Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy S10? You need to know this before you do

When trying to decide if upgrading or switching to a new phone is worth it, an unboxing review just doesn’t cut it. This is particularly true for the Samsung Galaxy S10 since there are variable opinions and some things that people aren’t sure about.

I’ve used this phone for a month so here is what you need to know before making the decision to buy the Samsung Galaxy S10 or not:

Screen and Colors

The phone’s screen is one of my favorite features about it. Samsung has been doing a phenomenal job with their Super AMOLED but on the Galaxy S10 there is an HDR+ panel which really brings out the colors and images to life. Whether you’re using it outside or indoors, the colors are quite vivid, the text is easy to read, and media such as YouTube is a pleasure to watch.

If you’re someone who’s worried about the location of the front camera, don’t be. I was skeptical at first, but after a couple of days I got used to it and you will too. There are lots of wallpapers you can find that’ll fit and camouflage the location of the camera as well, and before you know it, the camera punch-hole will just disappear.

Camera

The Galaxy series has given us some of the best camera phones over the past couple of years and the S10 is no exception. The 3 rear cameras should give you sharp and realistic images and videos under most lighting conditions. The scene optimizer is actually useful too and can enhance your photos.

My main complaint is actually around the One UI update which prevents features like the shutter button to zoom or the pro mode while shooting a video. I guess this is something we are going to have to get used to and hopefully Samsung will update the One UI…I hope.

Connectivity

Many users have complained about losing connectivity. After one month of using the phone, I did not experience that at all. At no point did I lose connectivity and there were no issues with audio/sound quality either. Bluetooth worked perfectly well too. 

Those having issues should try to update the phone’s software to the latest version. If that doesn’t work you can try restoring default settings and gradually installing apps to find the problem.

For the record, I used my Galaxy S10 on the Verizon network in the USA with standard application – no APK, no rooting.

Reverse Charging

The Galaxy S10 comes with reverse wireless charging. Basically, you can set the phone down on its screen then put another phone on top of it to recharge. It sounds cool and is pretty neat when showing off the phone to your friends, but is it practical? No.

It’ll only let you use the feature if your phone has over 30% charge remaining. Additionally, I found it to be pretty slow and a “party trick” that is used zero times.

Battery Life

The battery life itself has left me scratching my head. Some days its great lasting up to 48 hours, while other days it lasts less than 12 hours. These irregularities may happen if the phone is fresh out of the box, but I’ve been using it for a month with no improvement.

Another issue I simply don’t get is the fact that it comes with Quick Charge 2.0 while other devices on the market come with Quick Charge 3.0 and even 4.0. A high-end phone like the Galaxy S10 should have the latest charging options.

Ultrasonic Fingerprint Sensor

I might get some hate for this, but I’ll say it anyway: not enjoying the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor.

It can be frustrating placing your finger all over the screen trying to find the sensor. Call me old fashioned, but I certainly prefer having a fixed and obvious location for the sensor.

This constant fumbling around and randomly tapping the screen hoping to his the right location is just silly.

So in summary

The Samsung Galaxy S10 is an incredible phone. The screen and camera are absolutely amazing. I ove the battery life too if it stopped being so variable and started being more dependable.

My main problem with the phone is the fingerprint sensor, but that shouldn’t necessarily be a problem for you.

It comes with AI that learns how you use the phone and for the first time, I feel like the AI actually works. A lot of devices advertise their AI, but the S10 is the first phone that makes it seem real.

Those looking to switch phone companies or upgrade from an S7 or S8 won’t regret getting the S10. However, if you currently own an S9, you might want to wait for the S11 since the differences between the S9 and S10 are negligible for most people to notice.

What do YOU think? Do you have the S10 and LOVE the fingerprint sensor or do you LOVE the battery life? Are you going to buy the Galaxy S10? Let me know in the comments.

Want more Samsung Galaxy S10? Check out How to remap the Galaxy Bixby button