of the Galaxy S10+ and Galaxy Note9, with a lower display resolution and pixel density.
On the other hand, the Note10+ comes with a massive 6.8-inch display and Quad HD+ display resolution.
Improved S Pen With Air Gestures
The groundbreaking S Pen will get some upgrades, with the new version supporting Air Gestures.
It retains the single button, but comes with a built-in battery for about 10 hours of battery life, instead of a capacitor that powered the Note9 S Pen.
It will apparently let you control certain functions using gestures without the S Pen touching the display… How mysterious! We can’t wait to see how it works!
The Samsung Galaxy Note10 has a single 10 MP Dual Pixel camera in the front, with f/1.9 aperture and a 80° field of view like the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10e smartphones.
Triple Rear Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy Note10 comes with a triple camera system, that is made up of :
Main Camera : 12 MP sensor with f/1.5 and f/2.4 variable aperture
Ultra-Wide Angle Camera : 16 MP sensor with f/1.9 aperture, and 123° field of view.
Telephoto Camera : 12 MP sensor with f/2.4 aperture and 2X lossless zoom
Audio Zoom Capability!
This is an incredibly important new feature, at least for those who do a lot of video recording without using external microphones.
There are three Audio Zoom microphones, which will “focus” on the subject that you are recording, and hopefully greatly reduce ambient noise.
Audio Zoom will also change the range of sound that it captures as you “zoom” into the action. Very interesting!
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Dual SIM Tray
Disappointingly, the Samsung Galaxy Note10 will NOT come with a hybrid SIM tray. Instead, it will have a dual SIM tray.
This means you are limited to the 256 GB internal storage.
While that is more than enough for most users, we personally prefer to use a microSD card to store our media.
In case anything happens to the phone, we can still retrieve the media stored on the microSD card.
If you want the ability to add a microSD card, you will need to opt for theNote10+, which comes with the hybrid SIM slot.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Battery + Charging
The Samsung Galaxy Note10 comes with a 3,500 mAh battery, and supports 45W fast charging and 12W fast wireless charging.
However, it will not come with the new 45W Samsung EP-TA845 fast charger, only a 25W fast charger.
Time To Hit The Road, Jack…
Even as Xiaomi resurrects the 3.5 mm audio port in the new Mi A3 smartphone, Samsung removed the headphone jack in the Note10 series.
Unfortunately, the dongle is NOT free. Samsung is going to sell it for US$10 / ~£8.30 / A$20 / ~RM 42 each.
There is some good news though – the box includes a pair of USB Type C AKG earphones. At the very least, you can listen to music right out of the box!
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Fingerprint Scanner, Iris Scanner?
The Samsung Galaxy Note10 comes with an in-display ultrasonic fingerprint scanner like their Galaxy S10+, Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10e brethren.
It loses the iris scanner from the Galaxy Note9, but retains Face Recognition.
IP68 Water-Resistance
It was rumoured that the Note10 will boast improved IP69 water-resistance. This would mean it would be able to withstand high-pressure water (80-100 bar) for at least 3 minutes at a distance of 10 to 15 cm.
Unfortunately, Samsung stuck with IP68, which is good enough for short immersions in water up to 1.5 m in depth, but not enough to withstand pressurised or forceful sprays of water.
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The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 has been unveiled! And we managed to get our hands on the first few units in the world!
But while we are working on the videos and preview articles, let’s do a quick round-up of EVERYTHING we know about the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 so far!
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 – Everything You Need To Know!
This will become our central repository of everything you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ smartphones!
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Key Dates
Samsung Unpacked Launch
Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Note 10 in New York City on Wednesday, 7 August 2019 at 1 PM PST / 4 PM EDT / 9 PM BST… and over here in Malaysia, at 4 AM on 8 August 2019.
Samsung Galaxy Note10 Pre-Order
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 pre-order will run globally from 8-18 August 2019, with collections starting from 22 August 2019 onwards.
Samsung Galaxy Note10 Retail Availability
Samsung will start selling the Galaxy Note 10 globally beginning 23 August 2019.
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Faster Exynos / Snapdragon Platforms!
Globally, they will all run on the new Samsung Exynos 9825 mobile SoC, released just in time to power the Galaxy Note 10 devices.
It is a refreshed version of the Exynos 9820 that powers the Galaxy S10+, Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10e smartphones, fabricated on the smaller 7 nm process.
Here is a comparison of the Exynos 9825’s performance against other devices.
Geekbench
Samsung Galaxy
Note 10
Samsung Galaxy
Note 9
Apple iPhone
XS
HUAWEI
P30 Pro
Single Core
4495
3443
4821
3317
Multi-Core
10223
8778
11610
9819
In the United States, they will both use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 instead.
Whichever mobile platform your Galaxy Note 10 comes with, Samsung promises that it will have a 33% faster CPU and a 42% faster GPU than last year’s Galaxy Note 9.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Display Sizes
Both models will come with Infinity-O displays, with a punch hole for the front camera.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 will come with a 6.3-inch display, with a Full HD+ resolution.
This would make it slightly smaller than the 6.4-inch display of the Galaxy S10+ and Galaxy Note9, with a lower display resolution and pixel density.
On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ will come with a massive 6.8-inch display and Quad HD display resolution.
Improved S Pen With Air Gestures
The groundbreaking S Pen will get some upgrades, with the new version supporting Air Gestures.
It retains the single button, but comes with a built-in battery for about 10 hours of battery life, instead of a capacitor that powered the Note9 S Pen.
It will apparently let you control certain functions using gestures without the S Pen touching the display… How mysterious! We can’t wait to see how it works!
Both models will have a single 10 MP Dual Pixel camera with f/1.9 aperture and a 80° field of view like the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10e smartphones.
Triple Or Quad Rear Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 will have a triple camera system, that is made up of :
Main Camera : 12 MP sensor with f/1.5 and f/2.4 variable aperture
Ultra-Wide Angle Camera : 16 MP sensor with f/1.9 aperture, and 123° field of view.
Telephoto Camera : 12 MP sensor with f/2.4 aperture and 2X lossless zoom
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ will have a quad camera system. In addition to the three cameras above, it will feature :
DepthVision Camera : a HQVGA (240 x 160 pixels) ToF (Time of Flight) sensor which provides 3D data – does not take pictures!
Video Bokeh
This is a really exciting feature for those who record videos. The Galaxy Note 10+ with its DepthVision camera will be able to blur out the background of your videos using the Video Bokeh feature.
