Apple iPhone XS vs Samsung Galaxy Note 10+
The Verdict
Apple's iPhone XS delivers premium build quality with its stainless steel frame and Super Retina OLED display, though its 5.8-inch panel is noticeably smaller than the Galaxy Note 10+ at 6.8 inches. Samsung's offering boasts superior specs across multiple fronts: a more vibrant Dynamic AMOLED screen with 1200 nits brightness versus 725, substantially larger 4300 mAh battery against 2658 mAh, faster 45W charging, and a more versatile quad camera system including ultrawide and depth sensors. Performance-wise, the Snapdragon 855 and 12GB RAM in the Note 10+ outpace the A12 Bionic's 4GB configuration for multitasking and gaming. However, Apple's ecosystem integration, refined iOS 12 experience, and proven camera computational photography remain compelling advantages. Galaxy Note 10+ edges ahead due to superior hardware specifications and battery longevity, though iPhone XS remains an excellent flagship for those invested in Apple's ecosystem.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone XS if…
- →First 7nm A12 Bionic chip in a smartphone
- →eSIM support for dual SIM capability
- →Excellent Super Retina OLED display
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 XS
Pros
- First 7nm A12 Bionic chip in a smartphone
- eSIM support for dual SIM capability
- Excellent Super Retina OLED display
- Improved Face ID speed over iPhone X
- Premium stainless steel build
Cons
- Small battery at 2658 mAh
- No ultrawide camera
- 5W charger in the box
- Minimal upgrade over iPhone X
- No Night mode for 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 XS | Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 12 | Android 9 (One UI 1.5) |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 177 g | 196 g |
| Material | Stainless steel frame, glass back | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass front and back |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm | 162.3 x 77.2 x 7.9 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 12 MP, f/1.8, OIS | 12 MP, f/1.5-2.4, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS |
| Front camera | 7 MP, f/2.2 | 10 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 4K@60fps | 4K@60fps, Super Steady |
| Telephoto | 12 MP, f/2.4, 2x optical zoom | 12 MP, f/2.1, 2x optical zoom |
| Depth | — | VGA ToF 3D sensor |
| Ultrawide | — | 16 MP, f/2.2 |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 4 GB | 12 GB |
| Storage options | 64 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 2658 mAh | 4300 mAh |
| Charging | 18W wired (adapter sold separately) | 45W wired |
| Wireless charging | 7.5W Qi | 15W, Wireless PowerShare |
| Display | ||
| Size | 5.8 inches | 6.8 inches |
| Type | Super Retina OLED | Dynamic AMOLED |
| Resolution | 2436 x 1125 | 3040 x 1440 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 60Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 725 | 1200 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x2.5 GHz + 4x1.6 GHz) | Octa-core |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core) | Adreno 640 / Mali-G76 MP12 |
| Chipset | Apple A12 Bionic | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 / Exynos 9825 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 3.1 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) | 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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