Samsung Galaxy S10 vs Apple iPhone XS Max
61
out of 100
VS
59
out of 100
Here we compared two flagship smartphones: the 6.1-inch Samsung Galaxy S10 (with Exynos 9 Octa 9820) that was released on February 20, 2019, against the Apple iPhone XS Max, which is powered by Apple A12 Bionic and came out 5 months before. On this page, you will find tests, full specs, strengths, and weaknesses of each of the devices.
Key differences
Reasons to consider the Samsung Galaxy S10
- Has 2x more RAM: 8GB versus 4GB
- Modern USB Type-C port
- Better camera quality (According to DxOMark rating)
- Expandable storage via MicroSD card up to 512GB
- Fingerprint scanner
- Slow-motion recording at 960FPS
- Compatible with Wi-Fi 6 wireless networks
- Delivers 24% higher peak brightness (822 against 663 nits)
- Has an ultra-wide angle camera lens
- Has 2 SIM card slots
- 21% higher pixel density (551 vs 456 PPI)
Reasons to consider the Apple iPhone XS Max
- Shows 22% longer battery life (25:23 vs 20:46 hours)
- Has a 0.4 inch larger screen size
- Apple releases software updates and supports their phones a few years longer than Samsung
- 48% faster in single-core GeekBench 6 test: 1320 and 892 points
- Ready for eSIM technology
Review
Display
Screen quality, color accuracy, brightness
Camera
Photo and video recording quality
Performance
CPU and memory performance (apps, system)
Gaming
Capabilities for playing modern games
Battery
Battery life, charging type and speed
Connectivity
Networks, ports, data transmission
Value for money
Tests and specifications
Comparison table of technical specifications and testsDisplay
| Type | Super AMOLED | OLED |
| Size | 6.1 inches | 6.5 inches |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3040 pixels | 1242 x 2688 pixels |
| Aspect ratio | 19:9 | 19.4:9 |
| PPI | 551 ppi | 456 ppi |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Adaptive refresh rate | No | No |
| Max rated brightness | 1215 nits | 625 nits |
| HDR support | Yes, HDR10+ | Yes, Dolby Vision |
| Screen protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | Tempered glass |
| Screen-to-body ratio | 88.08% | 85.41% |
| Display features |
- DCI-P3
- Always-On Display |
- DCI-P3 |
| RGB color space | 98.1% | 98.8% |
| PWM | 240 Hz | 240 Hz |
| Response time | 4.8 ms | 11.2 ms |
| Contrast | ∞ Infinity | ∞ Infinity |
Peak brightness test (auto)
Design and build
| Height | 149.9 mm (5.9 inches) | 157.5 mm (6.2 inches) |
| Width | 70.4 mm (2.77 inches) | 77.4 mm (3.05 inches) |
| Thickness | 7.8 mm (0.31 inches) | 7.7 mm (0.3 inches) |
| Weight | 157 g (5.54 oz) | 208 g (7.34 oz) |
| Waterproof | IP68 | IP68 |
| Rear material | Glass | Glass |
| Frame material | Metal | Metal |
| Colors | White, Black, Blue, Green | Silver, Gold, Gray |
| Fingerprint scanner | Yes, in-display | No |
Screen-to-body ratio
Performance
| Chipset | Samsung Exynos 9 Octa 9820 | Apple A12 Bionic |
| Max clock | 2730 MHz | 2490 MHz |
| CPU cores | 8 (2 + 2 + 4) | 6 (2 + 4) |
| Architecture |
- 4 cores at 1.95 GHz: Cortex-A55
- 2 cores at 2.31 GHz: Cortex-A75 - 2 cores at 2.73 GHz: Mongoose M4 |
- 4 cores at 1.6 GHz: Tempest
- 2 cores at 2.49 GHz: Vortex |
| Lithography process | 8 nanometers | 7 nanometers |
| Graphics | Mali-G76 MP12 | Apple A12 GPU |
| GPU shading units | 432 | 256 |
| GPU clock | 720 MHz | 1100 MHz |
| FLOPS | ~607 GFLOPS | ~576 GFLOPS |
Benchmarks
Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)
Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)
AnTuTu Benchmark 10
| CPU | 148103 | 167833 |
| GPU | 236968 | 157230 |
| Memory | 121310 | 121395 |
| UX | 141476 | 215799 |
| Total score | 648880 | 665855 |
3DMark Wild Life Performance
| Max surface temperature | 40.6 °C | 45.2 °C |
| Stability | 82% | 66% |
| Graphics test | 19 FPS | 34 FPS |
| Graphics score | 3230 | 5704 |
PCMark 3.0
| Web score | 6523 | - |
| Video editing | 5794 | - |
| Photo editing | 18751 | - |
| Data manipulation | 7126 | - |
| Writing score | 10017 | - |
Memory
| RAM size | 8 GB | 4 GB |
| Memory type | LPDDR4X | LPDDR4X |
| Memory clock | 2133 MHz | - |
| Channels | 2 | 2 |
| Storage size | 128 GB | 64, 256, 512 GB |
| Storage type | UFS 2.1 | NVMe |
| Memory card | MicroSD | No |
| Memory card max size | Up to 512 GB | - |
Software
| Operating system | Android 9.0 (Can be upgraded to Android 12) | iOS 12 (Can be upgraded to iOS 17) |
