How much is the Samsung Galaxy S10 now and is it worth it in 2020?

The Galaxy S20 series represents Samsung’s best ‘candy bar’ smartphone solution to date, which is something you’d expect from a brand new flagship. But if you’re wondering if the Galaxy S10 series has any place on the market after the new model’s release, the answer is ‘yes,’ if you’re aware of the implications.

There’s no denying that the Galaxy S20 lineup is more powerful on paper than its predecessor in virtually every way, but that’s not to say the Galaxy S10 is obsolete. And with the Galaxy S20 now stealing all the hype, you may be able to find attractive discounts on the Galaxy S10 series. You may have thought how much is the Galaxy S10 these days if you’ve been slightly discouraged by the pricing for the Galaxy S20. The good news is that one of Samsung’s most robust lineups is now within reach of more customers than ever before.

Is the Galaxy S10 worth it in 2020?

Samsung’s 2019 flagships remain quite powerful by today’s standards. Granted, you will see a difference in synthetic benchmark scores when comparing the Snapdragon 855 and 865 SoCs side-by-side (or their Exynos equivalents in different markets), but you can expect Qualcomm’s 2019 flagship chipset solution to be very competent in handling day-to-day tasks in 2020.

You will get more RAM with the Galaxy S20 5G variants in the US, but that’s mainly because 5G requires more RAM in general. The LTE models, which are not available in the US, come with 8GB and 12GB of RAM instead.

You won’t lose anything in terms of storage, either. Much like the Galaxy S10 series before it, the Galaxy S20 base models have 128GB of built-in storage, even though the Galaxy Note 10 had 256GB as standard.

Another thing to consider is that the Galaxy S10e, in particular, remains Samsung’s most compact high-end phone on the market. It does have a weaker camera setup even compared to the Galaxy S10, but if you’re willing to give up on the telephoto sensor in favor of a smaller footprint, it’s probably your best choice.

And finally, if you’re not ready to move on to USB-C or wireless headphones, and the inclusion of a 3.5mm headphone jack is important to you then the Galaxy S10 lineup is the only way to go.

The Galaxy S20 series is more futureproof and a better 5G choice

Since it’s a newer flagship, it should be obvious that the Galaxy S20 is more future proof than last year’s model. One UI 2.1 is now a part of the Galaxy S10 experience following a recent update, but keep in mind that the S20 lineup will receive one additional major Android OS update and it will be supported with security patches for the next four years.

Furthermore, the entire Galaxy S20 series in the United States has 5G capabilities, so if this is an important factor for you then you’re probably better off buying the newer model than the Galaxy S10 5G, which continues to sell for $1,299, or $1,199 if you activate it with Verizon on the day of your purchase. Therefore, the Galaxy S20 is a cheaper way to get into the growing 5G scene.

You’ll also miss out on the new Space Zoom camera feature on the Galaxy S20, should you decide to buy one of the S10 models instead. Likewise, the S10 lineup has 15W fast charging, while the Galaxy S20/S20+, and S20 Ultra benefit from 25W and 45W super-fast charging, respectively.

Last but not least, the Galaxy S20 lineup is the company’s first to boast a display with a refresh rate higher than 60Hz. But while the 120Hz display is impressive, sticking with 60Hz won’t hurt your user experience, and you might end up using the 60Hz display mode even on the Galaxy S20. It’s up to you to decide if the 120Hz panel is worth it (and you can check our poll on the matter, by the way), but one thing to keep in mind is that the transition from 120Hz back to 60Hz is more noticeable than when switching the other way around.

We live in the real world, and pricing is a factor, after all

Unless you have a spare flagship lying around and you’re willing to take advantage of the ongoing trade-in deal for the Galaxy S20 series in the US, you’re not going to be able to buy the new flagship for an equal or lower price than that of the S10.

Wondering how much is the Galaxy S10 series available for nowadays? The Galaxy S10e, S10, and S10+ are now available in the US at a discount. Oddly enough, you can get either the Galaxy S10e or Galaxy S10 for $599, while the Galaxy S10+ will set you back $699. There’s quite a difference between them and the Galaxy S20’s $999 starting price, so this is obviously a great time to take advantage of these Samsung Galaxy S10 deals.

In closing, there are reasons to want to buy the new flagship series, as detailed above. But if you don’t want to spend $1,000 or more, you can live without certain features, and/or you want a 3.5mm headphone jack (or a very compact device with a flat screen, in the case of the S10e model), the 2019 lineup remains a good choice. Especially if you can buy one at a discount. And if you don’t reside in the USA, make sure you check Samsung’s portal for your market and you might find similar Galaxy S10 deals. You now know how much is a Galaxy S10 and that it still represents a great value despite not being the latest flagship. The only question is, are you going to buy one?

