Apple iPhone 12 vs Samsung Galaxy Note 10+
The Verdict
Apple's iPhone 12 and Samsung's Galaxy Note 10+ represent different flagship philosophies from their respective eras. Samsung offers a larger 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with QHD+ resolution versus Apple's 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED at 1170p, making the Note 10+ superior for content consumption. Samsung also includes a quad-camera system with telephoto and ToF depth sensors, plus a more capable 4300 mAh battery with 45W charging. However, the iPhone 12 counters with the faster A14 Bionic processor, cleaner iOS 14 experience, newer 5G support, and superior price-to-performance value at $300 less. Battery life favors Samsung's larger capacity, though the iPhone's efficiency is competitive. Camera quality leans toward Apple's computational photography strengths despite Samsung's hardware advantage. For power users prioritizing screen real estate and hardware specs, the Note 10+ excels. For those seeking flagship performance, software polish, and value, iPhone 12 delivers the better overall package.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone 12 if…
- →First iPhone with 5G connectivity
- →Ceramic Shield front cover is four times more drop-resistant
- →Flat-edge design is comfortable and stylish
Buy the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ if…
- →S Pen with air gesture controls and Bluetooth LE
- →Gorgeous 6.8-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED display
- →45W super fast charging for rapid top-ups
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone 12
Pros
- First iPhone with 5G connectivity
- Ceramic Shield front cover is four times more drop-resistant
- Flat-edge design is comfortable and stylish
- A14 Bionic delivers excellent performance and efficiency
- Dolby Vision HDR video recording is a first for any smartphone
Cons
- 60Hz display when competitors offered 90Hz or 120Hz
- Small 2815 mAh battery offers mediocre battery life
- 64 GB base storage is inadequate in 2020
- Lightning port instead of USB-C
- No telephoto lens — only dual camera
Samsung Galaxy Note 10+
Pros
- S Pen with air gesture controls and Bluetooth LE
- Gorgeous 6.8-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED display
- 45W super fast charging for rapid top-ups
- 12 GB RAM handles multitasking effortlessly
- Versatile quad-camera system with ToF depth sensor
Cons
- 60Hz display when competitors were moving to high refresh rates
- No headphone jack — a first for the Note series
- Exynos variant has weaker GPU performance than Snapdragon
- Glass back is slippery and fragile without a case
- Samsung software updates have ended
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 12 | Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 14 | Android 9 (One UI 1.5) |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 164 g | 196 g |
| Material | Aluminum frame, Ceramic Shield front | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass front and back |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm | 162.3 x 77.2 x 7.9 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 12 MP, f/1.6, OIS | 12 MP, f/1.5-2.4, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS |
| Front camera | 12 MP TrueDepth, f/2.2 | 10 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@60fps, Dolby Vision HDR | 4K@60fps, Super Steady |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP, f/2.4 | 16 MP, f/2.2 |
| Depth | — | VGA ToF 3D sensor |
| Telephoto | — | 12 MP, f/2.1, 2x optical zoom |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 4 GB | 12 GB |
| Storage options | 64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 2815 mAh | 4300 mAh |
| Charging | 20W wired | 45W wired |
| Wireless charging | 15W MagSafe | 15W, Wireless PowerShare |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.1 inches | 6.8 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED | Dynamic AMOLED |
| Resolution | 2532 x 1170 | 3040 x 1440 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 60Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 1200 | 1200 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz + 4x1.8 GHz) | Octa-core |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core) | Adreno 640 / Mali-G76 MP12 |
| Chipset | Apple A14 Bionic | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 / Exynos 9825 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 3.1 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.0 |
Related Comparisons
This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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