Galaxy S10e vs. iPhone XR: Battle of the lower-priced flagships

Android Central

Android Central
Android Central
Both the Galaxy S10e and the iPhone XR offer the best features of their siblings without the premium price tag. We use all the flagship phones, including iPhones, so you can make better buying decisions.

Samsung Galaxy S10e


Premium Flagship

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Pros

  • Excellent performance
  • Dynamic AMOLED display
  • Stunning design
  • Wide range of colors
  • Outstanding camera
Cons

  • No in-display fingerprint sensor
  • Lower RAM than others in series
  • No telephoto lens
  • Smaller battery than other S10s

The Galaxy S10e offers almost everything that the Galaxy S10 family does, at a more affordable price point. You get the same stunning design, outstanding performance and a wide range of colors. However, it doesn't have the ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor, has less RAM in the base model and lacks a telephoto lens.

Apple iPhone XR


Affordable iPhone

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Pros

  • Surprisingly good display
  • Capable speakers
  • FaceID is very good
  • Wide range of colors
Cons

  • Less than full HD display
  • No secondary camera
  • only 3GB of RAM

The iPhone XR offers some of Apple's key iPhone features at an affordable price. However, it removes the dual camera, the display is lower resolution and the base storage is only 64GB. The iPhone XR offers a cut-down version of Apple's flagship, at what is still a premium price.


The iPhone XR is perfect if you want to jump into Apple's ecosystem at an affordable price, while the Galaxy S10e offers the very best of the Galaxy S10 family, at an outstanding price tag.

Should you buy the Galaxy S10e or the iPhone XR?


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Both Samsung and Apple take different paths to reach lower costs than their flagship counterparts. Samsung's Galaxy S10e loses a rear telephoto camera, drops the screen resolution from 1440p to 1080p, minimizes the battery, and omits the fancy in-display fingerprint sensor. But overall the phone shares much of the same foundation as its Galaxy S10 and S10+ family, including a brand new Snapdragon 855 platform, between 6GB and 8GB of RAM, a minimum of 128GB of storage, the same main rear cameras, and ultra-fast 2Gbps LTE.

Apple, on the other hand, drops the number of rear cameras from two to one, and takes the resolution from just over 1080p in the iPhone XS to around 820p on the iPhone XR. What's interesting is that with the iPhone XR, Apple increased the screen size over the iPhone XS to 6.1 inches, finding a middle ground between the two flagships. That bigger screen makes the phone awkward to use in one hand, something that the Galaxy S10e offers with aplomb thanks to its compact 5.8-inch screen size and smaller bezels.

Still, Samsung appears to have found the better compromise between price and performance, though Apple likely boasts a battery advantage over the S10e.

Category Galaxy S10e iPhone XR
Operating System Android 9.0 Pie Apple iOS 12
Display 5.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED
2280x1080 (19:9)
Gorilla Glass 5 6.1-inch IPS LCD
179x828 (19.5:9)
True-tone, 120 Hz touch-sensing
Chipset Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Apple A12 Bionic
RAM 6GB / 8GB 3GB
Storage 128GB / 256GB 64GB / 128GB / 256GB
MicroSD slot Yes (up to 512GB) None
Rear camera 1 12MP Dual Pixel
f/1.5 / f2.4
OIS, 77° FOV 12MP
f/1.8m, 26mm wide angle
OIS, PDAF
Rear camera 2 16MP Ultra-Wide
f/2.2, 123° FOV None
Front camera 1 10MP Dual Pixel
f/1.9, 80° FOV 7MP
f/2.2, 32mm
Connectivity WiFi 802.11ac, Cat 20 LTE (2Gbps download)
Bluetooth 5.0 LE, NFC WiFi 802.11ac
Bluetooth 5.0 LE
NFC
Audio Stereo Speakers
Dolby Atmos technology Stereo Speakers
Battery 3,100mAh 2,942mAh
Charging Fast Charging
USB Type-C
Fast Wireless Charging 2
Reverse Wireless Charging Power Delivery 2.0
Wireless Charging
Water Resistance IP68 IP67
Security Fingerprint Sensor Face ID
Dimensions 69.9 x 142.2 x 7.9mm
150g 150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3mm
194g
Colors Flamingo Pink
Prism Blue
Prism White
Prism Black Black
Red
Yellow
Blue
Coral
White

So which should you buy? It largely depends on your platform preferences, but despite the iPhone having some pretty great specs, it can't compete with the Galaxy S10e.

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The Apple iPhone XR offers the latest from Apple, including the outstanding Apple A12 Bionic processor, and allows you to get the latest Apple experience at a more affordable price. However, it does cut down on certain features and the lack of a Full HD display and dual camera in 2019, is unforgivable. It also lacks gigabit LTE, whereas the S10e offers 2Gbps speeds with some networks.


The Galaxy S10e offers everything you could want in an Android smartphone

The Galaxy S10e also offers everything you could want in an Android smartphone, and represents Samsung's biggest answer yet to the challenge of companies like OnePlus, Motorola and Nokia.

With a starting price of $750, the Galaxy S10e starts $150 lower than the Galaxy S10, without any real drawbacks. On its own, the Galaxy S10e is an outstanding device, and compared to the rest of the Galaxy S10 family, there are many compelling reasons it could be your next smartphone.

Samsung Galaxy S10e


Premium Flagship

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The very best of Samsung at an excellent price.

The Galaxy S10e offers everything the Galaxy S10 family does, at a lower starting point, including an outstanding display, dual rear cameras, and great performance. However it drops the third camera and replaces the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor with one embedded in the power button.

Apple iPhone XR


Affordable iPhone

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An affordable iPhone with key Apple features.

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The Apple iPhone XR offers everything you'd expect from the iPhone including Face ID, a great camera and the A12 Bionic processor. However it drops the higher-resolution AMOLED display and secondary camera.

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