iPhone XR vs Samsung Galaxy 10e (8 Biggest Differences)
Credit: MKBHD
Samsung unveiled a handful of new devices at its Unpacked event on Wednesday. While the company broke some new ground, it also shamelessly took a cue from Apple.
In addition to the premium Galaxy S10 devices, Samsung also debuted the Galaxy S10e. It’s a device that compromises on premium features in favor of a lower price point. Sound familiar?
Here’s how the Samsung S10e compares to the device that likely inspired it: the iPhone XR. Continue reading to learn the 8 biggest differences between the Samsung Galaxy 10e and the iPhone XR.
Size Comparison
While the Galaxy S10e is pretty obviously Samsung’s answer to the iPhone XR, the South Korean tech giant took a different turn when it came to screen and overall body size.
The iPhone XR sits between the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max with a 6.1-inch display. In contrast to that, the S10e is the smallest of the three Galaxy devices unveiled this week — with a 5.8-inch display. That means you’ll get a bit of extra screen real estate on Apple’s iPhone XR.
Winner: iPhone XR.
Screen Cutout
Unlike many Android manufacturers, Samsung has been vehemently anti-notch. That hasn’t changed this year, since all three Galaxy S10 models sport a different type of screen cutout than many other competing flagship devices.
Samsung has gone with a “hole-punch” camera cutout, which takes up less of the screen. The iPhone XR, of course, still has the distinctive sensor notch. Both devices feature wider uniform bezels than their stablemates, and it’s really up to personal preference which design is “better.”
Winner: Tie.
Display Resolution
At a certain point, display resolution doesn’t really matter since the naked eye can’t really differentiate individual pixels. But, on paper, some displays will still be better than others. In this case, the Samsung Galaxy S10e has a better display.
For one, it’s an AMOLED and Full HD+ display instead of an LCD. It also packs in more pixels and comes with support for HDR10+. That should result in a better picture. But, of course, it may come with a downside. The iPhone XR’s lower-resolution display is a serious battery saver.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy 10e.
Performance
Apple makes what are likely the fastest smartphones on the market, and that’s probably not going to change this year. While the Samsung Galaxy S10e packs the latest Snapdragon 855 and 5 more GB of RAM, it has only “caught up” to the latest iPhones in terms of performance.
Based on benchmark testing carried out by Tom’s Guide, the Snapdragon 855 clocked in with a multi-core score of 11,196 and a single-core score of 3,552. The iPhone XR, with last year’s A12 Bionic, is still a bit faster with a multi-core score of 11,221 and a single-core score of 4,794.
Winner: iPhone XR.
Cameras
Flagship smartphone makers typically save the best camera setups for their more expensive devices. This year is no different for Samsung. The S10e has two camera lenses, while the more expensive S10 and S10+ have moved on to a triple-lens setup.
But comparing the iPhone XR to the Galaxy S10e, the Samsung device pulls with a dual-lens setup. The iPhone XR still has a single camera, but Apple can do quite a lot with computational photography. So when it comes to actual image quality, we’ll have to wait until the S10e is tested.
Winner: Yet-to-be-determined.
Ports & Features
Over the past few years, Apple’s devices have come increasingly more minimalist with fewer ports and buttons. That’s a design trend copied by many Android manufacturers. But, again, not Samsung this time around.
The iPhone XR has a single Lightning port, Face ID instead of a fingerprint sensor, and no headphone jack. The Galaxy S10e, on the other hand, looks like a flagship from three years ago with a 3.5mm jack and a power button-embedded fingerprint sensor.
Both devices have wireless charging, but the S10e can charge other devices with Wireless PowerShare.
Winner: Tie.
Storage Value
The iPhone XR and the Galaxy S10e both start at a mid-tier price of $749. But smartphones are typically priced according to the amount of storage that they’re equipped with, and the Samsung Galaxy S10e wins out slightly with a larger capacity.
Samsung’s base tier Galaxy S10e sports 128GB of storage, while the base tier iPhone XR comes with 64GB. The 2019 Samsung also comes with another typical Android perk: expandable storage via microSD card.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy S10e.
Color Options
While both the iPhone XR and Samsung Galaxy S10e come in a variety of color options, there are a few more available finishes on Apple’s mid-range device.
In the U.S., the lower-cost Galaxy S10e will come in white, black, blue and pink. While its comes in other color options, some are restricted to certain markets. The iPhone XR currently comes in yellow, white, coral, black, blue and red in all available markets.
Winner: iPhone XR.