Best answer: The Galaxy S10e is a great upgrade choice coming from a Galaxy S8. The S10e is similarly sized to the S8, and is upgraded across the board in all of its components and specs. But it provides the same core Samsung experience as the phone you already have. If you like the Galaxy S8 but it's just feeling a bit old, the S10e is an excellent upgrade.
- Great upgrade: Samsung Galaxy S10e ($750 at Amazon)
- Buy with trade-in: Samsung Galaxy S10e ($450 at Samsung)
If you like your Galaxy S8, you'll love the S10e
Samsung does a fantastic job of improving on its flagship phones year after year while keeping most of the core experience intact to make the transition to a new model as seamless as possible. Even though the move from a Galaxy S8 to an S10e is a two-year upgrade, the basics of the phone haven't changed a ton — but that's a feature, not an issue. You can put down an S8 and pick up an S10e and feel right at home — from the very similar overall dimensions down to the individual features and feeling of how it operates.
The Galaxy S10e is effectively a perfect two year evolution of the S8.
Even though the S10e has the latest Android 9 Pie software with One UI (which the S8 will have soon enough), it simply feels like an upgraded version of Samsung software rather than something entirely new. The hardware design and feel have been refreshed, but not completely redesigned. The mainstays like a headphone jack, microSD card slot, wireless charging and water resistance are all the same.
Then you get a whole host of marginal improvements. The S10e's display is roughly the same size as the S8, and is actually lower resolution, but is an improved panel with even better brightness and colors; Samsung still makes the best displays in the business. A new processor (Snapdragon 855), more RAM (6 or 8GB) and more storage (128 or 256GB) offer you better daily performance both today and for the next two years. The 3100mAh battery, paired with that new processor, offer a little bit better battery life. The new Android 9 Pie software is great now, and unlike the S8 there's a future of software updates ahead.
There are few things that are entirely new on the S10e, but again they come without any loss to what's already on the S8. The mono speaker on the bottom of the S8 is paired with another speaker at the top of the phone for a stereo experience. The main camera has improved slightly with a variable aperture and new software, plus it has a great wide-angle camera next to it that's incredibly fun to shoot with and adds Live Focus portrait mode effects. The front camera has also been improved, with a new sensor. Wireless charging speeds have improved as well, so long as you have the latest generation Samsung accessories. Small improvements on their own, but improvements you'll be able to appreciate every day nonetheless.
| Category | Galaxy S8 | Galaxy S10e |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Android 8.0 Oreo | Android 9 Pie |
| Display | 5.8-inch AMOLED, 2960x1440 (18.5:9) | 5.8-inch AMOLED, 2280x1080 (19:9) |
| Processor | Snapdragon 835 or Samsung Exynos 8895 |
Snapdragon 855 or Samsung Exynos 9820 |
| Storage | 64GB | 128/256GB |
| Expandable | microSD | microSD |
| RAM | 4GB | 6/8GB |
| Rear Camera 1 | 12MP Dual Pixel, OIS, f/1.7 | 12MP Dual Pixel, OIS, f/1.5 or f/2.4 |
| Rear Camera 2 | n/a | 16MP wide-angle, f/2.2 |
| Front camera | 8MP, f/1.7 auto focus |
10MP, f/1.9 auto focus |
| Audio | Mono speaker 3.5mm headphone |
Stereo speakers 3.5mm headphone |
| Battery | 3000mAh | 3100mAh |
| Charging | Quick Charge 2.0 Fast Wireless Charging (9W) |
Quick Charge 2.0 Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 (12W) |
| Water resistance | IP68 | IP68 |
| Security | Rear fingerprint sensor | Side fingerprint sensor |
| Dimensions | 148.9 x 68.1 x 8 mm 155 g |
142.2 x 69.9 x 7.9mm 150 g |
Really, the S10e is just a perfect evolution of the S8 two years on. There isn't one big standout improvement, but a bunch of little changes and additions that come without any downsides or losses. The cumulative effect of all of these little improvements, paired with no feature losses, is notable as a complete device upgrade.
The final decision of whether or not this is the right upgrade path for you really comes down to how much you enjoy the core Samsung experience offered by your Galaxy S8. If you like how your Galaxy S8 works, but the hardware and performance are just feeling a little tired after two years, then it's an easy decision to hop over to the S10e. If you want a phone that's an actual change of pace, with different features and philosophies, you have to find that elsewhere.
A trade-in sweetens the deal
Something that makes an upgrade to the Galaxy S10e even easier to handle is Samsung's aggressive trade-in program. If you buy the S10e (or any S10 model) directly from Samsung, you can get up to $300 off when you trade in a Galaxy S8 in good working condition. That's really good value for a two-generation-old phone, considering they don't even sell for that much on Swappa and other trade-in sites like Gazelle offer about half that.
You don't need that Galaxy S8 anymore after moving to a new Galaxy S10e, and even if you did plan on handing down your current phone you may want to rethink that decision when you consider how much you can get for it with a trade-in. Getting a new Galaxy S10e for just $450 is an amazing deal.
Our pick
Galaxy S10e
A perfect successor to the Galaxy S8
If you like your Galaxy S8 but it's feeling a little old after two years, the Galaxy S10e is an excellent upgrade. It's basically the same size as what you're used to, and has the full Samsung experience, but has upgraded every component to the latest and greatest. Plus, it's not particularly expensive compared to what you paid a couple years ago.
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