This will give your videos a real cinematic flair with adjustable depth-of-field effects. You can also add special effects in real-time!
Audio Zoom Capability!
This is an incredibly important new feature, at least for those who do a lot of video recording without using external microphones.
There are three Audio Zoom microphones, which will “focus” on the subject that you are recording, and hopefully greatly reduce ambient noise.
Audio Zoom will also change the range of sound that it captures as you “zoom” into the action. Very interesting!
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ Hybrid SIM Tray
Disappointingly, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 will NOT come with a hybrid SIM tray.
Instead, it will have a dual SIM tray. This means you are limited to the 256 GB internal storage.
While that is more than enough for most users, we personally prefer to use a microSD card to store our media.
In case anything happens to the phone, we can still retrieve the media stored on the microSD card.
If you want the ability to add a microSD card, you will need to opt for the Galaxy Note 10+, which comes with the hybrid SIM slot.
Here’s a curious bit of oddity – the Galaxy Note 10+ 5G does not have the hybrid SIM tray. Only the LTE version.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Battery + Charging
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 comes with a 3,500 mAh battery, while the Note 10+ has a larger 4,300 mAh battery.
They both support 45W fast charging and 12W fast wireless charging.
However, neither will come bundled with the new 45W Samsung EP-TA845 fast charger. Only a 25W fast charger.
Samsung will introduce a new EP-N5200 wireless charging dock that will support 20W wireless charging across two coils.
Time To Hit The Road, Jack…
Even as Xiaomi resurrects the 3.5 mm audio port in the new Mi A3 smartphone, Samsung will officially kill the headphone jack in the Galaxy Note10 series.
Unfortunately, the dongle is NOT free. Samsung is going to sell it for US$10 / ~£8.30 / A$20 / ~RM 42 each.
There is some good news though – the box includes a pair of USB Type C AKG earphones. At the very least, you can listen to music right out of the box!
Fingerprint Scanner, Iris Scanner?
Both models will come with an in-display ultrasonic fingerprint scanner like their Galaxy S10+, Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10e brethren.
They lose the iris scanner from the Galaxy Note9, but retain Face Recognition.
IP68 Water-Resistance
It was rumoured that they will boast improved IP69 water-resistance. This would mean they will withstand high-pressure water (80-100 bar) for at least 3 minutes at a distance of 10 to 15 cm.
Unfortunately, Samsung stuck with IP68, which is good enough for short immersions in water up to 1.5 m in depth, but not enough to withstand pressurised or forceful sprays of water.
2019-08-11 : Added more information about the Exynos 9825 and Snapdragon 855 mobile platforms, DepthVision camera, hybrid SIM tray, and IP68 water resistance.
2019-08-09 : Addedthe Galaxy Note 10 vs Galaxy Note 10+ colour comparison, and details about their colour options.
2019-08-08 : Added the confirmed launch prices and specifications, as well as pre-order details and videos from the Galaxy Unpacked event, and the exclusive media preview.
2019-08-07 : Added the leaked Galaxy Note 10 prices, specifications as well as details on the S Pen, Air Gestures, Audio Zoom, etc.
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The Samsung Galaxy S10e is a new variant of the Galaxy S family, offering most of its key features in a smaller package, and a more affordable price point.
Let’s take a closer look at the Galaxy S10e, and find out why it could be the Galaxy S10 model that offers the best bang for your buck!
Samsung Galaxy S10e (SM-G970) Models
Samsung announced two variants of the SM-G970 :
a base model with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage
a higher-end model with 6 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage
The 256 GB model though appears to be limited to the United States and Canada.
Samsung Galaxy S10e Colour Options
The Samsung Galaxy S10e (US | UK | MY) is available in six colour options, although not all colours will be available in all countries.
Prism White
Prism Black
Prism Green
Prism Blue
Flamingo Pink
Canary Yellow
Here in Malaysia, they are only available in three colours – Prism White, Prism Black and Prism Green.
Before its availability on 8 March 2019, Samsung arranged an exclusive hands-on session. Here is our hands-on video of the Samsung Galaxy S10e (US | UK | MY) smartphone!
On the left side, you will find the Volume control buttons, as well as the dedicated Bixby button.
The Power button, which doubles as a fingerprint sensor, is located on the right side. Samsung repositioned it higher in the new Galaxy S10 smartphones, ostensibly to avoid accidental presses.
The hybrid SIM tray is located at the top, together with a second microphone port (for noise cancellation).
Thankfully, Samsung retained the 3.5 mm audio port while they kept the S10e at just under 8 mm.
Everything else is the same as the Galaxy S9 – a USB Type C port, a microphone port and an AKG-tuned speaker at the bottom.
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New Flagship Exynos / Snapdragon Platforms
The Samsung Galaxy S10e (US | UK | MY) runs on either the new Samsung Exynos 9820 (worldwide), or the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (United States) platforms.
The Samsung Exynos 9820 has a triple-cluster architecture with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) (like the Kirin 980). Samsung says that it will deliver these performance advantages over the Exynos 9810 :
20% better single core performance,
15% better multi-core performance, and
40% better power efficiency
7X faster AI performance
Built on the 8 nm LPP FinFET process technology, it also boasts 10% lower power consumption, compared to the last generation 10 nm LPP process.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, on the other hand, is fabricated on the 7 nm process technology., which should deliver similar power savings.
It also uses a triple-cluster CPU architecture, and comes with an Adreno 640 GPU and an X24 LTE modem that supports Cat20 download and uploads.
Galaxy S10e Memory + Storage
The Samsung Galaxy S10e (US | UK | MY) comes with 6 GB of LPDDR4x memory, and either 128 GB or 256 GB of internal flash storage.
And if that’s not enough, it has a hybrid SIM slot, where the second SIM slot can support a microSD card of up to 512 GB in capacity.
A hybrid SIM tray is generally good enough for most people. But if you need to use two SIM cards, you better opt for higher internal storage, because there is no way to add a microSD card.
Infinity-O Display
The Samsung Galaxy S10e (US | UK | MY) features a large 5.8-inch display with Gorilla Glass 5 protection.
Unlike the Samsung Galaxy S10+ (US | UK | MY) and the Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY), it has a flat display, without curved edges. It also has a lower display resolution of 1080 x 2280 pixels with 433 ppi pixel density.
The display uses the new Infinity-O design, with a round hole for the front camera. This allows Samsung to deliver a screen-to-body ratio in excess of 90%.
