Samsung Galaxy S10 Galaxy S10e Review

The Galaxy S10e is a compact classic with a headphone jack and great screen, but it's showing its age. It scores an 80/100 for compactness, but its $750 price is hard to justify. Only buy if you're committed to the small-and-feature-packed dream.

The Galaxy S10e is a blast from the past that still holds up surprisingly well. It's a compact flagship from 2019, packing a Snapdragon 855 chip, a 5.8-inch AMOLED screen, and a headphone jack into a 150-gram body. That's a combo you just don't see anymore.

It scores high in our database for being compact and a decent budget option, but it's not a rugged phone by any stretch. You're buying this for the classic Samsung flagship feel in a size that's easy to handle.

The Snapdragon 855 is still a capable chip for everyday tasks and light gaming, landing in the 60th percentile for performance. It's not going to win any modern benchmarks, but it won't feel slow. The 3100mAh battery is the real trade-off here. It's small, but the efficient chip and compact screen help it score in the 89th percentile for battery life. You'll likely need to charge it by the end of the day, but it shouldn't die on you at lunch.

At $750, the value proposition is tricky. You're paying a premium for a compact form factor and a headphone jack, not for cutting-edge specs. For the same money, you can get a brand-new mid-ranger with a better camera, longer software support, and a bigger battery. But if the specific size and feature set are exactly what you want, it might be worth it to you.

Compared to a modern compact like the iPhone 16e, the S10e offers more features (headphone jack, expandable storage) but far worse software support and camera tech. Against a current budget king like the Moto G, the S10e has a much better screen and processor, but the Moto G will have a massive battery and years of updates. The Google Pixel 10 would run circles around it in camera and software. You're choosing the S10e for its specific physical package, not its specs sheet.

Skip this if you want a modern phone. If you care about software updates, camera quality, or battery life that lasts more than a day, look elsewhere. The Pixel 10 or Galaxy S25 FE will serve you much better for the price.

Buy this if you're a die-hard fan of small phones and refuse to give up the headphone jack. It's a well-built time capsule of 2019's best compact phone ideas. For everyone else, a modern mid-range phone will give you a better overall experience for the same or less money.