Galaxy S10e Review | Galaxy S10/10+ Review

• Buy the Galaxy S10e from Samsung USA / Best Buy / Walmart
• Buy the Galaxy S10 from Samsung USA / Best Buy / Walmart
• Buy the Galaxy S10+ from Samsung USA / Best Buy / Walmart

Galaxy S10e

• Model: SM-G970F
• Dimensions: 69.9 x 142.2 x 7.9mm
• Display: 5.8” (146.5mm) Super AMOLED
• CPU: Exynos 9820 Octa
• Camera: 12 MP, CMOS F1.5/F2.4 (77°) & 16MP, CMOS F2.2 (123°)Ultra Wide

More specifications

Galaxy S10

• Model: SM-G973F
• Dimensions: 70.4 x 149.9 x 7.8mm
• Display: 6.1"(157.5mm) Super AMOLED
• CPU: Exynos 9820 Octa
• Camera: 12 MP.CMOS F2.4 45° Telephoto & 12MP F1.5 77° & 16MP F2.2 123° Ultra-wide

More specifications

Galaxy S10 Plus

• Model: SM-G975F
• Dimensions: 74.1 x 157.6 x 7.8mm
• Display: 6.4"(162.5mm) Super AMOLED
• CPU: Exynos 9820 Octa
• Camera: 12 MP.CMOS F2.4 45° Telephoto & 12MP F1.5/F2.4 77° & 16MP F2.2 123° Ultra-wide

More specifications

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First case of coronavirus confirmed at Samsung’s semiconductor plant

The first case of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) at Samsung’s semiconductor manufacturing plant in Yongin, Seoul, was confirmed earlier today, according to Yonhap News Agency.

This is the first case of a Samsung employee at the Giheung semiconductor factory in Yongin to test positive, but it is not the first SARS-CoV-2 case to have been reported within the factory’s perimeter. Roughly one month ago, a cafeteria worker at the Gigeung plant had also tested positive, but this was an employee of a contractor firm.

As yet, there’s no news on whether or not the plant will be shutting down

Samsung’s employee is in his 20s and he’s a resident of Hwaseong. He began showing syndromes last week. According to the source citing the Hwaseong city government, the worker tested positive on Sunday. Samsung immediately sent his colleagues home and disinfected the workplace, but as yet, it’s unclear whether the company will shut down its plant.

The company may have found itself in a difficult spot. While smartphone sales are expected to drop this year, with the Galaxy S20 series standing as proof of that, the company’s semiconductor business is expected to grow even amid the coronavirus pandemic. Having to shut down its chip production lines would probably set the company back in one of its most hopeful business sectors during the economic fallout.

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I’m seriously impressed with the Galaxy S20 Ultra’s charging speed

The battery capacities on Galaxy phones in all price segments have received a massive boost this year. From the budget-friendly Galaxy M11 to the $1400 Galaxy S20 Ultra, Samsung has released quite a few phones that have a 5,000 mAh battery in recent months. The Galaxy S20 Ultra, despite some power hungry features like a 120Hz display refresh rate and a nearly 7-inch screen, lasts really long on a single charge thanks to the size of its battery. More than that, however, I’m impressed at how quickly it goes from 0 to 100% with the supplied 25W charger.

I have been using the Galaxy S20 Ultra for around three weeks at this point and was using the Galaxy S20+ prior to that. All three Galaxy S20 models support 25W super fast charging, but Samsung seems to have tuned the Galaxy S20 Ultra to charge the fastest, or at least in a similar time as the Galaxy S20+, despite the difference in battery capacities. An hour of charging gets the Galaxy S20 Ultra from 0 to 100%, and that’s particularly impressive when you consider that just six months ago, the Note 10+ was the charging speed champion, with its 4,300 mAh battery going from 0 to full in around 65 minutes.

The reason is simple: With any fast charging technology, the power received from the charger begins to taper off once you cross 50-60% charge, but that probably isn’t happening as much on the Galaxy S20 Ultra as it does on other Galaxy phones. And it’s great to see Samsung didn’t just slap a big battery on the top-end Galaxy S20 model and call it a day. The S20 Ultra can last a full day with considerably heavy use, even with 120Hz refresh rate enabled (and I’m never disabling that feature on my phones), and when you need to, you can top it up in an hour and be on your way again.

Of course, there’s plenty more to like about the Galaxy S20 Ultra, and you can read all about that in our review of the phone. Also check out our Galaxy S20+ review, which is the Galaxy S20 model we recommend for most people.

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New fashionable Galaxy Z Flip Special Edition is available in Thailand

Samsung has launched the Galaxy Z Flip SIRIVANNAVARI BANGKOK Special Edition in Thailand. This is the result of Samsung’s first collaboration with a fashion house post-launch, with the Thom Browne Edition being a part of the original Unpacked unveiling.

Samsung’s partnership with the Thai fashion brand was announced almost a month ago, and now the Galaxy Z Flip SIRIVANNAVARI BANGKOK is finally available for purchase online for 47,900 Baht ($1,465). For the price, customers receive the Galaxy Z Flip, a limited edition protective case and wallpaper, and a retail package boasting the SIRIVANNAVARI BANGKOK brand.