Functionally, it works like a right-sided notch, with the area adjacent to the notch reserved for notifications.
Ignoring the notification area, the main display area has a WQHD+ resolution of 1440 x 2960. However, the Galaxy S10 defaults to a Full HD+ resolution to reduce power consumption and extend battery life.
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Dynamic AMOLED Panel
The Samsung Galaxy S10e (US | UK | MY) uses the next-generation Dynamic AMOLED panel that is HDR10+ certified.
This is literally the best smartphone display in the industry right now, capable of producing 100% of the DCI-P3 colour range, with a maximum brightness of 1200 nits.
This Dynamic AMOLED panel was also engineered to reduce blue light by 42% without changing how colours appear. This would make for more comfortable viewing with less eyestrain, especially at night.
Gorilla Glass 5 Protection
The Samsung Galaxy S10e (US | UK | MY) is protected by Gorilla Glass 5 in the front and back.
While not as tough as Gorilla Glass 6 used in the S10 and S10+ models, it will protect the S10e from 1.6-meter high drops on hard, rough surfaces about 80% of the time.
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Samsung Galaxy S10e Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy S10e (US | UK | MY) boasts a new front camera that pairs a 10 MP Dual Pixel sensor with a wide, bright f/1.9 aperture and a 80° viewing angle.
Dual Pixel is an autofocus technology that uses the dual photodiodes in every pixel on the image sensor for phase-detection autofocus.
This allows for faster and more accurate focusing, because it uses many more autofocus pixels, instead of just a few dedicated pixels (usually less than 5% of the total).
However, it lacks the 8 MP depth sensor of the Samsung Galaxy S10+ (US | UK | MY), which allows for accurate software bokeh effects and Live Focus capability.
In the back, the Samsung Galaxy S10e (US | UK | MY) comes with a dual camera system, which consists of :
a 12 MP dual-aperture camera (f/1.5 and f/2.4) – 77°, Dual Pixel, OIS
a 16 MP ultra wide-angle camera (f/2.2) – 123°, 0.5X optical zoom
Unlike the dual camera system of the Galaxy S9+ and the Galaxy Note9, it swapped out the 12 MP telephoto camera for a 16 MP ultra-wide camera with f/2.2 lens. It is also supported by a single LED flash.
Look at how useful the new ultra-wide camera is for your creative composition :
The ultra-wide camera is certainly very useful for architectural shots. However, it does NOT support optical image stabilisation.
This is important when you take videos, because you will lose optical image stabilisation if you switch to the ultra-wide camera. Your video will still be stabilised by electronic image stabilisation though.
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HDR10+ Video Recording
The Samsung Galaxy S10e (US | UK | MY) not only comes with a HDR10+ certified display, it also has the ability to record HDR10+ videos!
HDR10+ is an improved version of the HDR10 standard. It maintains the 10-bit colour depth of HDR10, but replaces its static metadata with dynamic metadata. This improves the dynamic range by allowing the brightness boundaries to be adjusted on a frame-by-frame basis.
However, please note that HDR10+ videos recorded on the Galaxy S10e (US | UK | MY) will only display properly on devices and TVs that support HDR10+, like the 2018 Samsung QLED TV range.
Samsung says that you can convert HDR10+ videos into non-HDR videos using its Gallery app. However, the functionality does not appear to be included in current version of their Gallery app. Enabling HDR10+ video recording also disables the more-efficient HEVC format.
Later in the review, we will show you what happens when you try to display or view HDR10+ videos on a platform or display that does NOT support HDR10+.
Improved Super Slow-mo
The Samsung Galaxy S10e (US | UK | MY) supports an improved version of Super Slow-mo, in which the recording time was doubled from 0.2-0.4 seconds to 0.4-0.8 seconds. Unfortunately, the video resolution is still limited to 720p at 960 fps.
The Super Slow-mo videos can be instantly edited, with a random selection from preloaded choices. Or you can use your own music / songs. You can also create a GIF from the recorded video, with three style of looping – reverse, forward or swing.
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Instead, it uses a side touch sensor integrated into the power button – a feature first introduced in the Samsung Galaxy A7 2018 (MY | US | UK).
The side fingerprint sensor has the advantage of being accessible even when the Galaxy S10e is attached to a car mount. The higher position of the sensor will also help in preventing accidental activation.
Like the Galaxy S10+ and the Galaxy S10, it uses a virtual Home button. However, there is no longer a pressure sensor, so you will need to tap twice on the Home button to activate it.
Iris Scanner + Intelligent Scan Removed
With the introduction of the ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner, Samsung removed the iris scanner. It was also removed to minimise the size of the punch hole in the display.
And with the iris scanner gone, there was no need for Intelligent Scan, which was first introduced in the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus. Intelligent Scan, as you may recall, combines the iris scanner with facial recognition for faster identification in both bright and dark conditions.
Built-In DeX Capability
While not mentioned at all by Samsung, the Samsung Galaxy S10e (US | UK | MY) has built-in DeX capability, that was first introduced in the Galaxy Note9.
This mean it does not require a separate DeX Station or DeX Pad accessory. All it requires is a simple USB-C to HDMI adaptor or cable! It does not even require a Samsung-branded adaptor (looking at you and your MFi bullshit, Apple!) – ANY USB-C to HDMI adaptor or cable will do.
After you use the USB-C to HDMI adaptor or cable to connect the Galaxy S10 to a TV or monitor, you just need to link a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse to use it like a PC. Best of all – you can continue to use your Galaxy S10 Plus while Samsung DeX is running!
Samsung Galaxy S10e Battery + Charging
The Samsung Galaxy S10e (US | UK | MY) comes with a 3,100 mAh battery, which is slightly more than the Galaxy S9. It supports QuickCharge 2.0 fast wired charging and Wireless PowerShare capabilities.
The Wireless PowerShare feature is particularly cool and useful. It allows the Galaxy S10 Plus to function as a wireless charger for any Qi-certified device!
However, its recharging speed is slow, so it’s really only useful to recharge the Galaxy Buds or the Galaxy Watch on a regular basis; and other smartphones in an emergency.
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IP68 Dust & Water Resistance
Like the Galaxy S9 Plus, the Samsung Galaxy S10e is IP68-rated for dust- and water-resistance. Best of all, you don’t have to prepare it in any way before you dunk it into water!
Officially, the Samsung Galaxy S10e (US | UK | MY) can withstand complete immersion in water up to 1.5 m in depth, for up to 30 minutes. That means you can take it for jogs in the rain, or reading in the bathtub. Heck, you can even take it for a swim!
