Unlike many other OEMs, Samsung has two prolific phone series they release each year, the Galaxy S series and Galaxy Note series. At first, the latter was the bleeding edge of technology, but in recent years, the line has been blurred. So what do you get with the Note 10+ over the S10+ besides a stylus? Let us compare.

For the first time since the Galaxy Note 4 and Note Edge, Samsung will release two phones in the Note series at the same time, the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+. Thanks to an upgraded variant of the SoC, there is more to the more expensive Galaxy Note 10+ than meets the eye. And for the first time in a long time, it might be worth the upgrade from the Galaxy S10+.

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Comparison Chart

Why You Should Go with the Galaxy Note 10+

The Galaxy Note 10+ is almost a perfect upgrade from the Galaxy S10+. It has no separate Bixby button, a bigger screen, a better SoC, a bigger battery, and so much more. For someone looking for the very best, this is it for the moment.

Let’s start with the display. The Note 10+ has the same award-winning Infinity-O Dynamic AMOLED display, but now it is 0.5 inches bigger. It has the same 1440p resolution, still supports HDR10+, and still can take advantage of always-on display.

But that’s just a small change. Where the Galaxy Note 10+ shines is in the battery department, specifically, how fast it can charge. The Note 10+ has upgraded both wired and wireless charging. For the wired, it can now use a 45 W charger (three times the power of the charger for the Galaxy S10+). This charger does come at a $60 price tag. However, the included charger in the box is already an upgrade at 25 W. And if you’re a fan of wireless charging, you can use a 20 W fast charger, which is a 5 W upgrade over the Galaxy S10+.

And for those who love to take photos, the Galaxy Note 10+ has a better camera. Not only is the algorithm improved for even better pictures from the same lens, but it includes the same lens as the highest variant of the Galaxy S10 series, the Galaxy S10 5G. This variant had a Time of Flight (ToF) sensor to help sense the depth of field in a scene.

And finally, there’s the S-Pen. The upgraded stylus has even more gestures for remotely controlling your phone and is more precise than ever. Whether you are creative or enjoy using your phone from a distance, you should be able to make good use of the S-Pen.

Why You Should Go with the Galaxy S10+

For the Samsung Galaxy S10+, its main advantage is cost. You are saving a minimum of $200 for nearly identical performance. I say minimum as it currently doesn’t sell at MSRP. Right now, Amazon has it under $800, further improving the savings.

It’s also smaller. With the smaller screen comes smaller dimensions. As phones continue to get larger, it becomes harder to manage in one hand. The Galaxy S10+ is shorter in both height and weight, and even lighter, making it much easier to manage. Its screen is smaller but has the same resolution for a better pixel density.

Probably the biggest reason to get the Galaxy S10+ is the fact that it is one of the last flagship Samsung devices to have a headphone jack. Actually, it’s one of the only a few flagship phones running a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (the SoC of choice for 2019 Android smartphones) to include the audio port.

Finally, the Galaxy S10+ is basically the same phone minus a few things. It has the same maximum storage and memory options. It supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5. It comes with the same version of Android out of the box and has the same stereo speakers. It also has a ToF sensor for the front camera, so portrait mode selfies are better thanks to improved depth mapping.