| ROM | One UI 4.0 | - |
| OS size | 9.5 GB | 16 GB |
Battery
| Capacity | 3400 mAh | 3174 mAh |
| Max charge power | 15 W | 18 W |
| Battery type | Li-Po | Li-Ion |
| Replaceable | No | No |
| Wireless charging | Yes, Qi/PMA (9 W) | Yes, Qi (10 W) |
| Reverse charging | Yes, (wireless) | No |
| Fast charging | Yes, Samsung Adaptive Fast Charge (50% in 30 min) | Yes (50% in 30 min) |
| Full charging time | 1:35 hr | 03:29 hr |
| Web browsing | 06:12 hr | 09:13 hr |
| Watching video | 10:32 hr | 10:50 hr |
| Gaming | 03:23 hr | 04:38 hr |
| Standby | 70 hr | 80 hr |
General battery life
Camera
| Matrix | 12 megapixels | 12 megapixels |
| Image resolution | 4000 x 3000 | 4032 x 3024 |
| Zoom | Optical, 2x | Optical, 2x |
| Flash | Dual LED | Quad LED |
| Stabilization | Optical | Optical |
| 8K video recording | No | No |
| 4K video recording | Up to 60FPS | Up to 60FPS |
| 1080p video recording | Up to 240FPS | Up to 60FPS |
| Slow motion | 960 FPS (720p) | 240 FPS (1080p) |
| Angle of widest lens | 123° | - |
| Lenses | 3 (12 MP + 12 MP + 16 MP) | 2 (12 MP + 12 MP) |
| Wide (main) lens |
- 12 MP
- Aperture: f/1.5 - 2.4 - Focal length: 26 mm - Pixel size: 1.4 micron - Sensor: 1/2.55", Samsung SAK2L4 (ISOCELL CMOS) - Phase autofocus (Dual Pixel) - Optical stabilization |
- 12 MP
- Aperture: f/1.8 - Focal length: 28 mm - Pixel size: 1.4 micron - Sensor: 1/2.5", Apple iSight X (CMOS) - Phase autofocus - Optical stabilization |
| Telephoto lens |
- 12 MP
- Aperture: f/1.5 - Focal length: 52 mm - Pixel size: 1 micron - Sensor: 1/3.6", Samsung S5K3M3 (ISOCELL CMOS) - Phase autofocus - Optical stabilization |
- 12 MP
- Aperture: f/2.4 - Focal length: 52 mm - Pixel size: 1 micron - Sensor: 1/3.4" (CMOS) - Phase autofocus - Optical stabilization |
| Ultra-wide lens |
- 16 MP
- Aperture: f/2.2 - Focal length: 12 mm |
- |
| Camera features |
- Bokeh mode
- Pro mode - RAW support |
- Bokeh mode
- Pro mode - RAW support |
| Samples | - | Photo samples of Apple iPhone XS Max from DxOMark |
| Megapixels | 10 megapixels | 7 megapixels |
| Image resolution | 4320 x 2432 | 3088 x 2316 |
| Aperture | f/1.9 | f/2.2 |
| Focal length | 26 mm | 32 mm |
| Pixel size | 1.22 microns | - |
| Sensor type | CMOS | BSI CMOS |
| Sensor size | 1/2.65" | - |
| Video resolution | 2160p (4K) at 60 FPS | 1080p (Full HD) at 60 FPS |
DxOMark camera tests
Photo quality
Video quality
Generic camera score
Connectivity
| Wi-Fi standard | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ax) | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac) |
| Wi-Fi features |
- Dual Band
- Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot |
- Dual Band
- Wi-Fi MiMO - Wi-Fi Direct - Wi-Fi Hotspot - Wi-Fi Display |
| Bluetooth version | 5 | 5 |
| Bluetooth features | PBAP/PAB, PAN, OPP, MAP, LE, HSP, HID, HFP, DIP, AVRCP, A2DP | SPP, PBAP/PAB, PAN, OPP, MAP, LE, HSP, HFP, HDP, GAP, GAVDP, DIP, AVRCP, A2DP |
| USB type | USB Type-C | No |
| USB version | 3.1 | 2 |
| USB features |
- Charging
- USB-Storage mode - OTG |
- Charging
- USB-Storage mode - OTG |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo |
| NFC * | Yes | Yes |
| Infrared port | No | No |
| Number of SIM * | 2 | 1 |
| Type of SIM card | Nano | Nano |
| Multi SIM mode | Standby | - |
| eSIM support * | No | Yes |
| Hybrid slot | Yes | No |
| LTE Cat * | 20 | 16 |
| 5G support | No | No |
Sound
| Speakers | Stereo | Stereo |
| Headphone audio jack | Yes | No |
| FM radio | No | No |
| Dolby Atmos | Yes | Yes |
Speakers test
Max loudness
Other
| Category | Flagship | Flagship |
| Announced | February 2019 | September 2018 |
| Release date | March 2019 | September 2018 |
| SAR (head) | 0.48 W/kg | 0.99 W/kg |
| SAR (body) | 1.59 W/kg | 0.99 W/kg |
| Sensors |
- Hall-effect sensor
- Barometer - Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Fingerprint |
- Barometer
- Proximity sensor - Gyroscope - Accelerometer - Ambient light sensor - Compass - Face recognition sensor |
*
Disclaimer!
NFC, GSM network support, and some other specs can be different depending on the country.
Conclusion
If the display, camera, connectivity, and sound are more important to you, then choose the Samsung Galaxy S10 . But if the performance, gaming, battery life, and software are more of a priority – go for the Apple iPhone XS Max .