There are some caveats though. The IP68 rating applies to a specific set of test conditions : 15-35 °C, 86-106 kPa, 1.5 metre, 30 minutes. Water may enter and damage the Galaxy Note9 if it is exposed to “water moving with force“, like running water from a tap or waterfall, or ocean waves.
The Samsung Galaxy S10e (US | UK | MY) has the same display size as, and a slightly larger battery capacity than, the Galaxy S9, but is significantly smaller, thinner and lighter!
It’s small enough that you can use it with one hand most of the time. And it fits real well in smaller pockets.
Its Dynamic AMOLED display is incredible. To see how much better it is, you need to compare it side-by-side with the already impressive Super AMOLED display used in the Galaxy S9 Plus and the Galaxy Note9. In particular, compare them in bright sunlight.
The main display area with its non-standard 18.5:9 display ratio means you will have to live with some pillarboxing– a black bar on each side of a movie. The extra wide display will come in handy in games though.
Available Memory + Storage
The Samsung Galaxy S10e (US | UK | MY) comes with 6 GB of LPDDR4x memory. It has roughly more bloat than the Galaxy Note9.
However, it comes with 2 GB more memory, so you still have 3.1 GB (52%) of free memory to use!
The base model also comes with 128 GB of internal flash memory, of which 108 GB is free to use. This is enough space to store about 24,000 photos, or 13 hours of 1080p videos, or 5 hours of 4K videos.
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Samsung Galaxy S10e Camera Performance – Photo Samples
Samsung brought over the excellent 12 MP dual-aperture camera from the Galaxy S9 Plus, and the Galaxy Note9.
Powered by the superb 12 MP Samsung ISOCELL Fast SAK2L3 sensor, it is capable of automatically or manually switching between the f/1.5 aperture, and the f/2.4 aperture.
The maximum 12 MP resolution is attained with the 4:3 aspect ratio, with 4032 x 3024 pixels, and a file size of between 3 MB and 5 MB.
Here are 12 high-resolution unedited samples for you to check out. Click on them to load the full-sized photos, which you can also download to examine.
There is no doubt that this is still one of the best smartphone cameras in the market, even though it was introduced a year ago.
You can see the intricate detail of the broccoli florets, the flower pollen, and mushrooms even without zooming in!
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It also did a great job of bringing out the colour of the subject matter. Every colour is accurately rendered and automatically “amped up” by AI algorithms. If you do not like the increased vividness though, you can turn off the Scene Optimiser feature.
The f/1.5 aperture naturally creates a very narrow depth of field, with a nicer bokeh effect. But if that’s not enough, you can use its Live Focus feature which allows you to create really awesome bokeh for the background.
No doubt, the Live Focus bokeh is artificially created, but the dual camera design allow for precise separation of the subject from the background. Live Focus also allows you to adjust the amount of bokeh for the background.
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Samsung Galaxy S10e Camera Performance – Video Samples
Like its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S10e (US | UK | MY) is capable of recording 4K videos from both front and back cameras.
Samsung removed the 10 minute time limit for 4K recording, but there is still the 4 GB file size limit.
Video Sample #1 : Piano (1080p)
In this video, you can see the amount of detail the sensor captures, even at just 1080p.
You can also see how well its OIS capability worked, even when we switched between the main camera and the telephoto camera. Its ultra-wide camera does not support OIS, but has good EIS capability.
There was a slight lag switching between the cameras, but otherwise, the image quality was fantastic.
We love how well it controlled the exposure. You can see right into the store in the back, which is usually blown out in other cameras.
The Galaxy S10e (US | UK | MY), sadly, does not support Hi-Res Audio recording, and its noise cancellation could really be much better.
We hope Samsung will look at adding context-aware noise cancellation, and perhaps a third microphone next to the rear cameras.
Video Sample #2 : Piano (4K)
The resolution at 4K is incredible. You can clearly read the store directory in the background!
Samsung also solved the focus seeking issue we noted when we reviewed the Samsung Galaxy S9+ (Price Check), which uses the same dual-aperture main camera.
Video Sample #3 : Street Market (1080p)
The Samsung Galaxy S10e (US | UK | MY) has really good OIS and EIS capability, giving us a silky-smooth video. It was also excellent at eliminating wind noise.
Video Sample #4 : Street Market (4K)
Its image stabilisation capabilities were not diminished with the higher resolution. Overall – very good OIS and EIS performance.
However, many devices still do not support HDR10+. Neither does YouTube. So check out what happens when you try to view a HDR10+ video on a non-HDR10+ platform.
Video Sample #6 : Piano (4K with HDR10+)
Just like with the earlier 1080p video, this HDR10+ video appears washed-out when viewed on a device or platform that does not support HDR10+.
Note that this is not a criticism of the HDR10+ video recording. The videos look great on the devices. We are just demonstrating what happens if you try to view them on non-HDR displays.
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Work Performance – PCMark
We tested the Samsung Galaxy S10e’s performance using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browsing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
The Samsung Galaxy S10e’s Exynos 9820 greatly improved on the mediocre work performance of the Exynos 9810 used in the Galaxy S9 Plus, and the Galaxy Note9.
Surprisingly, the Samsung Galaxy S10e (US | UK | MY) lasted as long as the Galaxy S9 Plus, even though it has a 11.4% smaller battery with 400 mAh less capacity!
Battery Recharging Performance
The Samsung Galaxy S10e (US | UK | MY) comes with an adaptive fast charger with a power output of 15 W. Take a look at how fast it recharged its 3,100 mAh battery.
The Samsung Galaxy S10e (US | UK | MY) has the same fast charging performance as the the Galaxy S9 Plus, and the Galaxy Note9 – about 29-30 mAh per minute.
This gives it an average battery life : recharging ratio of 6.4 : 1. A rule of thumb – for one hour of battery life, charge it for 9.5 minutes.
The fastest recharging happened up to the 90% level. This took just 60 minutes. Then the recharging speed slowed down, and it took a further 25 minutes to top up the remaining 10%.
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This is where the Samsung Galaxy S10e (US | UK | MY) comes in.
There are many who derided the Galaxy S10e when it was launched, until they tried it out. It often surprises people when they realise just how small the Galaxy S10e really is in real life!
Yet, it is a really fast and powerful smartphone, with most of the killer features its larger S10+ and S10 brethren boast.
