Samsung Galaxy S10 2019 4G 128+6GB AT&T Unlocked Android Smartphone Prism Review
The 2019 Samsung Galaxy S10 is now a budget phone. We look at whether its premium old features are worth the trade-offs in performance and battery life.
The 30-Second Version
A 2019 flagship now selling at budget prices. Performance is average (49th percentile), but it packs premium features like IP68 rating and wireless charging you won't find on new phones at this cost. Just make sure you don't pay more than $150 for it.
Overview
The Samsung Galaxy S10 is a 2019 flagship that's now firmly in the budget category. It's a classic unlocked Android phone, offering a 5.8-inch AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 855 processor, and 6GB of RAM with 128GB of storage. In our scoring, it lands a 'best for budget' rating of 17.7 out of 100, which tells you exactly where it stands today: it's a value play, not a performance leader.
You're getting a complete package here with an IP68 rating for water resistance, wireless charging, and a dual-lens camera system. But this is a five-year-old phone, and that age shows in its overall score of just 11.5 out of 100. It's a solid pick if your priorities are brand name and core features over bleeding-edge specs.
Performance
Powered by the Snapdragon 855 and 6GB of RAM, the S10's performance is middle of the pack, sitting in the 49th percentile. That means it's about average for an unlocked phone in our database. It'll handle everyday tasks like social media, web browsing, and light gaming without much fuss, but don't expect it to keep up with modern mid-range chips in sustained workloads. It's perfectly competent, just not a standout.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Strong social proof (78th percentile) 78th
Cons
- Below average display (29th percentile) 29th
- Below average connectivity (33th percentile) 33th
- Below average camera (35th percentile) 35th
The Word on the Street
Specifications
Full Specifications
Performance
| RAM | 6 MB |
Value & Pricing
Here's the wild part: the listed price range across vendors is from $133 to over $73,000. Ignore the absurd high end. At the realistic low end, around $130-$150 for a used model, the S10 presents a compelling argument. You're getting a former flagship with a good screen, wireless charging, and water resistance for basic smartphone money. Just make sure you're buying from a reputable seller at that sane price point and not getting scammed.
Price History
vs Competition
Stacked against current budget options, the S10 trades raw specs for build quality. The Motorola Moto G Stylus 2025 will likely have a better battery and camera for a similar price, but it won't have an IP68 rating or wireless charging. A refurbished iPhone 12 offers much stronger performance and a better camera system, but locks you into iOS. The Google Pixel 6 is a generation newer with a superior camera and software support, but might cost a bit more. The S10's value is in its complete 2019 flagship feature set at a 2024 discount.
| Spec | Samsung Galaxy S10 2019 4G 128+6GB AT&T Unlocked Android Smartphone Prism | Motorola Moto G Motorola - moto g stylus 2025 256GB (Unlocked) - | Apple iPhone Apple - Geek Squad Certified Refurbished iPhone 12 | Google Pixel Google Pixel 6 – 5G Android Phone - Unlocked | FOXX S13 FOXX S13 5G Cell Phone, Android 14 Unlocked | HMD HMD Vibe HMD - Vibe 128GB (Unlocked) - Charcoal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen Size | - | 6.7 | 6.1 | 6.4 | 6.7 | 6.5 |
| Display Type | - | OLED | OLED | - | - | LCD |
| Refresh Rate | - | 120 | 60 | - | 120 | 90 |
| Processor | - | Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 | Apple A14 Bionic | Tensor | Dimensity 900 | Snapdragon 680 |
| RAM (GB) | 6 | 8 | - | 8 | 12 | 6 |
| Storage (GB) | - | 256 | 64 | 128 | 256 | 128 |
| Rear Camera Mp | - | 50 | 12 | 50 | 108 | 13 |
| Front Camera Mp | - | 32 | 12 | 8 | 32 | 5 |
| Battery Capacity Mah | - | 5000 | - | 4614 | 5000 | 4000 |
| Charging Wattage | - | 68 | - | 30 | - | - |
| Wireless Charging | - | true | true | true | - | - |
| Five (g) | - | true | true | true | true | false |
| Water Resistance | - | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 | - | IP52 |
| Operating System | - | Android 15 | iOS | Android | Android 14 | Android 14 |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Build | Camera | Battery | Display | Feature | Performance | Connectivity | Social Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy S10 2019 4G 128+6GB AT&T Unlocked Android Smartphone Prism | 40.2 | 34.8 | 35.3 | 28.8 | 42.9 | 49 | 32.8 | 78.4 |
| Motorola Moto G stylus 2025 Compare | 99.9 | 96.9 | 99.9 | 99.7 | 100 | 86.6 | 99.9 | 99.8 |
| Apple iPhone Geek Squad Certified Refurbished 12 5G Compare | 96.3 | 93.8 | 70.5 | 95.8 | 92.3 | 87.3 | 97.9 | 95.2 |
| Google Pixel 6 5G Android Phone Unlocked Compare | 98.4 | 87.2 | 98.2 | 81.5 | 92.3 | 91.8 | 95.8 | 74.8 |
| FOXX S13 S13 5G Cell Compare | 40.2 | 87.2 | 95.8 | 92.6 | 83.4 | 78.8 | 87.5 | 20.5 |
| HMD HMD Vibe Vibe Compare | 82.1 | 82.2 | 88.2 | 92.6 | 94.2 | 78.8 | 69.2 | 95 |
Common Questions
Q: Is the Samsung Galaxy S10 still a good phone in 2024?
It's a decent budget option if found cheap. Its performance is about average (49th percentile), so it handles basics well, but its camera and battery scores (both 35th percentile) are well behind modern phones.
Q: Does the Galaxy S10 have good battery life?
Not really. With a 3100 mAh battery, it scores in the 35th percentile, which is below average. You'll likely need to charge it daily, if not more often with heavier use.
Q: How does the camera compare to new budget phones?
It's underwhelming. The dual-camera system scores in the 35th percentile. New budget phones from Motorola or Google in the $200 range will take significantly better photos, especially in low light.
Who Should Skip This
Skip this if you need strong battery life, a great camera, or future-proof performance. Its battery and camera rankings are in the disappointing 35th percentile, and the Snapdragon 855 is now five generations old. Gamers, photography enthusiasts, and anyone who needs their phone to last all day on a charge should look at newer options, even in the budget tier.
Verdict
If you can find it for around $150 or less in good condition, the Galaxy S10 is a surprisingly complete budget smartphone. You sacrifice modern performance rankings and camera quality for a well-built device with features like wireless charging and water resistance that are rare at this price. It's a data-backed recommendation only if the price is right and you value those specific legacy flagship perks.