Samsung Galaxy S10 5G: Features | Specifications | Pricing

Samsung Galaxy S10 5G

• Display

  6.7 inches

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• Storage

  256GB

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• Battery size

  4,500 mAh

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Samsung is betting big on 5G with its upcoming successor to the Galaxy S10.

5G is still very much in its infancy here in Australia, and it's going to be quite a while before coverage reaches a level where the average Aussie can reliably connect to a 5G network.

Nevertheless, Samsung is getting ahead of the competition with its first 5G-compatible smartphone, the aptly titled Samsung Galaxy S10 5G. Announced at Samsung's Unpacked event in February 2019, the premium device isn't just a Galaxy S10 with a 5G modem crammed in – it's a wholly new device with a slew of extra features to distinguish it from its 4G siblings.

Design

• 6.7-inch screen – the largest in a Galaxy S handset yet
• Ultrasonic fingerprint sensor built into the screen

• Read our full overview of the Galaxy S10 5G's design

  Samsung isn't shaking up its tried-and-true formula with the Galaxy S10 5G. It sticks to the same general design as the rest of the Galaxy S10 line, packing Samsung's new curved Infinity-O display that ditches the "notch" in favour of camera sensors integrated into the screen itself. However, the screen is considerably bigger than any other Galaxy S10 handset, measuring in at a massive 6.7 inches. That's the largest Galaxy S device Samsung has yet produced.

  There's plenty of fancy new tech baked into the Galaxy S10 5G's screen, too. It supports the HDR10+ standard, delivering a wider range of colours and lighting when displaying compatible content. You won't have to worry about reaching around to the side or back of the phone to unlock the Galaxy S10 5G, either, as it features an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor built into the screen itself.

  To keep the Galaxy S10 5G protected from spills and messy environments, Samsung has built it to IP68 certification standards. This rates it for survival in water of up to 1.5m for as long as 30 minutes as well as guaranteeing it's completely dust-resistant.

  Storage is the one area where the Galaxy S10 5G differs significantly from its brethren. It comes with 256GB of internal storage but lacks a microSD card slot entirely, meaning you can't easily expand its capacity beyond that base 256GB.

  On the software front, the Galaxy S10 5G runs Android 9.0 ("Pie"), giving it access to the latest Android features such as gesture-based app-switching, a suite of digital wellbeing tools and a range of adaptive systems designed to tweak the Android experience based on how you use it.

Camera

• Four-camera array at the back
• 3D depth camera for capturing 3D images and videos

• Read our full overview of the Galaxy S10 5G's camera

  Samsung is going all-in with the Galaxy S10 5G's camera. Six different lenses adorn the device: four at the rear and two at the front. On the back, you're getting a 12MP f/2.4 telephoto lens, a 12MP f/1.5-f/2.4 wide-angle lens, a 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide lens and Samsung's new 3D depth camera built to capture 3D photos and videos as well as measure the distance, volume or area of objects around you.

  For selfie-lovers, the Galaxy S10 5G packs a 10MP f/1.9 lens plus another 3D depth camera. Here, the 3D camera is able to sharpen the quality of your selfies using the depth information it picks up from the world around you.

Performance

• Packs the same powerful processor as the rest of the Galaxy S10 line

• Read our full overview of the Galaxy S10 5G's performance

  Samsung Galaxy S smartphones have always been powerhouses and the Galaxy S10 5G is no different. It features the same high-end processor as its 4G counterparts: depending on which market it's selling in, this is either Qualcomm's Snapdragon 855 or Samsung's own Exynos 9820 chip. Both are top-of-the-line mobile processors, capable of excellent performance in virtually any task you throw their way.

  Memory is another area where the Galaxy S10 5G takes cues from its smaller siblings. It packs 8GB of RAM, more than enough to ensure a responsive experience when multi-tasking and switching between apps.

  Where the Galaxy S10 5G sets itself apart from the rest of the Galaxy S10 line is its network performance. With its 5G modem, it's capable of connecting to high-speed 5G networks once they start rolling out across Australia. There's a lot of buzz around the possibilities 5G will enable, whether it be downloading entire TV seasons in minutes or streaming 4K video on the go. Since the 5G rollout is only just beginning, we'll have to wait to see whether it lives up to the hype.

Battery

• 4,500mAh battery
• Fast wireless charging
• Wireless PowerShare for reverse wireless charging

• Read our full overview of the Galaxy S10 5G's battery

  The Galaxy S10 5G is a massive phone, so it's no surprise that it packs a similarly massive battery. 4,500mAh is huge; for comparison, the 6.4-inch Galaxy Note9 features a 4,000mAh battery that outperformed all competitors when we tested it for our Galaxy Note9 review. Even accounting for the increased power drain of the Galaxy S10 5G's larger screen, it's a safe bet that 4,500mAh will easily see you through a full day or more of solid use on a single charge.

  When the Galaxy S10 5G's enormous battery does eventually run low, you've got plenty of ways to charge it back up again. Not only does the Galaxy S10 5G support wireless charging, it benefits from Samsung's Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 standard that promises roughly 30% shorter charge times than that of the Galaxy S9.

  With the Galaxy S10 line, Samsung introduced a new technology dubbed Wireless PowerShare. This allows you to wirelessly charge other compatible devices from the Galaxy S10 5G, effectively turning it into a wireless charger.

Early verdict

• 5G might be its key selling point, but that's not all the Galaxy S10 5G has to offer

• Read our early verdict on the Galaxy S10 5G

  With commercial 5G networks still some way off, assessing the Galaxy S10 5G is tough. We don't know whether faster download speeds will truly "revolutionise" the mobile market as many telcos and smartphone manufacturers claim, so it's a matter of reserving judgement until access to 5G becomes more widespread later in 2019.

  However, the Galaxy S10 5G offers plenty of compelling features beyond its support for faster mobile networks. With its large screen, 3D camera and massive battery, it represents a considerable step up from the rest of Samsung's Galaxy S10 handsets, and it has the potential to become the must-have premium smartphone for folks who want the best of the best.

Pricing and availability

• The Galaxy S10 5G will launch in Australia on 28 May 2019
• Available on contract through Telstra
• Local outright pricing TBC

While Samsung hasn't announced pricing for the Galaxy S10 5G yet, it has revealed that Telstra will be the first telco in Australia to carry the phone when it launches in the first half of 2019.

Additionally, anyone who purchases the Samsung Galaxy S10+ through Telstra will be eligible for a free upgrade to the Galaxy S10 5G when it releases.

Telstra has stated that access to 5G will exist from the end of June 2019 as a "bolt-on" option for 5G devices, including the Galaxy S10 5G, but that it will be free for the first 12 months for all users. After that, if you're on the top 2 priced plans from Telstra it will be included, but for other consumers it will cost an additional $15 per month.

Samsung Galaxy S10 5G specs

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