It packs a flagship-class Exynos 9820 or Snapdragon 855 platform, with 6 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of storage into a compact device with a large 5.8-inch display but the physical size of a tradition 5-inch smartphone.
It is truly a remarkable feat of smartphone engineering.
We also want to salute Samsung for introducing the ability to record HDR10+ videos, although we have to point out that HDR10+ support is still limited. Samsung also seemed to have forgotten to add the ability to convert the videos.
But if you already have a TV or monitor that supports HDR10+, you can start creating HDR10+ videos with your Galaxy S10 Plus! And remember – HDR10+ is the future. It’s a matter of time before you upgrade to a HDR10+ display or television.
Its fingerprint sensor, which is built into the Power button, may not be as trendy than an in-display fingerprint sensor, but works great.
Its Wireless PowerShare feature is interesting and quite useful on-the-go. However, its slow recharging speed means its utility is largely limited to small devices like the Galaxy Buds and the Galaxy Watch. Recharging other smartphones is painfully slow, and should be relied on only in emergencies.
Now, the Samsung Galaxy S10e (US | UK | MY) isn’t for everyone. It’s targeted at a specific segment – people who want a powerful flagship device in a small, handy size.
They are those who prioritise size and weight over a larger battery and display. They also do not mind the lack of a telephoto camera that the Galaxy S10+ and the Galaxy S10 have.
If you are one of them, you will agree that the Samsung Galaxy S10e is worthy of our Editor’s Choice Award!
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With a sleek Infinity-O design, and a plethora of new features under the hood, the Samsung Galaxy S10 (SM-G973) smartphone is the culmination of ten generations of Galaxy S evolution.
Let’s take a closer look at the Galaxy S10 five months after its launch, and see why it still deserves our Editor’s Choice Award!
Samsung Galaxy S10 (SM-G973) Models
Samsung announced two variants of the SM-G973 :
a base model with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage
a higher-end model with 8 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage
Samsung Galaxy S10 Colour Options
The Samsung Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) is available in six colour options, although not all colours will be available in all countries.
Prism White
Prism Black
Prism Green
Prism Blue
Flamingo Pink
Canary Yellow
In our early media preview though, they only had the S10 Plus in Prism White (left) with the S10 in Prism Black (right).
Samsung Galaxy S10 Price + Availability
The Samsung Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) was made available for pre-order from 22 February until 28 February, followed by general availability on 8 March, at these price points :
Before its availability on 8 March 2019, Samsung arranged an exclusive hands-on session. Here is our hands-on video of the Samsung Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) smartphone!
On the left side, you will find the Volume control buttons, as well as the dedicated Bixby button.
The Power button is located on the right side. Samsung repositioned it higher in the new Galaxy S10 smartphones, ostensibly to avoid accidental presses.
The hybrid SIM tray is located at the top, together with a second microphone port (for noise cancellation).
Thankfully, Samsung retained the 3.5 mm audio port while they squeezed the S10 thinner – at just under 8 mm.
Everything else is the same as the Galaxy S9 – a USB Type C port, a microphone port and an AKG-tuned speaker at the bottom.
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New Flagship Exynos / Snapdragon Platforms
The Samsung Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) runs on either the new Samsung Exynos 9820 (worldwide), or the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (United States) platforms.
The Samsung Exynos 9820 has a triple-cluster architecture with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) (like the Kirin 980). Samsung says that it will deliver these performance advantages over the Exynos 9810 :
20% better single core performance,
15% better multi-core performance, and
40% better power efficiency
7X faster AI performance
Built on the 8 nm LPP FinFET process technology, it also boasts 10% lower power consumption, compared to the last generation 10 nm LPP process.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, on the other hand, is fabricated on the 7 nm process technology., which should deliver similar power savings.
It also uses a triple-cluster CPU architecture, and comes with an Adreno 640 GPU and an X24 LTE modem that supports Cat20 download and uploads.
More Memory + Storage!
The Samsung Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) comes with 8 GB of LPDDR4x memory, and either 128 GB or 512 GB of internal flash storage.
And if that’s not enough, they have a hybrid SIM slot, where the second SIM slot can support a microSD card of up to 512 GB in capacity. If you don’t need the extra storage, you can use two nano SIM cards at the same time.
A hybrid SIM tray is generally good enough for most people. But if you need to use two SIM cards, you better opt for higher internal storage, because there is no way to add a microSD card.
Infinity-O Display
The Samsung Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) features a large 6.1-inch display with 1440 x 3040 pixels and a 550 ppi pixel density.
It actually has a higher pixel density than the Samsung Galaxy S10+ (US | UK | MY) because it packs the same number of pixels into a smaller display.
The display uses the new Infinity-O design, with a round hole for the front camera. This allows Samsung to deliver a screen-to-body ratio in excess of 90%.
Functionally, it works like a right-sided notch, with the area adjacent to the notch reserved for notifications.
Ignoring the notification area, the main display area has a WQHD+ resolution of 1440 x 2960. However, the Galaxy S10 defaults to a Full HD+ resolution to reduce power consumption and extend battery life.
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Dynamic AMOLED Panel
The Samsung Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) uses the next-generation Dynamic AMOLED panel that is HDR10+ certified.
This is literally the best smartphone display in the industry right now, capable of producing 100% of the DCI-P3 colour range, with a maximum brightness of 1200 nits.
This Dynamic AMOLED panel was also engineered to reduce blue light by 42% without changing how colours appear. This would make for more comfortable viewing with less eyestrain, especially at night.
Gorilla Glass 6 + Gorilla Glass 5
The Samsung Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) is said to be protected by the latest Gorilla Glass 6, but that’s not entirely accurate.
It is protected by Gorilla Glass 6 in the front; but only has Gorilla Glass 5 covering its back. This is true even for the premium models with a Ceramic back.
In case you are wondering, Gorilla Glass 6 is about twice as tough as Gorilla Glass 5. It will withstand over 15 drops from a height of 1 meter on a rough surface.
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Samsung Galaxy S10 Cameras
The Samsung Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) boasts a new front camera that pairs a 10 MP Dual Pixel sensor with a wide, bright f/1.9 aperture and a 80° viewing angle.
Dual Pixel is an autofocus technology that uses the dual photodiodes in every pixel on the image sensor for phase-detection autofocus.
This allows for faster and more accurate focusing, because it uses many more autofocus pixels, instead of just a few dedicated pixels (usually less than 5% of the total).