This Special Edition Galaxy Z Flip consists mostly of a unique case

Unlike the Thom Browne Edition, the Galaxy Z Flip contained in this new retail package hasn’t received special treatment outside of a wallpaper featuring the fashion house’s stylized peacock logo. Instead, the standard Mirror Purple model is paired with a pink and purple Special Edition case, while Mirror Black model’s case features similar prismatic patterns in blue and turquoise.

The Galaxy Z Flip is half a technical marvel and half a fashion statement, and the latter characteristic seems to be quite fitting for a collaboration with a fashion brand that has a peacock as its logo. The Galaxy Z Flip becomes more impressive when unfolded, revealing a flexible display that’s very likely to impress gadget enthusiasts and casual smartphone users alike.

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Galaxy Z Flip finally releasing in Australia & New Zealand on Friday

The Galaxy Z Flip is finally releasing in Australia and New Zealand on Friday, April 3rd, six weeks after Samsung brought it to the United States and the United Kingdom.

Prospective buyers in Oceania still have until Thursday to pre-order the newest Galaxy foldable, priced at $2,199 AUS and $2,399 NZD, respectively. Interest-free financing is also on the table, albeit only over a two-year period in Australia, whereas the plans offered by Samsung’s New Zealand division go up to 36 monthly installments.

Galaxy Z Flip is Samsung’s best foldable yet

New Zealanders can also benefit from Samsung’s local trade-in program allowing them to knock down the price of the Galaxy Z Flip by up to $740 NZD, in addition to receiving a $200 NZD cashback on top of that. Naturally, that’s assuming they trade one of the more expensive versions of the extremely recently debuted Galaxy Note 10+. A more realistic scenario wherein they’ll be parting with a two-year-old device like the Galaxy S9 will yield savings of around $500 NZD.

Despite the steep price tag, the Mirror Purple variant of the Galaxy Z Flip is already out of stock in Australia, leaving only the Mirror Black model available for advanced orders. Across the Tasman Sea, consumers can still pre-order either version. There’s still no word on whether the Mirror Gold or Thom Browne options will be eventually launching in either country.

The promising pre-release performance dovetails Samsung’s efforts to improve upon last year’s Galaxy Fold in almost every respect with the Galaxy Z Flip, starting with the main selling point of this novel form factor. Namely, the Galaxy Z Flip’s screen isn’t just bendable but can also be kept open at multiple angles, which many reviewers are describing as nothing short of a game-changer.

Combined with better battery life, more intuitive interfaces, and a plethora of other advancements, the Galaxy Z Flip has largely been touted as a massive step forward in this nascent space.

Besides Samsung itself, the Galaxy Z Flip will also be carried by Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone in Australia. As for New Zealand, the unique Android smartphone’s also set to be distributed by Noel Leeming. Alternatively, local branches of Harvey Norman and JB Hi-Fi will begin retailing the Galaxy Z Flip in both countries starting this Friday.

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Daily Deal: 10% off AUKEY Full HD Webcam

Pairing your desktop PC/notebook with a webcam is essential if you’re working from home and you have to attend conference calls over Skype or similar apps. It’s equally important if you plan on doing gaming live-streams, so if you’re in the market for a webcam and you don’t want to spend a small fortune, the AUKEY FHD Webcam might be the way to go.

It can live-stream in 1080p resolution at 30fps with fixed focus (up to 3m/9.8ft away), it’s plug-and-play with Windows XP / Mac OS 10.7 / Android 4.0 and above, and it’s now available for 10% off.

There’s been a higher-than-usual demand for webcams over the past few weeks as more people are stuck working from home, so hit the Buy Now button below to get one while it’s still available and the deal lasts!

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Galaxy S8 firmware update rolls out bringing April 2020 security patch

Samsung has yet to officially publish the April 2020 security patch details as of this writing, but some Galaxy smartphones have already received it, including the Galaxy S10 and Note 10. Now it’s the Galaxy S8 series’ turn (SM-G950F/SM-G955F), as a new firmware update is rolling out in numerous countries, and although this OTA release doesn’t push the phone’s Android OS version beyond Pie, it does include the April 2020 security patch.

The new firmware update’s version number varies from G95xFXXS8DTC1 to G95xFXXS8DTC6, depending on which country is receiving it. And there are numerous countries in which the update is now available, including but not limited to France, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Romania, Germany, the UK, the Czech Republic, Greece, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Hungary, and other Southeast European, Baltic, and Nordic countries. The roll-out will continue to expand into more regions over the coming days.

It’s been three years since the Galaxy S8 lineup was introduced, meaning that this is the last year in which it will receive monthly security patches. The series will switch to a quarterly update schedule next year, and Samsung will cease to support it in 2022. Until then, you can rest easy that the company will continue to address software vulnerabilities and keep your phone safe from malicious attacks and exploits.

You can download the latest Galaxy S8 firmware update OTA after receiving the notification, or you can download it from our SM-G950F / SM-G955F archives and install it manually using a Windows PC.

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