Comparison Between Samsung Galaxy S10 and S9 - Which Offers Better Performance? (Updated 2023)
The Samsung Galaxy S10 succeeded the Samsung S9, and the natural question is whether the upgrade is worth it. Despite these devices being in the market for a while now, they are still sought after by people looking for budget, high performing Android phones. The prices have gone down since release, and many are available for purchase as refurbished devices. Samsung has a device for every budget. If you are one of the people thinking of a refurbished Samsung Galaxy S10 or a Samsung refurbished Galaxy S9, you will find the comparison in this article helpful for your decision-making. So, let's get into it, the Samsung Galaxy S10 vs Samsung Galaxy S9—head-to-head.
Samsung Galaxy S10 and S9: Design
The difference in the design language between the Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy S9 is pretty little. By doing away with the thick bezels, the S10 has a slightly bigger 6.1-inch display compared to the Galaxy S9's 5.8-inch display. Both the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S9 have fingerprint scanners. The S10 was the first Samsung phone to come with the ultrasonic under-screen fingerprint scanner, while the S9 maintained the traditional scanner in the rear of the device. There is also facial recognition on both devices, but you will notice that the camera is off-centre to the side, bringing out more of an all-screen design compared to the S9. So, while both phones have a futuristic clean look, the Galaxy S10 slightly edges the S9 for having a sleeker, chic aesthetic.
Galaxy S9 and Samsung Galaxy S10:Display
In the battle for displays, the Samsung Galaxy S10 has a slight lead as it comes with a slightly bigger display with better technology. Even though both phones feature an AMOLED display, the S10 uses a Dynamic AMOLED with HDR10+ functionality, while the S9 uses Super AMOLED with HDR support. The 6.1-inch display on the S10 also has Corning Gorilla Glass 6, while the S9 uses Gorilla Glass 5. The higher Gorilla Glass 6 is better in terms of shatter resistance and fingerprint management. Both have the always-on display option, but the S9 adds 3D touch functionality to the home button. The differences on the S10 are expected, but that doesn't mean the S9's display is weak. Samsung devices have some of the best displays in the market, and even the older S9's display has a better display than most high-value phones.
Samsung Galaxy S10 VS S9: Cameras
While the S9 has to make do with a single rear camera, the refurbished unlocked Galaxy S10 comes in with a triple camera setup at the rear. The S9's 12MP f/1.5-2.4 rear camera has optical image stabilization, Auto HDR, and can shoot 4K video up to 60fps. On the S10, you will find 12 MP f/1.5-2.4 main, 12MP f/2.4 telephoto, and 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide cameras. The main camera and telephoto camera have OIS and autofocus, but they are capable of 4K 60fps HDR10+ video with stereo sound and 2X optical zoom from the telephoto. The selfie camera of the Samsung Galaxy S9 is 8MP with a 2MP dedicated Iris scanner, and the Galaxy S10 has a 10MP dual pixels shooter capable of 4K 60fps video.
Samsung S9 VS Samsung Galaxy S10: Performance
As with most modern Samsung releases, both phones feature a Snapdragon and Exynos variant. Exynos is Samsung's in-house chip. The S9 came out with a Snapdragon 845 chip or the Exynos 9810 chipset, and the S10 features a snapdragon 855 or Exynos 9820 option. The Samsung S10 promised a 29% bump to CPU performance and a 37% boost to the GPU performance of the Galaxy S9. The S10's chip was more efficient and cooler thanks to the 7nm construction over the S9's 10nm. RAM also went up in the S10 to 8GB compared to 4GB in the S9. But there is also an option for 12GB RAM. Storage options also change from 64/128/256GB in the S9 to 128/512GB plus another 1TB option.
Comparison Between Samsung Galaxy S10 and S9: Battery
The Samsung Galaxy S10 improved the battery capacity from the S9's 3,000mAh to 3,400mAh. This boost is there to accommodate the increased screen size, but the battery life is still stellar. As you would expect, the S10's smaller chip is more efficient, and the battery life almost reaches the magical 24hours figure—on a single charge. Wireless and reverse wireless charging is also possible on both phones.
Final thoughts
The Samsung Galaxy S10 was an expected upgrade to the Galaxy S9, and it shows. It is the better phone overall, and we wouldn't expect anything less from it. It has a better processor, updated hardware, a sleeker design, more space, better cameras, and more. That said, it's not like these features make the S9 a bad idea. It was already a great phone, and the Samsung S10 price just makes it better. The S9 will do pretty much anything you throw, and despite the S10 one-upping it, you shouldn't count it out. Depending on your needs, if you are tight on budget then Samsung S9 Price willl be more light on pocket but both of these phones will perform well, especially if you get more value by buying them as refurbished.
Check Out the New Galaxy Z Fold 4 Review.