However, it lacks the 8 MP depth sensor of the Samsung Galaxy S10+ (US | UK | MY), which allows for accurate software bokeh effects and Live Focus capability.
In the back, the Samsung Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) features a triple camera system, which consists of :
a 12 MP dual-aperture camera (f/1.5 and f/2.4) – 77°, Dual Pixel, OIS
a 16 MP ultra wide-angle camera (f/2.2) – 123°, 0.5X optical zoom
a 12 MP telephoto camera (f/2.4) – 45°, 2X optical zoom, OIS
Look at how useful the three cameras are in aiding your creative composition :
Note that only the main dual-aperture camera, and the telephoto camera (both with 12 MP sensors) support optical image stabilisation (OIS). The new ultra-wide angle camera does NOT support optical image stabilisation.
This is important when you take videos, because you will lose optical image stabilisation if you switch to the ultra-wide camera. Your video will still be stabilised by electronic image stabilisation though.
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HDR10+ Video Recording
The Samsung Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) not only comes with a HDR10+ certified display, it also has the ability to record HDR10+ videos!
HDR10+ is an improved version of the HDR10 standard. It maintains the 10-bit colour depth of HDR10, but replaces its static metadata with dynamic metadata. This improves the dynamic range by allowing the brightness boundaries to be adjusted on a frame-by-frame basis.
However, please note that HDR10+ videos recorded on the Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) will only display properly on devices and TVs that support HDR10+, like the 2018 Samsung QLED TV range.
Samsung says that you can convert HDR10+ videos into non-HDR videos using its Gallery app. However, the functionality does not appear to be included in current version of their Gallery app. Enabling HDR10+ video recording also disables the more-efficient HEVC format.
Later in the review, we will show you what happens when you try to display or view HDR10+ videos on a platform or display that does NOT support HDR10+.
Improved Super Slow-mo
Like the Galaxy S9 Plus and the Galaxy Note9, the Samsung Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) supports Super Slow-mo, which allows you to record 720p video at 960 fps. It has been improved though, with Samsung doubling its recording time from 0.2-0.4 seconds to 0.4-0.8 seconds.
The Super Slow-mo videos can be instantly edited, with a random selection from preloaded choices. Or you can use your own music / songs. You can also create a GIF from the recorded video, with three style of looping – reverse, forward or swing.
If you like our work, you can help support our work by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or even donating to our fund. Any help you can render is greatly appreciated!
Ultrasonic In-Display Fingerprint Sensor
One of the Samsung Galaxy S10’s killer feature is its new in-display fingerprint sensor.
In-display fingerprint sensors have already been introduced in smartphones like the OPPO R17 Pro, but they use optical sensors that basically take pictures for a 2D profile.
The new in-display fingerprint sensor in the Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) uses ultrasonic pulses to take 3D profiles of the user’s fingerprints. This allows it to be more accurate and secure.
In our tests, it proved to be surprisingly good. You just need to learn to press a little harder for the sensor to detect your fingerprint.
The bad news is – Samsung dropped the pressure sensor and feedback for the virtual Home button. So you will need to tap twice on the Home button to activate it.
Iris Scanner + Intelligent Scan Removed
With the introduction of the ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner, Samsung removed the iris scanner. It was also removed to minimise the size of the punch hole in the display.
And with the iris scanner gone, there was no need for Intelligent Scan, which was first introduced in the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus. Intelligent Scan, as you may recall, combines the iris scanner with facial recognition for faster identification in both bright and dark conditions.
Built-In DeX Capability
While not mentioned at all by Samsung, the Samsung Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) has built-in DeX capability, that was first introduced in the Galaxy Note9.
This mean it does not require a separate DeX Station or DeX Pad accessory. All it requires is a simple USB-C to HDMI adaptor or cable! It does not even require a Samsung-branded adaptor (looking at you and your MFi bullshit, Apple!) – ANY USB-C to HDMI adaptor or cable will do.
After you use the USB-C to HDMI adaptor or cable to connect the Galaxy S10 to a TV or monitor, you just need to link a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse to use it like a PC. Best of all – you can continue to use your Galaxy S10 Plus while Samsung DeX is running!
Battery + Charging
The Samsung Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) comes with a 3,400 mAh battery, which supports QuickCharge 2.0 fast wired charging and Wireless PowerShare capabilities.
The Wireless PowerShare feature is particularly cool and useful. It allows the Galaxy S10 Plus to function as a wireless charger for any Qi-certified device!
However, its recharging speed is slow, so it’s really only useful to recharge the Galaxy Buds or the Galaxy Watch on a regular basis; and other smartphones in an emergency.
Although we expected Samsung to improve its fast charging technology, the Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) maintains the Quick Charge 2.0 fast wired charging, with the standard 15 watt Samsung fast adaptive charger.
This is frankly pretty dinky compared to the OPPO R17 Pro with its 50 watt SuperVOOC charging technology.
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IP68 Dust & Water Resistance
Like the Galaxy S9 Plus, the Samsung Galaxy S10 is IP68-rated for dust- and water-resistance. Best of all, you don’t have to prepare it in any way before you dunk it into water!
Officially, the Samsung Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) can withstand complete immersion in water up to 1.5 m in depth, for up to 30 minutes. That means you can take it for jogs in the rain, or reading in the bathtub. Heck, you can even take it for a swim!
There are some caveats though. The IP68 rating applies to a specific set of test conditions : 15-35 °C, 86-106 kPa, 1.5 metre, 30 minutes. Water may enter and damage the Galaxy Note9 if it is exposed to “water moving with force“, like running water from a tap or waterfall, or ocean waves.
The Samsung Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) has a slightly smaller display size and battery capacity than the Galaxy S9 Plus, but is significantly smaller, thinner and lighter!
In fact, it is about the same size as a 5.2-inch smartphone like the HTC 10!
That said, this is still a two-handed device, because of its height. If you prefer to use only one hand, you can turn on the One-handed mode option.
Its Dynamic AMOLED display is incredible. To see how much better it is, you need to compare it side-by-side with the already impressive Super AMOLED display used in the Galaxy S9 Plus and the Galaxy Note9. In particular, compare them in bright sunlight.
The main display area with its non-standard 18.5:9 display ratio means you will have to live with some pillarboxing– a black bar on each side of a movie. The extra wide display will come in handy in games though.
Available Memory + Storage
The Samsung Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) base model comes with 8 GB of LPDDR4x memory. It has roughly more bloat than the Galaxy S9 Plus and the Galaxy Note9.
