Apple iPhone SE (3rd generation) vs Samsung Galaxy Note 10+
The Verdict
Samsung's Galaxy Note 10+ substantially outperforms Apple's iPhone SE 3rd gen across nearly every dimension, justifying its higher price point. Display quality reveals the starkest difference: the Note 10+ features a 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED screen at 3040x1440 resolution and 1200 nits brightness, compared to the SE's compact 4.7-inch IPS LCD at 750p and 625 nits. Camera capabilities heavily favor Samsung, offering quad rear lenses including telephoto and ultrawide options with advanced stabilization, versus the SE's single 12MP sensor. Battery capacity demonstrates similar advantages: 4300 mAh with 45W charging versus 2018 mAh with 20W charging. The Note 10+ includes 12GB RAM and superior haptics through the S Pen stylus. However, the iPhone SE 3rd gen delivers exceptional value for budget-conscious users, featuring the flagship A15 Bionic processor with impressive performance and iOS reliability. For productivity and multimedia consumption, Samsung wins decisively. For affordable daily computing, the iPhone SE remains competitive.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone SE (3rd generation) if…
- →Most affordable iPhone with 5G
- →Powerful A15 Bionic chip
- →Compact and lightweight design
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 SE (3rd generation)
Pros
- Most affordable iPhone with 5G
- Powerful A15 Bionic chip
- Compact and lightweight design
- Touch ID home button
- Long iOS software support
Cons
- Dated design with thick bezels
- Single rear camera
- Small 4.7-inch LCD display
- Lightning port instead of USB-C
- Modest battery life
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 SE (3rd generation) | Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 15 | Android 9 (One UI 1.5) |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 144 g | 196 g |
| Material | Aluminum frame | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass front and back |
| IP rating | IP67 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm | 162.3 x 77.2 x 7.9 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 12 MP | 12 MP, f/1.5-2.4, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS |
| Front camera | 7 MP | 10 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@60fps | 4K@60fps, Super Steady |
| Depth | — | VGA ToF 3D sensor |
| Telephoto | — | 12 MP, f/2.1, 2x optical zoom |
| Ultrawide | — | 16 MP, f/2.2 |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 4 GB | 12 GB |
| Storage options | 64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 2018 mAh | 4300 mAh |
| Charging | 20W wired | 45W wired |
| Wireless charging | 7.5W Qi | 15W, Wireless PowerShare |
| Display | ||
| Size | 4.7 inches | 6.8 inches |
| Type | Retina IPS LCD | Dynamic AMOLED |
| Resolution | 1334 x 750 | 3040 x 1440 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 60Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 625 | 1200 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core | Octa-core |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core) | Adreno 640 / Mali-G76 MP12 |
| Chipset | Apple A15 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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