However, it comes with 2 GB more memory, so you still have a whopping 4.5 GB (56%) of free memory to use!
The base model also comes with 128 GB of internal flash memory, of which 107 GB is free to use. This is enough space to store about 24,000 photos, or 13 hours of 1080p videos, or 5 hours of 4K videos.
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Samsung Galaxy S10 Camera Performance – Photo Samples
Samsung brought over the excellent 12 MP dual-aperture camera from the Galaxy S9 Plus, and the Galaxy Note9.
Powered by the superb 12 MP Samsung ISOCELL Fast SAK2L3 sensor, it is capable of automatically or manually switching between the f/1.5 aperture, and the f/2.4 aperture.
The maximum 12 MP resolution is attained with the 4:3 aspect ratio, with 4032 x 3024 pixels, and a file size of between 3 MB and 5 MB.
Here are 10 high-resolution unedited samples for you to check out. Click on them to load the full-sized photos, which you can also download to examine.
There is no doubt that this is still one of the best smartphone cameras in the market, even though it was introduced a year ago.
You can see the intricate detail of the pepper seeds, the flower pollen, and mushrooms even without zooming in!
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It also did a great job of bringing out the colour of the subject matter. Every colour is accurately rendered and automatically “amped up” by AI algorithms. If you do not like the increased vividness though, you can turn off the Scene Optimiser feature.
The f/1.5 aperture naturally creates a very narrow depth of field, with a nicer bokeh effect. But if that’s not enough, you can use its Live Focus feature which allows you to create really awesome bokeh for the background.
No doubt, the Live Focus bokeh is artificially created, but the dual camera design allow for precise separation of the subject from the background. Live Focus also allows you to adjust the amount of bokeh for the background.
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Samsung Galaxy S10 Camera Performance – Video Samples
Like its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) is capable of recording 4K videos from both front and back cameras. Samsung removed the 10 minute time limit for 4K recording, but there is still the 4 GB file size limit.
Video Sample #1 : Piano (1080p)
In this video, you can see the amount of detail the sensor captures, even at just 1080p. You can also see how well its OIS capability worked, even when we switched between the main camera and the telephoto camera. Its ultra-wide camera does not support OIS, but has good EIS capability.
There was a slight lag switching between the cameras, but otherwise, the image quality was fantastic. We love how well it controlled the exposure. You can see right into the store in the back, which is usually blown out in other cameras.
The Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY), sadly, does not support Hi-Res Audio recording, and its noise cancellation could really be much better. We hope Samsung will look at adding context-aware noise cancellation, and perhaps a third microphone next to the rear cameras.
Video Sample #2 : Piano (4K)
The resolution at 4K is incredible. You can clearly read the store directory in the background, and later, make out the prices of the Baskin Robbins takeaway cartons!
Samsung also solved the focus seeking issue we noted when we reviewed the Samsung Galaxy S9+ (Price Check), which uses the same dual-aperture main camera.
There was, however, some auto-focus issues with the telephoto lens (which does not have a Dual Pixel sensor), and the OIS was slightly less effective at this high resolution.
Video Sample #3 : Piano (1080p with HDR10+)
The Samsung Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) uses the same camera as the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY), and they both support HDR10+ video recording.
However, many devices still do not support HDR10+. Neither does YouTube. So check out what happens when you try to view a HDR10+ video on a non-HDR10+ platform.
Video Sample #4 : Piano (4K with HDR10+)
Just like with the earlier 1080p video, this HDR10+ video appears washed-out when viewed on a device or platform that does not support HDR10+.
Note that this is not a criticism of the HDR10+ video recording. The videos look great on the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY). We are just demonstrating what happens if you try to view them on non-HDR displays.
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Video Sample #5 : Street Market (1080p)
The Samsung Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) uses the same camera as the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus (US | UK | MY), with the same OIS and EIS capability.
So we recycled the samples from the Galaxy S10+, which demonstrated excelled image stabilisation.
Video Sample #6 : Street Market (4K)
Its image stabilisation capabilities were not diminished with the higher resolution. Overall – very good OIS and EIS performance.
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Work Performance – PCMark
We tested the Samsung Galaxy S10’s performance using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browsing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.
The Samsung Galaxy S10’s Exynos 9820 greatly improved on the mediocre work performance of the Exynos 9810 used in the Galaxy S9 Plus, and the Galaxy Note9.
Despite using the same old 15 watt adaptive fast charger as the Galaxy S9 Plus, and the Galaxy Note9, the Samsung Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) has significantly improved fast charging performance by about 17%.
Even though the Galaxy S10 has about the same battery capacity as the Galaxy S9 Plus, it fully recharged its battery 17.5 minutes faster.
This gives it an improved battery life : recharging ratio of 7.33 : 1. A rule of thumb – for one hour of battery life, charge it for 8 minutes.
The fastest recharging happened up to the 90% level. This took just 55 minutes. Then the recharging speed slowed down, and it took a further 23 minutes to top up the remaining 10%.
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Samsung Galaxy S10 – Our Verdict + Award
Despite Apple slacking on the job, Samsung continues to push the boundaries of smartphone technology. Perhaps, it’s the clear and present danger from HUAWEI. Perhaps it’s the fear of declining smartphone sales worldwide.
Whatever the reason – Samsung delivered another killer smartphone in the Samsung Galaxy S10!
The Samsung Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) is, as we would expect, FASTER and comes with even more memory and storage than its predecessor. But that’s not why we think it’s a great smartphone.
They just packed a large 6.1-inch display, a 3,400 mAh battery, and an extra camera into a much smaller, thinner and lighter device! This is a remarkable feat of engineering.
We also want to salute Samsung for introducing the ability to record HDR10+ videos, although we have to point out that HDR10+ support is still limited. Samsung also seemed to have forgotten to add the ability to convert the videos.
But if you already have a TV or monitor that supports HDR10+, you can start creating HDR10+ videos with your Galaxy S10 Plus! And remember – HDR10+ is the future. It’s a matter of time before you upgrade to a HDR10+ display or television.
The Samsung Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) is not perfect, of course. Samsung still has not done much to improve its audio recording quality, even as they improved its audio output. And the relocated Power button always seems to be a thumb too far to press…
Its Wireless PowerShare feature is interesting and quite useful on-the-go. However, its slow recharging speed means its utility is largely limited to small devices like the Galaxy Buds and the Galaxy Watch. Recharging other smartphones is painfully slow, and should be relied on only in emergencies.
But its few faults are testament to the full decade of evolution behind its development. We continue to be impressed by each iteration of the Galaxy family, and the Samsung Galaxy S10 (US | UK | MY) is, in our opinion, a worthy successor to the excellent Galaxy S9.
There is no doubt that the Samsung Galaxy S10 is a truly great smartphone, and worthy of our Editor’s Choice Award! Great job, Samsung!
Where To Buy The Samsung S10?
Here are some current direct sale links (prices accurate as of 29 July 2019) :
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20 MP sensor with 0.9 μm pixels, and f/2.0 aperture
13 MP sensor
Rear Cameras
Triple Camera System
- 48 MP Sony IMX586 camera with f/1.75 aperture
- 12 MP telephoto camera with f/2.2 aperture
- 16 MP ultra-wide angle camera with f/2.2 aperture
Dual Lens Camera
- 48 MP camera with f/1.8 aperture
- 5 MP depth sensor
- single LED flash
Connectivity
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (dual band)
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : USB 2.0 Type C
WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (dual band)
Bluetooth : BT 5.0
USB : USB 2.0 Type C
3,300 mAh lithium-ion battery
- supports 27 W fast charging / 20 W wireless fast charging
4,000 mAh lithium-ion battery
- supports 10 W fast charging
Dimensions
74.67 mm wide
157.5 mm tall
7.61 mm thick
75.21 mm wide
159.21 mm tall
8.1 mm thick
Weight
173 grams
186 grams
Colour Options
Piano Black / Ocean Blue / Lavender Violet
Space Black / Neptune Blue / Nebula Red
As you can see, they are really quite different smartphones, even though they both have a 48 MP main camera.
Unboxing The Xiaomi Mi 9
The Xiaomi Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) comes in a premium pearl white box. Let’s unbox it, and see what we find inside!
When you fully unbox it, you will find the following items :
One Xiaomi Mi 9 smartphone
One Xiaomi Mi 9 clear TPU bumper case
One set of Xiaomi Mi 9 documents
One Xiaomi MDY-08-E1 USB charger (18 watt)
One USB Type C data and power cable
One USB Type C to 3.5 mm audio adaptor
One SIM tray extractor pin
While we always like it when brands include a bumper case, this bumper case falls short of our expectations. We will explain it in our close-up look at the Xiaomi Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) and its bumper case.
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The Xiaomi Mi 9 Up Close!
The Xiaomi Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) is built around a large 6.39-inch Dot Drop display.
Like the Redmi Note 7, the Mi 9 display has a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels, but it has a superior Samsung AMOLED panel that delivers a 60,000:1 contrast ratio and 103.8% of the NTSC colour gamut!
The Mi 9 is protected in the front and back by Corning Gorilla Glass 6, which offers 2X the damage resistance than Gorilla Glass 5 used to protect Redmi Note 7.
Disappointingly, the bundled TPU bumper case was not well-designed. It does not protect the display or the camera bump at all. It can only protect against falls on the sides of the phone…
Fortunately, the camera bump is protected by sapphire glass, which is tougher and less likely to scratch than Gorilla Glass.
On the left side, you will find the SIM tray and a Google Assistant button (like the Bixby button on Samsung smartphones).
The Power and Volume control buttons are both located on the right side.
Even though the Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) is thick enough to support a 3.5 mm audio port, Xiaomi removed it.
So you will only find a second microphone at the top, together with an IR emitter (which lets you use the Mi 9 as a remote control).
At the bottom, you will only find a bi-directional USB Type C port flanked by the speaker and microphone ports.
The Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) comes with a USB-C to 3.5 mm adaptor cable. It allows you to hook up your earphone or an external microphone to the USB-C port.
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Dot Drop Display
At the top of the 6.39-inch AMOLED display is what Xiaomi calls a “dot drop” notch.
This dot drop notch allows for a larger display area, specifically space for more notifications. Barring the complete removal of the notch, this is about as good as it gets!
Thanks to this small notch and thin bezels, the Xiaomi Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) has a 90.7% screen-to-body ratio.
In-Display Fingerprint Sensor
The Xiaomi Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) boasts an in-display fingerprint sensor.
This is an improved optical fingerprint sensor made by Goodix, that promises to detect your fingerprints about 25% faster.
While this is not as accurate or reliable as the ultrasonic sensor on the Samsung Galaxy S10 smartphones, it works quite well as long as your finger isn’t wet.
Double SIM Tray
The Xiaomi Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) has Dual SIM, Dual Standby capability. Its SIM tray supports two nano SIM cards for this very purpose.
However, Xiaomi chose to eliminate the option for expandable memory using a microSD card. You must rely solely on the internal flash storage.
Therefore, we highly recommend you opt for the most amount of storage possible, which is usually 128 GB.
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Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
Launched in February 2019, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 is a very powerful mobile SoC for flagship smartphones.
It combines eight Qualcomm Kryo 485 processor cores, with an Adreno 640 GPU, a Snapdragon X24 and X50 modems, a Spectra 380 camera ISP and a Hexagon 690 DSP.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 uses a 1+3+4 cluster architecture :
one turbo-speed Kryo 485 Gold core running at 2.84 GHz,
three high-speed Kryo 485 Gold cores running at 2.42 GHz, and
four Kryo 485 Silver cores running at 1.8 GHz
In addition to an X24 LTE mode, the Snapdragon 855 also features the X50 modem, which allows it to deliver 5G mmWave connectivity.
Memory + Storage
The Xiaomi Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) generally comes with 6 GB of LPDDR4x memory, with an 8 GB model in China.
Xiaomi does not allow anyone to check the amount of free memory, not even in Developer mode. But we used AIDA64 to confirm that with a clean system, it has 2.5 GB (42%) of free memory.
The Mi 9 comes with either 64 GB or 128 GB of internal flash storage. Our review sample came with 128 GB of storage, of which just over 115 GB (90%) is available for use.
This is enough space to store about 31,000 photos, or 16.5 hours of 1080p videos, or 6 hours of 4K videos.
We highly recommend you get the 128 GB model, because the Mi 9 does not offer expandable storage using a microSD card.
Setting Up The Xiaomi Mi 9
The Xiaomi Mi 9 (64GB : US / UK / MY | 128GB : US / UK / MY) runs on Android 9.0 Pie, so it is really easy to setup. It should take you no more than 7 minutes to set it up as a new device.
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Battery Life
We tested the Xiaomi Mi 9’s battery performance using PCMark. It basically ran the PCMark work tests until its battery capacity dropped to 20%.
